Shrines, Drugs, and Mental Health in South Asian Culture: A Case Study of Rahman Baba Shrine, Peshawar Pakistan
Shakeel Ahmed, Imran Ahmad Sajid, Samia Shakeel
Pakistan Journal of Applied Social Sciences March 8, 2022 DOI: 10.46568/pjass.v13i1.612 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Phenomenological study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Substance users at the Rehman Baba shrine in Pakistan |
| Intervention | marijuana |
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Keywords | Harmony color Humanity Mental health Exploratory research Traditional medicine Religious studies Gender studies Anthropology Theology Literature Visual arts |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key points | Marijuana is used as a holy drug at the shrine, viewed as a source of love for humanity, relaxation, harmony, and escape from social challenges. |
Abstract
This phenomenological study explores the traits of substance-induced mysticism at the Rehman Baba shrine in Pakistan. The shrine of Rehman Babais frequently visited by many. Some of the Malang(monks) use marijuana to induce a mystic experience. It has become a socially acceptable practice at this shrine. It uses non-participant observation of the substance users and exploratory interviews along with focused group discussion at Rahman Baba shrine. The findings indicate that only marijuana is used at the shrine as a holy drug. They view substance use as a source of love for humanity, relaxation from social stresses, and harmony among the users. It is further used to escape from the challenges of social life. Merton’s ‘individual’s modes of adaptation’ has been used to explain the data.
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 |
| Do Drugs Have Religious Import? A 40-Year Retrospective | 2004 | Interview | |
| 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 |