Philosophy of Use: Learning to Question Perception

One can go on and on about the many revelations a person can have while using psychedelics (and I frequently do just that). However, these substances have the ability to force one to unlearn the false truths that he or she has believed to be representative of reality. We walk about in the world experiencing things through the filter of our senses and that information is filtered again through our conscious minds. We wrongly assume that what we think is going on around is actually an accurate image of reality. This, of course, is not the truth. We need only listen to multiple accounts of the same thing to see that no two people interpret events in the same way. This aspect of the human condition, while not our greatest hindrance as a species, can lead people to some pretty fierce disagreements. Two people can be "telling the truth" about the same thing but also be opposed in their interpretation of that thing. In this instance, fortunately, psychedelics can provide some help for those who choose to use them. When one warps his or her sense of reality, all things become questionable. This may seem like a minor change in a person's thought process but it is an important one. The need to question perception brings one to a place in which nothing can be taken for granted. The psychonaut is forced to understand his or her own limitations of interpretation and this provides perspective on the self and others which aids in future understanding and communication.

When people think about tripping, the thing that usually comes to mind is the hallucinogenic quality but it may be more productive to think of this altered state as a profound shift in perception. From the perspective of a psychonaut, he or she does not feel particularly different. Instead, the world around the user (or his or her interpretation of it) seems to change. Obviously, the user is aware that he or she is the thing that is, in fact, altered and this disconnect between what feels true and what is known to be true starts one down the path of understanding. The user is forced to evaluate his or her own perception and question its validity. He or she may see the walls breath and it appears to be real but he or she also knows that walls do not, in reality, breath. The lesson one learns is simple but it is of great value.

The comedian, Doug Stanhope, once said the following about "good drugs": "If the drug is good the conclusions you come to [...] will stay with you." Stanhope's words cut to the heart of the issue that is at work here. The conclusion that a psychonaut must come to in regards to the untrustworthiness of his or her senses does, in fact, remain true once the drug's effects have gone. The lesson has been learned and applied throughout the trip and it can continue to be applied throughout the users life. Because he or she understands that his or her perception of reality is not the only valid perception of reality, he or she may now be more willing to listen to opposing view points and judge them free from the blur of personal bias.

There is more that one gains from this particular psychedelic revelation. When one understands that his or her own perception is flawed, he or she also understands that the same is true of all people. A person with this knowledge can make use of it to aid in communication. He or she may realize that a thing that is perfectly clear in his or her own mind may be opaque in the mind of another. Because this truth is known, the user will be able to change the way that he or she expresses an idea with the specific audience in mind and that benefits all parties who are involved.

Peace.

All the images in this post were sourced from the free image website, unsplash.com.