Practical Dragon Chasing Introduction [incomplete]

The United States of America has fought its War on (some) Drugs for over one hundred years. It has managed to spread its ideology across the world, as well, involving many disparate cultures and peoples in its campaign. We have personally conducted countless missions against the 'enemy', and we have funded, co-staffed, coordinated, encouraged, demanded, intimidated, sanctioned, and otherwise fomented similar missions by as many foreign governments as we can manage. 1

We have launched missiles at piles of poppy seeds in Afghanistan, raided state-approved medical cannabis dispensaries in California, set fire to coca plantations in Colombia, among much else.2

Thanks to the black market created by this pernicious remnant of Prohibition, there are aspects to this "war" that do resemble a real war; certainly, far too many people, law enforcement officers and otherwise, have died by weaponry in combat with each other. 3

However, since the 'enemy' in this campaign is not a unified group or nation, but rather a high-order behavior (the human instinct to consume drugs) an abstract idea (the very concept of "drug abuse" as our culture conceives it) and the physical manifestation thereof (the drugs themselves) its tactics and strategies are far more apt to be as abstract and subtle as the 'enemy'. Even the least "connected" or media-consuming and asocial person in American society cannot escape the constant flow of our cultural ideas about drugs. 4

Much of this dialog is quite purposefully designed and created by our government in order to acheive its purpose in the War on Drugs. Whether this information consists of good, solid research, cherry-picked or out-of-context but genuine data, poorly-conducted or small-scale studies, outright bias, or all of the above, it is crafted and released into the cultural environment for the purpose of influencing our thinking about drugs. In short, it is propaganda.5

For over one hundred years, we as a society have discouraged not merely partaking of those substances we disapprove of, but -knowing- anything about them as well. To give one relatively minor but telling example, the psilocybin-containing mushrooms have been very poorly studied and understood -- not as drugs, but simply as organisms -- until very recently. Those few mycologists who wanted to study them, even solely from an ecological perspective in which their psychedelic properties are irrelevant, were actively discouraged from doing so, denied grants and other support; teachers and librarians would quite deliberately tear out any pages describing Psilocybes from textbooks before allowing students to read them. 6

This problem, far from abating, has only gotten worse in ways both subtle and blatant over time. Any interest in such substances is inherently suspicious. We have absorbed through cultural osmosis the idea that only someone who wants to use drugs would want to learn anything about them. Except, of course, how to recognize, avoid, and turn in drugs and drug users.7

This state of affairs has had nigh-infinite consequences. However, for our purposes, the most important of them all is our forgetfulness. Americans, in particular, have largely forgotten that things were ever different; that we ever had a different attitude toward these substances.8

Yet it was not so long ago, historically, that one could walk into any pharmacy and purchase tinctures of cannabis, cocaine, and opium -- sometimes all together in one product -- with nary a raised eyebrow. For a long time, you did not even require a prescription or any sort of doctor's note. It was not so long ago that George Washington, our first president, wrote in his personal journal about separating male from female hemp plants in his plantation, a sure giveaway that he was growing drug plants instead of, or in addition to, industrial/fiber hemp. It was not so long ago that Native Americans consumed the Psilocybe mushrooms in sacred ceremonies of worship. 9

In short, the current world situation with regard to drugs and drug plants is actually a very recent phenomenon. As a culture, as a species, even as mammals, our relationship with drugs and drug plants is far deeper, older, and richer than current attitudes would have most people believe. Despite our cultural propaganda, all drugs are not fundamentally destructive, and neither is all drug use. 10

This book is intended for those who want to come to their own understanding of these things, who want to reconnect with older ways, to remember the forgotten wisdom of our ancestors. The focus, however, is less on history and more on practice. I do not encourage or suggest that anyone break the law. However, I also recognize that humans have free will. I seek not to encourage you to use drugs, but to prepare you to do so as safely, responsibly, intelligently, and effectively as possible should you choose to do so. 11

If you have ever felt something missing or 'off' about the dominant societal portrayal of drugs and drug users; have ever wondered what the phrase "teacher plant" really means; have ever wondered how anyone can find God or Truth by taking a drug; have ever wondered if there are any legal teacher plants left; or have any other thoughts or questions about the constructive and spiritual aspects of drugs, this book is for you. 12

Please understand that I have not and will never claim that drugs are entirely positive. This book approaches the topic with as much honesty and objectivity as is possible. That said, their potential for negativity is not nearly as great as we have been trained to believe; nor is destructive or negative experience inevitable. 13

Essentially, this is a book in two parts; one deals with general information, one with specific.14

The first section is a manual on responsible drug use. It will cover the differences between use, abuse, and addiction; how to tell the difference between the three in yourself and in others; and other related topics. We will cover the general paradigms of responsible drug use -- those that apply to all drugs, legal and illegal -- and how to establish healthy, positive relationships with those substances you choose to partake of. We will also discuss just how to decide which substances to partake of, and the potential generalized consequences of legal versus illegal drugs and plants. 15

In short, the first section is a practical guide, basically, to learning how to use drugs not merely without abusing them or getting addicted, but how to benefit from them. It will cover the general information you need as a foundation before learning more specific details about making use of and relating to individual substances. You will learn that drugs are simply tools, and that they will perform as they are utilized. If you use them consciously, purposefully, and cautiously, they will serve you well. If you consume them carelessly, thoughtlessly, and pointlessly ... garbage in, garbage out.16

If this seems "crazy" to you, consider this. When coffee was first introduced to Europe, there was enormous backlash against it. Church and other authorities denounced it with the same fervor that, say, marijuana or even heroin are denounced by many authorities today. It was said to destroy the body and brain, to destroy the lives of coffee-drinkers. They were said to be slaves to the brew. Don't believe me? You don't have to take my word for it. Is Johann Sebastian Bach a good enough witness? Quote his "Coffee Cantata":17

18

Schlendrian You wicked child, you disobedient girl,19

oh! when will I get my way;20

give up coffee!21

Lieschen Father, don't be so severe!22

If I can't drink23

my bowl of coffee three times daily,24

then in my torment I will shrivel up25

like a piece of roast goat.26

...27

Schlendrian If you don't give up drinking coffee28

then you shan't go to any wedding feast,29

nor go out walking.30

oh! when will I get my way;31

give up coffee!32

Lieschen Oh well!33

Just leave me my coffee!34

Schlendrian Now I've got the little minx!35

I won't get you a whalebone skirt36

in the latest fashion.37

Lieschen I can easily live with that.38

Schlendrian You're not to stand at the window39

and watch people pass by!40

Lieschen That as well, only I beg of you,41

leave me my coffee!42

Schlendrian Furthermore, you shan't be getting43

any silver or gold ribbon44

for your bonnet from me!45

Lieschen Yes, yes! only leave me to my pleasure!46

Schlendrian You disobedient Lieschen you,47

so you go along with it all!48

...49

Schlendrian Now take heed what your father says!50

Lieschen In everything but the coffee.51

Schlendrian Well then, you'll have to resign yourself52

to never taking a husband.53

Lieschen Oh yes! Father, a husband!54

Schlendrian I swear it won't happen.55

Lieschen Until I can forgo coffee?56

From now on, coffee, remain forever untouched!57

Father, listen, I won't drink any58

Schlendrian Then you shall have a husband at last!59

...60

Old Schlendrian goes off61

to see if he can find a husband forthwith62

for his daughter Lieschen;63

but Leischen secretly lets it be known:64

no suitor is to come to my house65

unless he promises me,66

and it is also written into the marriage contract,67

that I will be permitted68

to make myself coffee whenever I want.69

70

Of course, in modern America, coffee is so ubiquitous that most people either do not realize that caffeine is a strong stimulant drug, or actively deny that it is a drug. It is seen as basically harmless, even in large doses, save to a few unlucky people with heart problems or suchlike. People call themselves "coffee addicts" with pride; certainly very few Westerners, American or otherwise, see dependency on any caffeinated drink or substance as a problem, much less as a phenomenon with any similarity or relation to, say, cocaine addiction. As a culture, we have become more ambivalent about nicotine and alcohol, but these are still widely seen as, if not totally harmless, not inherently destructive, either. In fact, many people still hold very firm beliefs about the 'health benefits' of drinking and/or smoking cigarettes. An objective look at the data about both substances reveals just how little connection there is between our societal attitudes about a given drug and the scientific reality thereof. 71

This is one of many examples which illustrate that cultural attitudes toward drugs rarely have much to do with the objective chemical properties of said drug, and much more to do with the mores and attitudes in favor at the time the drug is introduced to the mainstream of society. The history of Prohibition in this country is a fascinating and illuminating one, but we will touch on it only as much as is necessary in pursuing our main topic. Many excellent books have already been written on that topic and I recommend that you read one of them if you want to expand your understanding of the history of Prohibition.72

I must emphasize that, while this guide is written from a strongly spiritual perspective, it is not necessary to have a spiritual view or connection to substances in order to make beneficial use of them in your life.