I hope Terence McKenna fared well. As an old Believer, i grew up a hippy with little to no parental input. Consequently, i have used a few hallucinogens many times and am still interested in some i have yet to try. I have done mushrooms, LSD, and salvia numerous times over the years but it has been more than 5 years since i tried any STRONG hallucinogen.
It is MAYBE true that some people are more susceptible to their potential harm. It is possible to cause long lasting or permanent damage to your mind using these flippantly or irresponsibly. I have never met anyone harmed by them to this degree, as far as i know, but that is what "they" say. I have met loads of autistic children. Most mental health "professionals" will tell you that psychotic people or psychotic leaning people should never try these. I believe opposite may be true. There may even be value in treating autism using these substances.
I do not believe their value lies in spiritual enlightenment directly as that is the primary avenue for deception using hallucinogens. To me, their value is in shock treatment, or detoxing the built up garbage in your mind. It is akin to taking poison to get your body to FIGHT off similar toxins... just like the supposed "science" of vaccines. Using them is also similar to uncorking the logjam of creativity and forcefully cleaning out the pathways in your mind.
Please allow me to warn you. Drugs have been the primary means of ripping open the Veil by force for thousands of years. Shaman, witch doctors, Satanists, pagans, Wiccans, and those with intelligence who are attracted to the DARK SIDE will be tempted by this ability. Once you intentionally use drugs to rip open the Spiritual Veil for whatever reason, you are now engaging in Sorcery.
Sorcery is using spiritual power unlawfully via drugs. It is usually an attempt at gaining knowledge, wealth, and power intentionally from the DARK SIDE using drugs/evil meditation (there is good meditation). There is no "innocent" seeking of knowledge when using drugs OR meditation for this specific purpose. Doing so is a direct affront to the Creator Who has specifically forbidden such grave SIN. I am guilty of this sin and i am warning you that it is NOT worth the cost. The cost can go as high as your very soul. Life is not a joke. Nor is it "meaningless". Life is a TEST.
Their usage leaves residual toxins and residual deceptive thought behind every time i have used them. You must be a strong personality to maintain YOUR center and not be swayed by deceptive thoughts. To this day, some of my experiences are still with me, a few positive and some negative. For me, most of mine were either positive or neutral. The positive ones were like entertainment and left no residual deception or toxins i could detect (probably deception). The neutral experiences do leave hints of negative debris. The negative experiences definitely do leave toxins behind.
This debris and toxic trash is in the form of thoughts after the fact, of course. If you are still less than 20 years old and using these substances, you are likely doing a disservice to your own future. Using these mind altering substances WHILE your mind is still in primary PHYSICAL development is more dangerous, in my view. The same can be said of ANY drug, especially alcohol. Young minds do not have the physical or experiential framework to hang their "solid" reality on until they are 18-22 years old. That means that even their fundamental characteristics are STILL MALLEABLE.
If i were the Captain of my own destiny, i would want my foundation to be as solid and true as possible. Only those who can successfully manage reality can be successful in life. Losing that ability will make you a dependent on your loved ones at best or a dependent on some state at worst.
From my perspective, the greatest potential for harm AND the most common harm is deception. Deception alters reality. Once in deception, you will never know it unless you are rescued. It is insidiously dangerous to be at odds with reality if your beliefs and actions are based upon deception. It is a real problem faced by millions who do not know they are deceived. It costs relationships, jobs, and very often, it costs lives. Deception should be an ENEMY to be avoided if possible and crushed if encountered. I'd say less than 10% of the population over 20 year old can handle the temptations and deceptive forces who occupy the space behind the Veil. This Spiritual Veil was erected to PROTECT YOU FROM HARM. Your enemies do live behind it (for now) and they are VASTLY more intelligent and powerful than you are today. They can ONLY lie and cause harm.
Think of deception as a mirage in the desert and you are dying of thirst. It will draw you in with shiny, thirst quenching DESIRE. It will waste all of your time and energy traveling towards the beautiful mirage. This shimmering fantasy FEELS GOOD. It does have a high potential to become your END unless you are able to overcome the deception. As i said before, once in the dessert of deception, you cannot escape without Help. Help can come in the form of pure, righteous, correct, and powerful Thought from outside of your conscienceless IF you are one of Yahweh's children. He always rescues His children because He really does love them more than most of you can comprehend.
If you want true wisdom and true knowledge and true power, you must get it from the Third Heaven. Your enemies dwell in the Second Heaven, behind the Veil. The Third Heaven is ABOVE ALL and is where the Thrones of Yahweh and Yahushua are right now. Gaining access to Their wisdom, knowledge, and power can ONLY be done by following Their commands and instructions. There is no other path to the High Wisdom and you must pass through the Gate to enter. You should want it badly if you are spiritually alive. If you do not, it is a primary indicator that you are NOT Born Again and you remain spiritually DEAD. All humans are born spiritually DEAD. Only a FEW ever are Awakened to LIFE. The GATE to the Third Heaven is Yahushua, the Son of the Creator. No man comes to the Father except THROUGH Him.
The conclusion of the matter for me is that these should not be used for entertainment unless the user has a solid mind over the age of 20. A solid mind is built upon the Foundation of Yahushua in Love. A solid mind uses Faith as a substance with power. I am extremely liberal when it comes to cannabis (mild to moderate hallucinogen) usage and would use it as medicine for a toddler if needed. I am no prude when it comes to using natural substances.
However, i do caution those intending to experiment or entertain using STRONG hallucinogens to WAIT until they KNOW THEMSELVES WELL and have finished their physical development. The pathways within your mind are physical and they are alive. They are CHANGEABLE. I recommend that you change/train them with full intention and FULLY INFORMED awareness... NOT as an unfortunate accident from which you may never fully recover. Please consider asking Yah to protect your mind BEFORE any experimentation. He will if you are His.
Be Well. Be Strong. Be Kind. Be Brave.
-Galt's Ghost