Bhang, the Holy Drink of Lord Shiva, is LEGALLY sold in India and its use is not restricted to the Sages and Holy Men (Sadhus) who have renounced the material world to maintain singular focus on Shiva, for everything is Shiva in the eyes of an initiated Shaivite. All bhakti (devotion) finally leads the bhakt (devotee) towards the realization of absolute oneness with the deity, whoever the deity might be. The use of Cannabis in the form of Bhang is deeply rooted in the Indian culture and has references in the Vedas as well. The Atharva Veda, estimated to have been written sometime around 2000 – 1400 BC, mentions Cannabis to be one of the five sacred plants and the guardian angel resides in its leaves.


In certain Vedic rituals, Cannabis stems were thrown into the ritual fire (yagna) to overcome enemies and evil forces. The Vedas also refer to it as a source of happiness, joy giver and liberator. One version says that, when the devas (gods) and demons churned the ocean, nectar (amrit) as well as poison (vish) emerged. No one wanted the poison, so Shiva drank it all up, which earned him the title 'Neelkanth, the Blue Throated One'. As per one version, the poison remained in his throat as Parvati held his neck tight, not allowing the posion to go any further into his body. When a drop of Amrit fell on the ground, the Cannabis plant sprouted from it. This plant is believed to bestow supernatural powers to its user.






In Tibet, this plant has been traditionally considered sacred. According to one Mahayana Buddhist tradition, the Buddha, in his last six years of ascetism before enlightenment, subsisted on one Cannabis seed a day.

In Tantric Buddhism this plant is consumed to heighten ones awareness during certain rituals. A gift from the gods, according to Indian mythology, the magical Cannabis "lowered fevers, fostered sleep, relieved dysentery, and cured other illnesses. It also stimulated appetite, prolonged life, quickened the mind, and improved judgement."


British psychiatrist G. Morris Carstairs spent 1951 in a large village in northern India and reported on the two highest castes, Rajput and Brahmin, and their traditional intoxicants of choice - alcohol and cannabis, respectively. The Rajputs were the warriors and governors; they consumed a potent distilled alcohol called 'daru'. The Brahmins were the religious leaders; they were vegetarian and drank bhang. Rajput lore, glorified sexual and military conquests. The priestly Brahmins, on the other hand, "were quite unanimous in reviling daru and all those who indulged in it. Bhang, a Brahmin told Carstairs, "gives good bhakti." He defined bhakti as "emptying the mind of all worldly distractions and thinking only of God." Whereas the Rajput in his drinking bout knows that he is taking a holiday from his sober concerns, the Brahmin thinks of his intoxication with bhang as a flight not from but toward a more profound contact with reality."

Cannabis has been used as an aphrodisiac for thousands of years, yet ironically it has also been used to decrease sexual desire. Yogis have mastery over their senses, hence they can make the creative life force (shakti) travel upwards towards the Crown Chakra, through the Ajna, instead of being released outward in a sexual act. This knowledge behind the sacramental use of Cannabis is gradually spreading among thousands and millions of Cannabis users worldwide who have begun to see beyond the recreational use of Cannabis and recognizing its true worth as medicine and as an Entheogen, awakening our inner divinity, enabling us to realize how deeply we are intertwined with all existence.



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For over 3000 years the Blue Lotus was used by priesthood of ancient Egypt for its medicinal properties and as a spiritual sacrament. The Blue Lotus generally produces mild psychoactive effects that are purported to have a "divine" essence, which brings upon the feelings of tranquility and subtle euphoria.

Nymphaea caerulea, also known as the Egyptian blue lily or sacred blue lotus, is a blue water-lily in the genus Nymphaea that grows along the Nile and other places such as the Indian Subcontinent and Thailand.


The main effect you will probably sense is a pleasant feeling of warmth around the head and upper body; a very comfortable, dreamy feeling, with a slight stimulant effect. Many people relate to an expanded state of awareness with feelings of a psychic opening of the higher chakras, especially the 6th, or the third-eye.


The sacred flower seems to produce a subtle, high-level, expanded state of consciousness that may have been used in ceremonial meditation and magic. Energy workers have reported a heightened sense of psychic energy and the ability to better utilize these higher states in their practices. Many people also use the Sacrament to enhance meditation, utilizing the dreamy, trance-like effects to reinforce an alpha-state. Using the Sacrament before bedtime has also been reported to induce lucid dreaming.

Perhaps the most well-known role of the blue Lotus flower in Egyptology is set in it’s association with the Sun, the creation, and rebirth. The reason that that Lotus is used as a metaphor for these things is due to the way that it raises out of the water, over a small period of time, and flowers in the morning to the late afternoon, before sinking below the surface again. The repeat of this pattern makes it easy to understand why the Egyptians chose it to symbolize the Lotus with rebirth, as it followed the same pattern as the sun.


In Egypt, not a monument in the valley of the Nile, not a single papyrus scroll is without this plant in an honored place. On the capitals of the Egyptian pillars, on the thrones and even headdresses of the Divine Kings, the lotus appears everywhere.

The Blue Lotus in Buddhism is the symbol of the victory of the spirit over the senses, of intelligence and wisdom, of knowledge. It is generally represented as a partially opened bud, whose center is unseen, the embodiment of the “perfection of wisdom”. The Blue Lotus of the Nile was the most sacred of plants, prized above all others. The plant was associated with the sun god Ra as the bringer of light.

Even today blue lotus is used as a tonic for good health. It may be consumed as an extract in doses of 6-12 drops. 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of extract may be taken in juice or wine, 1 to 3 times daily. Fresh Nymphaea caerulea flowers are made into a tea or soaked in wine, then consumed, followed by smoking the dried plant material. The buds and flowers are the psychoactive parts of the plant.


References :

• Sacred Blue Lotus
• Blue Lotus Chai

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"Last Hippie Standing 2 : Global State of Mind", is the sequel to a fascinating documentary about the psychedelic, trance dance, hippie culture of Goa which has been evolving since the sixties ... from Rock and Roll to Trance, the transition has made the scene even more vibrant and richer with alternate styles of music being played all over Goa. The documentary is yet to be released however there are some videos from the film you might want to watch. It will perhaps give you the feeling of returning to magical Goa, even though for a short while !

Although Psychedelic Trance parties have a much larger following these days, the spirit of Rock and Roll is still alive and kicking in Goa. 'Art Escape Goa' for one, has been doing a phenomenal job at keeping the live music scene going strong with great artists and budding musicians being given a platform to exhibit their talent. The vibe in Goa is so pure and so magical that it makes people keep coming back for more ... season after season. With an ever increasing number of young psychonauts exploring their subconscious through the psychedelic, trance dance experience, there are all kinds of experiences unfolding. Sometimes confusing with an overload of information ... other times profoundly enlightening and highly uplifting.


Amidst all the chaos and madness of the scene, there are also amazing awakenings and realizations unfolding within our consciousness as we continue to explore ... finding the way back to our roots. The Goa Psychedelic Experience gives thousands of people from all over the world a chance to experience the mystical side of what we consider reality. A playground of sorts where folks lose their individual identities for a short while and experience the power of community and a sense of absolute oneness with everything. These kind of experiences may seem short lived, however have a deep, everlasting impact on our consciousness. Once the mind is opened, it is not possible to go back to a state of willful ignorance.




Tristan blasting at Shiva Valley, South Anjuna - Goa


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Ganesha, the son of Parvati is celebrated in India as one of the most generous and kind hearted, among a pantheon of Gods, Goddesses and other deities that are worshiped in India. The countless number of Gods of India perhaps signifies a time when a huge number of humans living on Earth were aware of their true divine nature, hence were considered Gods. There have also been many things that have been misinterpreted or lost in translation somewhere ... For instance the 33 crore Gods of India is actually a direct reference to the 33 different kinds of families which were considered Gods in their time. Namely, 12 Adityas + 11 Rudras + 8 Vasus + 2 Ashwini Kumar = 33 Families. The last two families of Ashwini Kumar are replaced by Indra and Prajapati sometimes. All of these ancient stories of Hindu Gods and Deities have deep inner symbolism, hidden behind the story. Ganesha's story is a very interesting one, especially when understood symbolically ...


One day Goddess Parvati was at home on Mt.Kailash preparing for a bath. As she didn’t want to be disturbed, she told Nandi, her husband Shiva’s Bull, to guard the door and let no one pass. Nandi faithfully took his post, intending to carry out Parvati’s wishes. But, when Shiva came home and naturally wanted to come inside, Nandi had to let him pass, being loyal first to Shiva. Parvati was angry at this slight, but even more than this, at the fact that she had no one as loyal to Herself as Nandi was to Shiva. So, taking the turmeric paste (for bathing) from her body and breathing life into it, she created Ganesha, declaring him to be her own loyal son.

The next time Parvati wished to bathe, she posted Ganesha on guard duty at the door. In due course, Shiva came home, only to find this strange boy telling him he couldn’t enter his own house! Furious, Shiva ordered his army to destroy the boy, but they all failed! Such power did Ganesha possess, being the son of Devi Herself!

This surprised Shiva. Seeing that this was no ordinary boy, the usually peaceful Shiva decided he would have to fight him, and in his divine fury severed Ganesha’s head, killing him instantly. When Parvati learned of this, she was so enraged and insulted that she decided to destroy the entire Creation! Lord Brahma, being the Creator, naturally had his issues with this, and pleaded that she reconsider her drastic plan. She said she would, but only if two conditions were met: one, that Ganesha be brought back to life, and two, that he be forever worshipped before all the other gods.

Shiva, having cooled down by this time, and realizing his mistake, agreed to Parvati’s conditions. He sent Brahma out with orders to bring back the head of the first creature he crosses that is laying with its head facing North. Brahma soon returned with the head of a strong and powerful elephant, which Shiva placed onto Ganesha’s body. Breathing new life into him, he declared Ganesha to be his own son as well, and gave him the status of being foremost among the gods, and leader of all the ganas (classes of beings), Ganapati.

There can be many variations to a story and many interpretations to those variations, here are some of them I resonate with as being meaningful ...

Shiva symbolizes the Soul, who seeks to meet his consort Parvati or Para-Shakti (Supreme Energy), which is symbolic of Kundalini energy which resides at the Muladhara Chakra. It is said that when we purify ourselves, ridding ourselves of the impurities that bind us, then the Lord automatically comes. This is why Shiva, the Supreme Lord, came unannounced as Parvati was bathing.

Nandi, Shiva’s bull, who Parvati first sent to guard the door represents the divine temperment. Nandi is so devoted to Shiva that his every thought is directed to Him, and he is able to easily recognize the Lord when He arrives. This shows that the attitude of the spiritual aspirant is what gains access to Devi’s (the kundalini shakti’s) abode. One must first develop this attitude of the devotee before hoping to become qualified for the highest treasure of spiritual attainment, which Devi alone grants.

After Nandi permitted Shiva to enter, Parvati took the turmeric paste from Her own body, and with it created Ganesha.. Yellow is the color associated with the Muladhara chakra, where the kundalini resides, and Ganesha is the deity who guards this chakra. Devi needed to create Ganesha, who represents the earthbound awareness, as a shield to protect the divine secret from unripe minds. It is when this awareness begins to turn away from things of the world, and toward the Divine, as Nandi had, that the great secret is revealed.

Shiva is the Lord and Supreme Teacher. Ganesha here represents the ego-bound Jiva. When the Lord comes, the Jiva, surrounded as it is with the murky cloud of ego, usually doesn’t recognize Him, and maybe even ends up arguing or fighting with Him! Therefore, it is the duty of the Lord, in the form of the Guru, to cut off the head of our ego! So powerful is this ego however, that at first the Guru’s instructions may not work, as Shiva’s armies failed to subdue Ganesha. It often requires a tougher approach, but, eventually the compassionate Guru, in His wisdom finds a way.

Devi threatened to destroy the whole Creation after learning of Ganesha’s demise. This indicates that when the ego thus dies, the liberated Jiva loses interest in its temporary physical vehicle, the body, and begins to merge into the Supreme. The physical world is here represented by Devi. This impermanent and changeable creation is a form of Devi, to which this body belongs; the unchanging Absolute is Shiva, to which belongs the Soul. When the ego dies, the external world, which depends on the ego for its existence, disappears along with it. It is said that if we want to know the secrets of this world, which is a manifestation of Devi, then we must first receive the blessings of Ganesha.

Shiva restoring life to Ganesha, and replacing his head with an elephant’s, means that before we can leave the body, the Lord first replaces our small ego with a “big”, or universal ego. This doesn’t mean that we become more egoistic. On the contrary, we no longer identify with the limited individual self, but rather with the large universal Self. In this way, our life is renewed, becoming one that can truly benefit Creation. It is however only a functional ego, like the one Krishna and Buddha kept. It is like a thin string tying the liberated Consciousness to our world, solely for our benefit.

Ganesha is given dominion over the Ganas, which is a general term denoting all classes of beings, ranging from insects, animals and humans to the subtle and celestial beings. These various beings all contribute to the government of the Creation; everything from natural forces like storms and earthquakes, to the elemental qualities like fire and water, to functioning of the body’s organs and processes. If we don’t honor the Ganas, then our every action is a form of thievery, as it is unsanctioned. Therefore, instead of propitiating each Gana in order to receive their blessings, we bow to their Lord, Sri Ganesha. By receiving His grace, we receive the grace of all. He removes any potential obstacles and enables our endeavors to succeed.





Something interesting about the 33 Crore Gods in Hinduism ... A small part of the conversation between Śākalya and Sage Yājñavalkya, documented in 'Brihadaranyaka Upanishad - Chapter 3'.

Śākalya : "How many gods are there?"
Yājñavalkya : "Three hundred and three." Then he says, "Three thousand and three."

Śākalya : "Is this the answer that you give me to my question, how many gods are there? Three thousand and three; three hundred and three! Have you no other answer to this question?"
Yājñavalkya : There are thirty-three gods.

Śākalya : "All right!" (not satisfied with answer) ...Tell me again properly; how many gods are there?"
Yājñavalkya : "Six are there."

Śākalya : "How many gods are there. Tell me again. Think properly."
Yājñavalkya : "Only three gods are there."

Śākalya : "How many gods are there? Tell again.
Yājñavalkya : "Two gods are there."

Śākalya : "Tell again; how many gods are there?"
Yājñavalkya : "One and a half gods"

(Then he was very upset)

Śākalya : "What is this you say, one and a half gods. Tell again properly; how many gods are there?"
Yājñavalkya : "One god is there,"

Śākalya : "All these numbers that you have mentioned – three thousand and three, three hundred and three – what are these gods? Give the names of these gods, the deities."

Yājñavalkya : "All these three thousand and all that I mentioned – they are not really gods. They are only manifestations of the thirty-three. The thirty-three are the principal manifestations, and others are only their glories, radiances, manifestations, magnificences or forces, energies, powers."

Śākalya : "But what are these thirty-three?"
Yājñavalkya : "The thirty-three gods are eight Vasus, eleven Rudras, twelve Ādityas, then Indra and Prajāpati – these make thirty-three gods."

Śākalya : "What are these Vasus which are eight in number?"
Yājñavalkya : "Fire is one deity; earth is one deity; air is another; the atmosphere is one deity; the sun is one deity; the heaven is one deity; moon is one deity; the stars are one deity. These constitute eight groups"

Śākalya : "Why do you call them Vasus?"
Yājñavalkya : "Everything is deposited as it were in these constituent principles. Therefore, they are called Vasus."

Śākalya : "Who are the Rudras?"
Yājñavalkya : "The ten senses and the mind make eleven. These are the Rudras."

Śākalya : "What are the twelve Ādityas, the suns?"
Yājñavalkya : "They are twelve forces of the sun, takes away the vitality of people."

Śākalya : "Who is Indra? Who is Prajāpati?"
Yājñavalkya : "The rain cloud can be called Indra. Sacrifice can be called Prajāpati."

Śākalya : "What do you mean by rain cloud?"
Yājñavalkya : "By rain cloud I do not actually mean the cloud, but the lightning which is the embodiment of energy."


References :

• AmritaPuri - The Home Page of Amma, The Hugging Saint
• Revival of True India : 33 Million Indian Gods

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