Do Drugs Have Religious Import? A 40-Year Retrospective
Huston Smith, Charles S. Grob, Robert L. Jesse, Gary Bravo, Alise Agar, Roger Walsh
Journal of Humanistic Psychology April 1, 2004 DOI: 10.1177/0022167804263209 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Interview Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Keywords | Psychedelics Entheogens Hallucinogens Psychotropic substances Mind-altering drugs Religion Faith Belief systems Religious traditions Theology Spirituality Inner journey Spiritual development Consciousness Personal growth Self-discovery Self-improvement Transformation Inner development |
| Citations | 29 |
| Key points | Psychedelic experiences have historically influenced religious traditions and contemplative practices, but the 1960s psychedelic movement was limited in producing significant social change. |
Abstract
Four decades ago, Huston Smith published one of the mostinfluential articles ever written on psychedelics, titled “Do Drugs HaveReligious Import?” As part of “The Oral History of PsychedelicResearch Project,” he was interviewed and invited to revisit thistopic. The interview covers his personal experiences, as well as the influences of psychedelic experiences on religious traditions andcontemplative practices. Examples of such influences that arediscussed include the ancient Vedic tradition and Eleusinianmysteries, and the contemporary Native American Church. At the sociallevel, he reflects on factors that limited the effectiveness of the psychedelic movement of the 1960s in producing significant socialchange, the state of contemporary culture, society, and drug policy,and the role of elders in society.