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PSILOCYBIN AND SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE A Clinical Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the California School of Professional Psychology Alliant International University San Francisco In Partial Fulfillment of The Requirement for the Degree Doctor of Psychology By Kevin Sean Bunch August 2009 UMI Number: 3377437 Copyright 2009 by Bunch, Kevin Sean INFORMATION TO USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleed-through, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI® UMI Microform 3377437 Copyright 2009 by ProQuest LLC All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 PSILOCYBIN AND SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE This clinical dissertation by Kevin Sean Bunch, has been approved by the committee members signed below who recommend that it be accepted by the faculty of the California School of Professional Psychology- San Francisco Campus in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PSYCHOLOGY Dissertation Committee: Fredrick Heide, Ph.D.' Ed Bourg, Ph.D. W\ VQ\ Date ii © Copyright by Kevin Sean Bunch, 2009 All Rights Reserved iii 1 ABSTRACT PSILOCYBIN AND SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE KEVIN SEAN BUNCH California School of Professional Psychology San Francisco Campus Alliant International University Numerous reports indicate that psychedelic drugs can induce spiritual states of consciousness (De Rios & Janiger, 2003; Harner, 1973, La Barre, 1972). Early hallucinogenic research did not account for the influences of set and setting, and research was nearly dormant after the hallucinogen abuse that took place in the 1960's. Human psychedelic research has recently been renewed, and experimental models have confirmed that psilocybin mushrooms can facilitate mystical experiences that have lasting personal meaning and spiritual significance in religious or spiritually-inclined individuals (Griffiths, Richards, McCann, & Jesse, 2006; Johnson, Richards, & Griffiths, 2008; Pahnke, 1966). Expanding on previous studies, this research explored set and setting variables associated with these experiences. Five hundred and four participants responded to an anonymous questionnaire examining the effects of psilocybin in non- laboratory settings. The majority of users indicated that their psilocybin experience(s) were among the five most spiritually significant events of their lives. Participants claimed that psilocybin produced changes in their spirituality and increased their well- being. Over half of the participants met the criteria for having a "complete" mystical experience on the Pahnke-Richards Mystical Experience Questionnaire, and those 2 individuals rated their psilocybin experiences as more significant, unique, and personally meaningful when compared to the non-mystical group. Multiple variables were significantly correlated with having a mystical experience including mindset, age, frequency of use, dosage, and several expectancy, motivational, emotional, and environmental factors. Individuals who sought out psilocybin as a tool for growth more frequently reported having mystical experiences, which were associated with self-reports of increased life-satisfaction and personal well-being. DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my loving wife Sarah. Thank you for always being supportive and for putting your work on hold to take care of our daughter. Thank you for motivating me and for understanding the process. I love you. And to our daughter JoJo, your presence revitalized me, and I have loved that the dissertation gave me an excuse to stay home and play with you. Your smile and giggles have helped me get through this process. IV ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I would like to thank my parents who have supported me throughout the process of becoming a psychologist. Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and love. I appreciate that you held any judgments about this work, and that you have always wanted to see me succeed. You have modeled a nurturance that I hope I can pass along to my own family. I would like to acknowledge my chairperson, Frederick Heide, Ph.D. for always supporting this research and for expressing his general interest in my study. Thank you for guiding me through the process, and helping me narrow my scope of focus. I greatly appreciate your responsiveness and willingness to work during your personal time, especially when I cut deadlines very short. I wish to thank my committee member, Ed Bourg, Ph.D. for always being available to me throughout this process. Thank you for your timely responses to my inquiries and your guidance in developing my study. Thank you to Ray Paloutzian, Ph.D. for encouraging me to pursue graduate studies in psychology. You have been a mentor and wonderful friend to me over the years, and without your support I could not be where I am today. Thank you for believing in me and taking me under you wing right from the beginning. Your enthusiasm about the psychology of religion fueled my interest! A special thanks to Roland Griffiths, Ph.D. who has pioneered research on psilocybin and allowed me to utilize his questionnaires in my study. I could not believe how available you were for me, and your work gave me great motivation. Finally, thank you to Randolph Hencken, M.A., Communications and Marketing Director of MAPS, for helping distribute my questionnaire. Without your support, I would not have been able to attain these results. VI TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Dedication iv Acknowledgements v List of Tables viii I. INTRODUCTION 1 Literature Review 3 Entheogenic, Psychedelic, and Hallucinogenic Terminology 10 Psychedelic Drugs and Culture 19 Shamanism 25 Psilocybin Mushroom History 34 Religious/Mystical Experiences 56 II. METHODS 75 III. RESULTS 81 IV. DISCUSSION 93 References 108 APPENDIX A: MAPS Announcement 115 APPENDIX B: Recruitment Flyers 117 APPENDIX C: Internet Announcement 119 APPENDIX D: Anonymous Psilocybin Questionnaire 121 vii LIST OF TABLES Page 1. Intercorrelations Between Scale Variables 85 2. Chi-square: Participant Use Factors 88 3. Chi-square: Setting Use Factors 90 viii 1 CHAPTER I Introduction There are a number of reports that psychedelic drugs have the ability to induce states of consciousness that are religious or spiritual in nature (De Rios & Janiger, 2003; Harner, 1973, 1990; La Barre, 1972). La Barre (1972) even proposed that all knowledge of the supernatural is derived from statements made by visionaries or ecstatics, and highlighted the utilization of ancient hallucinogens and psychotropic substances in religious innovation. Researchers (i.e., James, 1985; Metzner, 1998; Pahnke, 1966; Pahnke & Richards, 1969) have studied altered states of consciousness and proposed that many of the qualities of a drug-induced spiritual/mystical experience are indiscernible from genuine spiritual/mystical experiences. Anthropologists studying non-literate societies identified the use of hallucinogenic substances as a vital method for contacting and communicating with the supernatural, and Harner (1973) argued that this phenomenon is "an ancient and widespread human practice" (p. xi). The use of psychedelic drugs to facilitate spiritual or religious enlightenment has been a human ritual throughout recorded history and has been well documented as a significant aspect of shamanistic tradition (Harner, 1973,1990). Harner (1973), discussing the necessity of experiential means to provide evidence of religious reality in non-literate societies, wrote, "In using a powerful hallucinogen, an individual is brought face to face with visions and experiences of an overwhelming nature, tending strongly to reinforce his beliefs in the reality of the supernatural world" (p. xi). Shamans in these societies often utilize psychedelic drugs to enter an altered state of consciousness in 2 which the shaman confronts the supernatural to accomplish tasks and gain spiritual enlightenment. Although participant-based psychedelic drug research in the United States was banned in the mid 1960's and stayed dormant for decades, human administration research was renewed in the early 1990's, and there are still a number of researchers and organizations interested in understanding and exploring the potential benefits of psychedelics (De Rios & Janiger, 2003; Griffiths, Richards, Johnson, McCann, & Jesse, 2008). Unlike many tribal hunting-and-gathering societies where every adult male had at least one psychedelic experience in his lifetime (De Rios & Janiger, 2003), psychedelic experiences are not an organized and guided ritualistic aspect in our society today. Many individuals still have psychedelic experiences; however, these experiences do not tend to have the same amount of supervision and often lack a guide. Stuart (2004) reports that the majority of modern adolescents exploring psychoactive substances do so individually without any supervision. The role of a guide is imperative in ancient psychedelic rituals and is found in current institutions that utilize psychedelics within a religious context. This movement away from supervision and guidance in individuals participating in psychedelic