People take drugs for various reasons: to aid sleep or relaxation, to wake up, to have transcendental experiences, for pain relief, and the treatment of mental or physical illness.
Let us briefly examine the nature of a few types of drugs.
Drugs work by influencing neurotransmitters, the chemicals that travel between the tiny gaps (synapses) separating neurons from each other.
Cocaine and Amphetamines (stimulants), for instance, increase levels of the neurotransmitter Dopamine.The same neurotransmitter found to be excessive in people suffering from psychosis/schizophrenia. This is why Cocaine can trigger psychosis. Sufferers of Schizophrenia are typically prescribed Chlorpromazine, a Dopamine inhibitor.
Valium (Diazapem), Barbiturates, and Alcohol (Depressants) facilitate the flow of GABA, a neurotransmitter that slows down the firing of neurons and hence brain activity. This is why Valium aids relaxation and sleep.
Heroine and Morphine increase the flow of (or mimic) Endorphins, neurotransmitters that block the sensation of pain.
Different drugs can be associated with particular spiritual energies within the human psyche:
Cocaine relates to Netzach - Victory/Eternity - the capacity to feel highly charged, confident and even invincible.
Valium relates to Hod - Surrender/Serenity - the spiritual quality that brings the body into a state of repose, calm, and receptivity.
Morphine relates to Yesod - Life energy/pleasure - for when a person's life energy flows into the body unobstructed one experiences no pain. Pain results from blockages in life energy.
The Ten Energies of the Spirit
The basic differences between drugs that save lives and those that destroy them is the presence of Tiferet - Beauty/Balance. When drugs are taken in a balanced and measured way and in order to help one's body maintain balance. (For example, the function of antidepressants is to help balance levels of the neurotransmitter Serotonin, just as most medications seek to help the body regain equilibrium in some fashion.) The end result, when treatment is successful, is the increased beauty of the person - IE. they become healthier and more stable.
In contrast, drugs are destructive when their usage is motivated by Yesod - bonding/sexual desire -which drives one to bond with an object to the extreme. Here the drug user is not interested in attaining a balance. Rather, he desires an extreme taste of a particular state of being, be it near complete escape from the pain of life (Heroine), a sense of invincibility (Cocaine), pure 'love' (Ecstasy), etc. This inevitably results in ugliness, for the individual becomes increasingly unstable and volatile, pale, fidgety, nervous, hostile, obsessed, delusional, etc.
I personally experience skateboarding as a drug cocktail. When I manage to land a trick after many attempts I experience a sense of increased power, energy, and self-esteem (Cocaine). About half an hour into the skate session I become somewhat numb to pain and feel euphoric. Now it is well known that Endorphins are largely responsible for the phenomenon of 'second wind', where during long races runners may suddenly feel a high which relieves them of soreness and fatigue and bolsters their performance. I experience mild forms of 'Endorphine high', where my physical and mental pain decreases (my dose of Morphine), almost every time I have a serious skate. Even the memory of this pleasant experience is uplifting. Furthermore, after the session, as I unwind and reflect on my achievements, I feel mentally and physically relaxed, tranquil, and content (Valium).
The advantages of a 'gram of skating' over a gram of another drug is that you get three drugs rather than one; you become fit; and best of all, its free and easy to score...
No comments:
Post a Comment