Well the answer is: both.

There are a lot of natural drugs, natural herbs that expand your perception and viewing the world. Pejote, marijuana and salvia are among them and used occasionally they can be beneficial for humans.

Unfortuneatly we have found ourselves in such a place in evolution that we often feel "in prison" in our own lifes. Drugs make us feel expanded, we don't feel so much pressure from surroundings, it makes us a little "losen". It might be beneficial for people who are very much strict and rigurous about themselves and others.

The risk of that approach is that a person can feel that drugs are the only way to feel that, when in fact they are only sign posts for us what kind of state of being we can accomplish every day of our life. They give us a little taste of that reality, but missused can make horrible things.

In my own experience i used to smoke marijuana for more then two years almost every day. At first it was fun, just "experimenting", nothing bad. In low quanities marijuana can help cure depression, but in large ones it can in fact deepen it. After two years I was an emotional and physical wreck. My self-confidence, self-esteem and all of that were gone. I needed to change.

My friend said once that if you can't go any lower you can only go up. So marijuana was a TOOL to make me go as low as I could. I was on a verge and I chose to change. If it wasn't for that experience I think I would be still miserable.

So to clarify I had ONLY had encounter with marijuana, which isn't as addictive then other drugs out their (my inner voice kept me away from them). I had some experience with mushrooms and salvia divinorum, which is used by shamans to have visions, and I have to tell you it works. That particular experience (with salvia) gave me a taste of the unknowable, but I wasn't ready then to go all out. I'm taking my time graually, but it was definetly one of most profound experiences in my life.

So to summarize do I think drugs are wrong? No, they are not. We just misuse them and try to associate them with things they are not. They become our way to escape the reality we're in, as their job is to enhance it. So what I would suggest to people, if you feel attracted to something try it, just know that YOU are creating the experience. The drug by itself has no meaning, it is us who give it it's powers. And if we're talking about the natural ones, they have been put here for a purpose, like everythinbg is, so demonizing it serves no purpose at all.

What I'm trying to say is not to be afraid. Their is no "out there". Their is no boogie monster or a witch uunder your bed. It is ALL you. It always has been you. Those things like drugs, meditation, affirmation etc. are just permission slips who in their own right have no power. We give it power and they are here to let us know what states we can accomplish WITHOUT them. They are just guide lines, tools and nothing more. Saying to someone "Well you've got to meditate for at least a hour a day to quiet your mind." It's not true. Some people need thirty minutes, some 15 and some 2 minutes. The important thing is to do those things and tune them up to yourself. You don't have to listen to anybody for sure just because they said so. hey, I don't care if you listen to me or not. I'm just stating my point of the subject which is true to me, but if something else is true to you that's fine to. The main thing is to relax, and agree to disagree.

Besides we're or "going up", which means for me that we are all climbing a mountain and we will eventually get to the top, but everyone of us takes a diffrent route. One will choose prayer, other one service to people, another one great depression, alcohol or drugs. My way was drugs. If you would seen me in those days you would probably made all kind of judgments and assumptions of drugs. But I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn;t for that. I accept it and I wouldn't change even one single thing in my life. I know I created ALL of it, but the diffrence is that now I'm crating more and more concoiusly and I know the time will come when my life will be pure bliss, pure excitement, pure service to every being in the cosmos.

Much love to ALL ;]

If you have to use drugs to get to a spiritual place, then I would really question whether that place is worth the trouble...American Indians using peyote is a whole 'nother thing from ordinary folks using mood-altering chemicals to enhance a spiritual high. The Indians of the Americas, usually shaman with a great deal of training, may choose to "journey" or have a vision quest with a chemically- enhanced tea, smoke, or other cultural drugs, but that is a special case particular to their culture. I think we have gotten the idea that such "trips" are better or deeper than a natural spiritual high; I can assure you that this is NOT the case. Also, traveling like a shaman is entirely possible without taking a single drug of any kind- I know because I have done it many times.

I have read of the mind-expanding possibilities of drugs like LSD, but again, the dangers far, far outweigh any advantages one might get from acid. I was given LSD and I can again assure you that it messes with your mind and can come back to bite you any time it wants to...for years and years. It also can alter your DNA. (In my case, LSD was given to me as a child to "enhance" my terror and mess with my perception as a victim of cult abuse--- 'nuff said...)

There is nothing, absolutely nothing, like a great natural spiritual high! I am so very happy right now, and I am glad that it is the result of happiness and love and not the result of a drug. If this happiness had resulted from a drug, I think I would get addicted to it really fast! Also, I would never have the satisfaction of being able to say that I got to this place on my own, through the love of God and Christ, and a wonderful guy. Instead, I would always have to say, "Gee, wasn't that trip great when I was on XYZalline?"

On the whole, I would really rather take my spirituality clean and clear. I would leave the drug-induced venturing to the few folks left in the world whose journeys are part of their culture.

Blessings and Great Love, Jai

Like many things in this wonderful world, drugs can be harmful or beneficial. Find the 'middle way'

well i would say that one needs to do the job on him self! to know him self! to be in control! i could put it this way if you put dynamite in the seat of the car to exit because you do not know how to get out of the car! yes you will get out but in what condition! what is imagination? what is real?what are the creation of your mind and what is not? so you could compare someone taking drug to reach other state of counscience as someone taking a free ride ticket! and the one achiving it on is own as the one in control! but some might try to do booth! no judging!there can be many truth in the absolute truth!it is said that god put everything we need on earth for are use! it is not by using something that it is wrong! example: fire can warm you or burn you you need to use it wisely!