erehwon

Explorers in the region of consciousness through mind altering substances, very generally, fall into two categories. Those whose exploration began with a null hypothesis Alpert and Huxley may fall into this category, and those whose discovery began with a hypothesis, I feel that Zaehner for one comes under this category ( note the feel).

Both however have to, as we all do, resort to reducing experience into the language that defines our culture.

i would offer that maybe the "messenger" is merely the butler that opens the door to authentic consciosness. It is possible that there exists a consciousness that is less adulterated by a memory that has been preconditioned by culture and expectation. I say less because as Huxley suggests the experience of what is seen as a more pure form of consciousness still comes into our experience through the reducing valve of our brain.

I would also offer that although the experience brought forward by this type of exploration more likely falls into a western scientific category that would define the experience as dreaming or fantasy. That this type of experiental exploration is best looked at within the notion that definitions of experience exist outside of western cultural definitions.