Sunday, April 20, 2014

On Being a Pot-Smoking American Hindu



No, I haven’t memorized the Vedas or the Bhagavad-Gita.  I like several of the stories contained in those entertaining texts, though—the Greeks spun pretty good yarns too.  But the fact that I don’t worship each holy-writ word of them like radical fundamentalists pedestal-place the Bible doesn’t make me not a practicing Hindu.

Indeed, Hinduism only became a text-based religion once the Brits took over. Hindus never considered themselves a "group" until they were forced by political reasons (exacerbated by the imposition of their colonizers’ parliamentary system) to other Muslims. 

Hinduism pre-dates books.  It was only the Brahmins who could read throughout most of history after all.  (Just as Catholic priests had a monopoly on the interpretation of the Word until Martin Luther recognized: one requires no conduit to God.)

The reason that there are 30,000,000 Hindu deities is that each individual spiritual practice developed independently.  Whatever made sense to thee was valid.  This truth is what resonates with me. 

I learned while living in India that the purpose of the Hindu “religion” is to get in touch with innergod i.  There exists no strict doctrine— Hinduism mandates no proscriptions, reeks not of blind faith.  Hinduism is, quite simply, pure self-seeking, utilizing timeless techniques.  

Hinduism is natural mysticism (rather than a carrot-and-stick social control mechanism) in all of its incarnations—and it is much aided by cannabis sativa.



Marijuana is stress-relieving and peace-inducing.  It is also a mind focuser, and a spiritual aid.  Meditation is an invaluable ritual, found in many faiths (chanting the Rosary produces quite the same effect - albeit muted - as does singing Hare Krishna) and ingesting THC incontrovertibly facilitates “zoning in”.  Shaivites[1] have known as much for dozens of centuries.

Music is important to my spiritual practice.  The sympathetic vibrating of the understrings of the sitar explains Aum to me, if i focus.  Being high helps me to hear it.

Many scholars opine that Jesus may have journeyed to India.  If he did, he probably ingested hashish with holy ascetics, and wrapped his mind around thier concept of enlightenment.  Then he returned, enlightened, and devoted himself to uplifting others, exactly as a bodhisattva would.

Easter falls on 4-20 this year.  Coincidence?

Q: WWJD?
A: Inhale.

All I know is: the more I booze drink, the less I practice my faith.  Whereas, the more I engage in augmented sadhana[2], the more I calm and center myself, and become able to critically re-evaluate paradigms.

On this doubly holy day I humbly suggest: marijuana can and should be used as a sacrament.



[1] Shiva devotees
[2]  Spiritual practice, such as meditation, often performed under the influence of cannabis in Hindu and Tantric traditions

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

OBAMA ISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDER, DECLASSIFIES POT!

Gotcha ; )

As long as you're here though, you may be interested in yesterday's post (below).