In this blog we have talked about religious communities who use drugs in conjunction with religion in order to open pathways to spiritual realms or to help the being disconnect from the material world and connect to the spiritual world. This lead to my own personal meditation upon the words and sentiments of Karl Marx which have been repeated at various points throughout history...
“Religion... is the opium of the people.”
This must be THE most famous quote of Marx and I find it intriguing. In order to understand the context which Marx wrote this statement in you would be well advised to take a peek at Marx’s introduction to ‘A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right’.
To be honest it’s not the original context of this quote which intrigues me, rather it’s the recognition which this quote has received worldwide.
Opium is a highly addictive and hallucinogenic drug and is accredited with inspiring Coleridge to write one of his most widely read poems ‘Kubla Khan’.
From my own experience religion can be addictive the experiences of praying, meditating and chanting all carry a certain sense of ease and quiet. As far as hallucinogenic goes we often hear the story of religious people having visions of religious figureheads such as Christ and Krishna.
If we define drug as anything which alters your consciousness then I suppose religion must be a drug. The idea of being intoxicated suggests to me something negative, it suggests that the object being imbibed is destructive. Yet from what I have researched of the Sikh and Sufi understandings of intoxication I would say that religion is a drug which takes away the intoxication and infatuation which human beings have with material gain.
But this leads us on to the question of the ‘the people’. Marx uses this term to talk of the masses but I would say that the people who truly feel the intoxication of religion are few and far between... In the words of Guru Arjun,
“Prays Nanak, they alone know this, who drink in the subtle essence of the Lord”. (GGS p.846)
There’s nothing toxic about the intoxication of love for God... is there?
Intoxication and sobriety are themes which flow through the Sufi school of Islam. Sufism has traditionally been accused by Western Orientalist scholars to be contrary to what they term to be traditional or original Islam. Yet I would argue that Sufism is very much steeped in practically living out Quranic concepts such as ‘khalwa’ and ‘dhikr’.
This concept of divine love which we have discussed in previous posts also runs through Sufism in the form of ‘wajd’ or divine ecstacy. It is this ecstacy which can be seen in the qawallis of the eminent Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan or in the spinning of whirling dervishes inspired by Rumi.
Sufism is by no means a single entity with many different sufis documenting and describing their experiences in different ways, there are those sufis who would argue that the exclamations of so called intoxicated sufis are a result of them not finding a spiritual master who could aptly guide their practice. Sufis in this state of divine bliss have often been at loggerheads with Islamic governments and society and some have even been punished with the death pentalty.
Mansur al Hallaj was one of these Sufis, he lived in Baghdad in the 9th century but his story has become a shining example of divine love throughout the world even up to this day. Hallaj is said to have stayed at Mecca for a very long period of time continually fasting and praying and is also said to have spent time with many sufi masters.
It was his exclamation of ‘An-al Haqq- meaning ‘I am the Truth’ which incurred the wrath of the government of his time. Whereas sufis would argue that this proclamation came from a sense of divine communion with the divine it was interpreted as blasphemy and Hallaj was brutally murdered. However it is his last few words which always stir my emotions it is said that as his legs were being cut off he exclaimed, “I used to walk the earth with these legs, now there's only one step to heaven, cut that if you can.”
On the other side of the fence there are those who argue that the 4th sin only states that smoking is banned. But this begs the question as to which drugs are permissible?
There is a tradition within the Sikhs called Nihang Singhs. This is a warrior sect amongst the Sikhs who maintain the dress and martial traditions of horse riding and martial arts initiated by Guru Gobind Singh.To find out more about the Nihang lifestyle please check out this video.
One of the traditions upheld by the Nihang Singhs is that of consuming ‘sukhnidhan’ meaning the treasure of peace or 'shaheedi degh' meaning the sacrament of the martyrs which are terms they use to refer to a milk based drink which is laced with almonds, spices and marijuana. In the following video a Nihang explains how 'sukhnidhan' is used to aid meditation and calls marijuana the 'Guru's herb'.
However there are differences of opinion amongst Nihang Sikhs with some Nihang Sikhs arguing that the tradition started by Guru Gobind Singh in times of war and adversity has been abused by those who take the drug merely for recreational purposes.
Another issue which arises from this video is that of other intoxicating substances such as alcohol and opium. Although most Nihang Sikhs are united in refraining from consuming alcohol many use opium from time to time which is called ‘nagni’ or the female cobra. The code of conduct printed by the Nihang Sikhs doesn’t explicitly ban the use of intoxicants but point no.27.g warns Nihangs against addiction.
Ultimately whatever the stance on intoxicants all Sikhs are agreed that the ultimate drug is the name of God. In conclusion I leave you with a quote from Guru Granth Sahib...
“Servant Nanak is addicted to the intoxication of the Lord; meeting with the Lord, he finds sublime bliss.” (GGS p.975)
Maybe religion is the opium of the masses? But so what – morphine is used by doctors too!
Sikhism began with the advent of Guru Nanak the first Sikh Guru in 1469. The line of Guruship carried on through ten human Gurus untill the demise of Guru Gobind Singh in 1708 whenGuru Granth Sahib (holy scripture containing poetry composed by the Sikh Gurus and other Hindu and Muslim holymen) was installed as the eternal Guru.
With the creation of the Khalsa in 1699 those Sikhs who wished to join this brotherhood had to carry 5 articles of faith known as the 5 Ks and to refrain from4 Kurehats or 4 cardinal sins. These being...
The first two sins are fairly simple and there is little controversy surrounding them. However the last two are heavily debated, and for the purpose of this blog we are going to turn a blind eye to the issue of meat and latch on to our topic of drugs!
There are those that argue that Sikh history and scripture is steeped with examples which all clearly state that drugs are not allowed or promoted within the Sikh faith. In this post we are going to be rooting for the teetotallers!
A few examples from Guru Granth Sahib ...
“Even if wine is made from the water of the Ganges, O Saints, do not drink it” (GGS p.1293)
“Drinking wine, his intelligence departs, and madness enters his mind; he cannot distinguish between his own and others and he is struck down by his Lord and Master.” (GGS p.554)
They argue that Guru Nanak refused intoxicants when they were offered to him on multiple occasions by ascetics. When ‘bhang’ (a liquid form of cannabis) was offered to the Guru by the Mughal emperor Babur the Guru is said to have responded,
“The Fear of God is my marijuana; my consciousness is the pouch which holds it.” (GGS p.721 or read the full shabad [verse] by clicking here)
(YouTube videos of this shabad being sung can be found by clicking here and here)
Those on this side of the argument state that a Sikh shouldn’t indulge in worldly intoxications which are finite, rather a Sikh should be seeking out the intoxication of divine love which is infinite. The code of conduct followed by most orthodox Sikh clearly states that "intoxicants (hemp, opium, liquor, narcotics, cocaine, etc.)" are all prohibited to an Amritdhari (baptised) Sikh.
Whereas worldly intoxicants are viewed to dull the mind the intoxicant of divine love is seen to be purifying and cleansing.
Listen to a verse composed (see YouTube video below) by Guru Nanak in response to a Yogic practitioner on the topic of intoxication and read the meanings by clicking here.
Continuing in our cannabis posts a new chapter dawns...
The Rastafari movement developed in Jamaica in the 1930's, with the central belief being that Haile Selassie is God and that he will repatriate all Africans who have settled outside of Africa due to the slave trade and colonisation. There are over 1 million adherents of this faith worldwide.
Far from the assumptions of some people that the use of drugs leads to anarchy and a somewhat nonchalant attitude towards rules and regulations Rastafarians adhere to many rules and laws which are based on verses found in the Old Testament. Check some out below...
Rastafarians...
·Eat strictly 'I-tal' which usually means organic or natural food.
·Do not eat pork and are unlikely to eat any other form of meat.
·Will not eat fish more than twelve inches long.
·Do not drink alcohol.
·Do not drink milk or coffee.
·Do not cut their hair – hence the dreadlocks.
Marijuana is usually referred to as the ‘holy herb’ by Rastafarians and they refer to Biblical quotes in order to clarify their use of marijuana (some below).
“He causeth the grass for the cattle, and herd for the services of man.” (Pslam 104:14)
“thou shalt eat the herb of the field.” (Genesis 3.18)
Marijuana use is central to ‘reasoning sessions’ which is what Rastafarians call their form of communal worship which include dialogue, chanting and a form of music called Nyabingi.Marijuana is seen as the key to clear thinking a teacher in its own right – a theme which runs through many of the other drugs discussed on this blog.
The use of the ‘herb’ is highly ritualised with a prayer being read before smoking...
“Glory be to the father and and to the maker of creation. As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be World without end: Jah Rastafari: Eternal God Selassie I.”
The Rastafari movement came into the public eye with the music of Bob Marley. In this video (above) he voices his views about the use of marijuana and why he believes it has been banned by many governments. Although now the use of marijuana has come to be accepted by some government as a religious right... click this link for the full scoop!
The drug which is most widely used for religious and spiritual purposes must be cannabis. With its many names ranging from weed, pot, grass, puff, ganja and hash to hashish, herb, skunk, draw and many more! It can be inhaled by smoking, ground down and drank or consumed with food.
One image of cannabis which has gained prominence in recent years is that of the 'charas' or 'ganja' smoking Hindu sadhu (holyman). In actuality there are many different groups and schools of sadhus and not all of them use cannabis. However most sadhus who do use cannabis are from the Shaivate school of belief which is centred upon the worship of and devotion to the god Shiva. There are many stories linking Lord Shiva to cannabis which it is said he used to induce long trance like states of meditation called ‘samadhi’. There are some people who argue that the ‘soma’ mentioned in the Vedas actually refers to cannabis though this belief isn’t widely promoted by sadhus themselves.
The sadhus who smoke or ingest cannabis are not simply taking the drug to gain a high, the smoking of the chillum pipe or the milky almond drink laced with cannabis that they inhale or consume are a tool for achieving a form of liberation which requires them to take on the very form and habits of the deity they worship which is called ‘saroopya mukti'. This takes drug taking to another level; this takes the consumption of the drug beyond the realms of side effects and takes it onto emulating the qualities of the divine.
Shiva preparing 'Bhang'
Despite being deeply rooted in the history and culture of South Asia the smoking of cannabis has faced challenges in recent years with sadhus in Nepal facing arrest if they were caught selling cannabis (although smoking for religious reasons was not prohibited).
Another culture, another drug, another dimension...
From healing vines we move on to psychedelic cacti... yes that's right folks psychedelic cacti known as peyote. This is a drug which has gained prominence through its spiritual usage by Native Americans in religious ceremonies.
Peyote mostly grows in northern Mexico and southern Texas. The cactus itself is small and woolly and shaped like a button. It is usually consumed with tea or the buttons (which are extremely bitter in taste!) are swallowed.
Timelines regarding peyote use in the USA chart how Peyote went from being clamped down on in the 1500's to its presence status of being protected under US law for use by Native Indians in 'bona fide religious ceremonies'. It is interesting to consider whether these laws could or should be extended to cover other religious communities such as Rastafarians who engage in smoking cannabis. It also highlights how something which is considered harmful or illegal by the government is permitted on a religious basis likening this issue to that of the Sikh kirpan .
Here's a question for those of you with enough spare time on your hands to be delving through this blog... Should people be allowed to break laws of the country based on religious grounds?
The video above talks about the experiences of those who have taken peyote as part of their spiritual practise. It documents how the Native American Church came to being in 1918 and from what I have read of this church online the core belief of this church is rooted in the usage of peyote with other factors such as religious figures of authority being only secondary.
Another interesting point stemming from the video is the expert’s explanation that in the Native American language there is no word for hallucination, instead the shapes, colours, sights and sounds that are experienced whilst peyote is consumed all are part of a spiritual realm or spiritual world.
Peyote has filtered through to popular culture from a mention in a Simpson’s episode to a peyote trip featured in Beavis and Butthead. And I am ending this post with a YouTube video from the movie 'Young Guns which includes a peyote trip and I think encapsulates the attitude held in US popular culture regarding the effects of peyote.
Moving on from the topic of soma which is rooted firmly in the literary tradition of the Hindu and Zoroastrian faith to a topic which lies very much more in the experience and usage of a particular drug...
A topic which lies towards the centre of the relationship between drugs and spirituality and religion is that of Shamanism. The term shamanism is used to cover a wide range of different experiences and beliefs belonging specifically to particular cultures.
Sifting through various cultures, experiences and manifestations of shamanic practise one drug seems to take centre stage... and that is Ayahuasca. Ayahuasca is the name of one of a number of vines which originate from the Amazon rainforest and which are brewed together to create a 'drug'. Ayahuasca is called the 'mother plant' and is said to posses all the positive qualities of a mother - nurture, caring and protection.
Ayahuasca can be broken in to two words (visit this link for more information on the plant and it's place within different indigenous cultures)
Aya meaning Soul
Huasca meaning Vine
According to the youtube video above the Ayahuasca brew is said to heal and cleanse on a physical, mental and spiritual level. Physically inducing vomiting and diarrhea and mentally bringing about hallucinations and according the Shaman practitioners it gives a true insight into the ‘self’.
Bruce Parry’s (BBC journalist) experience with Ayahuasca is documented on the youtube video below. He summated his experience with Ayahuasca as 'humbling' and talked of the drug aiding a battle raging within his mind between his ego and the experience of the drug itself.
This drug has broken through international boundaries and no longer remains purely amongst the tribes of South America with various shamans and organisations offering Ayahuasca retreats such as the links below.
It is interesting to see how this drug is being adopted by ‘New Age’ movements and how it’s qualities are said to help the taker of this drug to truly come to terms with inner grief and pent up emotions.
Is it a wonderful gift of nature? Or is it simply the easy way out of the many stresses and obstacles of life?
Ah yes... our drug covered trail begins with ‘soma’ probably which is probably one of the first drugs mentioned in religious scriptures (and it is also rumoured by some to have inspired the writing of religious scripture).
You only have to type the word 'soma' in to a search engine for web pages, blogs and youtube videos to arise attempting to explain, describe or argue what 'soma' really is or was and how it impacted life in Vedic India.
The basics are that soma or hauma (as it is known to Zoroastrians) is a plant which was ground into a hallucinogenic, stimulant or intoxicating paste by priests during the Vedic period and also by Zoroastrians during certain rituals and was then and ingested.
Yes my friends this is a drug which was prescribed consumed and even worshipped in Vedic culture with a whole section of the Rig Veda named the Soma Mandala (containing over one hundred verses). This drug even has a day named after it to this day – Somvara or Monday and it was even venerated as a separate deity!
The following verse from the Rig Veda illustrates the qualities which are associated with soma consumption.
“We have drunk Soma and become immortal; we have attained the light, the Gods discovered. Now what may foeman's malice do to harm us? What, O Immortal, mortal man's deception?” (from the Rigveda)
Zoroastrian scriptures also sing the praises of soma/hauma.
Soma/hauma is said to grant “speed and strength to warriors, excellent and righteous sons to those giving birth.” (from http://www.xray-eye.com/soma.php)
Over time the real soma plant has been lost with various suggestions being given regarding what it really is from cannabis, ‘magic’ mushrooms to yogic happiness.
The impact of soma upon the Rig Veda is highly apparent; however soma still plays an active role in Hinduism with ‘somayagna’ rituals beings performed up till the current day as can be seen in the youtube video below.
Altered consciousness, intoxication, heightened states of awareness, drugs and religion – seem much more connected now – don’t they?
Religion on the other hand is viewed by some to bring with it the qualities of sobriety, clear thinking and moderation. When we think of a typically “religious” person (and I would like to highlight that fact that I have written this phrase in inverted commas!) an image comes to mind of a devout Muslim who does not drink due to doctrinal reasons or a baptised Sikh who will not smoke due to prohibitions laid upon him by the code of conduct outlined by his faith.
This blog does not intend to contest the fact that arguments can be found in scriptures worldwide which state that drugs are harmful and should not be used, rather I simply intend to uncover the deeper relationship between religion and drugs which we ordinarily would not encounter in our everyday lives.
I am going to look into the drug/religion relationship by trying to gain some understanding of the role that drugs have played in religious scriptures and communities across the globe from the cannabis smoking Rastafarianto the drug peddling Sadhus of Nepal
As well as warnings against drug abuse in various religious texts we can actually find the promotion of certain drugs in some scriptures with ancient Hindu scriptures talking about the drug 'Soma' and Sufi texts and oral tradition talking about the intoxication of god's love itself.
In a nutshell... it is this complex relationship with drugs, intoxication and religion which I intend to explore further in this blog.
