Increasing Spiritual Intelligence: Chemical Input, Religious Output

The Theosophical Society in America’s National Events Webpage

The spiritual uses of psychedelics can, under special circumstances, lead to spiritual understanding, primary religious experience, and higher levels of social responsibility. From the rites at Eleusis in ancient Greece, to soma in Vedic religions, to 20th century religious explorations, does the religious use of psychoactive drugs offer direct experience of the sacred and open doors to the spiritual aspects of human nature? Dr. Roberts claims “yes.” Tom Roberts, PhD, has just retired from Northern Illinois University as a full professor in the College of Education, where he taught the course Psychedelic Mindview for 25 years. This quarter he is a visiting research professor at Johns Hopkins University, Department of Psychiatry. He edited Psychoactive Sacramentals: Essays on Entheogens and Religion and is the author of Psychedelic Horizons(2006). Bruce Sewick, MA, LCPC, is a Clinical Supervisor at a community mental health center and an adjunct professor at the College of DuPage, Triton, and Wright Community Colleges. He seeks to share a better understanding of the spiritual and therapeutic potential of entheogens.
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