A metaphor will help us grasp the meaning of psychedelic rituals of knowledge. This metaphor is the bridge to the gods, a bridge which represents a path to knowledge. Like any bridge, it must be stable and secure. An unstable bridge is too unsafe to walk upon or traverse. Bridges must be crossed with trust and persistence. Ritual provides a type of vehicle, like a car, while the psychedelic provides the fuel. If we wish to safely cross the entire bridge, our vehicle must be in full working order. If our vehicle breaks down in the middle of the bridge, we will not reach our destination—the gods.
Christian Rätsch (1990): Bridges to the Gods (Psychedelic Rituals of Knowledge). Ann. Mus. civ. Rovereto 6: 127–138, p. 130.
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