God in a pill?

Meher Baba's words about drugs

God in a pill? was a phrase used by Meher Baba facetiously in the 1960s to disparage the growing view that hallucinogenic and mind-changing drugs, especially LSD, might be used to elicit meaningful spiritual insight. Meher Baba wrote, "If God can be found through the medium of any drug, God is not worthy of being God." ^[1]

In 1966 a pamphlet entitled "God in a Pill?" was published by Sufism Reoriented using quotes from letters by Baba to various of his followers, and to others including academics in the West such as Dr. Richard Alpert (Baba Ram Dass), on the subject of drugs. That original material was an inspiration for a new book entitled A Mirage Will Never Quench Your Thirst: A Source of Wisdom About Drugs compiled and edited by Laurent Weichberger (Sheriar Foundation, 2003). This new book also offers many other inspiring and uplifting messages from Baba, a section "Voices of Experience" wherein those with drug experience have shared directly how they managed to overcome the seduction of drug abuse, along with a glossary and harmful-effects (of drugs). According to the "Mirage" author, only the drug related quotes from Baba, not all the material, which appeared in the original God in a Pill? pamphlet was reprinted in A Mirage Will Never Quench Your Thirst. Also, quotations from Meher Baba on drugs, alcohol, coffee, tea and tobacco, which were not present in the God in a Pill? pamphlet have been researched and added to this new book. Lastly, the three "apostles" appointed by Meher Baba himself to do drug work in his name during the 1960s, Rick Chapman, Allan Cohen and Robert Dreyfuss, have all written original fresh forewords in this new book.

Baba poster in the film Woodstock

Meher Baba's name spread throughout the counter-culture movement of the 1960s, his image appearing in the documentary movie Woodstock and even on the cover of the Rolling Stone in 1970 along with an article by Pete Townshend which discussed Baba's message on drugs among other concerns of Townshend's.^[2] Townshend wrote:

"But Baba did emphasize to a young devotee going to see Baba in about 1966, that the biggest single gesture a man could make for youth, would be to spend his life trying to show the dangers of dope. Remember, Baba was concerned with a set of people that felt the psychedelics held the key to religious experience, to Universal consciousness. God in a pill." ^[3]

[edit] Baba's statements on drugs

Meher Baba emphatically told several disciples not only to cease taking hallucinogenic drugs, but also to spread his word that drugs were harmful physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Tell those who indulge in these drugs (LSD, marijuana, and other types) that it is harmful physically, mentally and spiritually, and that they should stop the taking of these drugs. Your duty is to tell them, regardless of whether they accept what you say, or if they ridicule or humiliate you, to boldly and bravely face these things. ^[4]

In addition Baba made specific claims about drugs, giving a clarification to several American professors through his secretary Adi K. Irani on July 4, 1964. ^[5]

Meher Baba on the cover of Rolling Stone in which Pete Townshend of The Who spoke out against drug use. Nov. 1970

• Meher Baba did say that the user of LSD could never reach subtle consciousness in this incarnation despite its repeated use, unless the person surrendered to a Perfect Master. To experience real, spiritual consciousness, surrenderance to a Perfect Master is necessary.
• The experiences gained through LSD are, in some cases, experiences of the shadows of the subtle plane in the gross world. These experiences have nothing at all to do with spiritual advancement.
• Beloved Baba stresses that repeated use of LSD leads to insanity which may prove incurable in mental cases, even with LSD treatment.
• Medical use of LSD helps to cure, in some cases, mental disorders and madness.
• There is no such thing as “areas in the brain reserved for subtle consciousness,” and the question of LSD affecting them has no meaning.
• When LSD is used for genuine medical purposes, in controlled doses under the supervision of specialists, there are no chances of the brain, liver or kidney being damaged.
• Baba answered again that continued LSD use for non-medical purposes results in madness, and eventually death.

[edit] References

1. ^ God in a Pill? Sufism Reoriented, Inc. 1966
2. ^ Pete Townshend – Rolling Stone, No. 71 (November 26, 1970)
3. ^ Pete Townshend – Rolling Stone, No. 71 (November 26, 1970)
4. ^ Meher Prabhu: Lord Meher, The Biography of the Avatar of the Age, Meher Baba, Bhau Kalchuri, Manifestation, Inc. 1986. p. 6403
5. ^ Meher Prabhu: Lord Meher, The Biography of the Avatar of the Age, Meher Baba, Bhau Kalchuri, Manifestation, Inc. 1986. p. 6469 [1]

[edit] External links

• Excerpt from God in a Pill by Meher Baba
• Avatar Meher Baba On Drugs
• Lord Meher, Bhau Kalchuri, pp. 6467-6470 (Extensive discussion of Meher Baba's work against harmful drug use)
• A Mirage Will Never Quench Your Thirst (With reader reviews)
• In Love With Meher Baba (Complete 1970 Rolling Stone article by Pete Townshend)