in seventies and eighties many people from west visited india in search of gurus or for seeking truth. many of them had experiences of other dimensions after taking drugs.
although drugs introduced them to the spiritual world unknown to them and started their spiritual journey. but it is not the recommended way to move towards spirituality. because you don’t know what will be the outcome of drug experience. just to warn you, i remember reading richard branson book (owner of virgin airlines), he and his girl friend both took drugs. once the drug experience was over then both of them could not connect back with each other and parted ways. so you don’t know how these mind altering drugs will affect you.
going into drugs look fancy but it is a risky journey and can lead to severe problems like hallucinations, scary moments, anxiety and so on. the worst part is that once the experience begin, then there is no way you can set it off. the experience vary from person to person and on the type of drug used. so one person may have a good experience but it can be a disaster for another person.
best is to not to risk your life with drugs and instead try meditation. as your meditation deepens then it will give you experiences of bliss, inner stillness and silence. moreover you become the master of yourself and you don’t have to depend upon any drug to experience the state of ecstasy. with drugs the experience is temporary and you don’t know whether it will be good or bad and further it can lead to various problems also. with meditation your whole life becomes full of joy and bliss and it sets you free from all sort of dogmas and mental issues.
why you should not take drugs in spiritual path?
1. it can lead to addiction
although not everyone who tries drugs get addicted to it but why to take chance. the addiction of drug is very bad as it is not easy to come out from it. you need lot of support and determination to break drug addiction. never be dependent on anything in life. always value your freedom and independence. no addiction is good because it makes you slave to it. so stay away from all form of addictions. whether it is drug addiction or the addiction to achieve fame, money or power. never allow any mundane stuff to take control of your life.
2. damages the psyche and nerves
continuous use of drugs can really damage your nerves and will make you unfit for doing any rigorous spiritual sadhana. you don’t know how much pressure or shock it gives to your nervous system. moreover your body-mind is not prepared for the experience which you will have after taking drugs and you don’t know how to cope with the after effects. life will not be the same for you.
3. there is no shortcut in spirituality
in spiritual search never go for short cuts. even if some guru says that he will give you samadhi in few months then stay away from him. when enlightened mystic jiddu krishnamurti left theosophy movement then he made a very important declaration. he said “truth cannot be brought down, rather the individual must make the effort to ascend to it. you cannot bring the mountain-top to the valley. if you would attain to the mountain-top you must pass through the valley, climb the steeps, unafraid of the dangerous precipices“.
so no one can gift you the ultimate truth. not even gautam buddha or adi shankaracharya or mahavira or ramakrishna or ramana maharshi. you have to walk on your own path and the path is unique for everybody. if you think that by using drugs your path will become easier and shorter, then i am very sorry to say that it can become more longer. patience is very important in spirituality. if you are not patient then you are not ripe enough and only ripe fruits fall from the trees. similarly, once you will become ripe then no power in the world can stop your spiritual explosion.
4. bad money involved
most of the drugs money is used for bad purposes like terrorism, mafia etc.
exception to drug use – in tantra or some hindu religious practices drugs are used but very scientifically. the master knows the whole process and how to use it well. moreover even then not everyone can take it. they prepare the disciple so that he can make use of the drug experience to grow inwardly. if you are grounded in meditation and have strong witnessing skills then trying drugs once or twice in life is altogether a difference case. so in religious circle, you are prepared for using drugs to deepen your spiritual experience. they know the safe dosage and the proper method. e.g. i have read in robert svobodha book “aghora trilogy” how even wrestlers in benaras (kashi) use bhang (king of drug) in a certain procedure to strengthen their body.
tantra is a very risky path and only for dare devils. you need nerves of steel to succeed in tantra. one of the essential condition for tantra is to have a guru. you cannot venture on your own, unless you want to burn your hands. let the master search you, if you are destined to pursue tantra in this life.