Mescaline: Altered Perception and Contemplative Insights

Mescaline enhances perception, revealing the divine in ordinary things, posing a challenge to balance contemplation with practical duties.

### The Divine in the Everyday: Aldous Huxley's Mescaline Experience and Insights
* 👁 Aldous Huxley's mescaline experience in 1953 led him to see the world with a "**cleansed perception**," where everyday objects and experiences revealed the "**Divine source of all existence**."
* 🎨 Objects like flowers, books, and furniture were perceived as "**living hieroglyphs**" that symbolized the "**unfathomable mystery of pure being**."
* 👤 Huxley struggled with reconciling this "**Timeless Bliss of seeing as one ought to see**" with the "**temporal duties**" of human relations and everyday life.
* 🧠 Huxley explored the idea that the brain acts as a "**reducing valve**" that limits our consciousness to what is **biologically or socially useful**.
* 🌈 Mescaline heightened the perception of color, suggesting that for "mind at large," the so-called secondary characteristics of things are **"primary."**
* Huxley's mescaline experience also influenced his view on art, seeing artists like Vermeer and the Le Nain brothers as painters of "**human still lives**" that captured the **essence of things**.
* Ultimately, Huxley pondered how to integrate this "**cleansed perception**" into everyday life, realizing that in its fullness, the contemplative "**way of Mary**" includes and elevates the active "**way of Martha**".

### The Role of Mescaline in Self-Transcendence and the Search for the Divine
* 🌌 Mescaline, as a potent tool for altering consciousness, offers individuals the opportunity to **transcend their ordinary perception** and gain **direct access to the inner and outer worlds** as they truly are, free from the limitations imposed by survival instincts and conceptual frameworks.
* 🍃 The mescaline experience can be likened to a "**gratuitous Grace**," not necessary for salvation but potentially beneficial, as it allows individuals, especially intellectuals, to **temporarily escape the confines of habitual thought patterns** and see reality in a more **unfiltered and unconditional manner**.
* 🍄 While most people have a natural and widespread urge to **transcend their limited sense of self**, the means of achieving this, such as through religion, art, or meditation, are not always accessible to everyone. As a result, many turn to "chemical surrogates" like **alcohol and drugs** to satisfy this fundamental need.
* 🚪 Aldous Huxley argues that the ideal "drug" for self-transcendence should be **potent in small doses**, **synthesizable**, **less toxic than existing substances**, and capable of producing consciousness-altering effects that are **both interesting and intrinsically valuable**.
* 🍷 The historical and cultural connection between religion and the use of psychoactive substances is well-documented, with various societies incorporating drugs into their spiritual practices as a way to **access transcendent states of consciousness**.
* 🙏 Huxley suggests that Christianity and mescaline are more compatible than Christianity and alcohol, as demonstrated by Native American tribes that have **sacramentalized the ritual use of peyote** as a form of religious worship.
* 😨 The experience of mescaline-induced self-transcendence can be both **enlightening and terrifying**, as it involves confronting a reality that is vastly different from the everyday human experience. This can lead to feelings of **awe, madness, and a sense of being overwhelmed** by the intensity of the "mysterium tremendum."
* 🛑 Despite the potential benefits of mescaline and other consciousness-altering substances, Huxley acknowledges that they are not without risks, and the search for **safe and effective means of achieving self-transcendence** remains an ongoing challenge.

### The Power of Visionary Experience and Its Influence on Art and Religion
* 👁 Visionary experiences, characterized by **preternatural light, color, and significance**, transport the mind to the **"other world" of the mind's antipodes**.
* 💎 Precious stones, which resemble the **self-luminous, intensely colored objects of visionary experience**, are highly prized and have **therapeutic and magical virtues**.
* 🎨 Certain scenes, objects, and materials in nature and art possess the power to **induce visionary experiences** or **transport the mind towards its antipodes**.
* 🛐 Religious art makes extensive use of vision-inducing materials like **gold, precious stones, and glass**, with sacred jewelry and stained glass windows being **intrinsically numinous**.
* The transporting power of flame increases in darkness, and the most impressively numinous temples are twilight caverns where **tapers bring life to the otherworldly treasures**.
* In the 12th century, collecting boxes in churches were filled with hard-earned cash for the installation and upkeep of stained glass windows, which were considered **supremely valuable for inducing visionary experiences**.
* In the 14th century, stained glass gave way to **grisaille**, and in the later 15th century, the glass painters imitated Renaissance painting in **transparency** but lost the **transporting quality**.
* The Protestants disapproved of visionary experience and favored clear windows for reading the Bible, while the Catholics of the Counter-Reformation believed in the **value of visionary experience** but also in the **supreme value of print**.

### The Nature and Significance of Visionary Experience
* 🎨 Visionary experiences are characterized by a "**special kind of beauty**" that transports the beholder by reminding them of the "**preternatural lights and colors of the other world**."
* 🔮 These experiences are often associated with the "**inhabitants of the mind's antipodes**," such as the cherubim, who are the "**more than human personages of visionary experience**."
* 💀 Negative visionary experiences, or visions of hell, can also occur, often accompanied by "**appalling**" bodily sensations and emotions such as **fear and anger**.
* 🧘 The "**way to the superconscious is through the subconscious**," and various practices, such as yogic breathing exercises and chanting, aim to "**increase the concentration of CO2 in the lungs and blood**" to allow access to visionary states.
* 🔦 The stroboscopic lamp can produce **colored moving patterns** and intensify visions induced by substances like mescaline or lysergic acid.
* ⚖ In the Western world, visionaries and mystics are less common due to a **"philosophical reason"** — the lack of a place for **"valid transcendental experience"** in the current worldview — and a **"chemical reason,"** which may refer to the **"devaluation of traditional vision-inducing materials"** by modern technology.

### The Role of Light in Creating Visionary and Mystical Experiences
* 💡 Light has played a crucial role in creating **visionary and mystical experiences** throughout history, with advancements in lighting technology significantly enhancing **various forms of art**.
* 🎨 In the past, the use of a single candle to illuminate figures in paintings created **intense and mystical effects**, as seen in the works of artists like Georges de La Tour.
* 🏛 Theatrical spectacle, pageantry, and the Magic Lantern show have all been forms of popular entertainment that relied on **light to create visionary experiences** for audiences.
* 🌌 The close landscapes of Chinese and Japanese art, which depict small natural objects or creatures as the center of their own universe, exemplify how **isolation and proximity can invest objects with intrinsic significance**.
* 🧠 Changes in body chemistry, such as vitamin deficiencies or the release of adrenaline, have been shown to create conditions favorable to **visionary and mystical experiences**.
* 🎥 In the 20th century, the advent of colored movies and color documentaries has introduced new forms of visionary art, with filmmakers like Francis Thompson using **light to create distorted visions of reality**.
* 🔮 "For an aspiring mystic to engage in **prolonged fasting and violent self-flagellation** would be as senseless as it would be for an aspiring cook to **burn down the house in order to roast a pig**." Instead, aspiring mystics should seek **technical help from experts in pharmacology, biochemistry, and other relevant fields** to alter their body chemistry in a safe and effective manner.
* 🕯 "To us, the ideal of rational orderliness in classical art makes no appeal. Consequently, we use all the means in our power to **make classical works look like something they are not and were never meant to be**." By isolating and highlighting specific elements of classical sculptures through lighting and photography, it is possible to **create new and unexpected interpretations of these works**.

The Doors of Perception and Heaven and Hell by Aldous Huxley

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Mescaline, a powerful hallucinogen, has been the subject of extensive research for its profound effects on consciousness.

The drug's ability to alter the quality of one's consciousness and perception has fascinated psychologists, neurologists, and philosophers.

Despite the common expectation of vivid visions, the subjective experience of mescaline is unique to each individual and can result in a transformation of the objective world.

A Profound Experience of Existence and Perception

The narrator describes a transcendent experience while looking at flowers, perceiving the miracle of existence in their beauty.

This experience leads to a profound understanding of the nature of being and reality, as well as the limitations of human perception.

The narrator also reflects on the function of the brain and nervous system in filtering consciousness, and the role of language in shaping our understanding of reality.

The Effects of Mescaline on the Brain and Perception

Mescaline reduces the brain's glucose supply, leading to intensified visual impressions and decreased interest in time and space.

It also causes a profound change in the will, making the individual indifferent to their usual concerns.

Mescaline's impact on perception, especially the heightened perception of color, is a significant effect noted in those who take the drug.

The Profound Significance of Drapery in Art

El Greco's use of intricate and agitated folds in his artwork reflects a breakdown of traditional spirituality and a sense of the world's hostility.

The portrayal of drapery in art is a symbol of the unfathomable mystery of pure being, representing the intrinsic significance of existence.

The experience of seeing drapery in a transfigured way offers a glimpse of the true significance of life, transcending the ordinary concerns of human existence.

The Impact of Mescaline on Perception and Contemplation

Mescaline provides a heightened and cleansed perception of the world, but it also poses a challenge in reconciling this contemplation with action and practical compassion.

The drug allows for a deep contemplation of the divine nature of things, but it hinders the individual's ability to engage in worldly activities and ethical responsibilities.

The experience highlights the ethical value of contemplation and its potential influence on the world, while also emphasizing the difficulty of expressing and integrating this perception into everyday life.

The Shift from Outer to Inner World in Art and Music

The outer world is where we live and work, while the inner world is a place of dreams and musings, often preferred in the search for the Divine.

In the past, the focus of art was on the objective reality, but there has been a retreat from the outward world to the personal subconscious in both painting and music.

This shift has led to a disintegration of the traditional forms of art, reflecting a move towards a more personal and abstract expression.

Taking mescaline can lead to heavenly experiences, but also to hellish and purgatorial states for those who are mentally unwell.

The drug can cause a feeling of being overwhelmed by reality, leading to fear and panic.

It can also bring about intense beauty and transcendent experiences, especially in nature.

The Role of Chemical Substances in Self-Transcendence

The use of chemical substances for self-transcendence has been a widespread and enduring phenomenon, serving as a means to escape the limitations of selfhood.

Despite the potential harm, there is a universal urge for transcendence, driving the continued use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

While traditional religion aims to provide self-transcendence, the compatibility of Christianity with alcohol and mescaline differs, with the latter being embraced in some Native American tribes' religious practices.

The Unique Religious Experience of the Peyotist Congregation

Slotkin observes the respectful and devout behavior of the Native American Peyotist congregation, noting their direct and illuminating religious experiences, including visions and a sense of God's presence.

The use of peyote in their religious ceremonies is seen as psychologically sound and has positive practical consequences on the members' lives, making them more industrious and peaceable.

Despite the potential benefits, Slotkin criticizes the lack of serious attention given to non-verbal education and the reluctance of highly educated individuals to acknowledge anything beyond words and notions.

The Significance of Direct Perception and Systematic Reasoning

Direct perception is essential for understanding the infinite reality, allowing for a more unsystematic apprehension of the inner and outer worlds.

Systematic reasoning is crucial but should be balanced with a direct and unstructured understanding of reality to maintain sanity.

The use of hypnosis and drugs like mescaline can transport consciousness to the mind's antipodes, allowing for the experience of strange psychological creatures with a certain regularity.

The Intensified Experience of Color in Visionary States

Visionary experiences and dreams induced by mescaline or hypnosis are consistently intense and brilliant in color, in contrast to the mostly black and white nature of ordinary dreams.

The intensely colored visions are unrelated to the dreamer's personality but are a hallmark of the mind's antipodes and the collective unconscious.

These visionary experiences also involve heightened significance and typically feature perceptual elements such as moving geometrical forms, changing landscapes, and heroic figures, representing a new and novel creation unrelated to the individual's past.

Mitchell's Account of the Visionary World Induced by Mescaline

Mitchell describes his mescaline-induced visionary experience, including the appearance of star points, stained glass fragments, and vibrant colors.

He highlights the similarity between induced visionary experiences and the landscapes described in cultural traditions, noting the abundance of precious stones and preternatural light.

Mitchell explains the psychological significance of precious stones and flowers in the otherworldly experience, emphasizing their role in transporting the soul to the visionary world.

The Power of Vision-Inducing Art and Materials

Certain materials and works of art have the power to transport the beholder's mind to a visionary experience of the other world.

The art of the goldsmith, jeweler, and stained glass craftsmen, as well as the use of bright, pure colors, have historically been associated with inducing trance-like states and visionary experiences.

The use of these vision-inducing materials and art forms has been valued in religious and secular contexts, from the ancient world to the Middle Ages and beyond, for their ability to transport the viewer beyond the everyday world.

The Devaluation of Vision-Inducing Art in the Modern World

Modern familiarity with bright colors has led to a decreased appreciation for them.

The abundance of color in the modern world, due to the chemical industry, has contributed to this indifference.

The devaluating effect of modern technology on vision-inducing materials and artistic devices has led to a loss of the transporting power of many works of art.

Static art, such as mosaics and statues, has the power to transport beholders to visionary experiences.

The lack of landscape painting in certain cultures raises questions about the expression of visionary landscapes in art.

The representation of natural objects, whether from a distance or close-up, has the intrinsic power to induce visionary experiences in viewers.

The Artistic Perspective on Natural Objects

Monet and other artists adopt a non-human point of view to depict natural objects, emphasizing their beauty and significance.

The close-up portrayal of natural elements, such as foliage and flowers, has been a common and powerful artistic approach throughout history, challenging the traditional concept of landscape painting.

Visionary experiences, whether blissful or terrible, have played a significant role in transfiguring the artists' perception of the world, leading to diverse artistic expressions in literature and the arts.

The Psychological and Physiological Factors of Visionary Experiences

Visionary experiences, whether blissful or horrifying, can be induced by physical and psychological conditions, such as mescaline ingestion, liver disease, fear, and anger.

The state of mind at the moment of death is crucial in determining the nature of the visionary experience.

Carbon dioxide, yogic breathing exercises, and the stroboscopic lamp are all effective in inducing visionary experiences through physiological and physical means.

The Impact of Environmental and Chemical Factors on Visionary Experiences

Stroboscope light patterns can be explained by the interference of rhythms, and it intensifies visions induced by mescaline or lysergic acid.

The relationship between visionary experiences and the brain's electrical levels remains a comprehensive mystery.

Visionaries and mystics are less common in the Western world due to the lack of recognition of transcendental experiences and the impact of the modern chemical environment on the brain.

Vitamin deficiencies and the chemical environment can lead to vision experiences, and in the past, fasting and bodily mortification were common practices to induce visionary and mystical experiences.

The Impact of Chemistry on Visionary and Mystical Experiences

Focal infections can reduce the efficiency of the cerebral reducing valve, affecting visionary and mystical experiences.

Throughout history, contemplatives have systematically modified their body chemistry to create the internal conditions for spiritual insight.

Visionary arts, such as fireworks and pageantry, have long depended on contemporary technology to create magical and transporting spectacles.

Theatrical spectacle combines the human art of drama with visionary elements, using elaborate productions and special effects to create a magical experience for the audience.

The use of lighting, especially candles, was initially inadequate for evoking the full visionary potential, but the 19th century technological advancements, such as limelight and electricity, transformed the theatrical magic.

The evolution of visionary art has also been seen in the colored movie and nature films, offering transporting visions and a new form of popular visionary art.

The Impact of Colored Photography on Art and Sculpture

Colored photography has not diminished the significance of traditional art forms, but has rather been used to create finished products with new visionary qualities.

Advances in technology and lighting have allowed for the reinterpretation and alteration of the physical appearance of classical sculpture.

Several European artists have uniquely combined the magic of both close and distant landscapes in their work, inviting the viewer to experience both perspectives simultaneously.

The Profound Impact of Isolation on Perception and Existence

The middle distance of nature appears familiar, but becomes strangely wonderful when seen up close, from a distance, or at odd angles.

The isolation of objects in art and nature tends to give them a sense of absolute significance.

The text explores the eerie existence of schizophrenics and neurotics, relating it to the concept of a shadowy world and the progression of eschatological ideas.

The text discusses how isolation can transform the perception of nature and art, giving objects a deeper meaning.

It also delves into the eerie existence of mentally disturbed individuals and its relation to religious traditions.