Goodbye the Religious Paradigm: (an early draft of this article on video below) The central theme of this paper is power: what is it and where does it come from? The French philosopher Michel Foucault described power as a property of language, or (more specifically) as a property of discourses. As a correlate of the individual’s internal dialogue, which creates and maintains a subjective reality, ‘social realities’ reflect the power of discourses at work in society. While the view that we are somehow authors of ‘our own reality’ lends itself to all kinds of unpleasant moralizing, i.e. that you deserve what you get) it can conversely be considered as an empowering affirmation of the individual’s power to initiate transformation. When we add Foucault’s theory of the power of discourses to this equation, it becomes apparent that entire societies can be transformed by discourses. Foucault sees power as emanating from every participant in discourses, from the humblest cabôclo in the Amazonian rainforest to the highest ranks of academia and political power. In this vision, nobody owns or controls power. Instead, power is leased by the continued renewal of dominant discourses such as those relating to what we believe to be true, worthy or moral, etc. A point I would like to explore in this paper is that discourses concerning entheogenic experiences, healing and spirituality touch on issues that are fundamental to the exercise of authority. The globalization of such discourses therefore provides an excellent opportunity to question certain policies, such as the ‘War on Drugs’, which is at present the primary justification for attitudes concerning entheogens. With this in mind, I will ‘deconstruct’ the paradigm of ‘religious thinking’ currently dominating the legal debate of entheogens and psychedelics. This is not an attempt to deny the importance of personal experiences of the sacred, (or for that matter the liberty implicit in the notion of ‘religious freedom’) but to define a common currency, a ‘neutral’ language that is free of the value statements, covert meanings and moral distinctions that presently characterize the debate of these subjects and distract from the underlying existential questions. In doing so, I believe it is possible to effect a re-balancing of the power inherent in social attitudes concerning the use of entheogens. I propose that this is actually possible and that it is high time we did so. I also believe wholeheartedly that the convergence of scientific studies, philosophical and ethical themes in this subject is evidence of the emergence of a new and powerful ‘realm of possibilities’ with regards to spirituality. Transformation is imminent in Foucault’s notion of discourse; in fact, transformations can be set in motion by a very small number of people, sometimes even a single person like Nelson Mandela, or the Dalai Lama whose ideas have a strong appeal, transforming the dominant discourses and forcing powerful political leaders to adopt language and ideas they would rather avoid. More importantly, some discourses can set in motion peaceful transformations, simply by their transcendence of diametrically opposite views. I will now try to connect these concepts of power and transformation to the topic of religious freedom. Entheogens, Society & Law This manuscript is being edited for publication. Review copies are available, just click on the links. is being written for the specific purpose of providing arguments and strategies in defense of the right to use, and provide, entheogenic substances for spiritual, medicinal and self-exploratory purposes. The book provides a summary of three publicized legal hearings that in three countries (the Netherlands, France and U.S.A.) with very different laws and standards. It specifies a number of arguments that can serve as defenses before a court of law, and suggests strategies to be followed in preparation for confrontations of a legal nature, as well as in preparation of legalization and standardization of entheogenic practice. Above all this book shows how the spirituality that entheogens and synthetic psychedelics support forms a challenging new basis for ethics and politics, as well as a challenge to existing religious dogma. The manuscript version is not for distribution. copying or printing. All rights reserved! A printed version of this book can be ordered, just e-mail me using the contact section to the right. Conflict, identity & transformation in the Middle-east: This publication seeks to identify the causes of conflict in identity. Premised on Landmark Education 'technology', this examination is an attempt to understand the causes of conflict in terms that are readily available for empirical testing at a personal level. The book demonstrates how justifications come to replace the 'factual' causes of long-standing conflicts. In order to demonstrate this, the justifications are de-constructed, seeking the ideas and self-images that form the basis of a common heritage. Examining the world's most prominent 'intractable conflict', that of the Israeli/Palestinian relations, the paper seeks to present sociopolitical and personal conflict as arising from roughly the same conditions. The paper concludes by suggesting formulas for the resolution of intractable conflict. In sum, an attempt is made to demonstrate that individuals conscious of their own role in conflicts are well placed to initiate transformation. Ayahuasca & Buddhism Can spiritual disciplines involving ayahuasca or other entheogens be compared to any of the worlds great spiritual traditions and if so, how? A short paper published on an Israeli Buddhist forum. The ensuing debate was vicious. At a superficial level the use of the entheogen Ayahuasca as a tool for expanding awareness seems to be at odds with other established spiritual disciplines. This paper addresses the various points of correspondence between Buddhist doctrine and examines questions that concerned Buddhists might well ask. The paper attempts to establish a set of rules that precede any such interdisciplinary ʻdialogueʼ and allow for comparisons to be made, and it strives to establish on the basis of priority which questions need to be addressed. Both disciplines address matters that relate only to the experiential world, thus outwardly their benefits or drawbacks can only be judged on the basis of the visible ʻbehaviorʼ of practitioners, all other evidence is anecdotal. This paper attempts therefore to present only those claims that seem common sense and obvious, rather than making claims that cannot be validated except by experimentation. Psychedelic therapy for young offenders: Entheogenic therapy for young repeat offenders. It was tried in the sixties and then abandoned.Find out why and what entheogens could do to help... Iboga therapy This paper seeks to provide an overview of the various phases of Iboga treatment for addiction. In it are presented personal views and suggestions meant for lay therapists or caregivers who wish to improve the treatment they provide. The paper is also meant for professional health workers involved in rehabilitation work so that they may keep up with the work being performed by lay practitioners. The workpresumes that at some time in the future lay practitioners and recognized health workers will be able to come together as Iboga therapy will surely one day be a recognized treatment for addiction. It is the purpose of this paper to present current Iboga therapy not as the culmination of a movement, but as a movement in the initial stages of development. All the suggestions and impressions presented here are therefore open to questioning and are presented here to solicit debate, and suggestions, from lay practitioners, addicts and professionals alike. The treatment of addiction to various substances with Iboga root bark, Iboga extract or Ibogaine is a serious business. If performed properly the treatment not only diminishes the craving for drugs, but also can give a valuable experience, through the visionary effects of the Ibogaine, that will continue to support the rehabilitation process. (It must be noted that Iboga therapy may also have a beneficial effect on non‐drug related behavioral problems such as anorexia) How to become a human being  This paper aims to evaluate indigenous peoples strategies for educating the young, and to compare such strategies with those employed by modern society. In order to examine the vast difference of attitudes between such societies, I shall focus on the employment of entheogenic substances for purposes of initiation. Such practices once limited to alienated and subjugated societies, is spreading as knowledge of indigenous practices increases. 
 I shall examine how growing awareness of the use of entheogens (particularly through participation experiences) has impacted on particular areas of anthropological research, and traverses the gap between academic research to powerfully confront western concepts. I shall examine the means by which indigenous knowledge is being communicated, and the implications that this has for the global community. Medicinal weed: a personal account of the use of cannabis as an alternative painkiller during chemotherapy(Dutch language only) De ervaring van mijn vaders ziekte is een onthulling voor onze familie geweest: ten eerste de verwarring en misverstanden die ontstaan bij de confrontatie met een ziekte die we niet goed begrijpen, en waarvan we weten dat het terminaal kan zijn, ten tweede de keuzes, om reguliere maatregelen te nemen, of om alternatieve geneeswijzen te betrekken, ten derde, de zorg voor onze vader, waarmee zich onmiddellijk de vraag voordoet, moeten wij ons ook mengen in de vele vragen rond de medische besluiten die worden genomen, ons op de hoogte stellen van alles omtrent de medicijnen, internet raadplegen, meegaan naar consulten, en hem bijstaan bij ziekenhuis verblijf etc.? Een patiënt met een ernstige aandoening wordt vrij snel overspoeld met een teveel aan informatie en keuzes, en de hulp die anderen hem proberen te geven kan de verwarring en gevoel van hulpeloosheid soms erger maken. Overigens is mijn vader weerbaar genoeg om zijn eigen onderzoek te doen op het internet, hetgeen hem in elk geval duidelijkere informatie brochures opleverde dan die door de Medisch Centrum Haaglanden worden verstrekt bij de Chemo-kuur. Adviezen voor familie en verzorgers van Chemo-kuur patiënten ontbreekt in zijn geheel! Naarmate de zorg voor de patiënt dankzij een verbeterde Chemo-kuur zich meer naar het thuisfront verplaatst, wordt de verantwoording van familie en verzorgers groter, goede voorlichting is van levensbelang. Wat te denken van bijvoorbeeld de noodzaak om dieet, lichaamsbeweging, en geestelijke steun voor het genezings proces? Eerlijk gezegd, voelt de gehele ondersteuning voor patiënt en familie aan alsof het gaat om een verkoudheid, de Chemo-kuur moet het werk doen, en voor de rest moet iedereen maar vertrouwen hebben. Ik sta paf van deze laissez faire houding. Hebben de oncologische teams dan misschien eindelijk door dat een behandeling met Chemo-kuur statistisch gezien net zoveel kans van slagen heeft als geen behandeling, en is men daarom zo apathisch? En hoe zit het dan met pijnbestrijding, waarom wordt er dan zo verschrikkelijk beknibbeld op pijnstillers zoals Tramadol, terwijl men de patiënt zo aan zijn lot overlaat? Mijn vader heeft meerdere malen moeten vragen om een nieuw recept voor Tramadol, dit soms s’weekends en s’nachts, als apotheken dicht zijn, en artsen onbereikbaar! An article on entheogens and spirituality presented at the Green Angel pub, Head over heels event (organised by Donal Ruane) in London 2003  I have often wondered whether the Shamanic journey using Ayahuasca, is a genuine “spiritual journey”, in any sense that a Christian, or Buddhists might acknowledge. This is an interesting question, because why should a Shamanic tradition need recognition in the eyes of the world’s established religious movements? The practice of Shamanism has been persecuted wherever it came into contact with imperialist invasions, and often the reasons given for this persecution were based in religious convictions. Today, we find that Shamanism is still considered to be a backward and superstitious practice dating back to the animistic period of history, which came prior to the “modern” monotheistic religions such as Islam, Judaism, Christianity and Buddhism. Now when it comes to a Shamanic tradition that uses a Hallucinogenic substance, moralists from these established religions protest. These moralists intuitively flee from the very experiences that are the very foundation on which their faith is built. In other words their faith does not rest on experience. This is why it is so difficult to argue convincingly that entheogenic substances may lead to genuine spiritual awakening, rather than “temptation” and sin. I happen to believe that Ayahuasca is a medium that does lead to spiritual awakening, in the following manner: Weed & Parkinson: giving my mother marihuana to counter symptoms of Parkinson's disease: (Dutch language only) Getuige van mijn moeders vele bezoeken aan deze arts zijn de tientallen, misschien wel honderden verpakkingen van medicijnen die zij in haar keuken kast, en medicijnkast heeft. Het lijkt erop dat zij niet alleen zelf medicijnen koopt bij de drogist, maar ook veel medicijnen op recept heeft gekregen. De hoeveelheden doen echter vermoeden dat mijn moeder hypochondrische neigingen heeft, die het gevolg zijn van haar verlatingsangst, en haar behoefte om confrontaties met haar verleden uit de weg te gaan. Zij is al jaren onder behandeling bij een psycholoog van Centrum 45 te Oegstgeest, een institutie dat gespecialiseerd is in de behandeling van getraumatiseerde oorlogskinderen. Zoals ik al zei, zijn de symptomen van Parkinson geen grote schok voor mij en mijn zus, want de aanleg voor deze symptomen was al jaren aanwezig. Toen de diagnose uiteindelijk viel was het allerminst opmerkelijk, hooguit de bevestiging van een vermoeden. De behandelende specialist schreef haar Levadopa voor. Toevallig had mijn oom in Londen net een half jaar eerder hetzelfde nieuws gehad, een diagnose van Parkinson. Bij hem waren de verschijnselen een vertraging van zijn gang, en een paar val partijen, en verder merkte ik dat zijn stem vervlakt was. Hij heeft nu een jaar medicatie, en is ondanks de handicap een levenslustige man, die avontuurlijke reizen maakt, en zich geduldig opstelt tegenover zijn Parkinson. Sinds de diagnose van mijn moeder lijkt er enige rust te zijn gekomen in haar leven. Het schijnt dat ze zich berust in haar ziekte, dat eindelijk een naam heeft. Het is moeilijk in te schatten of de Levadopa haar werkelijk helpt, ze trilt nog steeds op bepaalde momenten van de namiddag heel erg, en wordt na het innemen van haar medicamenten erg plotseling moe, maar sʼmorgens rijdt ze met haar auto naar het strand, wandelt, bezoekt mensen etc. DMT for the masses updated The extraction process outlined here is not complicated. The beginner needs surprisingly little experience or comprehension of chemistry, as I learned while observing an experienced chemist go through the process. Extraction can be accomplished in a matter of hours, although the process of crystallization requires a few days of refrigeration. I am fully aware of the contradiction implicit in publishing this article on a site advocating responsibility in all matters related to entheogens and psychedelics. I am also aware that the notion implicit in the 'War on Drugs' of eradicating all drugs and drug use is a fascist one. The sooner authorities understand that knowledge and the thirst for knowledge cannot be kept under lock and key, the sooner we might begin looking for peaceful and respectful ways to advocate responsible drug use, and proper care for those who need it. Until such time, I remain a staunch supporter of the freedom to share information. Power to the people ! We have a problem!: a call for a paradigm shift. (Parts 1 & 2) US citizen Casey William Hardison, living in the UK was arrested for manufacturing LSD, DMT and 2C-B. Casey acted as his own lawyer during his trial and, instead of arguing he did not commit the alleged acts, argued that, as long as he harmed no one, he had the human right to engage in his chosen entheogenic praxis. In essence, Casey has challenged the drug laws as a discriminatory affront to Cognitive Liberty, therapeutic choice and freedom of religion. The trial judge rejected these human rights arguments and sentenced Casey to 20 years imprisonment in April 2005. On appeal, Casey submitted substantially similar human rights arguments but these were rejected and his conviction and sentence were upheld in May 2006. Casey then submitted his human rights arguments simultaneously to the European Court of Human Rights and to the House of Lords, the highest court of appeal in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, these appeals, though capturing the spirit of his perceived injustice, were not viewed as proper legal arguments by the courts but rather as an attack on Government drug policy. His arguments are presented in these documents. More information available from http://www.freecasey.org/ We have a problem parts 1 & 2 are important documents because they clearly state the case for ending prohibition without using religious arguments. In a secular world, the case for religious freedom is a feeble one at best. Although this argument has proved successful in the US Supreme Court case of Gonzales vs. Uniao do Vegetal in 2006 and in the Netherlands vs. Santo Daime in 2001, these cases have not led to the radical changes in the way authorities pursue drug policy that are necessary for drug policy to effectively reduce drug related harm. At the same time thousands are harassed and convicted on drugs charges despite the fact that they have not directly harmed anyone. In We have a problem, Casey outlines what is wrong in the way drug policy is executed, effectively stating that authorities are aware that the moral distinctions used in drug policy lead to injustices in the execution of the law. The Myth of Inadequacy: an outline proposal for a series of lectures on spirituality & conflict, Daniel Waterman © July 2008 This paper begins with a summary of my motives and qualifications in the field of entheogenic studies. I proceed to qualify the claim that psychoactive substances can —under specific circumstances- be instrumental in ‘spiritual’ practices. Since the use of psychoactive plants in indigenous religious traditions has been adequately documented, I will instead examine this claim from a perspective of ‘modern’ concerns. For this purpose, I shall attempt to separate the concept of spirituality from its religious, moral and historical connotations. In a new definition; -The emphasis of spirituality shifts, from one demanding conformity and based on convention, to one that is grounded in personal experience and which resonates with the individual’s (developmental) needs; -From an emphasis on moral instruction as a means of controlling conduct for ‘the common good’, to one stimulating curiosity, spontaneity and creativity; -And from an emphasis on either individual, or society, to one in which the individual and collective concerns are fully reconciled. It is my intention to propose a specific understanding of healing, in which entheogens can play an important role. The healing aspect of spirituality has been neglected in most mainstream religious traditions, and I propose that this neglect is particularly relevant in light of our current social and political conflicts. I conclude with an outline proposal for a series of lectures elaborating these ideas. http://headoverheels.org.uk/http://www.cognitiveliberty.org/http://www.cognitiveliberty.org/http://www.csp.org/http://www.echr.coe.int/http://www.echr.coe.int/http://www.drugs.gov.uk/http://www.freecasey.org/publications_files/Heidelberg5.pdfhttp://www.headoverheels.org.ukpublications_files/ibogatherapy.pdfshapeimage_1_link_0shapeimage_1_link_1shapeimage_1_link_2shapeimage_1_link_3shapeimage_1_link_4shapeimage_1_link_5shapeimage_1_link_6shapeimage_1_link_7

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We have a problem part 1

We have a problem part 2

Casey addresses the World Psychedelic Forum

Audio file.