Sara, the method you are using, small dose at first is perfect. I have coached many people through bad trips and out of panic attacks on hallucinogens, once on a plane! The start of a bad trip is fixating on fear, sadness and pain, then with the increased sensitivity and new found aspects of mind that the psychedelics stimulate whipping this fear/sadness/pain into paranoia and panic with the conviction it's real. This is avoidable through an all embracing attitude directed to the diverse phenomena you may experience along with maintaining a close connection to your breath and bodily experience such that if you saw your friend's head melting you could meet that with inquisitiveness, like "wow I've never seen someone's head melt before." You will know that your having an altered experience (this gets challenging the higher dose taken and your tolerance of lack thereof), it's only when you put too much concrete reality into what you see that you get stuck. This is usually due unprocessed emotions that are coming out, but as long as you just let it come and go you'll be fine. Staying relaxed is important and even becoming aware of very painful things that you have forgotten about or were unaware of can be integrated very successfully and actually cause a positive shift that extends beyond the trip.
The other trap people get into is thinking the drug experience is "it", that it's the real truth rather than a window into a unique view of perception on the world and yourself that your mind is having due to being prompted by the chemical reactions of the substances in your body. There is probably a reason why your drawn to explore shrooms. Set your intention before you take it and enjoy the ride.
@quasar259 This is really useful info and I’ll probably re-read this before I take them, just as a reminder to myself. Thank you! ????
also there's a very cool Muhurta that you could align with in case you have Kala.
It's the 20th and 50th Nadi on Moon's Vara, "Even poisons consumed will become nectar"
@Sara1 Hi Sara, Just discovered your post and wanted to wish you well on whatever journey you enter. Also I was curious if you had a chance to try the shrooms, how it went, and if you happened to do a Muhurta either before or after? This is of particular interest to me because I'm socially adjacent to a few healing-centered communities that gather, injest substances in a very intentional way, with guides and assistants and all. (I have also joined on occasion and received great comfort, healing, and insight, especially in my heart and sacral chakras). As I've grown in my astrological learning, I've wanted very much to help the positive work that goes on there. And help them avoid any high-risk or poor dates as well. If you would be willing to share any of your experience, astrological or otherwise, however feels comfortable, I would be interested and grateful.
@Quasar259 Thank you for the reminder of this Muhurta! Have you worked with astrology and these teachers in some way? I am seeing their use evolve incredibly fast around me socially, and in society in general, and I think this community in particular would be open to any help astrology can provide. If you would be interested to discuss further, I'd be happy to connect.
@sirius9th Just bc society is embracing them more does not mean they are the answer. Society is also saying dudes can get pregnant now so...just I think we need to take it with a grain of salt.
Psychedelics are being used more responsibly now, and in more therapeutic contexts, but if we are going to discuss that here we should also do a thread on all the dangers and damages and trauma that psychedelics can cause. In particular, derealization. Literally the opposite of self realization.
Ive had mulitple clients that have had their lives completely ruined from DMT and other things that are super trendy right now.
If psychedelics were the answer we would think even one legit master would suggest them, when in reality it seems the more legit the master is, the more they warn against them.
The Yogis in general assert that psychedlics just take you further into the realms of imagination, and not onto the inner planes EVER, and so without a Sadguru's guidance (which was always the case in the old days when all drugs were mainly for spiritual purposes believe it or not) it is really easy to cause more damage than harm.
In short, w these things, if you dont need it dont take it. And if you do, then when you get the message, hang up the phone.
If you go back and read my response I cautioned against using psychedelics in detail for the sake of completion on this thread. I agree that many people seem to think taking them is almost without risk and some even believe them to be this panacea, which is misleading in my opinion. But people need to make their own decisions and I hope everyone stays safe.
@vishnu and All,
Thank you for voicing these very important words of caution and context. I agree with them, and I especially want to support experiences that lead us to our true selves. Like astrology, these substances we are discussing around can go any which way, as you alluded to. Education, community, guidance, and many other things matter so much. I can understand how questions and idea I have posed above raised alarm bells -- very valid and appreciated. Everyone, no matter what their experience or context, should be careful, respectful, and I believe conservative (not risky) in these matters.
A fact of my own personal life is that I have been extremely, perhaps unusually lucky in my limited encounters with these substances and experiences. Also, there are real people around me who are choosing to engage. Amidst my own natural sense of caution and care, I am curious if my astrology practice can help these choices lead to better, safer results -- even (and sometimes especially!) if my help leads to other tested means of exploring the subconscious and the soul.
I hope these words find all well, and thank you again for the caution and context.
@vishnu you speak of your clients experience with DMT but nothing about mushrooms and psilocybe. Do you only have experience relating to people who have used DMT and not mushrooms? Do you have direct experience yourself? What constitutes "lives completely ruined" and "derealization" in the context of DMT usage and what was the nature of the dosage and frequency in these cases?
No matter what our opinion is of the substance constituting Soma, there has been in the Vedic tradition and humanity in general, the use of plants and minerals to stimulate effects in the body and mind for millennia. So there is nothing inherently faddish, fashionable, trendy or uniquely modern about the use of mind/body altering substances. Use is one thing, reliance is another. For those who can be benefitted from these substances they should be used as a window, a door, something that when you get the point you don't need to keep going back. But there is no need for a negative stigma attached to them, simply respect, appropriate motivation and conduct towards the substance, experience and ourselves.
There are dozens of plant allies. In the Eleusinian mysteries, they drank fermented rye with the fungus ergot which is the main component of LSD. Psilocybin mushrooms can give you the experience of the Diamond Dakinis dancing in the sky. There is a certain protocol you have to follow to see this that was developed in the Levant and the Urmia plain going back to 6000 BC. Everyone sees roughly the same thing. It's important not to let the mushrooms overtake you, to resist hallucinating and not start laughing at everything. Get behind the medicine, so to speak. Stand upright in nature (not in a city or populated area) and gaze at the sky, once you see the sky turn green and the fractal rendering of Dakinis, you may see something else which will allow you to ask a question. The question can be anything except personal stuff. If you can take the answer you receive back to everyday awareness, it will remain with you for the rest of your life and you will never be the same.
@organiclightobserver This is quite intriguing. I like your phrase of "Get behind the medicine", that is quite instructive and helpful in opening and deepening the perspective of the experience.