--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Another very common use, in all cultures…" description: "\"Another very common use, in all cultures, of psychoactive substances is to give people transcendent experiences. To allow them to transcend their human..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da1/andrew-weil-3294_boundaries_another-very-common-use-in-all-cultures_1551664.png" --- # Another very common use, in all cultures, of psychoactive… ![“Another very common use, in all cultures, of psychoactive substances is to give people transcendent experiences. To allow them to transcend their human and ego boundaries to feel greater contact with the supernatural, or with the spiritual, or with the divine, however they phrase it in their terms.” quote by Andrew Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da1/andrew-weil-3294_boundaries_another-very-common-use-in-all-cultures_1551664.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da1/andrew-weil-3294_boundaries_another-very-common-use-in-all-cultures_1551664.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da1/andrew-weil-3294_boundaries_another-very-common-use-in-all-cultures_1551664.png) > “Another very common use, in all cultures, of psychoactive substances is to give people transcendent experiences. To allow them to transcend their human and ego boundaries to feel greater contact with the supernatural, or with the spiritual, or with the divine, however they phrase it in their terms.” [Andrew Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-weil/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People use psychoactive substances across cultures to achieve transcendent, spiritual experiences beyond ordinary ego limits. **In simple terms:** Drugs help people feel spiritual or supernatural contact. Key Takeaway Recognize the cultural role of altered states. Themes spirituality culture psychoactive use Mood reflective curious Type philosophical anthropological When to use this quote - rituals - therapy - personal growth - exploration of consciousness Key Concepts transcendence ego dissolution Questions to Reflect On - What does transcendence mean to you? - How do cultural contexts shape these experiences? A Different Perspective Such experiences may be misinterpreted as literal supernatural contact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boundaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boundaries/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine/) [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Psychedelic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychedelic/) [Psychoactive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychoactive/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Transcendent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transcendent/) ## Related quotes > [I know of no culture in the world at present or any time in the past that has not been heavily involved with one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-weil/i-know-of-no-culture-in-the-world-at-present-or-any-time-in-the-past/) [Andrew Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-weil/) > [Drugs don't have spiritual potential, human beings have spiritual potential. 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Everything is made of chemicals, but organic substances like essential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-tisserand/synthetic-or-inorganic-substances-do-not-contain-any-life-force-they/) [Robert Tisserand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-tisserand/) > [The soul, in its power, is present in some way in the entire universe, because it apprehends substances which are not included in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/the-soul-in-its-power-is-present-in-some-way-in-the-entire-universe/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) ## More by Andrew Weil > [Low levels of vitamin D in the population as a whole suggest that most people need to take a vitamin D supplement. 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And it gives us beautiful poetry that gives voice to our human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-rothschild/god-s-word-does-provide-life-lessons-to-teach-us-how-to-live-and-it/) [Jennifer Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-rothschild/) > [While the world of reality has its limits, the world of your imagination is without boundaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/while-the-world-of-reality-has-its-limits-the-world-of-your/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [There's always that discussion about fiction about how do you market it - these are books for boys, these are books for girls, these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-a-weatherly/there-s-always-that-discussion-about-fiction-about-how-do-you-market/) [L.A. Weatherly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-a-weatherly/) > [... informed ignorance provides the natural state of mind for research scientists at the ever-shifting frontiers of knowledge. People who believe themselves ignorant of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/informed-ignorance-provides-the-natural-state-of-mind-for-research/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [I never go anywhere or do anything that transports me outside the boundaries of my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-never-go-anywhere-or-do-anything-that-transports-me-outside-the/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [As a kid, in the Runaways, I would see the interviewers start to ask about our personal lives and what we did — and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/as-a-kid-in-the-runaways-i-would-see-the-interviewers-start-to-ask/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [Understanding science and pushing the boundaries of science is what makes me immensely satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/understanding-science-and-pushing-the-boundaries-of-science-is-what/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [A language possesses utility only insofar as it can construct conventional boundaries. 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