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3/25/1975 - Summing Up by Andrew T. Weil

For three years I written irregular newsletters range topics I traveled about checking interests psychoactive drugs medicinal plants altered states consciousness This newsletter I writing I thought I would summarize I I encountered country I visited continue think behavior prominent universal characteristic species In country I taking usual hypocrisy about alcohol coffee tobacco continuing benighted policy governmental agencies The publicized hearings spring Senator Eastland Marihuana Hashish Epidemic United States Its Threat U So Internal Security ghastly enactment scare tactics justify original marihuana complete parade research scientists eminent universities armed evidence latest horrors attributable Andrew T Well Institute Fellow exploring altered states consciousness society elsewhere None reported effects controlled experiments performed I hopeful increasing numbers people learned their experience drugs intelligently More young Americans discovering naturally psychoactive plants which inherently dangerous synthetic derived drugs Many persons learning cultivate these plants development I favor strongly because I repeatedly travels people their drugs always better relationships people others Home grown drugs inspire respect special wiser A before current session Oregon legislature would permit marihuana users limited numbers plants consumption In state where simple possession marihuana already decriminalized nothing results would greatly improve public health significant portion state population When I first Latin America I excessively romantic notions about Indians their natural drugs My travels shown Indians anyone problems controlling abusive potential intoxicants In Indian communities I terrible forms alcoholism debasement sacred magic plants grossly unenlightened medicines I however abandoned primitive peoples umder ideal circumstances incorporate psychoactive plants fabric their society benefit The catch phrase ideal circumstances It difficult Indians Americas suffe disastrously contact civilization Symbolic disaster introduction distilled alcohol Indian something often happens within minutes first contact The ideal right natural drugs socially desirable remains worthwhile I glimpses possibility there particularly during among using tribes Colombia I remain convinced making possibility reality depends employment certain principles interacting drugs easily transportable culture My investigations strongly reaffirmed belief essential identity states consciousness triggered drugs those obtained other I stated belief The Natural_ Mind before I started traveling running arguments about users researchers maintain experience unique cannot replicated exactly without My experiences total eclipses Indian sweat lodges other diversions reported these newsletters leave original belief correct I still experiences induced drugs really arise human nervous system where potentially available times after seeing reality those experiences means drugs people learn other Research altered states consciousness inevitably leads interest psychic phenomena because people explore unusual states report experiences telepathy precognition forth I chance these occurrences conclusions First I believe value psychic research It convince people reality psychokinesis ESP whatever laboratory demonstrations affidavits movies The phenomena curious disappearing becoming unconvincing tries document I remain quite suspicious individuals advertise themselves psychics living At I remain believer extraordinary nature human consciousness I continue regard intuition genuinely extrasensory perception worth developing daily It interesting ability guess playing laboratory telepathy I written frequently about change external reality dramatic purely internal operations extent rendering harmful things friendly That important ability claimed nails spoons psychic means Our truly extraordinary capacities manifest themselves integrate activities spheres In writing about mushrooms I these solar lunar minds The lunar solar connected activity actual parts brain unconscious because mostly solar minds waking attention there I believe effort integrate minds greatest challenge before apparent external problems really projections internal problem individuals succeed making their minds whole world We great crisis collapse structure society about within lifetimes result social economic disorder environmental catastrophe global Apocalyptic visions claim followers country today It vital learn explore potentials human consciousness throw conceptions reality longer advantage begin conscious responsibility creation world about