the fear legitimizes the flash

[woody]

I don't think there can be a "most valid" path. There are just paths, and you take your choice which one to follow. Some people, probably many, aren't suited to something as mind blowing as the entheogenic experience so perhaps a softer experience which can cause gradual change for a person is a better choice of path for them. There's no rush.

While I agree with you on most levels here, I still disagree in a few certain regards:

I feel that first hand experience presents a more valid path than dogma, religious hierarchy and tradition, churches, books, etc...

having a first Hand experience is more valuable than reading a million books or sitting through a million sermons

I feel the most valid means of spiritual awakening is through genuine first hand spiritual experiences, and Entheogenic spirituality provides these experiences reliably and efficiently, and while there may be other means of attaining these first hand experiences, I feel entheogens are the most effective.

I should have said first hand spiritual experience is the most valid path, and entheogens are the most efficient means of attaining such experiences...

Though this is just my opinion..

I totally agree with you about first hand experience, I see little value in dogma, scripture and sermons for a spiritual awakening. I should have been clearer in my post as what I was referring to as a valid steady path was meditation.
Entheogens can play a role but it won't be the most effective for everybody. There are many experienced travelers on this forum who don't see a spiritual side of DMT and the experience is something totally different to them than it is for you or I. Then there are people who won't have the head for the psychedelic experience nor be able to make sense or necessarily understand it like Syberdelic describes in the post above.