Peak-experience and the entheogenic use of cannabis in world religions
Journal of Psychedelic Studies January 15, 2021 Mark S. Ferrara 24 citations
Cannabis can evoke 'peak-experiences'—brief moments of expanded perception and self-transcendence described by psychologist Abraham Maslow—especially when used alongside traditional religious practices like meditation, fasting, contemplative prayer, and sacramental ritual. Religious seekers worldwide have deliberately used cannabis to trigger these peak-experiences, which stir feelings of ecstasy, wonder, and awe and resolve life's dichotomies and conflicts. Such experiences constitute a form of spiritual revelation central to religious history. Cannabis has thus served as a mild entheogen across cultures and traditions for millennia due to its ability to elicit unitive consciousness at the heart of mystical insight.