Psychedelics are a great tool for communicating with alternate realities and getting to understand ourselves a little better, however they are no quick fix and can often leave you with more questions than answers.
Before I go any further I would just like to say that there are many different types of psychedelics, which have different effects and cautions that should be taken when using them- do your research before using any substance, even if it is not a psychedelic. There are many benefits of psychedelics, but there are also many dangers- in this article I would like to cover this from both perspectives.
Dissolution Of Conditioning
When you take psychedelics it often takes you out of the conditioned mind, giving you a view that is clear from your previous experience. Our conscious mind is the result of everything we experience in the world and no matter how hard we try to stay away from media, bad influences and experience, we can’t completely avoid these things. It can be a beautiful thing to see things as they are for the first time, and this is the effect psychedelics often have.
The danger of this is it can leave you feeling as if you have lived a lie. Depending on the level of conditioning or how closely related the conditioning is to our day to day lives, we can often be left with a choice to (a) live in denial or (b) change drastically, both can be hard and when we resist what is meant to be it can cause a massive disbalance READ MORE ABOUT THIS IN THE DARK SIDE OF SPIRITUALITY HERE
Entering Of Alternate Worlds
There are many beliefs on what these worlds actually are- ranging from a projection of our consciousness, to a completely different dimension. Whatever it actually is- is up to you to decide, however, it is an altered state from what most are used to living in. A good metaphor would be the CEO of disneyland dressing up as goofy for a week to understand what his employees experience. Sometimes you need to see things from a different angle, and some angles can only be reached in altered states of consciousness.
The danger of this is it can leave you questioning your sanity, in fact when taking psychedelic you often lose your sanity completely- this can last just for the experience, but often we continue to feel a certain level of psychosis after (even permanently), the argument here is what is insanity? There is a fine line between finding the answers and losing your mind, so be careful which side you end up on.
A Sense Of Clarity (Not Always A Good Thing)
You can often become very clear on what it is you want out of life, almost like it just jumps out and tells you. This is amazing as when you know why you are here it is a lot easier to live in accordance with your higher self.
The danger of this is sometimes we get it wrong or sometimes we don’t think through the steps needed to get to the thing we are clear about. It is hard when you are 100% sure you need to sell everything and pursue a career in music, but if you cannot sing, it is gonna be a tough ride! Truth is sometimes our ego plays tricks on us and we think we know what is best, it is only through time that we often realise we have been fooling ourselves. The other part of this is you may be clear about what you want, but not have the resources to get there- sell your house, buy some land in the jungle and run out of money before you can build anything.
You Become A Vessel
You can become very empty on psychedelics, meaning you are not thinking in words or planning or doing anything, but accessing something that words cannot describe. This leaves you very open to new ideas and allows you to become receptive to a cause, mission and/or idea. If you pick up the right things this can leave you inline to create some real magic in your world.
The danger of this is you can pick up negative and dangerous ideas if you do not protect yourself or you are working with people who do not have your best interests at heart. You could call these entities or a curse, word it however you feel comfortable, but the reality is- it is no fun to be on the dark side of something you do not understand or want in your life.
Final Words
You can often be in search for something and think that a substance will provide that answer, the problem is some questions have no answer and search as you will, you will never find them. Psychedelics generally are not physically addictive, however you can become addicted to the experience. Integration can take months, or even years for some of the master plants. This can lead to a chase- meaning you take them one month and as soon as you feel unbalanced in some way you take another dose to top it up. This can leave you in a completely different dimension, not knowing what is real or not.
Psychedelics are a tool and like all other tools, not everyone needs them in their toolbox. A hammer is great if you need to bang a nail into the wall, but in the hands of someone dangerous, it becomes a weapon, in the hands of someone naive it becomes a liability. Before you enter the rabbit hole know what it is that you are venturing down, always respect the medicine and ask for permission for its use. Good luck on your adventure!
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I am Luke Miller the author of this article, and creator of Potential For Change. I like to blend psychology and spirituality to help you create more happiness in your life.Grab a copy of my free 33 Page Illustrated eBook- Psychology Meets Spirituality- Secrets To A Supercharged Life You Control Here