The Mind Fold (sensory deprivation)

[e1evene1even]

I thought I would start a thread to see if anyone has used this before.

For those that don't know what it is, the Mind-Fold is basically a fancy blind fold invented by Alex Grey that allows you to open your eyes and still have total darkness. %)


I think that if there is a similar brain mechanism involved in dream generation and psychedelic image generation, it might be activated more fully in the absence of light. I think many would agree it's likely that the pineal gland plays a significant role in modulating the psychedelic experience, and since the pineal gland's activity is regulated by light, it makes sense to me that darkness could significantly alter the nature of the 'trip'.

Sensory deprivation and darkness are a common thread between shamanic traditions, both ancient and modern. If I'm not mistaken, most of the original psychedelic studies with LSD etc. people were blindfolded. McKenna and Lilly etc. also consider darkness a key element for psychedelic exploration. My ayahausca experiences were all in darkness and I think it makes a big difference.

What I like about the mindfold is that the lights can be on, so that if I start to flip out or something ( ) I'm not fumbling in the darkness for a light-switch, and the mind-fold offers total darkness which is hard to find in modern environments.

I recently tried it with ketamine and it was awesome. Rather than seeing red eye-lids it was a total void and it made no difference if my eyes were open or closed. I think it really enhanced the experience. While having your own sensory deprivation tank is out of the question for most of us, I think this is a pretty cheap compromise.

I really look forward to testing this out with different psychedelics. It pretty well does away with the distinction between CEV and OEV.

I'm interested to hear if anyone has any experiences to share with this or other forms of sensory deprivation and psychedelics.

 

[Xorkoth]

Very interesting... I'll have to check it out. Where can you find something like that?

 

[5-HT2]

I'm guessing you can order it from Alex Grey's business…check www.cosm.org and you might be able to find some info.

 

[panic in paradise]

Yep, I have gone through two of them.

The pressure they put on your face is something else I always enjoyed about them. If I still tripped, those and some noise canceling ear muffs could be interesting thrown in as well.

 

[Hemiechinus]

So what do we have so far?

Mindfold,
Mind Machines,
Brainwave Progs,
Float Tanks,
Drunk Goggles,
and...?

maybe some kind of electro-magnetic helmet?

 

[MachineGunBallad]

i own a mind fold and have also found it to be a beautiful addition to the psychedelic experience. i've only used it in the context of making/listening to music while on psychedelics, though it would be interesting to, say, smoke dmt with a mindfold + ear plugs and see where you go.

 

[Triglav]

I have a ganzfeld machine (used with the same purpose but it covers your visual field with a soft blue light) but havent tryed it with a psychedellic yet. Could be interesting...

 

[Pothedd]

sat in a dark bathroom with my (vomiting) homie for about an hour and a half. it was amazing. so much stuff goin on in that room.
it's a good idea, i was thinking of getting some earplugs to help me sleep... i don't have any money though so i'm probably not gonna buy me one of them mindfolds, but i might make one.
shouldn't be hard to do with something like a pair of sunglasses and some duct tape

 

[serotoninstorm]

If your a DIYer: Just buy some snowboarding goggles, and spray paint the glass/pyrex/plastic black on both sides. No light will get through.

 

[diche]

I tried blind folding myself ewhile I spent a weekend in the house by myself. spiritually...something cant really describe it. maybee i did something worng?

 

[DigitalUnicorn]

I've always wanted one of these. A dark, quiet room is a place that always makes for an intense experience whist on psychedelics. Not only that, but if Dubya will wear one on Air Force One, it's good enough for me!

 

[e1evene1even]

Very interesting... I'll have to check it out. Where can you find something like that?

I got mine from Tools for Wellness, along with an orgone plated head pyramid Its actually kind of cool. If I wear it for a few minutes and take it off it feels like its still there for a long time. Its supposed to help detoxify your brain and is modeled after the Giza pyramid. blah blah blah...

I'd probably recommend getting a Tools For Wellness catalog, I think they send them for free. There's all sorts of crazy things in there, I'm sure plenty of it is bunk, but there's are a lot of cool stuff to look at. Then go to Froogle (now google product search) and find the cheapest price.


Mind-folds are pretty cheap, you should be able to grab one for less than $20.
Mindfold

So what do we have so far?

Mindfold,
Mind Machines,
Brainwave Progs,
Float Tanks,
Drunk Goggles,
and...?

maybe some kind of electro-magnetic helmet?

I've only got the first three, but a God Helmet and a float tank are on the list for sure. There are float centers around that you can just just pay a certain amount for a session, I 've been meaning to check into it. I wonder what the chances are of smuggling a DMT pipe in there? Ketamine would be much easier, but as we all know, K and water don't mix. A little toot of DMT could be cool, or even a museum level dose of a psychedelic.

 

[Santiagod]

I find it this to be extremely interesting, even if youb are;nt under the influence of any psychedlics.

Funny you should start this thread, since I had an amazing sensory deprivation experience recently.

I work for a large real state developer and my job is to drive around checking up on contractors and building progress. Last week I went to a recently built house, what was very particular about this house was that the basement had no windows and only one door which lead up stairs.

I walked into this dry, extremely quiet place and I was overwhelmed with a slight sense of paranoia which quickly went away and was replaced by inner peace. It was coplete darkness, no difference if my eyes were open or closed... any sound, no matter how slight would echo through the whole basement. It was amazing to be able to walk around this place, I couldnt see anything.... I felt comnpletely safe... as if I had been transported to the end of the universe. I was completely sober at the time, I cant begin to imagine what ketamine would have done to me... id probably still be there, curled up in despair for I had found the meaning of life.

Any of you who might have the chance to visit a place such as the one i described, do not hesitate.

PS. Maybe a walk-in closet, at night, with all doors closed, would resemble this experience.

 

[psood0nym]

I once went to a place that actually rented out time in sensory deprivation chambers. Naturally I injected 50mgs of DPT and had at it. I was shocked to find DPT's influences were blunted! When I got out I was tripping far harder than when I was inside. For me DPT seems to be a more sensual drug than most. If I ever did it again I would probably use more strongly introspective drugs like oral or IM DMT or 4-ho-DMT and save the DPT for sunny forest walks. The experience inside the chamber was much more like a prolonged hypnogogic state--like an especially strange lucid dream--than a tryptamine experience, which is to say still worth it. You'll want at least an hour worth of time inside as it takes awhile to get into the trance. Just don't let the water get in your eyes; the salty sting would be very distracting.

 

[e1evene1even]

^thats exactly the type of place I'm talking about. If you don't mind me asking, how much was it?

 

[SoulSeeker]

If your a DIYer: Just buy some snowboarding goggles, and spray paint the glass/pyrex/plastic black on both sides. No light will get through.

That's quite a smart idea. Even easier would be just to cut out a piece of black paper in the exact shape of the inside of the goggles' lens and stick it in there.

That way its a lot easier/less messy than spraypainting, and it doesn't ruin your goggles when you want to go snowboarding!

Anyway, I just use a sleeping mask that you can buy at any drug store. It works pretty well.

 

[psood0nym]

^thats exactly the type of place I'm talking about. If you don't mind me asking, how much was it?

30 damn dollars for an hour with a student discount. It was the only place I could find near where I lived. I think there might be less expensive options in less neo-hippie/yuppie neighborhoods though. One day I'd like to own a sensory deprivation chamber and it was worth it to make sure I could reach the desired state before spending a few grand. In addition to psilocin or DMT for introspective effects ketamine would be a huge enhancer of the sensory deprivation effects. Maybe rent for an hour and a half and use IM shots of all drugs involved to ensure you'll be sufficiently down and you can get up and leave the place when it's all over.

 

[e1evene1even]

Wow thats cheap! I'm in a big city with at least 3 float centers so if I can find it near that price I'll be happy.

I think ketamine would be ideal because of the length and nature of the effects, but D.M. Tuner would probably be rolling in his grave! Then again, I don't think Lilly had any problems, and a float center is a lot different than a bath tub by yourself. A small dose could work. I found the mind fold greatly enhanced the ketamine (and/or vice versa) so I'm sure a float tanki would be nuts.

If you came out slightly disoriented and had a crazy experience I'm sure they're used to that type of thing. They'd probably want a testimonial!

I'm personally really comfortable with 2C-B in public, so a ++/light +++ dose of that wouldn't be a problem even if I'm fairly high before and after.

4-AcO-DMT hits me in about 15 minutes oral and lasts about 3 hours, so it is also one for me to consider. Plugging right before going in might be ideal.

A float tank experience has been high on my list of things to try ever since I heard Joe Rogan talk about taking mushrooms in his float tank during his DMT rant. If I had any idea it was that cheap I would've done it a long time ago. Regardless of the price I would definitely still do it on its own first sober, to get a feel for it before thinking of using a psychedelic in it...

 

[psood0nym]

In retrospect I guess $30 with a student discount ($45 without) isn't so bad considering downtown propery tax/overhead and stuff; it just seemed like a lot on my budget at the time. It was a really cool place with the option to play your own music inside if you wanted to. You could probably burn a CD of brainwave entraining audio to play as well. Ketamine+introspective psychedelic, sensory deprivation, and brainwave alteration all at once--you'd definitely get your money's worth then!

 

[ntype]

cool specs. I miss living in the country where my room would get really dark when i was tripping. Now i have ugly orange street lamp just out side my room. The orange can be nice to trip to, but i can't turn it off!