Some good results may come from bad processes. In that way a ban is similar to alcohol abuse in that it may feel good in the moment but have pernicious long term effects.

Have been reading Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment by Robert Wright

https://www.amazon.com/Why-Buddhism-True-Philosophy-Enlighte...

So anyone curious to try, I recommend first understandings how to properly meditate. After you have good experience with this can you move onto the jhanas. I highly recommend: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Right-Concentration-Practical-Guide...

If you know how to do step 1 and then follow this book to the T. You will experience the jhanas.

I however caveat, you don't want to do this. It's a bad decision. You don't want to do this, really.

>Is Jhana Really Better Than Sex?

Absolutely, up to the third jhana.

>Can Jhana Really Substitute For Other Pleasures?

The author clearly has not walked the full path. Then again someone who did would not write this blog.

>really helped people avoid addictions

Absolutely no question.

>IV. What Can Science Tell Us About Jhanas?

The science path is a bad decision.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Why-Buddhism-True-Philosophy-Enligh...

Let folks like Robert Wright make this mistake for you. For someone like him, he almost certainly has lost the ability to enter jhana.

Why Buddhism is True [0, 1] does an excellent job of covering the modern neuroscience that overlaps much of Buddhist teaching, such as the hedonic treadmill [2], while ignoring the more new-agey / spiritual / not-evidence-based aspects often associated with Buddhism and other eastern religions, such as reincarnation, "auras", etc.

When I started my meditation practice, the guided meditations in the Calm app [3] helped me a lot.

0: https://amazon.com/Why-Buddhism-True-Philosophy-Enlightenmen...

1: https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?stor...

2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedonic_treadmill

3: https://www.calm.com/

As a science oriented person I reach spirituality only through secularism. I can recommend this book: "Why Buddhism is True - The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment" https://www.amazon.com/Why-Buddhism-True-Philosophy-Enlighte...

In essence this book tells why secular Buddhism (secular, western meditation) is actually a very reasonable way of spirituality.

Counterpoint: No. I feel like you just trade one set of delusions for another with psychedelics. Talking to plants or rocks isn't real, its just another way the ego and the imaginative part of the mind plays with itself.

If you're looking for consciousness expanding activities, I found my meditation practice and buddhist readings were 1000x more powerful than my drug attempts. For an HN'er I'd recommend starting with this:

https://www.amazon.com/Why-Buddhism-True-Philosophy-Enlighte...

as its more sciency/modern than diving into the Pali Canon or popular but dated 1960s attempts to westernize Buddhism.