“I remember Newt in his trailer before the filming started, he was scooting along the floor talking about blue bubbles and mini mee dragons,” Johnson Arnolds, a key grip on the campaign shoot told CBS news.
Things got really weird when Newt got onto the set and started talking.
“He was talking some really weird shit. We tried to tell him to keep to the script but the little rascal kept goofing around with that nonsense shit. In the end we just called it a day and four people had to escort Newt to his trailer because he thought he was on the surface of the moon,” director, Timmy Olsen, revealed.

READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE HERE:

The shaman sits alone in a dimly-lit shack, only thin beams of sunlight penetrating the leather walls.  A look on his face reveals how removed he is from the outside world. Within his mind a connection is being made, however profound or illegitimate, to the spiritual realm. Communication is made between dead ancestors, deities, and even abstract concepts.

In the days before missionaries and indoctrination, thousands of these men and women existed, some even in places removed from all outside influences. Shamans are seen in anthropological history as a common figure throughout most cultures. They are looked upon with mystical reverence, though sometimes seen as a bit of an “other.” Their unique ability to connect to a spiritual realm makes them a desirable addition to a society, but it also has a tendency to cause hesitation in fully accepting them into a civilization.

Still, the shaman was generally considered simply a normal person, if one with a rare and difficult to comprehend profession. While they are sometimes paid well for their efforts (most times in food or other trade items), they generally still have to work hunting or farming just like all the others. Many times they have children and act as a completely typical member of society, however the solitary ones are not uncommon.

In our modern world of advanced medicine and science, the role of shaman has been replaced by men in lab coats, or doctors bearing needles and pills of now-commonplace synthetic chemicals to cure our ills. Though some of us still turn to a more modern version of a spiritual leader, it’s one who doesn’t communicate with an alternate reality, they simply fantasize about it.

It’s a tragic loss, one that is magnified by the common perception that people who attempt to communicate with alternate realities are weird, crazy, or worse, junkies. This brings about an important question to me, one that most likely has a fairly depressing answer. What has become of the shaman, a person once revered and thought as integral to humanity as we know it? And the follow up to that; what will become of the collective human psyche without them?

I believe the first question, at least, is fairly easily answered. It started with the advent of religions and societies that say, “this is how everything works, you can take our word for it. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!” It’s a trite concept, but one that I think has at least some merit, that a major reason drugs are outlawed is to keep people from thinking too much. ‘They’ want you to keep working, playing and all around existing as ‘they’ want you to.

Whether or not a large conspiracy exists to keep the masses from having a spiritual awakening is up for debate. But it certainly seems that a large consequence of the disappearance of shamans and tolerable drug use is a near-complete cessation of any semblance of spiritual and shamanic experiences. Only a very small minority of “civilized society” makes any attempt at achieving a higher level (or at least a different level) of consciousness.

The second question, addressing the implications of that phenomenon, is much more difficult to pin down. It may contribute to the utter collapse of good will and human nature, or perhaps it will help all humans become logical, rational actors. Or, equally likely, it will have no perceivable effect whatsoever. One thing seems to stand out, however, when looking at the history of humans. We have generally always needed or, if nothing else, possessed, some sort of “larger than ourselves” concept to appreciate.

At first glance, the two ideas of logic and spirit don’t seem to be cohesive. We have all but eliminated the possibility of a sky-god, we seem to have pinned down the sun’s antics to a fair degree, and the cycles of weather and season don’t seem to mysticize us all that much anymore. It would appear that eventually science will outperform religion and spirituality on all or most explanations of the universe.

But that doesn’t rule out utilizing both at the same time. There are certain notions science may not ever address, some of which we couldn’t even begin to explain, let alone set up an experiment for. It has also been shown that while medicine is a true miracle, it isn’t necessarily the only means to an end. In some circumstances, shamanic healing has done just as much good as medicine could have. The brain is, after all, a very powerful tool.

Many of these mysterious, unintelligible notions can be experienced and discovered through the use of psychedelics. Natural psychedelics like psylocibe mushrooms, mescaline-containing cacti, DMT containing plants, tobacco, marijuana, and countless more have helped spirit-seekers achieve new planes of understanding since we’ve recorded history. There’s no reason the newer psychedelics, like LSD, the 2c series, the DO series and anything and everything else that exists or does not yet exist shouldn’t be shown the same attention.

Most psychedelic users would probably agree that something completely novel and sometimes magical seems to happen when they ingest their favorite chemical. However, even among many pro-psychedelic use people, it has become somewhat taboo to utilize them for any spiritual purpose. People who do so are sometimes stigmatized as new-age hippies at best, and amoral drug-addled junkies at worst.

In a different world, one focused more on meditation and cognitive understanding, psychedelics are used universally and with great reverence. Instead of turning to blind faith, people turn to a very real experience to cope with reality. In this fantasy, there exist a number of ‘shamanic’ individuals, who are more experienced than most with the art of the mind-expanding chemical use. When the average person needs guidance with a trip, or needs some abstract insight on a personal issue, they see this person.

The role a psychedelic enthusiast could have in modern society is one that could be very useful to our culture, and one that doesn’t necessarily involve strange, drugged-up individuals running rampant on the streets. They could be like the common shaman, simply an average citizen who happens to have a large hobby involving deep spiritual experiences.

It would naturally take a huge divergence from the current mainstream perception of drug use. Something generally reserved for experimental young adults. A pursuit that is essentially forbidden by any self-respecting, upstanding member of society. A pursuit that is, at best, looked upon as a phase to grow out of, and at worst a dangerous habit to be severely punished and outlawed.

Does it seem likely that psychedelics are a doorway to mystical dimensions, separate from and equal to our own? Well, perhaps when LSD still has a firm grip on your serotonin receptors. But in general, of course not. Can we make productive use of the strange, seemingly other-worldly, experiences they produce? Absolutely. Go forth, shamans of the modern era, experience what you can, and expand the collective human consciousness so that we may become more in tune with ourselves and our reality. After all, life is nothing but a chaotic molecule in the limited perception of an incomplete reality in an abstract universe.

Lotus

My 12 hours as a madman is the name of an essay–which is a fancy term for TRIP REPORT. Written in 1953 by the aptly-named Sid Katz, a Canadian journalist who had a thing for covering the mental health scene. The main part of the essay is Sid’s best, and very creatively told, recollection of an acid trip at a mental hospital, all for the sake of science. Sid takes 200 ug of very good acid and has a strong trip. By employing a variety of Ph.D. mental health professionals as trip sitters, Sid managed to keep a very good record of the trip even though he abandoned his “notebook” after the first entry! Very interesting read if you’ve never taken LSD or a psychedelic before, and probably a story you can identify with if you have. Clicking the trippy photo above this text will also take you to the essay.

I am inevitably going to fail, as I am admittedly extremely biased towards the responsible use of drugs. I believe that almost any drug can be used responsibly, and if everyone was thoroughly educated on them, it would be much more common that people could do so. Drug education could also have loads of other positive effects, of course, including a reduced stigma, further research, and better addiction assistance, but that’s another topic entirely.

So without further delay, let’s begin!

For our purposes, I’m going to have three categories. The first is mostly non-addictive, low risk drugs, the second is moderately addictive/some risk, and the third is high addiction potential/high risk drugs.

First you’ll see the name of the drug, with nicknames next to it in parenthesis. Next will be the medical use, if any. Then addiction. I’ve rated addiction as follows: low means that most people cannot be addicted, and if they do, withdrawals will be relatively moderate. Moderate addiction means that most people can become addicted with frequent use/abuse of the drug, and withdrawal will usually be fairly uncomfortable, lasting a few days. Extreme means that the drug is highly addictive, and can take hold of a user within one or two uses of the drug. Withdrawal from these is very difficult, and can be accompanied by fevers, nausea, diarrhea; the works. Overdose potential is just to give an idea of how careful you should be with administration of the drug. Effects are a brief description of the psychoactive effects. You can find more detailed experiences of some drugs right here on Stoner Culture.

This list is mostly based on my experiences, or experiences that I have seen, and research I have done over the years. It is in no way reflective of every user, and as with any drug I highly suggest taking your own steps to ensure safe use of them. Keep in mind your own experiences, and your own limits.

1st Category

—————-

Drug:

• Cannabis (marijuana, pot, weed, dro, shwag, etc)

Medical use:

• Low–it can be used for for minor pain relief and insomnia, but is banned in most states.

Addiction potential:

• Low-most people will have no trouble quitting, some may experience mental addiction. Any withdrawal symptoms will generally be mild and disappear within 2-3 days

Overdose potential:

• None. It is physically impossible to overdose on cannabis.

Effects:

• Can vary from an upper to a downer to a psychedelic. Read the rest of this wonderful site to learn more. Lasts an hour or so, depending on other factors.

—

Drug:

• Lysergic Acid Dithylamide (LSD, acid, blotter, etc)

Medical use:

• None. Some research has been done showing promise of some psychiatric use, but there is not enough information at this time. It is banned in all states.

Addiction potential:

• Low–most people will actually be discouraged from frequent use, and the tolerance is so steep that it becomes nearly unusable after a few consecutive days

Overdose potential:

• Extremely low/none. There have been no confirmed LSD overdoses, and in most cases it would take absurd amounts of LSD to reach the LD50. It is feasible to do so, though.

Effects:

• Psychedelic trip. Altered perceptions of reality and visual patterns/coloring are common. Usually lasts about 6 hours for the peak, but the entire experience can last anywhere from 6-15 hours.

—

Drug:

• Mescaline (peyote, san pedro, etc)

Medical use:

• None. As with other psychedelics, not enough research has been done to have any conclusive evidence.

Addiction potential:

• Low–most people will actually be discouraged from frequent use, and the tolerance is so steep that it becomes nearly unusable after a few consecutive days

Overdose potential:

• Extremely low/none.

Effects:

• Psychedelic trip. Altered perceptions of reality and visual patterns/coloring are common. The peak usually lasts anywhere from 6-10 hours, and the entire experience has been reported to last up to 3 days.

—

Drug:

• Psilocybin (magic mushrooms, shrooms, etc)

Medical use:

• None. As with other psychedelics, not enough research has been done to have any conclusive evidence.

Addiction potential:

• Low–most people will actually be discouraged from frequent use, and the tolerance is so steep that it becomes nearly unusable after a few consecutive days

Overdose potential:

• Extremely low/none.

Effects:

• Psychedelic trip. Altered perceptions of reality and visual patterns/coloring are common. Usually lasts 4 hours for the peak, but the entire experience can be anywhere from 4-10 hours.

—

Drug:

• DXM (tussin, robotrip, etc)

Medical use:

• Moderate–used as a cough medicine.

Addiction:

• Low to moderate–most users will have no addiction, but it can be addictive to some especially if used frequently. The tolerance has a long recoup time, however.

Overdose potential:

• Low. It would take a significant amount of DXM to overdose. You would need approximately 5 times the normal trip dose to overdose in most cases.

Effects:

• Dissociative with some psychedelic properties. Nausea will sometimes be present. Visuals and different perceptions of reality are common. Usually lasts about 4 hours.

—

Drug:

• Nitrous Oxide (hippy crack, laughing gas, etc)

Medical use:

• Moderate–occassionally used in dentistry to anesthetize patients.

Addiction potential:

• Low to moderate–it is fairly addictive in the short term, and with consistent use can be fairly addictive.

Overdose potential:

• None

Effects:

• Pain killer with some psychedelic properties. Usually a huge boost of well being.

—

Drug:

• Dimethyltryptahmine (DMT, spice, etc)

Medical use:

• None.

Addiction potential:

• Extremely Low–most people will actually be discouraged from frequent use, and the tolerance is so steep that it becomes nearly unusable after a few consecutive uses

Overdose potential:

• None.

Effects:

• Intense, short acting psychedelic. Visuals and different perceptions of reality are common. Usually lasts about 15-30 minutes, and the entire experience lasts up to an hour and a half.

—

Drug:

• MDMA (ecstasy, x, rolls, candy, etc)

Medical use:

• Low/none–MDMA was once prescribed by psychiatrists for a number of experimental reasons, including marriage counseling and depression. It is now banned in all states

Addiction potential:

• Low to moderate–Some people can become addicted to MDMA, and it is a relatively dangerous addiction. Brain damage is rare, but not unheard of in some situations.

Overdose potential:

• Low–The main issue with MDMA is forgetting what you’re doing and over– exerting or dehydrating yourself. However, you can overdose on extremely high amounts, and it can induce high heart rates, blood pressure, and panic attacks.

Effects:

• Intense euphoria. Tactile senses are heightened, as are most other senses. Usually lasts about 4-5 hours.

2nd Category:

——————-

Drug:

• Low intensity opiates (hydrocodone, codeine syrup, vicodin, watson, codeine, etc)

Medical use:

• Moderate–Can be used for mild to moderate pain

Addiction:

• Moderate–With frequent use most users will become physically or mentally dependent. Withdrawal will usually be fairly difficult, but in some cases can be extreme

Overdose Potential:

• Low to moderate–It would take a huge amount of hydrocodone to overdose, however most pills have acetaminophen which is toxic in high doses. Doses as high as 4 grams are generally considered safe as far as one time uses, but prolonged uses can lead to severe liver damage.

Effects:

• Pain killer, usually inflicts a feeling of warmth and well-being in the user. Usually lasts about 6 hours

—

Drug:

• Benzodiazepine (xanax, valium, bars, etc)

Medical use:

• Moderate–Can be used to treat anxiety and panic attacks. In rare cases it is prescribed for insomnia

Addiction:

• Moderate–With frequent use most users will become physically or mentally dependent. Withdrawal can range from less difficult to extreme

Overdose potential:

• Low–It is difficult to overdose on benzodiazepines alone, but combined with alcohol or opiates it can be very dangerous. Also, at high doses most people experience blackouts.

Effects:

• Removed inhibitions, usually inflicts feelings of well-being and comfort. Usually lasts about 8 hours

—

Drug:

• Ketamine (special K)

Medical Use:

• Moderate–used extensively as a general anesthetic, especially in lower income countries. Mostly used in America in veterinarian offices, though occasionally for surgery on children and rarely on adults.

Addiction:

• Low to moderate–Many users will experience addiction with extensive use of the drug, however, with some restraint most people will find it is not heavily addictive.

Overdose Potential:

• Low–It is extremely unlikely that one would overdose on this drug. It would require an exceedingly high dose, and the average person would pass out long before they succeeded. It would require a third party to dose the subject after they passed out.

Effects:

• Dissociative with sedative and psychedelic effects. Lasts approximately 1 hour, depending on method of administration.

Drug:

• Amphetamine salts, Dextroamphetamine (adderall, concerta, etc).

Medical use:

• Moderate–Can be used to treat ADD/ADHD, or to help focus.

Addiction:

• Moderate–With frequent use most users will become either physically or mentally dependent. Withdrawal is usually not extreme.

Overdose potential:

• Low to moderate: High doses of amphetamines can cause high heart rates and blood pressure, which combined with exercise can lead to heart problems in the short term.

Effects:

• Increased focus, sometimes a sense of well-being is inflicted. Usually lasts about 8 hours

—

Drug:

• Alcohol (booze, beer, liquor, etc)

Medical use:

• None.

Addiction:

• Moderate to high–With frequent use most users will become either physically or mentally dependent. Withdrawal can be extremely dangerous, and it is one of two drugs that has a potentially deadly withdrawal (the other being barbiturates).

Overdose potential:

• Moderate–it is very possible to overdose on alcohol, and relatively easy if you are an unexperienced drinker.

Effects:

• Downer, usually with sedative effects and decreased inhibitions. Usually lasts about 4 hours.

—

Drug:

• Tramadol (ultram, trammies, etc)

Medical use:

• Moderate–Mild to moderate pain killer

Addiction:

• Moderate–With frequent use most users will become either physically or mentally dependent. Withdrawal is usually not extreme.

Overdose potential:

• Moderate–The biggest risk with tramadol is taking too much and inducing a seizure. If you stay within a lower dose, you should be completely safe, but if you have a history of seizures or plan on taking a significantly higher amount than normal, I would recommend against it.

Effects:

• Pain killer, the user will usually feel a heightened sense of well–being, and will be put into an overall good mood.

3rd Category:

——————-

Drug:

• Morphine or intense opiates (heroin, oxycodone, smack, etc)

Medical use:

• Moderate–Can be used for intense pain, usually for very brief times after traumatic injury

Addiction:

• High–Addiction can be sparked with very low use, and will usually result in extreme withdrawal. Addiction will vary depending on which method of ingestion is used.

Overdose potential:

• High–It is fairly easy to overdose, especially for experienced users who take a break and whose tolerance may have dropped without their knowledge.

Effects:

• Very strong pain killer, usually inflicts intense feelings of warmth and well- being in the user. Can last anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on method of ingestion.

—

Drug:

• Cocaine (white, coke, crack, etc)

Medical use:

• Limited–some analogues like novocaine can be used as a localized anesthetic, but are fairly rare and usually single use

Addiction:

• High–Addiction can be sparked with very low use, and can result in extreme withdrawal. Addiction will vary depending on which method of ingestion is used.

Overdose potential:

• Moderate to high–Due to variance in quality, it is sometimes easy to overdose on product that is much stronger than expected, especially in high doses.

Effects:

• Removed inhibitions, extreme sense of well being. Usually lasts about 30 minutes to an hour.

—

Drug:

• Methamphetamine (speed, meth, etc)

Medical use:

• Limited–in very rare cases it can be prescribed for ADD under the name desoxyn.

Addiction:

• High–addiction can be sparked with very low use, and will usually result in extreme withdrawal. Addiction will vary depending on which method of ingestion is used.

Overdose potential:

• Low to moderate–as with all amphetamines, high heart rates plus a desire to achieve can lead to short term heart problems

Effects:

• Rush of energy and desire to accomplish things. Usually gives the user a sense of well-being and happiness. Can last anywhere from hours to days.

—

Drug:

• Datura Stramonium (jimson weed, angel’s trumpet, etc)

Medical use:

• None

Addiction:

• None

Overdose potential:

• Extremely high–it is nearly impossible to properly estimate a dose, as one seed can contain anywhere from no active chemical to enough to overdose on. Overdoses are extremely common.

Effects:

• Deliriant. Can last for days, the user will usually not realize that he or she is a part of reality. The vast majority of experiences are extremely unpleasant and hospitalizations are not uncommon.

I hope this list can be of use to some people, as drug information is usually sparse, incomplete, and unreliable. I plan to update this later on, and provide more information.

-Lotus

One thing is for sure, I’ve done a lot of drugs. I’ve done some drugs that most people probably only know about in a mythical sense, and some people probably haven’t even heard of! In this article, I’d like to share with you all my experiences with these drugs, and which ones I like, and dislike, the most. I’ll try to order them from most enjoyable to least enjoyable, but since drugs are such complicated issues, it wont be perfect.

The list:

-LSD: Goddamn I love this drug. I could write books on this particular psychedelic, and still have things to say about it. The entire experience always astounds me. My entire perception of reality, from sight to sound to touch to taste to logic and everything in between, is twisted and molded into unfamiliar but still recognizable forms. It’s the cheapest psychedelic usually, and for the price of a gram of weed, you can have a 6-10 hour journey through your own mind. No trip is complete without music, and my god I don’t know what I would do without LSD and music in my life.

-Cannabis: Following a close second is cannabis. Cannabis is incredible because it can range from a slight little mood elevator, to a full fledged psychedelic, depending on how much you take, and the method with which you take it. It’s great enough that I can use it every day, without concern of addiction, and I never tire of it. It helps with my insomnia, and the general boredom of every day life. Truly the miracle drug.

-Ketamine: Outstanding. Remarkable. Enlightening. Studies have shown Ketamine to have potential uses in treating depression, and once you’ve tried this drug that comes as no surprise. Snort a line of K, put on some headphones, and just zone the fuck out. You will wonder why you ever lived before that point.

-MDMA: Also known as ecstasy, this drug induces exactly that. I have had limited experiences with this psychoactive, but I plan on getting much more acquainted with it in the future. Everything from tactile sensations to music is enhanced, and life just seems worthwhile.

-Opiates: Sometimes I think I like opiates a little too much. These would probably be closer to the top of the list, if it weren’t for the addictive properties. They are amazing, though. I love popping some Vicodin and listening to music, going to a concert, playing music, or really doing just about anything. The one other problem I have is the motion sickness that plagues me every time I drive in a car. Oh but it’s all worth it to feel that warm glow that you only get from a nice opiate buzz.

-DMT: What a wild ride this little chemical is. I’ve done it alone, with weed, with opiates, with psychedelics, and it always seems to outdo itself. My friends and I call it a little burst of acid, and I love the occasional DMT experience. All that plus the fact that it’s a little chemistry experiment makes this drug one of my favorites.

-Nitrous: Whippits, as we call them, are a great way to pass the time. I love everything about these, and invested in a little whip cream dispenser to make things easier. Like DMT, you can apply to essentially any drug, and have a multiplied experience. It has a little minute long psychedelic experience, with ego death almost a certainty. Just as wonderful a drug as I could ask for. The only thing that puts it lower on the list is the addiction, cost, and headaches from extended use.

-DXM: This drug is my fall-back. If I can’t get a hold of any “real” psychedelics, and I’m feeling the urge to trip, it’s always nice to run up to the CVS and pick up a couple bottles of the ‘tussin. I’ve spent many a mile robo–walking around my neighborhood/parks, and it’s always fun to experience the slight visuals and strange feelings of a robo–trip.

-Adderall: This drug is alright, on occasion. The hyper-focus effect, along with the desire to “get shit done” makes this a useful drug more than a fun one. The most fun I’ve had on adderall was playing Rock Band for about 3 hours, constantly owning the expert songs. Incidentally, that was also the last time I’ve played Rock Band…

-Alcohol: This is a pretty “meh” drug for me. Some people think alcohol is just the bees knees, but I really don’t get it. It’s alright if there’s absolutely nothing else to do, but really it just isn’t that fun. I’ve never had a hangover, either, and if I did I would probably never use it. However, it does remove all social inhibitions, and it makes everything hilarious. It does have its uses. Not beer, though. Beer can suck a dick. EDIT!!! I’ve since changed my opinion on beer. I quite enjoy a fine brew, especially after a long day at work, and my refrigerator is now stocked with them pretty often.

-Psilocybe mushrooms: I’ve had a couple experiences with shrooms, but they were nothing spectacular. The experience was fairly uncomfortable both times, with fairly unspectacular visuals. I plan on trying them again, so I’ll save my final judgement till then.

-Salvia: This drug can either be the most enlightening, or the most frightening. It’s like a five minute dream state that feels like a lifetime. I’ve had good experiences, bad experiences, and just plain weird experiences. I’m usually down to do some salvia, but it’s just such an unpredictable drug, it’s getting stuck near the bottom of my list.

-Benzodiazepines: Xanax or Valiums, pick your poison. I have no real issue with them, they just bore me. It’s like fast forwarding through life, and I want to savor every second I have conscious on this planet. I suppose some of the effects are somewhat desirable; they make me feel pretty good, and music and food are generally more enjoyable, but they make me feel fairly…dumb. That plus the fast forward effect make these a very rare use for me. I’ll usually turn down the offer of benzos unless for some reason I really feel compelled.

-Cocaine: Holy shit I have discovered a new “least favorite” drug. I first tried cocaine a few days ago, and man did it suck. Let me walk you through what happened… First, I snort the coke  (obviously), which was actually the best part. It felt all cold and soft, and cleared my sinuses right out! So I chilled out for a minute, waiting for the effects to take place. About 3 minutes in, I start feeling really anxious, and since we were doing it in a bathroom, I thought I was getting a bit claustrophobic, which happens to me sometimes on drugs. So I go outside where we were hanging out, and sit on the tailgate of my friend’s truck. Immediately I start feeling really light-headed. My hearing goes really muffled and distorts, and my vision becomes “pixelated” and blurry. On top of all this, I start sweating fucking bullets (I hardly sweat at all even if I’m exercising outside in the 100˚ Texas summer). My friend notices something is up and asks me if I need to go inside. I do, and after sitting in front of a fan for 5 minutes, I feel fine. The effects of the coke were really uncharacteristic, too. I was very relaxed, and felt slowed down. All in all, something I would never do again.

Well, I think that about sums up my list. Drugs have done some amazing things for me over the years, and I wouldn’t trade anything for the experiences I’ve had (figuratively, if someone offered me a million dollars you can damn well bet you’d never see my anecdotes on this site again!). Feel free to comment on experiences you’ve had, or how much you think my experiences suck!

-Lotus

Nobody can fully prepare you for what you’re going to experience on a psychedelic, so you must keep that in mind at all times. Remember that there are risks of permanent mental issues, but they’re fairly low. If your family has a history of schizophrenia, or you believe you have latent mental issues, I would highly discourage the use of any psychoactive drugs (this includes marijuana, psychedelics, etc).

Once you’ve decided that you want to take the step into a psychedelic world, you should always know that you will come back out of it. It can be an overwhelming experience sometimes, but it won’t last more than a few hours, so try not to freak out and think it’ll never end. I’ve personally gone through every type of trip, from the confusing, to the magical, to the hilarious, to the downright terrifying (some of which I’ve documented right here on Stoner Culture). I’ve come out of every single one of them, and usually better than I went in.

Alright, so you’ve accomplished the most difficult part of any psychedelic adventure, and decided you’re going to do it and procured the necessary chemicals. What comes next is totally up to you. I prefer to have a meticulously planned trip, with activities, alternate activities, and things set up for me to avoid any type of involved thinking during the actual trip. I love playing guitar, so having an amp set up and ready to go is a must. Anything else, including recording equipment, art supplies, video games, etc, I prefer to have ready to go before I dose. Some people just like to go where the trip takes them, with no planning. Again, it’s totally up to you.

As far as dosing, it’s difficult to know how much to dose. With LSD, I’ve had single hits that were plenty to handle, and two hits that were fairly underwhelming. I usually start out with one, wait about an hour, and use my judgement as to whether I should re-dose or not. Some people prefer to take it all at once, again it’s totally personal preference.

With LSD, I usually like to take it by sticking it under my tongue for about 5 minutes, then swallowing the material. I don’t think it particularly matters, however, as I’ve swallowed them immediately and tripped just fine. With shrooms, I usually just eat them slowly, breaking them up into pill sizes, then washing them down with water. They taste kind of nutty to me, and even though I’m extremely picky when it comes to foods, I can stomach them no problem. Some people can’t stand the taste, and prefer to grind them into smoothies or some other type of drink to make them easier to go down. Mescaline is difficult, as it comes in such a wide variety of methods. If it’s a pill, just take it. If you’re extracting it, I’d recommend extracting it as much as possible, as the goo tastes absolutely terrible. As far as DXM goes (and some people would even count this in the psychedelic category), I usually prefer the drinkable kind. The pills work fine, too, but when you take a lot of them they all burst and disrupt your stomach more so than the liquid form.

With most psychs it will usually take no less than fifteen minutes, and no more than an hour to kick in. Other extenuating circumstances can drastically affect this time, however. I recently took some acid, then went mountain biking, and it took two hours to fully kick in. My hypothesis is the adrenaline slowed it down, but who knows? Just be patient, and give them a few hours before you fully blow them off as bunk.

During the actual trip, there are many activities that are appropriate, but you should keep in mind that your mind is in a fragile state, and treat it as such. I would avoid any movies or even video games that are overly violent, and probably not watch anything involving serious topics, like news stories (that doesn’t sound any fun, anyway). Any really colorful visually appealing shows should be great fun.

Music is usually indescribable. Get a nice set of headphones, or a nice set of speakers, and blast whatever music you usually enjoy. You’ll find that music is far more spiritual than usual, and it may be difficult to find something you can stick with. I usually like psychedelic rock (go figure), and some choice favorites are Jimi Hendrix, Tool, Pink Floyd, Mars Volta, Led Zeppelin, Radiohead, and the Smashing Pumpkins.

I would fully recommend having a “trip sitter,” someone who you trust, that will be able to keep an eye on your during the trip. Ideally this person will be an experienced tripper, with a fairly laid back attitude, who is excited to help you on your journey. It’s an amazing benefit to have someone to drive you around (something that is highly discouraged to do by yourself while you’re tripping), and generally help keep you grounded in reality. Especially on your first trip, I would suggest having a friend around to help you out. I have tripped alone, and it’s usually just not as fun as tripping with people.

While taking other drugs to supplement the experience, like cannabis, nitrous, MDMA, or DMT can be fun, I would suggest waiting until you are fairly experienced and comfortable with the psychedelics before attempting this.

The final suggestion you should take into consideration is tripping in a comfortable environment. Keep in mind that while tripping in an outdoor setting can be really fun, you’re also usually miles away from a safe place. You don’t want to have a freak out and then require a 45 minute transport to a safe area (as I once did, and wrote about on this site). As far as tripping in public areas (like concerts or movies) I would recommend against it at first, but only you will know whether or not you’re ready. Once you’re tripping you’ll be able to tell whether or not you’re a social butterfly, or you’re like me and you’d rather just sit in a fairly isolated area and jam to your favorite tunes.

Psychedelics are probably my favorite drugs, even if I don’t use them more than a fraction as much as other drugs. They’re absolutely the most intriguing activities I’ve ever been a part of, and they never cease to amaze me. Use them with discretion, don’t overdo it, and you’ll be just fine. If you have a good mindset, and a good place to trip, you should have an incredible experience that you wont soon forget.

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For years people have used psychedelic drugs to get in touch with their spiritual side, even to try to meet God. This has become less prevalent in our modern world as people have become less religious, less spiritual and more inclined to get ‘fucked up.’ Unfortunately for these people, strong psychedelics can carry them into places they never thought existed, and they can meet God even if they weren’t intending to, or ready for it. This is the story of how I spiritually met God, died, learned the meaning of life and achieved nirvana, all while putting me and my friends’ lives in real mortal danger.

It was a perfectly planned day. Our plan was to travel to the lake, trip there during the sunset, travel back to my friend’s apartment, and complete our trips there. We had one person staying sober, two only smoking weed, and two acid-trippers. At sometime around 3 pm, my friend, who we’ll call Steve, and I dropped our 3 hits and 2 1/2 hits, respectively. I usually take my hits with a decent time between each, to allow for a slower come up. This time, however, I took all 2.5 at once (to avoid missing out on anything at the lake), and the come up was very anxious for me.

We started on the 45 minute journey out to the lake at about 30 minutes into the trip. Tom was driving, with me in the passenger seat, as I had the directions. Unfortunately, I had left the directions at the apartment, a folly we didn’t realize till about 15 minutes into the drive. Fortunately, I pretty much remembered the way, and after a short drive in the wrong direction, we were back on track. Since things were going so well, we decided to stop by an HEB (Texas grocery store), to grab a few drinks along the way. This turned out to be huge mistake number one.

It was a Friday afternoon, so naturally the store was packed with rich lake house owners buying their food for the week. This meant a place packed with middle aged parents and young children, or to the acid-tripper, nearly the last person you want to see. I was walking with Tom, trying to find some snacks when I spotted the epitome of comedy, a package of Rainbow Goldfish. I burst out laughing at the snack–food, all while housewives and their preschoolers looked on, confused. Tom was embarrassed and nervous so I offered to go out to the car. Disregarding any sense of courtesy in walking through a busy store, I made a bee–line for the exit.

I met up with my fellow tripper, Steve, and we both went out to my car, talking about how frightening and stressful it was inside the HEB. We hopped back in the car and headed off toward the lake. This wound up being huge mistake number two. We got to the lake just fine, and found a nice, secluded spot by a small drop off into the water. It was the most beautiful place in the world.

There was a big oak tree on the edge of the small drop into the water, with a bench under the shade. The water was a deep shade of blue, and the leaves on the tree and grass around the area was green and flourishing. It was the type of place people paid millions of dollars to live on, just on the other side. I had packed a guitar, colored pencils, paper, and my computer to keep me entertained but I soon realized I would need nothing but the sheer beauty of nature to occupy my mind.

We walked around for a while, enjoying the park, and all was well. Tom and Joe, who were the weed smokers, went off to smoke their couple joints, while the rest of us sat around joking about Africa, the awesomeness of the park and other such matters. When they got back, huge mistake number three was made. Tom suggested we go on a hike up the hill. It may seem clichéd, but this was probably the worst mistake of my life.

Upon the hike up the hill we encountered such fun things as:

• a guy shooting a BB gun
• an empty heroin bottle
• a barbed wire fence

Now, these alone may have been tolerable, but put together it was too much for my poor tripping brain to handle. On top of my already spinning head, we walked back to the car to see a black Crown Victoria with black police rims and a spotlight, parked right behind my car.

Steve went to retrieve the guitar and other tripping toys, while my sober friend, Nick, and I, got into the car. This was a poor decision on Nick’s part as all he heard for the next 15 minutes was “Is it legal to be here?” This crippling thought loop was halted by Nick’s happy go lucky attitude that rubbed off on me a bit, only to return in full force a few seconds later. I said that horrible sentence, with some slight variations, so many times, in fact, that my friends were compelled to make a note to me (which turned out to be a hilarious video on Nick’s camera) that said, “Dear [Lotus], it is legal to be here. It is public. -Tom, the note PS-No, really, it’s legal to be in a public park.” Yes, the note’s name was Tom. The seriousness with which I approached that note, however, showed that to me it was no joke. For the next few minutes everyone had grown very tired of my conversation, so they sat me down in front of the water.

Note in hand, I created quite an interesting reality for myself. As any tripper undoubtedly knows, visuals and states of mind are nearly impossible to describe. I will try the best I can. Looking at the sunset, all the colors were inverted. The sun was a beautiful shade of deep purple, the clouds were a heavenly gray, the sky was going through all colors of the rainbow at any given time, and the water was metallic looking and made up completely of patterns. I could hear my friends talking, as they were only a few feet away, and imagined them conversing with a police officer. After 10 minutes of them arguing with the cop I decided I should put an end to it and get everyone to leave.

“Come on guys let’s just go!” I shouted, walking to the car. I opened the passenger door and hopped inside. This was the final huge mistake of the night. Nick, as the sober person, hopped into the driver’s seat and everyone else started packing things into the trunk. He tried to talk me down from the acid but by this point I had gone way too far.

We took off down the road out of the park, and were cruising along quite nicely, when I started trying to grab at the steering wheel. Nick, realizing what I was trying to do, quickly swatted my hand away. After a few times of this I noticed my radar detector. The lettering on it looked completely alien to me, and it scared me. My reaction to this, of course, was to grab the thing and slam it into the side of my car. My next idea was to stop the car, so I could get away from everything.

I reached over, at about 45 mph, mind you, and slammed the car into park. Fortunately, my car has the handy feature that puts it into neutral instead of park when it knows you’re moving, so my brand new transmission that I had just installed was not destroyed. After we had come to a stop, I got out of the car and collapsed into the ditch on the side of the road.

I was put back in the car in the middle of the back seat, between Tom and Joe, where I was to spend the rest of the drive home. As soon as I was in the back seat I could feel death coming near. Then God began talking to me. It wasn’t so much that I was hearing a voice in my head, it was more of just an understanding that I was speaking with the creator of the universe, and I knew what it wanted to say. If I could describe God visually, I would say he is an infinite pattern of everything in the known and unknown universe.

It started slow, with a rising feeling of anxiety, desperation and despair. I knew that if I didn’t find out what life meant, I wouldn’t be able to stop the cycle. At first I tried going against it; naming things I was familiar with and that made me happy. This worked terribly, however, and accomplished nothing. During these cycles I knew that this feeling is what it’s like to die. My mind was racing, trying to figure out what the trip wanted me to do and I finally realized it wanted me to accept death.

I worked very hard for two or three cycles, finally realizing my fate. Unfortunately, just when I thought the cycles were done, a new one started. I was desperate, each cycle lasted the same amount of time, and I couldn’t stand to go through any more. I started trying to say things to make it stop the cycles. This didn’t appease God, however, and it just made the cycles stronger.

Finally, I realized what it had wanted me to all along. Regardless of any previously conceived notion of Christianity, I now knew that when I died I would revert back to birth, completely forgetting everything I knew now, and I would just repeat the process all over again. With this realization, all my mental anxiety disappeared, and I truly accepted death.

I looked forward out of the car’s windshield, and saw in front of me a curve in the road, with a cliff at the end. I watched Nick accelerate to 100 miles per hour, with no intention of slowing for the curve. As the car left the ground my vision went completely white and I remember very little after this.

In Tom’s apartment, I sat for awhile completely silent, asking randomly for my hat and hoodie, presumably to see if they were left behind or not. After the trip, I was in a sort of daze for the rest of the night. I spent a couple hours with Tom, making a trip to McDonald’s and talking to him for a while, but my thoughts were completely on the trip. As a matter of fact, for at least a few weeks after I was very…strange. For example, I completely lost my temper and screamed at Tom later on for not wanting to pick up a pizza.

What did I learn from this experience? I wish I could say I learned not to trip at the lake, but two months later I was tripping at a different lake (successfully). I wish I could give some advice to future trippers to avoid this experience, but all in all I’m glad it happened. It was the most intense experience of my life, and I know that I’ll never forget it. I wish it could have happened in the safety of someone’s house, but it couldn’t have. What started it was the unfamiliar, frightening setting of the lake.

I suppose the best advice I could possibly give to a tripper is, accept what is happening (though that itself may be impossible when you don’t even know what is happening) and you’ll probably be a better psychonaut for it in the end.

Happy tripping,

Lotus

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