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Entheogenic Spirituality

Johnstad, Petter Grahl
Master thesis
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URI
https://hdl.handle.net/1956/12355
Date
2016-05-11
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  • Department of Archaeology, History, Cultural Studies and Religion - AHKR [841]
Abstract
This study attempts to gain insight into the life worlds of users of entheogenic drugs, and thereby to broaden our understanding of a clandestine and little known spiritual phenomenon. Such insight will also help us to comprehend the rationale behind and consequences of entheogen use. Respondents were recruited at several Internet fora for individual email-mediated interviews (n = 11) or group interviews in public discussion threads (n = 15). They were predominantly males in their 20s, 30s or 40s with stable jobs and living conditions and extensive entheogen experience. The findings obtained indicate that participants tended to follow a pattern of infrequent and often well-planned entheogen sessions. They described a wide variety of cognitive and emotional effects taking place under the influence of entheogenic drugs, ranging from Maslovian peak experiences to one dramatic psychotic episode. Respondents emphasized the capacity of entheogenic drugs for healing and personal growth, and even adverse experiences ( bad trips") were regarded as valuable for these purposes. Their reported spiritual experiences did not seem significantly influenced by familial or cultural background.
 
Denne studien forsøker å oppnå innsikt i livsverdenen til brukere av entheogene rusmidler, og dermed øke vår forståelse for et hemmelighetsfullt og lite kjent spirituelt fenomen. Slik innsikt vil også hjelpe oss med å forstå årsakene til og konsekvensene av denne form for rusmiddelbruk. Deltakere ble rekruttert på flere Internettfora for individuelle intervjuer via epost (n = 11) eller gruppeintervjuer i offentlige diskusjonstråder (n = 15). De var i hovedsak voksne menn i 20-, 30- eller 40-årene med stabile jobber og livsforhold, samt ekstensiv erfaring med entheogener. Funnene i studien indikerer at intervjuobjektene fulgte et bruksmønster med relativt sjeldne, men ofte godt planlagte, «turer» på slike rusmidler. De beskrev en bred rekke av kognitive og følelsesmessige effekter under innflytelse av entheogener, som strakte seg fra maslowske «peak experiences» til en dramatisk psykotisk episode. Deltakerne fremhevet hvordan bruk av entheogene rusmidler kunne ha positive konsekvenser i form av personlig vekst og helbredelse, og selv vanskelige rusopplevelser («bad trips») var ansett som positive i denne forstand. De beskrevne spirituelle erfaringer virket ikke å være betydelig påvirket av familie- eller kultur-bakgrunn.
 
Publisher
The University of Bergen
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