Journal Musings: Selected Excerpts on Consciousness

What is Consciousness?

To me, consciousness is quite simply, an awareness outside of ourselves. Often, it is occasioned by simple experiences like my moments lying in the grass as a young girl, staring at the clouds and wondering what entity could have possibly envisioned their creation. Other times, as described in the Watts et. al. 2017 study of treatment-resistant depression patients, it is experienced through the powerful awakenings produced by psychedelics, which unlock access to parts of our psyche that often remain contracted by daily life or traumatic emotional states (Watts et. al., 2017). However, the only true definition of consciousness requires a description of its distinct characteristics, since nearly every experience of pure consciousness is unique to the individual and their current circumstance, making it a wide and varied concept. I find great value in Bill Richard’s breakdown of intuitive knowledge as it relates to mystical consciousness, where he defines six aspects including God, Immortality, Interrelatedness, Love, Beauty and Emerging Wisdom (Richards, 2015). All of these together—not necessarily experienced simultaneously, however—aim to define consciousness. In my own psychedelic and meditative experiences, along with those many sacred moments surrounded by Gaia in my childhood, I have come to understand that an expanded consciousness has given me the ability to connect with a great Source, to accept the possibility of life after physical death, to love all beings as myself, to open my eyes to true beauty and to embody a wisdom well beyond any education I have received.

Consciousness & Connectedness

It has taken me nearly 20 years to fully appreciate the sacredness of my daily life growing up on a blueberry farm, surrounded by nature (or Gaia, as I often refer to her). Only now have I started to realize that those moments with Gaia—lying in the grass being hugged by the earth or climbing our majestic oak trees—gifted me with a heightened awareness of life and its magical cycle. I felt a strong sense of the interconnectedness of all beings, the presence of a spirit much greater than myself or any human and a deep respect for the beauty of the natural world. Joining the military, moving to urban areas and participating in war all contributed to a “contracting” of my consciousness that was once so expansive, until I experienced mystical journeys through psychedelics in the form of LSD, psilocybin and DMT. In Sacred Knowledge, Bill Richards describes the mystical forms of consciousness—often experienced through psychedelics but also occasioned by religious ceremonies or a strong connection to Gaia—to have several aspects of “intuitive knowledge.” According to Richards, these characteristics include God, Immortality, Interrelatedness (Interconnectedness), Love, Beauty and Emerging Wisdom (Richards, 2015). In the article “Patients’ Accounts of Increased ‘Connectedness’ and ‘Acceptance’ After Psilocybin for Treatment-Resistant Depression,” Watts et. al. shares the findings that nearly 20 patients with treatment-resistant depression experienced a greater sense of connectedness to their senses, themselves, others and the world. This study also quoted patients describing their often new-found connection to the spiritual world and an “emerging wisdom” of self-acceptance around their challenging emotions (Watts et. al., 2017).

Psychedelics & Consciousness Mysticism

As I have been completing Bill Richards’ book Sacred Knowledge, I am coming more and more to believe in the power of psychedelics to create changes in everything from our perception to our ability to connect with spiritual forces (Richards, 2017). While Richards focuses heavily on the mystical experiences induced by psychedelics, these are not the aspects that are helping such medicines become a part of the mainstream. Instead, it is their scientifically-proven capability to “rewire” our brain, especially in the form of therapy, that is causing the great resurgence of psychedelic research. In the documentary Neurons to Nirvana: Understanding Psychedelic Medicines, over ten of the most well-known experts in psychedelic medicines and therapy are interviewed to discuss their views on psychedelic medicines.

While there are mentions and some brief discussions of the psychedelic mysticism, this documentary focuses heavily on their current therapeutic uses and how they are helping to treat everything from depression to addiction. The interviews include a discussion of addiction treatment using psilocybin with Gabor Mate (expert in addiction and ADHD), treatment of PTSD using MDMA with Rick Doblin (Executive Director of MAPS, which is leading the way in MDMA research at the moment) and even a piece from Bill Richards himself on LSD’s impact toward treating a host of mental health concerns, from his own experience administering the medicine to patients in various clinical trials. The documentary as a whole aims to bridge the gap between science and spirituality—hence the title “Neurons to Nirvana”—and to prove how immensely important it is to conduct more research with these medicines because they have hugely promising results toward healing trauma (Hockenhull, Willis, Canavesio & Tryon, 2013).

Similarly, in his thesis article “Stairway to Heaven: LSD and Alcoholics Anonymous as Therapy for Problem Drinking in Mid-Twentieth Century Saskatchewan, (1953-1968)”, author Michael Lyons explores the psychedelic research and therapy completed by Reverend William Potoroka at the University of Saskatechewan at Saskatoon and the Weyburn Mental Hospital over a 15 year period. In his research, the Reverend combined the use of mystical experiences induced by LSD with the spiritual and therapeutic approach of Alcoholics Anonymous to help multiple patients successfully work through their alcohol addictions (Lyons, 2018). He believed that because problem drinking was a challenge of not only the body but also the mind and spirit, such an integrative approach would be most effective. The results demonstrated that he was absolutely correct.

What is most interesting to me about all of these investigations, in their many forms and media, is the intersection of science and spirituality. I believe that once we as a species come to understand and accept the overlap—and perhaps full integration of—scientific and mystical experiences (which are so obviously demonstrated through psychedelic medicines), we will become that much closer to having a more full comprehension of life and the world around us.