Then (1954), The Doors of Perception
The Gratuitous Grace: Huxley's Theology
The mescaline experience is a 'gratuitous grace', not necessary to salvation but potentially helpful, to be accepted thankfully if available. It is compatible with genuine religious life and may prepare the way for deeper practice.
confirmed
Current psilocybin research routinely measures 'mystical experience' using validated scales (MEQ30) and finds it both common and therapeutic. A 2024 meta-analysis found that mystical experience quality predicts therapeutic outcomes better than drug dose. Several US religious communities (Native American Church, UDV, Santo Daime) now have legal religious exemptions for sacramental psychedelic use under RFRA. The 'gratuitous grace' framing, not salvation but a gift to be received properly, maps closely to how current clinical practice treats the experience.