Altered States

Back in the 80s, when the film came out it confirmed in all of us that in the Age of Aquarius we could reach new heights in the evolution of human consciousness.

I have a favourite snippet from that time: "I have argued that every human being is born with an innate drive to experience altered states of consciousness periodically -- in particular to learn how to get away from ordinary ego-centered consciousness. I have also explained my intuition that this drive is a most important factor in our evolution, both as individuals and as a species. Nonordinary experiences are vital to us because they are expressions of our unconscious minds, and the integration of conscious and unconscious experience is the key to life, health, and spiritual development, and fullest use of our nervous systems. - Andrew Weil, M.D."

We didn't and the New Age movement has evolved and devolved into a niche lifestyle that has more to do with fashion than intellectual development.

We have gone from believing that man was capable of a higher evolution to regressing through a loss of higher analytical functions through the use of socially acceptable narcotics, whether they are alcohol or drugs.

And in this, by degrees, we are reverting back to a mindless mass, doing without thinking, living without feeling.