View from the summit of your psychedelic career

[Transcendence]

I'd say, "STICK TO THE PLAN. THAT MEANS DON'T USE YOUR CELL PHONE. FOR FUCKS SAKE DO NOT USE YOUR CELL PHONE."

I concur. Cell phones and tripping do not mix. For some reason there is nothing more bewildering than an incoming cell phone call on high doses of psychedelics.

 

[PepperSocks]

Never, ever would I have my cell phone with me while tripping.

I don't believe I have hit my psychedelic summit yet. I feel much lies ahead of me.

I'm currently tripping on a weekly basis but my living scenario keeps from being able to take really high doses. I can't wait for when I have the situation that allows me to take 500ug of LSD.

 

[dread]

Cell phones and tripping do not mix.

There's a downside to that... my experiences with psychedelics have made me resent cellphones alltogether... half the time I don't know where my phone is, it's getting increasingly uncommon for me to even answer my cellphone, even when I'm sober.

 

[cosmic charlie]

^
I threw mine away last summer

 

[daysonatrain]

i am a 25 year old male, my first trip was on 2.5 grams of mushrooms when i was 17.

* What was the extent of your usage?
times ive tripped on each- lsd- 50+ shrooms-50+ ayahuacsa- 4 mescaline-1(many more to come, didnt realize until a month ago how awesome it is ) salvia- 20-30 (never again) 5-meo-amt- 1

* How often were you tripping at the peak of your psychedelic usage, and how long did this last?
i lived in BC for 4 months and 2 of those months were spent nearly always intoxicated on mushrooms and acid, which sounds crazy but tolerance is so great with psychedelics that it was more like smoking weed everyday (which i also did).

* What were some of the major mistakes that you made, and what were the consequences of these mistakes?
i would say that 2 month period was a big mistake, not in any serious way, more just a waste of good psychedelics. i had a few mistakes of taking psychedelics in situations that were less than ideal for tripping, but always made it out ok.

* What were the most important things that you learned from your experience?
i cant begin to explain how much ive learned from psychs. they sparked my interest in buddhism. they taught me that everything is an illusion, and to stop taking myself so damn seriously (though i still usually do)

* Finally, if the present you could speak to yourself at the beginning of your psychedelic career, what advice would you give?
umm, none.

edit: just saw this "I'd also say, "THOSE 5-SUBSTITUTED TRYPTAMINES ARE NOT PLEASANT AND THEY DO NOT AGREE WITH YOU." and gotta agree with this advice, 5meo-amt really sucked, and though i coulda gotten a ton more for free i never would have cause it sucked. though seem people on here saying they liked it so coulda just been a one time thing.

 

[shermin]

I concur. Cell phones and tripping do not mix. For some reason there is nothing more bewildering than an incoming cell phone call on high doses of psychedelics.

"it's [my cell phone] just a complicated brick" - Me on mushrooms.

 

[Dondante]

*What was the extent of your usage?
I’m 26 years old and about 5 years into my psychedelic career.

*How often were you tripping at the peak of your psychedelic usage, and how long did this last?
I tripped roughly once or twice a moth for about a year. I sincerely believe that I came out of that year a better person. It’s about intention; psychedelics are merely tools. The transformation may have been sparked by the psychedelic experience, but the exploration and application of insights gained therein were carried out in a sober state of mind, through old fashioned diligence … I did a lot of reading and in general practiced mindfulness. It’s important to note that many people use copious amounts of psychedelics and come out no better for the wear, sometimes worse. If one’s priorities are straight, however, psychedelics can help tremendously in areas of personal development without being a detriment to one’s life goals. My use has been much less frequent these past few years due to academic responsibilities, maybe 4 to 6 times per year, but I have more free time on the horizon. Cheers to that.

*What were some of the major mistakes that you made, and what were the consequences of these mistakes?
My biggest mistake would be allowing myself to experiment with less rewarding and more addictive psychoactives in times of stress. The consequences were essentially temporary abandonment of the insight I had gained with psychedelics. Fortunately, the consequences of this regression were for the most part short-term.

*What were the most important things that you learned from your experience?
Most “lessons” do not lend themselves easily to articulation, but I would say one of the most important is simply that our experience of life on this planet is worthy of a profound sense of gratitude.

*Finally, if the present you could speak to yourself at the beginning of your psychedelic career, what advice would you give?
Not necessarily to myself, but my gut feeling is that tripping more often than once or twice a month becomes counterproductive, as it takes time to integrate each experience. I prefer to keep a clear headed window for reflection between each trip. Most would probably admit that it's difficult to maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle with excessively frequent use.

Here is another excellent thread that covers the topic pretty well. There are a lot of great contributions that bring into focus the broader implications of the psychedelic lifestyle from those who have lived it.

Psychedelics and Social Alienation

 

[PepperSocks]

^ I absolutely love that thread.

There's a downside to that... my experiences with psychedelics have made me resent cellphones alltogether... half the time I don't know where my phone is, it's getting increasingly uncommon for me to even answer my cellphone, even when I'm sober.

Worst decision I ever made was getting into my cell phone contract. I was living on my own and needed a phone and a cell phone would be the same cost as a land line so I got a cell. I was never a major social butterfly to begin with so I barely used it and it hardly ever even gets turned on anymore.

^
I threw mine away last summer

Contract is up in September, I am so happy and it most definitely is not getting repeated.

Fuck cell phones :D

 

[SwingBreed]

What was the extent of your usage?
Salvia +3 times, LSD around seven times (only four of them at ego-dissolving doses), mushrooms around fifteen times (only the last five times going up to five or more grams), 4-ho-MiPT twice. There's more but that's what's worth mentioning.

How often were you tripping at the peak of your psychedelic usage, and how long did this last?
I do recall a time tripping almost monthly at either a full or new moon. This probably lasted six months or so. Most of my time spent with psychedelics have not been on a regular schedule

What were some of the major mistakes that you made, and what were the consequences of these mistakes?
The biggest mistake I made was spending a winter in oblivion. This included excessive alcohol abuse, and also getting addicted to nicotine. Prolonged periods of parasitic behavior, basically. It had a huge impact of the health of the "greater body" that is felt in the psychedelic experience. I did not foresee how easily one can lose one's mindfulness and difficult it is to cultivate it yet again. The psychedelics should be treated like a profession; every thought, every action made in your life can culminate into your next psychedelic experience. And the psychedelics keep up with you, even if you don't keep up with them. You can't "start at square one" again even if you've regressed to where you were when you started, because that information is still tied into you, and your next trip will pick up where you left off whether your ready for it or not. Simply stated, once there was an opportunity presented to me to mindfully chose self-destruction over self-progression. I said yes and the consequences are still being faced to this day.

What were the most important things that you learned from your experience?
this is copy/pasted from the "most important lesson psychedelics have taught you" thread since I typed it better then than I would now: The Earth is a sentient and intelligent being in which we are emanations of, and anything we need to know this planet can teach us because it is all in Her Mind, even information about extraterrestrial life because it is within Her that we can reach and contact the whole universe, not without (much like She is within us and not without; beginning to see a pattern here?). Humanity is currently in a parasitic stage of its evolution, but a parasite is merely a prototypical symbiote. An organism that destroys its living source of food has not evolved a sustainable life process for itself, so either this organism will meet its extinction or we will have to accept the greater complexity of further evolution in which we can establish a harmonious reciprocation with our living food source.

Finally, if the present you could speak to yourself at the beginning of your psychedelic career, what advice would you give?
i'd give none, the little fucker's better off figuring it out for himself.

 

[Transcendence]

We've got some good responses so far, but it seems that the thread was aborted at the 30 hour mark with copious amounts of anti-psychotics.

I'm sure all of the present and past moderators / old timers of this forum have really good stories to tell. It would be nice to get a few of those, although I'm sure they're busy enough as it is without writing a psychedelic autobiography

 

[daysonatrain]

bump

more posts!

 

[zekethemusicman]

I consider myself to be well versed with psychedelic chemicals. Im not a veteran, or anything, but have been tripping when it feels appropriate since late 2002, my first venture with acid being on jan 1 2004. Ive tripped enough to know that i can only expect nothing from a psychedelic chemical, given that when you expect nothing, everything you get out of the experience is far more than what you expected. I know psychedelics for me only, but i know enough to be able to help anyone else who is concerned with the topic. Other than that, all i can tell a newb is that anytime you are taking a psychedelic..
A. Plan ahead if possible.
B. Take care of or eliminate ALL responsibilities before the experience, including the next day's. Tripping is so much better if you don't have anything tangible to worry about...ie no ride home, work the next day, the cash your using for the experience....
C. Integration is key...Yes the experience itself is almost guaranteed amazing/mystical/what have you, but its how it presents a new perspective/new ideas and how you understand that and apply it to your life that is what is important. (see point D 4 this tho)
D. And one last thing that i might get flamed for, but anywho...Dont take the whole ordeal too seriously. Grains of salt are a good thing...the body needs sodium. Seems to me that people that take their psychedelic experience (their experience in the mattter, how/why they should be used) too seriously, seem to, ironically enough, become quite egotistical. Its possible that many people may learn the same things, or equally possible, totally different things. Unless you experience a telepathic moment, or syncronosystic occurence with someone else, then nothing you experience from psychedelics, or gain from psychedelics will be the same as another persons. Experiences and ideas can be shared, but the same exact occurence cannot be perceived with equal attitude by two individuals

This is just a taste of what i could say about psychedelic drugs and the experiences possible, how to achieve them, what to do on them, but the best thing i can tell you is to be open minded, safe and respectful. Just remember, respecting them does not mean you cant not (im so country lol) be light about the experience, or have a sense of humor. You might not learn anything from it, or it may change your life. What ever happens, its completely personal, and your experience cannot be fathomed by another.

 

[swilow]

What was the extent of your usage?
How often were you tripping at the peak of your psychedelic usage, and how long did this last?

At least 2 times a week for a few years, sometimes daily (low dose LSD)....Now a bit more sparingly, every 2-3 weeks or less, DMT exlcuded....

What were some of the major mistakes that you made, and what were the consequences of these mistakes?

Underestimating the powerful mindshift of several 'research chemcials". For some aesthetic reason, I had always presumed I would be underwhelmed by the experience, only to have extraordinairyily strong and unexpected experiences. This mainly involved 2C-I, which I considered a sort of plaything; its not

Using some more debilitaing drugs; ie. salvia, DPT, DMT/nitrous in innapropirate places as well as various other stupid mistakes made with setting...

I certainly never predicted I would be as strongly influenced by psychedelics as I am....but I don't consider that a mistake.

What were the most important things that you learned from your experience?

Ahh, I could go on and on...truth is I'm still learning. I changed from being pretty violent and overly emotive into a more refined version- I still get emotional, but I understand that there is a spiritual and 'educational' use for intense emotion, and can treat it as simply another experience- one to be savoured, of course. Also the release of repressed or misinterpreted memories so I could actually think about them; and the beating of a terrible anxiety/panic disorder that fucked me up badly and for a long time....Immersion in intense psychedelic states gave me a different perspective on panic and fear, and allowed me to examine the idea in a less abstarct and more physical way....and I got 'better' and am well....somewhat insane I suspect, but who here isn't? :D

I also became aware, in a slow and circituitous way, that throughout the world, there are people exploring this reality in thousands of ways, and I've been lead, in a sense, towards my own practices. These range from things such as meditation and deep breathing, to more cognitive approaches ie. correct and un-impulsive reactions to situations, to more intense disciplines as defined by various occult traditions. My knowledge and UNDERSTANDING of religion or mysticism has been put in place by actual experience, both tripping and sober. I will never be the person I was, and am able to accept that; we're changing every single moment, so why bother keeping track?

Finally, if the present you could speak to yourself at the beginning of your psychedelic career, what advice would you give?

Go straight to DMT

 

[Zardokk]

*What was the extent of your usage? How often were you tripping at the peak of your psychedelic usage, and how long did this last?

At my peak, I was using acid 1-2 times a week. This period only lasted for a few months, maybe 2-3 because my supply dried up. And in retrospect, I was starting to get kind of loopy and "out there", so it was probably a good idea I quit. Leading up to my weekly use, I had been tripping about once a month for a year or so.

*What were some of the major mistakes that you made, and what were the consequences of these mistakes?

Only mistakes I think I ever really made were rushing to eat my doses on the night I got them and not preparing for the trip. There were a few times I just randomly ate blotters at like 10 pm on a Friday night, alone, and with no preparation or foresight, and I ended up having long, dragged out experiences that I just wanted to end. I'd be laying on my bed for hours, totally tired, but totally restless and with my thoughts rushing insanely.

I also think that tripping 1-2 times a week caused me some mild HPPD, as I was seeing rainbows in things strongly for days after, and to this day I still see rainbows in random places at times. I'm still not sure whether these are an illusion in my head or if they're actually read and acid unlocked my ability to see them.

* What were the most important things that you learned from your experience?

Oh God, everything! After my first acid trip, I felt totally reborn, understood the beauty of life and the meaning of my own like. I gave up opiates and hard drugs and didn't even trip again for about a year. My subsequent trips brought me to terms with my spirituality (which I didn't think I had prior to tripping), as well as helped me understand the "big picture" of reality, if you will. I saw greater meaning in all sorts of things and finally understood works of art and beauty I had never previously been able to comprehend. It's been at least 3 months or so since my last trip, and I'm still frequently noticing things that tripping helped me understand. I often think "wow, this is SOOO beautiful" when looking at things in nature, and these were thoughts I NEVER had before. I used to be very cold, conditioned, and uninterested in natural things.

* Finally, if the present you could speak to yourself at the beginning of your psychedelic career, what advice would you give?

I'm still on the journey and I don't know where it will end, but I don't think I'd change a single thing. I'd tell myself to prepare for some major changes in my life and thought process and to just take a more active interest in the things around me.

 

[daysonatrain]

Go straight to DMT

Perfect! Swillow, you are the shit.

 

[theghostofbillhicks]

*What was the extent of your usage?


I dropped, over 4 years, hundreds of acid trips.


* How often were you tripping at the peak of your psychedelic usage, and how long did this last?

Once a week for over a year.


* What were some of the major mistakes that you made, and what were the consequences of these mistakes?


Eventually you will get confident with psychedelics. Be careful of this. Maintain respect for them.

Avoid sitting around talking or doing something inane when on HIGH doses. For high doses BE ALONE. Mis-understandings and paranoia will inevitably result unless high dose experiences are treated with a spiritual level of respect and preparation.


* What were the most important things that you learned from your experience?


That we are one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively.

* Finally, if the present you could speak to yourself at the beginning of your psychedelic career, what advice would you give?

ENJOY BABY =)

 

[Sephirah]

What was the extent of your usage? How often were you tripping at the peak of your psychedelic usage, and how long did this last?

During about a two year period in the early 2000's, probably twice a week. Now, less than once a month, sometimes much less. Most common. then and now, were LSD/psilocybin (LSD in particular probably close to 500 times), a decent bit of MDA, MDMA and Salvia (and cocaine, technically speaking), others were rarely available but I have at least sampled anything I could find.

What were some of the major mistakes that you made, and what were the consequences of these mistakes?

Most common mistakes were mistakes of mind. Embracing paranoia or closed-mindedness, accepting something I knew to be illusion as reality, etc. Consequences were frequently minimal or "just stress," not to minimize the devastating effects of stress by any means, but merely to state that beyond internal or relational stress there was no concrete bad result, other than one time totalling a car.

What were the most important things that you learned from your experience?

To even sum up the most important lessons would be beyond my abilities for brevity. Rather, let us say, I learned and saw everything there is in life, to learn and see, and a little bit from beyond.

Finally, if the present you could speak to yourself at the beginning of your psychedelic career, what advice would you give?

My advice to myself would be very specific. However, Thaddeus Golas sums it up much better than I could, so I would direct folks to check out this very concise book / audio.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCTJ1bBSI-g&feature=PlayList&p=7FA7B3D5D64DD847&index=0&playnext=1

 

[Bardeaux]

*What was the extent of your usage?

I am 20 years old and took my first psychedelic trip a little under a year ago on 56g peruvian torch cacti. SInce then I've harvested my own fungi, smoked a bit of salvia, tried ecstacy a few times, and still trip frequently on 2ci


*How often were you tripping at the peak of your psychedelic usage, and how long did this last?

I Dont think I've peaked yet as far as usage goes, but Ive been through a couple months of tripping nearly everyday.

*What were some of the major mistakes that you made, and what were the consequences of these mistakes?

Redosing as soon as I started to come down. I would do this without hesitation and fairly often. After instances of sleep deprivation, malnourishment and dehydration I decided to space my trips out, and learned how to properly prepare for the experience.


*Finally, if the present you could speak to yourself at the beginning of your psychedelic career, what advice would you give?

Do not spend your trips sitting at home! Such a beautiful experience deserves a beautiful and stimulating setting.

 

[DOB]

psychedelics made my life much much better... they showed my things that police slaves searching this website can't even imagine.They gave me chance to look at things from very different perspective,truth I saw,freeing my mind from itself.But best thing is that state of indescribable unity with universe,that feeling like you returned to home after long long time.World is full of hidden secrets.Drum n bass... when I listen dnb while triping,that is some intense happyness,most intense feeling ever in my life was listening this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhXgigXya1k that is moment when my mind was reborn in overwhelming state of pure wonder.Psychedelics are not bad,or good,they are what you make out of them.

 

[egor]

What was the extent of your usage?
I am 26 and have been tripping regularly for almost 12 years. 1-2x a month on average, though I went through a phase where it was almost daily a few years back; and use was lighter for first 3-4 years of use. Heavy experimentation with all common psychedelics as well as quite a few less researched materials.

How often were you tripping at the peak of your psychedelic usage, and how long did this last?
I went through at least a year where dosing was almost daily.

What were some of the major mistakes that you made, and what were the consequences of these mistakes?
Being far too eager to push into high dose territory with too many substances and too many obscure combinations. Resulted in seizures, seritonin syndrome, depression, decline in vocabulary and articularity (though this seems to be improving since I have become a bit more conscious of health and safety in my tripping escapades). Lots of nausea, tinnitus, tachacardia
and akasthesia over the years but none of it was permanent.

Advice for me at the begining of my psychedelic experiments>
-Dont be so eager to see what the high dose range of every substance you come into contact with does.
-Think about what you are combining, as it often wont end well.
-Just because you can trip doesnt mean you should