Since the so-called Psychedelic renaissance of the 1990s, many have proclaimed the novel potentials of plant medicines and synthesized psychedelics in the fields of mental health, palliative care, and even Buddhist practice — but the idea of Psychedelic Buddhism is not new. Psychedelics and Buddhism entered the American consciousness in a similar cultural moment and have been practiced in tandem by convert Buddhists of all denominations for decades. However, debates around the ethics and efficacy of psychedelics in Buddhist practice have persisted. This chapter parses how some of the major purveyors of contemporary Psychedelic Buddhism address these debates to make better sense of this emerging mystical tradition. It will begin by reviewing the initial convergence of Buddhism and psychedelics before looking at some of the main objections to such a convergence by contemporary Buddhists. Then, it will propose a framework for understanding the diversity of Psychedelic Buddhist responses to these critiques and argue that Psychedelic Buddhism manifests through three distinct logics: innovation, syncretism, and historicization. To parse these three approaches, this chapter will closely examine the writings and interviews of three teachers that promote these three approaches respectively: Vince Horn, Vince, Spring Washam, and Lama Mike Crowley. Ultimately, this chapter will show how these three iterations of Psychedelic Buddhism understand their practice in quite distinct ways and provide three distinct models for making sense of how psychedelics and Buddhism are coming together today.

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Psychedelic Buddhism: Making Sense of an Emerging Mystical Tradition

  • Colin H. Simonds

摘要

Since the so-called Psychedelic renaissance of the 1990s, many have proclaimed the novel potentials of plant medicines and synthesized psychedelics in the fields of mental health, palliative care, and even Buddhist practice — but the idea of Psychedelic Buddhism is not new. Psychedelics and Buddhism entered the American consciousness in a similar cultural moment and have been practiced in tandem by convert Buddhists of all denominations for decades. However, debates around the ethics and efficacy of psychedelics in Buddhist practice have persisted. This chapter parses how some of the major purveyors of contemporary Psychedelic Buddhism address these debates to make better sense of this emerging mystical tradition. It will begin by reviewing the initial convergence of Buddhism and psychedelics before looking at some of the main objections to such a convergence by contemporary Buddhists. Then, it will propose a framework for understanding the diversity of Psychedelic Buddhist responses to these critiques and argue that Psychedelic Buddhism manifests through three distinct logics: innovation, syncretism, and historicization. To parse these three approaches, this chapter will closely examine the writings and interviews of three teachers that promote these three approaches respectively: Vince Horn, Vince, Spring Washam, and Lama Mike Crowley. Ultimately, this chapter will show how these three iterations of Psychedelic Buddhism understand their practice in quite distinct ways and provide three distinct models for making sense of how psychedelics and Buddhism are coming together today.