Grateful Rebirth and Renewal

Chris Borelli

     When I attempt to consciously pinpoint the personal importance of these chemical tools it becomes difficult to do so. I have had many moments of self-understanding catalyzed by the presence of one or more psychedelic substances. I feel fortunate to have encountered these substances in my relatively short life. It would be generic to try to explain the details of these moments except to say that they are indeed ephemeral.

     As I get older these substances become more and more necessary to my objective learning process as a human being, and less likely to be consumed for irresponsible reasons or recreation. I could live without these tune-ups but choose not to. They remind me that I am blessed to be part of this life, and that the level of joy I attain in my life is a reflection of my perception. They help me realize that the extent to which I experience joy is likely going to be balanced by certain events that could be viewed as negative. Having that in mind reminds me that I am truly a working, living, breathing portion of this universe, with power to make choices that will evolve me consciously if I choose. I have been fortunate enough to be shown beauty and light, and to be reminded that the light is there within us all, all of the time.

  The main point of my essay is to convey the fact that these tools work for me because they remind me that I will, and have, forgotten these lessons in the past. Each time I reacquaint my mind and soul with the experience a new life henceforth becomes possible if I choose. It's a sort of periodic rebirth and renewal.

     I also realize that it is my personal wiring that is sensitive to this. Perhaps, not everyone can continue with psychedelics in their lives.

     As I write this I think of the multitudes of problems that these gifts have helped me work through and surmount over the years. I am reminded that many people would benefit from access to a tool of understanding as powerful and potentially benign as a psychedelic experience with someone they love. They are a key to understanding myself and my world.

     As far as I'm concerned psychedelics are indispensable catalysts for contemplation that should be available to individuals who wish to view their lives constructively and openly. I am truly grateful for their existence.

  < Return to Table of Contents: - Autumn 2007 "Psychedelics and Self Discovery"  

Summer 2009	Vol. 19, No. 2	MAPS Research Update 2009
Spring 2009	Vol. 19, No. 1	Special Edition: Psychedelics and Ecology
Winter 2008/09	Vol. 18, No. 3	MAPS 2008 Financial Report
Summer 2008	Vol. 18, No. 2	Phoenix Rising: A Review of MAPS Research
Spring 2008	Vol. 18, No. 1	Special Edition: Technology and Psychedelics
Winter 2007	Vol. 17, No. 3	MAPS 06-07 Fiscal Yearly Report
Autumn 2007	Vol. 17, No. 2	Special Edition: Psychedelics and Self-Discovery
Spring/Summer 2007	Vol. 17, No. 1	The Chrysalis Stage
Winter 2006-7	Vol. 16, No. 3	Low Maintenance/High Performance
Autumn 2006	Vol. 16, No. 2	Technologies of Healing
Spring 2006	Vol. 16, No. 1	MAPS' 20th Anniversary
Winter 2005	Vol. 15, No. 3	MAPS final year as a teenager
Summer 2005	Vol. 15, No. 2	Israel Conference: MDMA/PTSD Research
Spring 2005	Vol. 15, No. 1	Accelerating flow of work and time
Autumn 2004	Vol. 14, No. 2	Rites of Passage: Kids and Psychedelics
Summer 2004	Vol. 14, No. 1	10 stamps and $250,000
Winter 2003	Vol. 13, No. 2	Holy Fire
Spring 2003	Vol. 13, No. 1	60th Anniversary of the Discovery of LSD
Autumn 2002	Vol. 12, No. 3	Vision
Summer 2002	Vol. 12, No. 2	"From celebration to frustration, and back again."
Spring 2002	Vol. 12, No. 1	Sex, Spirit & Psychedelics 2002
Autumn 2001	Vol. 11, No. 2	"In the future, it will be called Despair."
Spring 2001	Vol. 11, No. 1	"A Tidal Wave of Ecstasy!"
Autumn 2000	Vol. 10, No. 3	Creativity 2000
Summer 2000	Vol. 10, No. 2	Endings and Beginnings
Spring 2000	Vol. 10, No. 1	Making History in Slow Motion
Winter 1999/00	Vol. 9, No. 4	To the Ends of the Earth for MDMA Research...
Autumn 1999	Vol. 9, No. 3	MAPS' long-standing efforts to conduct...
Summer 1999	Vol. 9, No. 2	MAPS has come full circle...
Spring 1999	Vol. 9, No. 1	Patience, persistence and passion
Winter 1998/99	Vol. 8, No. 4	One of special pleasures of directing MAPS...
Autumn 1998	Vol. 8, No. 3	The Ayahuasca Issue (with Hofmann interview)
Summer 1998	Vol. 8, No. 2	Emotionally Powerful Anecdotes...
Spring 1998	Vol. 8, No. 1	Death Has a Way of Focusing One's Attention
Autumn 1997	Vol. 7, No. 4	Celebration is in Order
Summer 1997	Vol. 7, No. 3	Time Horizons
Spring 1997	Vol. 7, No. 2	Synchronicity
Winter 1996/97	Vol. 7, No. 1	Learning to Crawl
Autumn 1996	Vol. 6, No. 4	An Invitation for Dialogue
Summer 1996	Vol. 6, No. 3	Budding Research
New Year 1996	Vol. 6, No. 2	Sending Down Roots
Autumn 1995	Vol. 6, No. 1	Baby Steps
Summer 1995	Vol. 5, No. 4	Opportunity Amidst Obstacles
Winter 1994/95	Vol. 5, No. 3	Clinical Trials and Tribulations
Autumn 1994	Vol. 5, No. 2	Building Towards Clinical Trials
Summer 1994	Vol. 5, No. 1	Politics and Protocols: In Search of a Balance
Spring 1994	Vol. 4, No. 4	Laying the Groundwork
Winter 1993/94	Vol. 4, No. 3	A Time of Tests
Summer 1993	Vol. 4, No. 2	So Close Yet So Far
Spring 1993	Vol. 4, No. 1	Remembrance and Renewal
Winter 1992/93	Vol. 3, No. 4	Forging New Alliances
Summer 1992	Vol. 3, No. 3	Building on Common Ground
Spring 1992	Vol. 3, No. 2	Small Steps, Gradual Progress, New Opportunities
Winter 1991/92	Vol. 3, No. 1	The Rekindling of a Thousand Points of Light
Summer 1991	Vol. 2, No. 2	MDMA protocol development with cancer patients
Winter 1990/91	Vol. 2, No. 1	MAPS' Swiss pharmacologically-assisted psychotherapy conference
Autumn 1990	Vol. 1, No. 3	What and Who is MAPS?
Summer 1989	Vol. 1, No. 2	Switzerland Leads the Way
Summer 1988	Vol. 1, No. 1	MDMA can become a legal medicine