This is a really fine article about psychedelics and dreams, and the importance of integration. “What you don’t integrate disintegrates” is one of many insights shared here. The last few paragraphs are exceptional, and worth the read alone.
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Great read.
Have you tired mushrooms before?
Did you notice a difference/impact on your dreams?
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I have not! I would be interested to hear from others though.
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I am no expert. I have only micro dosed 3 times before. That is how I would recommend you start off, if you are interested. Very very small amount the first time. And increase the amount in very small increases the next few times. It can upset your stomach, and you may have to use the bathroom. Best to do with a friend you trust, and in a place where it is legal, because there is always a risk of allergic reaction, or bad reaction. Prepare for the worst. I have seen people puke and get sick during the first 30min of the trip, then recover. Have also seen people come close to overdosing, which was ver scary. It’s not a toy, handle it with care and respect.
As with most drugs, I think it will amplify your mental state, so best not to do if you are experiencing lots of negativity in your life, or your mind.
That being said, my 3 experiences were very positive, and euphoric. I did it on an empty stomach to maximize the effects. No hallucinations, but the textures of things, colors amplified, and the light was mildly manipulated. I will never forget gazing into a bonfire and being really captivated by its beauty.
It was a year before I got serious about learning more about lucid dreaming, so at the time I was not paying attention to my dreams. I really wish I had, because I do think it definitely affected them. I just can’t say with any certainty how.
Based off what little experience I have had with small doses of them, I do consider them very sacred, and can see why cultures throughout time thought the same. It would not shock me if they brought about lucid dreams, or premonition dreams, or very vivid dreams of flying, etc.
You can’t “overdose” on psychedelics in the sense of dying by taking too much. But you may have an overwhelming “ego death” experience, which may be transformative if you’re prepared for it, but too much if you’re not, i.e. you may feel like you’re dying or truly believe that you are because you’re ego is dying. I’ve had a lot of psychedelic experiences and also done a lot of dream work. I haven’t noticed a correlation of dreams being more intense after a psychedelic experience. Perhaps if there is unresolved stuff from the trip that you’re still processing. I process a lot post-trip through journaling and meditation.
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And I also agree that it’s best to start with small doses and gradually work your way up to higher doses. Create a good set and setting and have a sitter if you’re not experienced.
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this statement is false.
you can. sometimes it is just from an allergic reaction, or panic attack but it is possible
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Yes, panic for sure! I’ve never heard of an allergic reaction but I suppose that is possible. Yes there can be total panic and freakout at high doses if you are unprepared for the effects. But I have never heard of anyone dying from the classic tryptamine psychedelics like psilocybin or LSD. You can OD from MDMA (ecstasy) as it is in the amphetamine family. Or you could die from doing stupid crazy things while on them, like jumping off a high place thinking that you can fly (it’s rare but has happened). But not from overdose. Create a good safe space, start with smaller doses and have a sitter if you are not experienced.
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Neither have I, but I am sure there is a record.
Good advice
I think Terence McKenna used to say something like “You can’t overdose on psychedelics, but you might die of astonishment!”
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Also there is a great anthology that came out a few years back called “Zig Zag Zen”. It contains a number of essays by various Buddhist teachers on the pros and cons of using psychedelics with Buddhist practice. Some of the essays are pro and some are con.
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Lol, I like that quote, that is a good one.
I remember watching a documentary on a undercover drug sting operation. The cop busted some hippies who were making LSD. He was undercover, and before he arrested them he shaved his beard with a razor blade and not much foam.
When he went to do the arrest the fresh cuts on his face absorded the lsd dust in the air, and he almost died. He was left with long term permanent brain damage and some other medical issues. He was very lucky to survive.
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yes I agree with this as well.
I think when dealing with potentially dangerous substances, it is always very important to over emphasize the cons, and not get seduced by the pros.
From what i have observed, most ofmthe people that i have known throughout my life who have used or abused these substances, were looking for an escape, or pain management, or an aphrodesiac. I never heard any of those people say “oh we just took a bunch of shrooms, now we are going to go pray and meditate and try to get closer to God”
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I agree that there has been much abuse of these substances. In the traditional Native cultures that first used them, it was always done in sacred ceremony led by experienced shamans with sacred intention. They are definitely not party drugs! By the way, it was dreams that first led me to psychedelics. When I was younger I was scared to use them because I saw some folks who freaked out when taking them. But in my late 30’s I began to have a series of dreams where someone would offer me mushrooms or various psychedelic medicines. At first I took the dreams to be metaphors for getting more into altered states in a natural way. Eventually I prayed to the Universe that if I was meant to actually take these medicines then to bring it into my life. Shortly after that I was invited by someone I knew to a mushroom ceremony that was conducted in a sacred way. This began a period of intense psychedelic exploration that went on for years, but always using those medicines in a sacred way, both in ceremony and on my own.
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Also there is now much more research being done on the therapeutic benefits of these substances and it seems like a lot of people are using them more in therapeutic and sacred ceremonial settings. Check out the Michael Pollen series on Netflix about psychedelic research called “How to Change Your Mind.”
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Can you go into the details of the mushroom ceremony? I would be very interested in knowing what happened, how much you ingested, and your subjective experiences.
This was in the early 90’s and I don’t remember all of the details, but here’s what I remember. It was in the summer on someone’s land in the Oregon Coast Range, right on the edge of National Forest land. We formed a circle in a field as night fell. We went around the circle and shared out intentions for the ceremony and prayers were offered. (We had previously set up tents, so we could sleep there after ceremony.) Then the medicine was passed out. I don’t know how many grams I ate, but I ate a handful. Then we sat in silence meditating. The first thing that I noticed after about a half hour or so is that the sound of a jet plane flying overhead was greatly amplified and sounded so different that I said “What’s that sound?!” Someone said, “It’s a jet.” And I’m thinking “What?!!!” Then came several hours of fractal colors and personal insights about my life. We were allowed to walk around but were told not to wander too far away from the group. So later that night I just walked around the pasture and nearby stream, I remember shining my flashlight down into the stream and seeing reflections that looked like I was peering into infinity. Later in the night we were offered a 2nd dose. Most of the folks declined and went to bed but I was having such a great time that I took a 2nd. This kept me up all night. I remember at one point having a vision of a middle-eastern looking guy in a turban. My impression was that he was a Sufi master and he seemed to be transmitting some wisdom to me. As dawn came I was coming down but still feeling the effects and nature looked quite awesome (in the original meaning of the word). I walked up a road and was looking at the trees and flowers with amazement. Eventually I went to my tent and slept a couple hours or so before we all packed up and left. This was the first of many adventures with this medicine. I started doing my own personal ceremonies by my self. I explored much higher doses in the safety of my own home but also lower dose adventures in nature. (I love both ways of tripping but if you are new to it, have experienced guides or friends with you until you know what this is about). I eventually explored other related medicines as well.
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Another point. I had already many years of meditation and dream work before this ceremony. For a lot of people, it seems like psychedelics lead them to meditation and spiritual practice (Ram Dass is a case in point) but for me it was the other way around. I think already having strong meditation skills under my belt was helpful.
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I agree 100% with this. Also I think it is very important to be in a healthy head space if anyone does try these poweful medicines, because they have the potential to highly amplify whatever is already going on in your head.
which ones did you explore?