Mushrooms, Moods, and Meaning

Once relegated to long gone memories of Woodstock or the Grateful Dead, psychedelics are back and in a new fashion. Taboo substances like magic mushrooms, LSD, DMT, and ayahuasca are being investigated by research labs and medical centers for their potential to renew healthcare.

Let’s narrow in on “magic mushrooms,” a species of fungus in the family Psilocybe known for containing psilocybin, a chemically active compound which binds to specific serotonin receptors in the brain. When these receptors are activated, the user experiences intense feelings of euphoria, a deep sense of connectedness, peace, and a sense of a higher power. Often, the user's expectation of a good experience promotes a “good trip” while that of expecting a bad experience can cause a “bad trip” with experiences of fear, paranoia, and frightening hallucinations. Ingestion of psilocybin has shown to increase neuroplasticity, a fancy word for brain growth and increased neuron connections – something often missing in brains of individuals with anxiety and depression. This neuroplasticity might also explain the sense of connectedness and integration that users feel.

The majority of research is being performed on individuals with severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), characterized by recurrent nightmares, flashbacks to traumatic events, feeling on edge, and severe anxiety. Depending on severity, sufferers may have an intense aversion to explore past trauma. In some cases, talking about the trauma is just as traumatic as the initial event itself, leading people to wall off their emotions from their memories. Psychedelics are thus aimed at both creating a space wherein the patient feels less emotionally reactive when his walled-off trauma is exposed and allowing emotional integration with the trauma to bring a sense of peace and purpose in the trauma. Psychedelics have also been shown to cause the memory circuitry of the brain to work differently – possibly recategorizing negative memories into more positive ones.

The results of many of these studies are quite impressive. Some have shown dramatic decreases in PTSD symptoms that persist long term even with very short term use of psilocybin. The standard trauma-based talk therapy can reach similar improvements but typically takes significantly longer (months to years). Anecdotally, many patients claim profound change in the way they view their trauma even after one dose.

Psychiatry aside, what about spiritual suffering? Anecdotally, some Christians have gone to psychedelics to “peek behind the veil” of daily existence, to see the spiritual dimension that seems out of grasp in daily banality. Some have claimed psilocybin renewed their experience of faith after intoxicated visions of spiritual awe. The allure is even more for the non-Christian, who craves mystical experience, yet denies foundational spiritual reality. Indeed, staunch atheists have converted to belief in the supernatural after a psychedelic trip. Rod Dreher, a Christian journalist, has an interesting article about this phenomenon here.

How is a Christian to think about this? Can a Christian take psychedelics in a God-honoring way? Consider the following:

God created the psilocybe fungus and there is nothing inherently evil about its existence. (Gen 1:11-12, Col 1:16)
God created plants for our good and His glory. (Gen 1:29, Psalm 104:24, Rom 1:20)
Scripture supports the use of some psychoactive (acting on the mind) compounds. (Eccl 9:7, Psalm 104:15, 1 Tim 5:23)
There is Scriptural support for using strong psychoactive compounds in certain situations. (Proverbs 31:6-7)
We have an interest in bringing healing to body, mind, and soul. (Eccl 3:3, Psalm 103:3, Matt 9:12, Matt 10:1)
There are those who suffer intense disturbances of the mind which require healing. (Psalm 147:3)

Therefore, does it not reason that there could possibly be a Scripturally-faithful use for psilocybin in some circumstances to bring healing?

My answer: possibly.

But don’t get too excited or worked up. I raise two strong objections.

God cares about the means

Our God not only ordains the ends (Isaiah 46:10) but he works through means to accomplish these ends (Philippians 2:13, Esther 4:14, Colossians 1:29). If our end is spiritual growth, substance use is not listed in the texts of Scripture as a means (communion excluded, more on this momentarily). Psychedelics carry the allure of a fast pass to spiritual awareness. We all love shortcuts, though let’s be leary of spiritual shortcuts. “But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” - Romans 8:25

There are many examples of patience through suffering in the Scriptures, which is often accorded with developing spiritual growth. For the spiritually depressed who are eager to peek behind the veil of daily perception to bolster their smoldering faith, do not run to psychedelics. I worry that in your eagerness to see something spiritual, you will lack the discernment to know what you see. Beyond the mere chemical realities of psilocybin, I am quite comfortable believing it brings real spiritual encounters. And which spirits will be eager to meet you behind the veil? Rather, Scripture provides paths for intense spiritual growth and experience: the Word, the Spirit, the Church, prayer, fasting, and communion. Are you willing to fast the way Chrisitans have for centuries through discipline or get McDonald's express LSD without preparation for what you will see? Furthermore, Hebrews 11:1 states “Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen.” (NASB). I am worried the effort to bypass our earthly existence to momentarily glimpse less apparent spiritual reality proves lack of faith and likely will worsen said lack of faith. Again, the means matter.

The Creator of psilocybe has graciously given us an alternative edible and spiritual means of growth. Partaking of the bread and wine is equated with participation in the body and blood of Christ (1 Cor 10:16). Paul further builds on this doctrine in Ephesians 2:17-22: “And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” Paul is remarking on the sublime unity and oneness of the members of Christ across dimensions of space and time. When we partake of communion wine and bread, we are entering into spiritual connectedness founded on the bedrock of the Risen Creator of all existence. This is a far more emotive and substantive experience than psilocybin can evoke.

For my last objection, let’s turn to Galations 5:19-21: “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Sorcery

The word for sorcery is translated from the Greek φαρμακεία (pharmakeia), where we get the word pharmacy. I don’t believe the Word is forbidding all medicine here, rather the use of substances for divination, as was known to be practiced in the ancient world (and still very much done today). There are many examples of this, but famously the Greek oracle of Delphi was known to ingest or inhale psychedelic substances for the purpose of communing with the gods in effort to prophecy. Revelation 18:23 further describes φαρμακεία as a deceptive instrument. Broadly speaking, sorcery is the use of natural means to manipulate the supernatural with the intention to manifest something against nature. The Christian is forbidden from indulging in such things. Communion, rather, is the use of natural means to commune with God Almighty and your fellow saints to restore nature and worship the Creator. This is a diametrically different process.

Drunkenness

We can find an easy equivalence of drunkenness with wine and intoxication with psilocybin. Let us be sober minded (1 Peter 5:8). We should abstain from substances which alter our consciousness or thinking away from that which is natural.

But does psilocybin have any use? I still hold that the psilocybe fungus displays the glory of God and was made for our use, though possibly not our consumption. Since pharmakeia is clearly forbidden, we must ask ourselves then, what is the desired end of consuming it? If it is to peek behind the veil, then I believe it is forbidden. At the very least, it is deeply unwise to casually waltz into spiritual encounters, even for the sake of healing PTSD. There may be a future medicinal use for psychedelics, but this is not it.

What if we microdose? This may not meet the pharmakeia risk nor the drunkenness criteria, but what is the intention? The dose may be so low that it is of no real chemical benefit. The temptation may be to use increasing doses. Why play with fire? Time will tell if psilocybin can be tailored in non-intoxicating doses to relieve psychiatric disturbances that warrant medicated treatment. At this time, however, the intoxicated experience is what is thought to be helpful for psychiatric distress. Until we know more, I fear that meddling with experimental doses shows great unwisdom in the Christian.

Let’s bring this trip to an end

If anything, psychedelics are amazing substances. Without consuming them, we can still find awe in the way God made our minds and the realities of the world in which we live. We abide in a universe where a fungus can catapult us into spiritual encounters. Yet, like the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, not all flora are intended for our consumption, nor all knowledge helpful or permitted. God, in his unfathomable wisdom, has already delivered means for our growth, connection, and meaning: some in the form of flora–wheat and fermented grapes.