For thousands of years, humans have exploited hundreds of different methods of achieving altered states of consciousness, and each new generation finds new and unexpected means of doing it; chances are, you’re experiencing an altered state of consciousness right now (most likely induced by the Caffeine from a soda, coffee, tea, some types of candy, or perhaps the nicotine in cigarettes, the alcohol in adult beverages, etc.) No matter who you are or where you live, chemical dependence is a part of the human condition; from painkillers and drugs to food and beverages, achieving an altered state of consciousness is a normal, daily event. (Just think about all the westerners that can’t live without that steaming cup of coffee in the morning!)

    In religion, we see a trend toward (in general) a frowning upon the use of the more intense mind altering chemicals, (except in the case of some of the smaller, more ritualistic faiths, in which these are often used on special occasions in order to bring an individual closer to divinity and the spirit realm) while those that are more widely accepted and used (like coffee and alcohol) are generally ignored (but then, quantity is always a consideration; observe the reactions you get if you boast about drinking several pots of coffee before work or spending a significant portion of your free time drinking.)

    In the case of the Path of the Yazhi, there is no general and all-encompassing consensus as to the morality of achieving altered states of consciousness but, as it is on many issues, the Path of the Yazhi is divided on this issue, this time into two primary, yet ultimately distinctive groups with unique outlooks that delve deeply into some of the most universal, indeed “core” beliefs of Yazhi.

    The larger group of these two believes that, while it is unreasonable to assume that addictions to chemical substances (regardless of the chemical in question) in general are immoral, a person can only truly transcend the bindings of their material form if their unique energy, their spirit, if you will, is untainted by anything that might alter the manner in which they perceive the world (meaning that they must also be free of dependencies upon any chemical, which could even include some (not all, of course!) naturally produced by the body [most notably adrenaline– they believe that spiritual ecstasy and adrenaline are two entirely separate things, and that if you feel adrenaline while working energy, communing, etc, you might be doing something wrong.])

    The second, and only slightly smaller group’s outlook on the issue is almost a polar opposite to that of the first– holding to the key belief shared by Yazhi in the power of technology and it’s many benefits, they believe that chemical use in moderation (i.e. steering well clear of any sort of habitual use, especially addictions, as they “dull” the otherwise powerful effect chemicals have on the body) is the most efficient way to induce a state of awareness where a person is in contact with the spiritual plane in some form or another. But their faith in technology doesn’t end there– these Yazhi hold out for new and better chemicals, believing that transcendence is only truly possible if the body is brought to the threshold by material (i.e. chemical) means and then “pushed” through to the other side by the spirit.

    Of course, as the Path of the Yazhi is very much a “to each his own” sort of faith, there are many Yazhi who do not fall into either category, with any number of other beliefs on the issue (such as the belief that chemical use isn’t important enough to matter in the grander scheme of things– energy work, communion, and even transcendence are an agreement between a Yazhi and the Yazhi, or that moderate chemical use is the most efficient way of inducing an altered state, except in the case of transcending the material, which can only be achieved when a person is “pure.”)