Ram Dass, Beloved Spiritual Teacher, Has Died

Tricycle ^ | 12/2/2019 | Joan Duncan Oliver

[a little elbow grease]

Albert Hofmann was the man .........

[a little elbow grease]

Another viewpoint:

"It gave me an inner joy, an open mindedness, a gratefulness, open eyes and an internal sensitivity for the miracles of creation.... I think that in human evolution it has never been as necessary to have this substance LSD. It is just a tool to turn us into what we are supposed to be."

— Albert Hofmann, Speech on 100th birthday

[Tom in SFCA]

Guy shoulda met Jesus.

[Mariner]

I have a good friend that took LSD at least 300 times...according to him. My memory of his youth is not incongruous with that claim.

He went on to build a very strong pool business which he just sold for $6mil.

As far as I can tell it didn’t disable him.

But the drinking did.

[a fool in paradise]

Was he in Ram Jam?

[a fool in paradise]

Turned into worm food
Eaten by a bird
Turned into dung
Feasted and rolled by a beetle

Cycle of life right there

[wardaddy]

One has to wonder how large that initial dose he accidentally took was who is a man with a very strong brain

[x]

If you like to get photographed smiling a lot, you too could be a guru and spiritual guide.

The hundreds of drug trips and thousands of sexual encounters are optional, but it really helps if you grow a beard.

[wardaddy]

Damn I thought u were younger

Sorry you’re sick

[wardaddy]

He was a Jew....I think he was raised to question that

[knarf]

Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd never came back

[knarf]

Actually ... I AM !

Feb 29, 1948 ..... I'll be 18 next year !

[knarf]

Not sick .... I committed suicide.

It just hasn't arrived yet

[a little elbow grease]

"One has to wonder how large that initial dose he accidentally took was who is a man with a very strong brain."

____________________

From wiki:

Hofmann became an employee of the pharmaceutical/chemical department of Sandoz Laboratories (now a subsidiary of Novartis), located in Basel as a coworker with professor Arthur Stoll, founder and director of the pharmaceutical department.

He began studying the medicinal plant Drimia maritima (squill) and the fungus ergot, as part of a program to purify and synthesize active constituents for use as pharmaceuticals. His main contribution was to elucidate the chemical structure of the common nucleus of the Scilla glycosides (an active principal of Mediterranean squill).

While researching lysergic acid derivatives, Hofmann first synthesized LSD on 16 November 1938. The main intention of the synthesis was to obtain a respiratory and circulatory stimulant (analeptic) with no effects on the uterus in analogy to nikethamide (which is also a diethylamide) by introducing this functional group to lysergic acid.

It was set aside for five years, until 16 April 1943, when Hofmann decided to reexamine it. While re-synthesizing LSD, he accidentally absorbed a small amount of the drug through his fingertips and discovered its powerful effects. He described what he felt as being:

... affected by a remarkable restlessness, combined with a slight dizziness. At home I lay down and sank into a not unpleasant intoxicated[-]like condition, characterized by an extremely stimulated imagination. In a dreamlike state, with eyes closed (I found the daylight to be unpleasantly glaring), I perceived an uninterrupted stream of fantastic pictures, extraordinary shapes with intense, kaleidoscopic play of colors. After some two hours this condition faded away.

THREE DAYS LATER, on 19 April 1943, Hofmann intentionally ingested 250 MICROGRAMS of LSD. This day is now known as "Bicycle Day", because he began to feel the effects of the drug as he rode home on a bike. This was the first intentional LSD trip.

Hofmann continued to take small doses of LSD throughout much of his life, and always hoped to find a use for it. In his memoir, he emphasized it as a "sacred drug":

"I see the true importance of LSD in the possibility of providing material aid to meditation aimed at the mystical experience of a deeper, comprehensive reality."

****

I pretty much agree with the good doctor. He was a serious and gentle man.

[a little elbow grease]

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/8xpmzb/the-worlds-first-ever-acid-trip-actually-kinda-sucked

* A very good article on some of Albert’s first experiences with his “chemicals”.

[a little elbow grease]

"I have not tripped since a Jer and Bob and Phil and Mickey and Keith and Donna and Bill played Tuscaloosa in 1977" ---

I haven't done any mushrooms, LSD, or mescaline since around 1984. There was never a purposeful "ending" or stopping" ... it just happened. I was 37 years old and married for 11 years, and it was time to do other things. I'll be 73 in a month and I don't see wanting to take anything of the sort in the near future ..... maybe too exciting for this old man.

__________

"I'm 62 ........... I know people who still trip on LSD and mushrooms ...... Old people" ------

God bless them. I really wish that I felt better these days. I'd like to "wander off" a little before it's all over.

_________

"And they are not liberals ... more libertarian ...like Trump" ------

I hate to even write this, but can you even imagine DJT tripping? ...... impossible.

[Chickensoup]

Hell, as Trump himself says: I don’t drink. Can you imagine me if I DRANK??

[Chickensoup]

it does.

lol

[a little elbow grease]

lol

[Mr. Jeeves]

Dispensers of good advice seldom live up to their own teachings.