Mike Crowley

Lama Mike Lionel Crowley (born 1948; spiritually named: Lama Karma Tenzin Dorje, ) is a Welsh author and teacher of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. He is known for his writings on the use of psychedelic drugs in Vajrayana, particularly for his book Secret Drugs of Buddhism.

Having taken refuge in Buddhism in 1970 and having been ordained a lama in 1988, His father was a psychopath. He first tried psychedelics at 15 years old.

In 1966, when he was 18 years old, Crowley met Tibetan Lama Chime Rinpoche in London and became his first Western student. He formally took refuge and the five precepts on 1 May 1970,

Views on psychedelics

Crowley advocates the integration of psychedelics into Vajrayāna Buddhist practice, describing them as a form of amrita (nectar of immortality). He states that the Buddhist prohibition on intoxicants is a modern interpretation, and that entheogenic substances historically played a role in certain tantric rituals.

Crowley has proposed a staged approach according to the three vehicles (yana) of Buddhism:

Personal life Crowley has lived in California since 1988.

He worked as a software consultant.

From 1995 to 2009, he ran etymology webzine Take Our Word For It.