Weil and Winnie

Andy Weil gave an interesting interview to PBS Frontline recently. I read through it, and this paragraph caught my eye…

One of my earliest memories, was [being] lied to [as a child] about why I was going to the hospital. I was tricked into going there, not told that I was having surgery. The anesthesiologist lied to me about what they were doing. They concealed the ether and told me I was going on a merry-go-round and then suddenly clapped this thing over my face. So that instantly instilled distrust of grownups and doctors. I had a very major altered state of consciousness from breathing ether. I remember my consciousness being separated from my body, having incredible visual hallucinations. It was very fascinating and I think it’s possible that that was one of the experiences that interested me in studying altered states and psychoactive drugs which was the early part of my career.

I don’t know about you, but I can remember my first ether trance as well - it was my first experience with Winnie the Pooh and a psychedlic spiral that repeated itself every time I had a tooth pulled (14 times before age 14 and ten years of braces to boot). Funny thing - I never read Winnie the Pooh. Ever.

Ok - back to mushrooms…

© 2006 FUNGIFEST.