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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)

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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.

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on mysticism, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Qualitative and Quantitative Features of Music Reported to Support Peak Mystical Experiences during Psychedelic Therapy Sessions Individuals with extensive experience administering psilocybin or psilocybin-containing... 2017 Survey and qualitative/quantitative analysis n = 10
Common Core Thesis and Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Mysticism in Chinese Buddhist Monks and Nuns Chinese Pure Land and Chan Buddhist monks and nuns 2011 Mixed-methods study n = 139
Narratives of the mystical among users of psychedelics Psychedelic drug users 2021 Qualitative study n = 50
Auras in mysticism and synaesthesia: a comparison. Synaesthetes who experience colors in response to human faces and figures 2012 Qualitative study n = 4
When Seconds Turn Into Minutes: Time Expansion Experiences in Altered States of Consciousness People who reported Time Expansion Experiences 2020 Qualitative study n = 74

Citations in the library

Cited by 17

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