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How Do Psychedelic Chemicals Work?...
Entheogens work by mimicking or otherwise affecting neurotransmitters in the brain. Different psychedelics have their own signature interaction with the human brain, but describing them is difficult because they put our perception into a very unusual mode of operation. Some entheogens are more gentle than others: MDMA, or ecstasy, gives one feelings of peace and love, a real amplifier of empathy and happiness. But MDMA is related to the amphetamines and although could be valuable in the right context, it would better be designated a quasi-psychedelic. Beyond feelings of good will toward all life, the harder, or stronger entheogens do not guarantee the user a "good time." But you will have a "god time." This can be heaven or hell, depending on where your mind is at before and during the trip.
There are stories of bad-trips, psychedelic voyages gone so wrong that the user is permanently affected in a way that adversely impacts the rest of their lives. I have never met these people, but I do not doubt that certain individuals have a pre-disposition for mental illness, and perhaps some psychedelic trips could push these individuals over the edge, especially if set and setting are not optimal. However, most intense trips are life-changing in positive ways, forcing us to examine things about ourselves and our relationships that we have tried to avoid. the opportunity is here to see the world with new eyes, everything fresh and magical and full of potential. You may see fractal kaleidoscopic imagery behind closed eyelids or even with eyes open, the geometries playing as they spread over the surface of objects in the environment. You may see new colors, hear new sounds, think the unimaginable. It would be foolish to say that any trip will be like this or that, because we are dealing with concepts on the fringe of language. So, these things are not for everyone. Some people cannot let go of the conflicts in their own minds. Some people are just fine as is, healthy, well-balanced, and not interested in this. And some people may be intrigued at the possibility of therapy that this strong class of medicine offers. Do your research and form an educated opinion before thinking you know what's what. Read forum blogs and Wikipedia and talk to people about your entheogens of interest. |
The Source Of ALL Religions?
Some researchers have concluded that the world's religions were spawned by visionaries who had reality-shattering experiences while tripping on psychedelic plants. This an interesting proposition, and once you become experienced with using shamanic plants the idea isn't so far-fetched. Christmas - seems to be all about the Amanita Muscaria mushroom. This is the red-capped, white-speckled mushroom you see on almost every fairy-tale image. Warning: this is not for everyone; not for most people. This was one of the later psychedelics I ever tried, and I would say that it is more of a poison and a dissociative than an entheogen. If you decide to go this route one day, make sure to have a baby-sitter - someone who is not tripping - close by to watch you and make sure things don't get out of hand. These are VERY different from the psilocybian "shrooms" that many people are familiar with. They ARE poisonous if not prepared correctly. They are crazy.
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Dreaming While Awake?
The more well-known psychedelic chemicals are Psilocybin, LSD, DMT, Mescaline, and Salvinorin A (Salvia Divinorum). Psilocybian mushrooms, LSD, DMT, and Mescaline are illegal to purchase or sell in many countries, but certain plants containing these chemicals may be legal to propagate and obtain. As a heads-up, DMT and a good dose of Salvia extract will propel your mind way out there for 10 minutes. WAY out there. Be careful, and have a baby-sitter.
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With lucid dreaming we are dreaming but have waking-like thought...
...but what if we are awake and get dreaming-like thought? We are safe enough while in sleep, even if we are battling with alien robots in a dream. But if you were awake and running around with full-on hallucinations? Bad.
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