Editor’s Note
Contemporary Justice Review August 14, 2007 Dennis M. Sullivan 2 citations
This article examines the correspondence and intellectual exchange between Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk, and Aldous Huxley, focusing on their discussions of psychedelic drugs and mystical experience. The author traces Merton's evolving views on the distinction between natural and supernatural mysticism, which he later abandoned after correspondence with Marco Pallis. The piece provides historical context on psychedelics, including mescaline's isolation in 1896, its use in Native American Church ceremonies, and government research on hallucinogens. The author argues that psychedelic experiences can be considered genuine mystical experiences, challenging traditional theological distinctions between natural and supernatural religious phenomena.