by Mark Pitstick MA, DC

If you’ve not already, please read . . .

  1. ‘The Great News‘ (article #19 at SoulProof.com/Articles)
  2. ‘Eight Developments for Widespread Conscious Living Now’ (#125)
  3. Greater Reality LIVING Program: Integrating ‘The 8 Developments’ Into Your Daily Life (#72)
  4. Greater Reality HEALING Program: Journeying FROM Deeply Grieving TO Brightly Shining (#82)

The evidence-based information and holistic resources outlined in these articles will help you to:

  • realize your true nature as an eternal being of consciousness / life-force / energy 
  • receive guidance and assistance from highly evolved energies and Source / The Light
  • heal old wounds, release lower energies, and update erroneous teachings
  • create the greatest life YOU have envisioned (YOU = your higher self / soul)
  • help others by sharing your greatest gifts
  • make our world a better place

As enough people do this, widespread personal and planetary change will naturally unfold. 

Drugs, Alcohol, and Greater Reality Living

I receive questions from people around the world about a multitude of topics.  This one prompted me to write an article outlining my views.

Q: I would like to ask you about ayahuasca.  Do you think it’s a good idea to use it?  How about marijuana?  Aren’t these safe and natural ways to expand one’s mind?

A: Great question that requires a layer of answering.  Many people are searching for ways to feel better and answer questions of great importance.  Religions have largely botched the job of filling this gap.  In my parent’s generation, the only widely available way to alter ones state of mind was via alcohol.  My and subsequent generations had numerous ways to do so, but how has that worked so far? 

Dr. Gary Schwartz and I wrote Greater Reality Living and – with co-author Katta Mapes MA, MEd – a version for young people called The Big Picture of Life.  We wanted people to know more about the greater reality – all that exists – and that we each are important parts of Life. 

Really knowing who you are, why you are here, and Who walks beside / within you always is a HUGE key to having a wonderful earthly experience.  The paths outlined in these books can help people gain greater peace, joy, love, and enthusiasm – no matter what their past or current circumstances.  That’s greater reality living. 

I certainly respect the traditions behind various plant-based ways to expand one’s consciousness.  However, any path involving mind-altering drugs can involve downsides and dangers.  I have not used ayahuasca but have good friends who had very interesting experiences while being supervised by a reputable shamanic teacher.  I’ve not felt the call to try it.  

During my twenties, in the 70’s, I drank some beer and smoked pot once a week for several years.  To be honest, I had little interest in either until my first love relationship ended.  Yes, I too succumbed to self-medication and numbing myself versus dealing with it head-on.  I’m sure that decision delayed my grieving and contributed to taking lower-energy forks in the road. 

I found the experience getting stoned, and how I felt the day after, to be easily preferable to alcohol.  However, at some point, I started getting periodic headaches and neck muscle tension after using pot.  Most alarmingly, I found myself becoming psychologically addicted to it. 

I vividly remember a Tuesday evening when I enjoyed a marijuana buzz while listening to music, reading enlightened literature, and walking in the woods.  The next morning, since I restricted myself to ‘getting high’ to once per week, I had a concerning thought: ‘Oh no, I can’t get high for another week.’  I felt mildly depressed and realized that getting stoned had become overly important to me. 

I flushed my supply down the toilet. 

Since then, I enjoy the same activities but without the drug.  It’s ironic that a variety of powerful marijuana products are now widely legal and available but I’m not interested.  Some friends still toke up on occasion and try to talk me into joining them.  I’ve found that watching and listening to them is more fun than indulging. 

I am also concerned that people will take the easy way out by getting stoned instead of addressing root causes of their unhappiness.  In addition, there are so many areas of need for reducing suffering and improving life on earth.  We each have special gifts to share that can address this.  But it’s tempting to get stoned, listen to music, and eat pizza instead of fulfilling your purposes for being on earth at this time.  (I admit that my comments are generalizations based on my observations of many thousands of people over the last 48 years.  These tendencies certainly may not always be true for everyone.)

One of my teachers in the 70’s and beyond was Ram Dass AKA Richard Alpert PhD, a Harvard professor who was kicked out for conducting LSD experiments on campus.  He asked his teacher Neem Karoli Baba about the wisdom of using mind-altering drugs.  The paraphrased reply was: ‘These substances can give you a glimpse of heaven, but they won’t let you stay there.’  

I agree.  

Regarding the ayahuasca experience, who knows how well trained the teachers are.  Experiencing it is in vogue right now, but it’s a two-edged sword.  There may be genetic and/or emotional predispositions to addiction.  One reason for going the natural route is this: taking drugs can interfere with deeply internalizing the great news that you are an eternal and infinite being of energy and consciousness who is part of Source right now. 

That is, people who have transcendent insights while taking drugs may later decide that their epiphanies were due to the drug and not really real.  Put another way, drugs may or may not strengthen an inner knowing that we each have everything within that we need no matter what befalls us.  However, with drugs, even sacred plant-based ones used by indigenous peoples, people may think they need something from without whereas awakening is an inside job.    

Another big concern is that people who aren’t ready for the drug experience may have a downhill slide afterwards.  See my story about “Jim” in the excerpts below. 

If I had it to do over again, I wouldn’t have used alcohol or pot at all.  I would have focused on yoga, meditation, more time in nature, listening to mind-expanding music, attending ‘higher thought’ classes, reading inspirational books by wise men and women, attending services at different religious and spiritual centers, talking with open-minded and open-hearted persons, and serving others. 

My book Radiant Wellness teaches the basics of self-care practices: rest / renewal, activity, diet, inner cleanse, awareness, natural health care, and transcendence. 

When affordable, I would also regularly use holistic health approaches to fine-tune my body and brain.  The following list of holistic health care should be available to all people.  (Insurance should cover these safe, affordable, natural, and effective (SANE) treatments as much or even more than drugs and surgery.  However, in the long run, this care will save many people money and much illness.) 

  • specific chiropractic adjustments
  • cranial work including emotional release techniques
  • acupuncture
  • deep tissue massage
  • personalized nutrition-based healing such as Nutrition Response Testing

When you want a buzz, try green tea with honey and/or dark chocolate.  Both are healthy and increase energy and alertness.  

I also recommend using the following products as directed in the introduction track:

1. Holistic Breathing Technique to release pain and wounds, and remember life’s big picture

2. Ask Your Soul to access your inner wisdom about how to improve every aspect of your life

3. Identify and Fulfill Your Purposes: your time on earth is so much more joyful and meaningful when you share your greatest gifts and talents

Depending on a person’s past and current challenges and goals, the following techniques may be helpful (learn more about each at SoulProof.com/Shop/)

    1. Pre-Birth Planning

  1. Past Life Regression

  2. Facilitated After Death Contact

  3. Love, Acceptance, and Forgiveness

Here are excerpts from my book Radiant Wellness about my views on alcohol and drug use. 

Use Alcohol Minimally or Not at All

In our society, alcohol is the most widely accepted way to change ones state of consciousness. People enjoy looking at life from a different perspective and alcohol allows that. It’s fun to feel a little giddy, laugh, and be relaxed. Those are good things.

Some studies even suggest that very moderate drinking—one or two glasses of wine a day, for example—provides minor health benefits. However, there are other ways to achieve those benefits.  Other studies say that any benefits are outweighed by negative factors and the potential for addiction.

About 10 percent of our population become alcoholics who, by genetic predisposition or acquired addiction or both, cannot drink moderately. Unfortunately, most people don’t know they are an alcoholic until it is too late.

Signs and symptoms for being at risk for alcoholism include: morning drinking, blackouts, regrettable actions while intoxicated, trouble stopping, five or more drinks per day, friends and family becoming concerned, interference with your job, driving under the influence, and a family history of alcoholism.

If you choose to use alcohol, wait until legal age and don’t drive while drinking! At least 50 percent of America’s fatal traffic accidents involve alcohol.

I understand the severity of the problem. My family has a multigenerational history of alcoholism, depression and blood sugar handling disorders. Alcohol provides instant jet fuel that temporarily raises blood sugar levels and causes euphoria.

In addition to Alcoholics Anonymous and medical supervision, I recommend using the seven keys to radiant wellness. Natural health practices can also be a potent aid in preventing and treating alcoholism.

If you’re not an alcoholic, you can enjoy moderate and responsible drinking. However, in certain individuals over time, even moderate alcohol intake can cause impaired liver function, brain cell damage, gastric and esophageal irritation, and yeast infections.

Just recently, a new patient told me about his indigestion symptoms. At age 26, he’s been on medication for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) for several years. He was wearing a T-shirt and hat with beer logos so I took a stab in the dark and asked about his drinking habits. He admitted to drinking five beers, five days a week for several years so it’s probably more than that. You can imagine what decades of alcohol abuse can bring.

One final note. Those who take great care of themselves and receive natural health care may feel crummy after drinking even moderate amounts of alcohol, especially hard liquor, beer, or wine with preservatives. Good wine or beer without chemical additives seems to work best for those who can and want to drink in moderation.

Many years ago, my brother-in-law talked me into celebrating his 50th birthday by drinking beer with him. I hadn’t drunk any alcohol for many years, but three cold ones went down pretty smoothly. I     felt a little dizzy two hours later so I went to bed. In the middle of     the night, I woke up and felt very dizzy. A hangover was my constant companion for the next two days with headache, malaise, and lack of mental clarity. Needless to say, it wasn’t worth the buzz.

When you’re radiantly well, drinking bacteria urine – which is what alcohol is – constitutes an inferior high.

Avoid Illegal Drugs

Here’s another disastrous wrong turn that creates inner toxicity and much worse. Drug use has created vast suffering for many people. Everyone wants to feel good and, granted, drugs can provide a fleeting high but at such a cost. Fortunately, there are better natural ways to relax and feel great without using drugs.

In my youth, I tried various ways of altering my consciousness. Fortunately, however, I soon saw that no matter how ‘high’ I got, I always came down. And there was that silly little matter of feeling hung over and wiped out for a day or two. I noticed that pot heads and heavy drinkers started to look and act brain damaged. I decided that there had to be a better way.

There is.

Some people consider recreational use of drugs to be harmless and cool. Webster defines recreational as “creating anew or refreshing

in body or mind” but there is nothing renewing or refreshing about drug use. I’ve observed the tragic downsides firsthand and the lessons are clear: it’s better to never start. Some people who plan to try it just once become psychologically and physiologically addicted or damaged.

Drug use increases the incidence of robberies, accidents, murder, suicide, domestic violence, and child abuse. The cost in lost potential due to lowered standards and poor life decisions cannot be estimated. My recommendation is to steer clear of all illegal drugs since they can cause significant personal, family, and societal problems.

Pressures to experiment with drugs can be powerful, especially during one’s youth. However, drugs are illegal, can be dangerous, and can lead to unwise behaviors. No matter how finely tuned the dose or well designed the drug, you always come down. The chemicals in drugs are often cumulative and their long-term effects are unknown.

Even marijuana – considered a harmless and even beneficial herb by many – has 400 different chemicals in it. When smoked as a joint, the burning paper and pot combination releases over 2,000 chemicals. Some of these fat-soluble chemicals accumulate in organs and can cause short and long-term impairments.

Many people enjoy – depending on the strain and amount used – varying degrees of relaxation/energy, mental clarity/comfortably numb, and almost always euphoria with marijuana. With legalization in a growing number of states, its use will probably increase. And, frankly, I usually would rather see my patients smoke a few tokes of vaporized good quality pot in the safety of their home than get drunk.

However, there are still potential risks, especially if a person drives while stoned. Using pot could lead to experimenting with other drugs since it clearly lowers inhibitions. And there’s the chance of decreased motivation and psychological addiction. All things considered, I still recommend getting and staying high naturally.

Young people, please don’t make the same mistakes that prior generations have with more dangerous drugs. Visit mental hospitals and chemical dependency units and see the potential results of drug abuse for yourself. During my pastoral counseling practicum at a psychiatric hospital, I met “Jim”, a sixteen-year-old boy who had taken PCP. Despite a year of treatment, Jim was a walking vegetable and will probably be in a mental institution for the rest of his life.

Haven’t we individually and collectively suffered enough? Please focus on natural ways of looking, feeling and being your very best. By the way, some people use drugs because those sometimes provide a glimpse of inner peace and enlightenment. Why not pursue a natural path that helps you reach these sublime states and stay there most or all the time?

Decades of drug experimentation have left a clear conclusion: there is no safe, legal or effective way to stay high on drugs. God knows, enough people have tried and paid a tragic price for the experiment. Wise ones will learn from the experience of others and evolve toward better ways of creating the greatest life of your dreams.

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Thank you for telling others about this article!  Your life, and that of others around you, will be more enriched when you:  

  1. read the article again so you really know it.
     
  2. discuss with close family and friends to more deeply internalize it.
     
  3. take action steps that seem right for you.
     
  4. share it with others via social media, discussion groups, and other ways.

Hugs, love, blessings, and let it shine!
Mark

Mark Pitstick, MA, DC
author, lecturer, counselor, and holistic chiropractic physician; spokesperson, research assistant, and strategic planner for the SoulPhone Project; founder of Greater Reality Living, Healing, Helping, and Sharing Programs

SoulProof.com    SoulPhone.org   GreaterRealityPrograms.com

Mark Pitstick, MA, DC is a master’s clinical psychologist, holistic chiropractic physician, and clinical nutritionist.  He has also helped others in pastoral counseling and suicide prevention / education settings.  His goal is to help you know and show that this earthly experience is a totally safe, meaningful, and magnificent adventure amidst eternity. 

To learn more about the Greater Reality LIVING, HEALING, HELPING, and SHARING Programs, visit ‘Greater Reality Programs’ top tab at SoulProof.com and SoulPhone.org.  Also see  articles #19, 72, 82, 119, 122, and 125 at SoulProof.com/Articles.

SoulProof.com provides many FREE resources:

  • 8 e-books Radiant Wellness, Soul Proof, The Eleven Questions, Greater Reality Living, The Big Picture of Life, The Afterlife Evidence, Ask the Soul Doctor, and Shining Light Parents Speak
  • 10 audio programs Holistic Breathing; Afterlife Contact; Ask Your Soul, Angels, and The Light; Pre-Birth Planning; Identify and Fulfill Your Purposes AND Enjoy Your Greatest Life; Your Life Review; Appreciate, Realize, and Transform; Love, Acceptance, and Forgiveness; Past Life Regression; Heal and Transform Your Suffering
  • 4 audio books (Greater Reality Living, Soul Proof, Radiant Wellness, and Shining Light Parents Speak; we don’t have control over the others)
  • 125 Articles (as of 3/1/25) answering the most commonly asked questions and providing holistic solutions for your toughest challenges
  • 25 Radio Shows: interviews with experts on consciousness, afterlife, and creating an optimal earthly experience. These include Wayne Dyer, Brian Weiss, Anita Moorjani, Raymond Moody, Michael Newton, Caroline Myss, and others. 
  • 27 Videos on different pages
  • Monthly newsletters (subscriber sign-up at bottom of each website page)

Instead of payment, he asks that you: (1) fully use and appreciate the products, (2) share them with others, and (3) help others in ways you feel called, that is, pay it forward.

The following are also available for a fee:

  • 8 printed books Radiant Wellness, Soul Proof, The Eleven Questions, Greater Reality Living, The Big Picture of Life, The Afterlife Evidence, Ask the Soul Doctor, and Shining Light Parents Speak
  • Coaching / Counseling Sessions with Dr. Pitstick by Zoom to gain answers to your biggest questions and holistic solutions to your toughest challenges.

Note: This article is intended as a reference source, not to replace professional treatment for physical, emotional, or mental problems.  The author disclaims any liability arising directly or indirectly from the voluntary use of action steps discussed in article. 

I created this article while ‘wearing the hat’ of a clinician, counselor, and educator.  My statements are based upon some scientific research; much clinical and experiential evidence; my personal experiences; and my best current understandings.  This program does not reflect my roles with the SoulPhone Project since those require solid scientific data for all statements.