BibleGuy

Sage

Where did you gain an affinity for studying language? You seem to reply with analysis frequently.

I hope I'm not overdoing the analysis thing. I like to know the basis for people's views and the things they say, so I like to show at least a little basis for mine - especially around this subject. Prohibitionists, especially Christians, automatically assume that people like me are just stoners attempting to justify marijuana addiction; that we're deceived and perhaps even demonic because they don't know the basis for the prohibition movement much less the history of cannabis and it's role in history, including the Bible.

So... When I started to question certain doctrines I began to look beyond the English translations of words in the Bible to get at the broader/deeper meanings of the Greek and Hebrew words... and their root words... and the roots of the root words... and my eyes opened up. I couldn't resist comparing cognates and concepts in various languages and traditions which lead me from Greek and Hebrew to Sanskrit/pali, Latin, Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese, Norse, Indo-european, Native American, etc., and their related cultures. I often seemed to end up with a beautiful Sanskrit word which inspired me to read a bit about Hinduism and Buddhism which I found agreeable, delightful, rich, and actually helped me to understand the Bible better and broadened my worldview.

I am not sure if you are suggesting that these religious humans have attained through with or because of, your perceived meaning, with the same plant, which is cannabis, you are seeming to suggest.

I would be interesting to hear your opinion minus all the referencing about what your understanding is about cannabis and how it effected these people. Just keep it simple and easy to read.

In the cases I mentioned, yes, that is what I'm suggesting, or strongly suspect, because of the related things that I noticed - many of these things relate back to a very special tree/bush/plant. Even in Norse mythology, a gleaming "golden tree" with "golden" foliage called Glasir stands before the entrance to Valhalla.

I am not ready to state an opinion about if Buddha reached enlightenment solely through cannabis use or some sort, or other example you used. I think that anything in the hands of a person who knows what they intend for it, could use a plethora of tools to maintain levels of focus and attain new ones.

Well, I agree with you, but the key, or a key, does seem to be visionary plants. In South America they use Ayahuasca. Others have used various mushrooms. We've already touched on Soma, which I'm convinced is Cannabis. Some use other techniques like drumming, ecstatic dance, Aum mantras, didgeridoos and other means to acheive trance/meditative states of consciousness and vision. Native Americans use peyote, and there is something very interesting about that story:

Qaneh bosem is "Fragrant cane" in the Bible and also a "Chief" (head) spice. Quanah Parker is the Chief who brought the Peyote religion to his people after a visionary an encounter with Jesus. His name means "Fragrant" in Comanche.

There we go with cognates again, aligning meaning via both word and metaphor, and two visionary plants. And these from distinct cultures on opposite side of the globe! Is that wild or what?!?

In Zen, enlightenment is believe to happen whenever and where ever you are, in day to day life. How you see the world is the key, bursts of enlightenment coming throughout your life, rather that as a final point or end. Sustaining it however is what I would considering the crux of practice. Does herb bring a level to my worth that is deeply concentrated and meaningful, sure does. Do I have to have it to do that? No.

I can see that. But, personally, I don't know how to truly meditate without herb. It seems to me to be the thing that allows the unskilled (like me) to experience the transcendental, with a simple breath. People who don't need it may have a more naturally or otherwise advanced/elevated endocannabiniod system that allows them to meditate, but that's just a pure guess on my part.

So I would like to hear more about your perceptions of herb to the previously mentioned lists of spiritual teachers.

Well, its just that they all seem to have a relationship with some kind of enlightening/illuminating "tree".

Buddha under the Bodhi Tree. "Bodhi" means enlightenment or awakening, right? And if he was eating hemp seeds while under it where did they come from? The tree called Bodhi today is a fig tree, but the Buddha wasn't eating figs. This makes me look to the metaphor rather than the species identified as the Bodhi tree today.

Moses' Burning Bush burned, but was not consumed. Sounds perhaps like time stood still and I think there's meaning in that. You know what happens to time when you smoke cannabis. Some have speculated that he ate a mushroom, which I'm not to sure about, but in any case we have a visionary plant, apparent alteration of time and an encounter with "The self Existent or eternal".

The Hindu's Soma relates to both Ganja and the third eye. In Hinduism there is a Yajna (fire sacrifice), a Somayajna, called Putrakameshti, a special Yajna performed for the sake of having a child. This is exactly what Issac did on behalf of Rebekah in Genesis 25:19-21, where Issac "Entreated" the Lord which means "to burn incense in worship". I've found other things along the way, but I'm not educated enough in Hinduism to go there yet.

Jesus' marriage at Cana. A marriage is where two join. Cana is Hebrew qaneh as in qaneh bosem. The meaning of biblical "incense" is to inclose/join. This "marriage", with the miracle that took place, is the initial revelation of Jesus "glory" which I take to means oneness with God, thus joined - the very purpose of "incense" and "marriage".

I'm sorry for still being a bit analytical here but it's the only way I know how to express how I see these things. I hope I didn't overdo it.

Thanks for your time and patience.

Sage... my brother. Thank YOU for your wisdom, time, patience and interest. Please, what are your thoughts?