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Merton's Correspondence with:

Dr. John W. Aiken

Aiken, John W., Dr., 1902-  printer

 
 

Descriptive Summary

Record Group: Section A - Correspondence
Dates of materials: 1967
Volume: 4 item(s); 5 pg(s)

Scope and Content

In this short exchange of letters, Merton discusses with Aiken the legitimacy of mystical states induced by psychedelic drugs.

Biography

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If the person in correspondence with Merton has full text records in the Merton Center Digital Collections, there will be a numeric link to them below.
   

Series List

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#DateFrom/ToFirst LinesPub ✓Notes
 y/m/dMerton Scan ✉ 
1. 1967/07/12 (#01) TLS to Merton I want to express my appreciation of your paper. A NEW CHRISTIAN CONSCIOUSNESS, as excerpted in THE practicing vs. theoretical mystics / Prof. Asrani of India - the "Inner Kingdom" and Sahaj State / response to Merton's statement that drugs could be a substitute for self-transcendence or love / Aiken sees LSD as useful «detailed view»
2. 1967/07/12 (#02) TL[c] to Friends After 26 years in the practice of medicine, we retired in February 1964 to travel, lecture and share enclosure to 1967/07/12 letter / lists titles of lectures given, such as: "Exploring Inner Space", "Reincarnation & Karma", "Psychedelics & Self-Realization", etc. «detailed view»
3. 1967/07/12 (#03) other to Merton We were both born in Pennsylvania, 1n [sic] 1902, and have both graduated from Penn State University Biographical statement of John W. Aiken, B.A., D.O. and Louisa V. Aiken, B.A., D.O. / enclosure to 1967/07/12 letter «detailed view»
4. 1967/08/14 TL[c] from Merton Thanks for your interesting letter of July 12. As you may imagine, I am having a hard time keeping correspondence with Aldous Huxley and Gerald Heard about drugs / "you are right in saying that 'careful and occasional use' of psychedelics can be quite helpful." / Peyote as a way to "sacramentally" connect with Indians / latter day messianic cults «detailed view»

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