Here's what gets me about this framing. It assumes ordinary waking consciousness is the gold standard for encountering reality. But William James was pointing out over a century ago that our normal awareness is just one type among many — and maybe not the most revelatory one. I think the "escapism" accusation actually says more about the accuser's fear than the practitioner's motivation.

In my experience, going into an altered state through energy work doesn't remove me from reality. It strips away the noise. I'd compare it to The High Priestess — she sits between the pillars, still and receptive, not running from anything but waiting at the threshold. That card gets called "passive" too, which tells me most people don't understand what waiting in silence actually costs.

And from a psychological angle, I think what's really happening in these states is closer to what Jung meant by confronting the unconscious. You're not escaping. You're walking into the basement and turning on the light. That's the opposite of escapism. That's the hardest work I've ever done, and I've worked night shifts in a trauma ward.

I'm not saying every altered state is profound. Obviously people can use substances or spiritual practices to avoid dealing with their life. But dismissing the whole category because some folks misuse it? That's like saying prayer is worthless because some people only pray when they want something.

I'd love to hear from others here. What states have you encountered that felt more real, not less? What do you think drives this need to pathologize non-ordinary consciousness?