[Stephen]

Originally Posted by jfalconer

For me, it's a strange and unpredictable thing.

Sometimes I will find I am shut off to reality. If I am really affected I'll do stupid things that no conscious being should do.

But just recently, after a couple of beers and a few more bourbons, myself and a good friend had one of the best conversations I've had, on existence and reality, energy, the Source, and how the concept of God ties in. I've never felt more conscious, and I've never felt more close to reality and oneness with existence. It was a strange experience, and I felt it for days afterward. In fact, I'm still feeling that strange feeling of oneness and unusual understanding now, though not to such a degree that I did at the time.

At the time I thought it might be a passing novelty thanks to the alcohol, but as time went by I found that I really did experience something that raised my consciousness to a new level that I could not use words to explain now, while I could use words after drinking alcohol.

I think, while alcohol can be really bad and lead to bad experiences, it can also lower your inhibitions and allow you to experience and reach for things you could not before. A trade off and a gamble. You probably won't reach anything spectacular or new, but just one time, you might.

It's probably a bad thing but it can lead to an incredibly good thing. Judgement? Don't use it. It's more harm than it's worth, and you're only getting lucky if it does lead to an incredibly consciousness-raising situation.

Hi jfalconer

Dye think that maybe the 'best conversation' you had was because it was merely a coincedence and in no way related to the alcohol? Perhaps that you just felt good that day and you both 'connected'.

I hate to give alcohol any credit, to be honest. I more or less think its dangers outweigh dramatically any benefits.