Peter Ralston NEW statement about psychedelics

[Bufo Alvarius]

In his recent newsletter, Peter Ralston makes a definite statement about psychedelics (see screenshot). Thoughts?

Cheng Hsin Newsletter.pdf

[Bufo Alvarius]

He further writes: "I don't know what you have been experiencing, and I wouldn't take it too seriously. It is what you become conscious of, that you weren't conscious of before, that counts. States you go through and visons you have, may be fun or help you open your mind or drop assumptions you previously just took for granted. But don't get bogged down in what may become something like taking psychedelics. They might be interesting or even mind-blowing, but they don't increase consciousness. In other words, when all is said and done after these experiences, what do you know about reality first-hand that you didn't previously, having nothing to do with the phenomenon or perceptive-experience that has past and is now only a memory? If you really don't know the nature of something through direct experience, and just have a conclusion or memory of some state, this isn't an increase in consciousness— any more than eating a great breakfast increasing consciousness (just your waistline)."

[Vincent S]

Psychedelics don't work on everybody. It only works on the people that know how to work with them.
And as previously mentioned. You have to do the work. Its not only there as a skip. Radical Honestly & Fearlessness is a requirement.

Edited May 15, 2022 by Vincent S

[Danioover9000]

Hahaha. If only that was the case.

[Vincent S]

I wonder why he says: "You need to come here and do some real work" as if that real work is not possible everywhere.
If I'm not wrong, or projecting here: He has something to sell, and students to learn. He cant and wont advocate for psychedelics. If he did, he wouldn't have any students to run his business or teach his teachings to. (Just a wild guess )

Don't get me wrong, I love what he has done, and what he teaches, but this is just dishonesty from his side.

Edited May 15, 2022 by Vincent S

[Breakingthewall]

It is surprising how completely certain people are when they give their opinions about things that they do not know in depth, probably not even superficially. leaves no room for doubt! 

The guy doesn't understand that psychedelics can definitively break down barriers, that the dissolution of the ego mind that occurs with 5 meo is something that only true mystics could achieve sober, a tiny human minority born for it. Surprising that someone like ralston has such closed mind. Sound like always: don't buy the other, buy mine

Edited May 15, 2022 by Breakingthewall

[Gesundheit2]

Agreed.

[RMQualtrough]

Some dude posted similar here very recently. I felt pretty sure he was a scumbag about to try to sell some shit, don't know if he did... It is annoying though.

I wonder if any of these people have a single answer for what exactly it is they think anyone is going to achieve with their "enlightenment" when all is said and done.

Even Leo, does he have an answer? I mean at the end of the day, it is true that you aren't actually getting somewhere. And to a small extent you also never actually know anything... Because obviously you don't have to meditate or take psychedelics to be conscious (or be consciousness if you are thinking like a guru), and any knowledge is not any less of a mirage than the images you're looking at around you or the sounds you're hearing... All of these things are tangible things. All things that are in fact "things", including tidbits of knowledge, are something known by awareness...

Same with people. There isn't any permanent person from moment to moment, just changing all the time. What there is, is patterns, so when you get to know someone you can sort of predict "that guy hates pizza, he's going to order something else". And this "knowledge" is like changing the patterns of the same type of appearances. So the ones which do appear might be a bit different.

Just do the drugs if you're that bothered. Would never waste my time for some BS meditation or "enlightenment" that is just going to vanish like all appearances anyway. Boring practice.

[puporing]

Potentially ignorance, but also basically if they all advocated for psychedelics like Leo does they couldn't get enough "students" anymore and charging that kind of money lawl. 

Edited May 15, 2022 by puporing

[Gesundheit2]

3 hours ago, Bufo Alvarius said:

He further writes: "I don't know what you have been experiencing, and I wouldn't take it too seriously. It is what you become conscious of, that you weren't conscious of before, that counts. States you go through and visons you have, may be fun or help you open your mind or drop assumptions you previously just took for granted. But don't get bogged down in what may become something like taking psychedelics. They might be interesting or even mind-blowing, but they don't increase consciousness. In other words, when all is said and done after these experiences, what do you know about reality first-hand that you didn't previously, having nothing to do with the phenomenon or perceptive-experience that has past and is now only a memory? If you really don't know the nature of something through direct experience, and just have a conclusion or memory of some state, this isn't an increase in consciousness— any more than eating a great breakfast increasing consciousness (just your waistline)."

Agreed.

[Gesundheit2]

On an intimately similar note.

[Vibes]

"Psychedelics only work on the brain, and so can only alter your mental state and perspective..."

I have experienced the "physical world" including my body as being inside my own mind. It literally feels like everything is inside my head (but it's not the human head/brain, those are inside my mind). It is undeniable.

I wonder what Peter Ralston would say about that.

Edited May 15, 2022 by Vibes

[Leo Gura]

5 hours ago, Bufo Alvarius said:

but they don't increase consciousness.

This is so wrong it's stunning.

[Raptorsin7]

This guy's a fool. Psychidelics can greatly enhance your practice and give you glimpses way beyond your sober level of practice. He clearly has no significant direct experience with psychidelics and yet feels confident in speaking about them as an authority.

 

[Gesundheit2]

13 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

This is so wrong it's stunning.

You said many times that psychedelics do not increase baseline levels of consciousness.

[Recursoinominado]

2 minutes ago, Gesundheit2 said:

You said many times that psychedelics do not increase baseline levels of consciousness.

He said it does increase a little each time and it is my direct experience that it really does.

[Gesundheit2]

Just now, Recursoinominado said:

He said it does increase a little each time and it is my direct experience that it really does.

I don't use psychedelics and my consciousness is only ever increasing. If what you're saying is true, then chances are it's not a side effect of psychedelics, but of something else related to practice.

[Leo Gura]

15 minutes ago, Gesundheit2 said:

You said many times that psychedelics do not increase baseline levels of consciousness.

1) Baseline is not the same as "don't increase consciousness". Baseline is important but it is not the only factor in this work. To boil everything down to baseline and poo-poo all peaks is wrong.

2) Trips affect your mind in powerful ways that stays with you for the rest of your life.

I am not high 24/7, but after all my trips I can look at my body and recognize it as God. And many other insights. Too many to list.

[Jodistrict]

This is why I work with a shaman.  I have a living example in front of me of a highly advanced spiritual person, so I can see for my self that it works.  That beats a lot of empty words printed on the Internet.    

[Gesundheit2]

6 hours ago, Bufo Alvarius said:

They might be interesting or even mind-blowing, but they don't increase consciousness. In other words, when all is said and done after these experiences, what do you know about reality first-hand that you didn't previously, having nothing to do with the phenomenon or perceptive-experience that has past and is now only a memory? If you really don't know the nature of something through direct experience, and just have a conclusion or memory of some state, this isn't an increase in consciousness— any more than eating a great breakfast increasing consciousness (just your waistline)."

 

23 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

1) Baseline is not the same as "don't increase consciousness". Baseline is important but it is not the only factor in this work. To boil everything down to baseline and poo-poo all peaks is wrong.

2) Trips affect your mind in powerful ways that stays with you for the rest of your life.

I am not high 24/7, but after all my trips I can look at my body and recognize it as God. And many other insights. Too many to list.

All of this seems already addressed above in the quote.