LSD: Fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, or Dumbo's feather?

[soon2bepro]

I had my first LSD experience yesterday. Before that I had once taken a very small dose which didn't produce a large effect, but this time it was different.

I took 1 and 1/4 of a regular blotter.

I experienced many things, awareness in many areas, axieties, etc. My mind felt like it was working many times as fast as usual.

But mostly I just lost most or all my inhibitions and felt like my real self. I could open myself completely to people and to myself. So I got very in touch with my feelings and desires.

I could also analyze other people's feelings with much ease, and even got most of the people I talked to to actually open themselves and think very deep about their own feelings and desires (this is mostly people who weren't on any drugs)

Now, many LSD users claim it produces an intense spiritual/intellectual experience, there are even some who say it allows you to see "another reality" in the sense that you don't filter as much information as you do during your regular life.

I expected this to be mostly rubbish, but I have to say, after trying for myself, that I think I may buy into some of what these people say. If nothing else, spiritual/intellectual experiences felt really appealing to me under LSD, so as to make me much more prone to experience deeper states than usual.

So, a little poll:



Please comment on your votes if you want, or anything else that you want to add or comment on the issue.

[madnak]

I've never done acid, but I've taken some other hallucinogens and I think they can be some of the most powerful and valuable tools in the world. At the same time, I don't think you can get much out of them by passively sitting back and enjoying the ride. You get out of it what you put into it.

[Taraz]

I think hallucinogens in general can go both ways. They change the way you think about the world, so you can definitely have some illuminating experiences and thoughts. At the same time, most of what you experience is probably nonsense even though it feels incredibly important.

Try writing down your thoughts during or right after and then revisiting them in a week or two. Sometimes you'll find that you've discovered something about yourself, but most other times it will just be ridiculousness.

[soon2bepro]

[ QUOTE ]
At the same time, most of what you experience is probably nonsense even though it feels incredibly important.

Try writing down your thoughts during or right after and then revisiting them in a week or two. Sometimes you'll find that you've discovered something about yourself, but most other times it will just be ridiculousness.

[/ QUOTE ]

You know, I felt that way sometimes during the trip... (which lasted 20.5 hs) Only to find out that mostly everything that I thought out was really deep, correct stuff.

On the other hand, I didn't have any "hallucinations", as in I didn't see or sensed anything that wasn't real... I was just much more aware of everything. Sometimes I could hear very low, almost inaudible sounds, which I wouldn't normally notice, and I imagined it was something else, until I found out what it was.

[kevin017]

from a classroom learned perspective. the perception of insight and feelings of enlightement are standard. and the insight people claim to feel while tripping always turns out to be junk afterward if any sort of objective test of it is done.

[Lestat]

Back when I did LSD, I remember saying that everyone should take acid at least once in their lives, because there is a reality, an existence, that isn't perceptible or even commprehensible to those who have never done so.

So yes, it is definitely enlightening. But now that I'm older (and wiser?), I'm not so sure about what I was experiencing back then. I thought my brain was litereally opening up to other dimensions. Now, I'm not so sure that's the case. More likely, you're just experiencing a drug induced hallucination. Hence, the term mind alterating drugs.
That was a long time ago and the intensity/memory has faded some.

[Bill Haywood]

I once wrote down a profound thought on a piece of paper. Next day I dug around until I found it. One word: "glory."

Another time on shrooms I became deeply moved by a fantasy of aliens coming to earth to persuade humans to put aside our petty but deadly quarrels. I was as amazed and enraptured as if it was the real thing. I tried to convey to a roommate my sublime experience. He looked at me, then returned to the TV.

Yea, people always babble about new perspectives being revealed, but somehow, they are comprehensible only while under the influence.

But I did learn that if my mind completely flies apart, and I'm unable to hold onto thoughts, I can just go with it and endure. I suppose that could be useful if I'm kidnapped by spies or something.

[Nielsio]

For some, it's a buzz, for others, it's a deep, rich experience. It depends on what kind of person you are and also how you treat it, mentally.


You'll like this:

The Myth of Myself

1/2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d7WlE5D1kk

2/2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQbCMBq6MpU

[RustedCorpse]

[ QUOTE ]
Back when I did LSD, I remember saying that everyone should take acid at least once in their lives, because there is a reality, an existence, that isn't perceptible or even commprehensible to those who have never done so.

So yes, it is definitely enlightening. But now that I'm older (and wiser?), I'm not so sure about what I was experiencing back then. I thought my brain was litereally opening up to other dimensions. Now, I'm not so sure that's the case. More likely, you're just experiencing a drug induced hallucination. Hence, the term mind alterating drugs.
That was a long time ago and the intensity/memory has faded some.

[/ QUOTE ]

QFT

I've done a good quanity of LSD and mushrooms. I'm glad you've noted the difference between a lite trip and "going away" I think this causes a lot of confusion, you can do LSD and not "trip".

I've read a lot of places that the all effective parts of the drug leave the brain after about 6-8 hours, yet the effects last much longer, which implies that it's triggering something already there. Which I can buy. I think it really does just alter chemical flow in your brain and allow different access.

However, if I were to subscribe to any "supernatural" or other dimensional effects, it would be something in keeping with the Fruit of the Gods philosophy. Basically it's this crazy hippie idea that space travel is impossible, so some for of plant life evolves to where it can project spores or something similar into space, seeding the universe with life. Part of this code would insure the development of psychedilic's which somehow enable intersteller communication. It's pretty insane to summarize, but the "evidence" for it is pretty insightful.

Have that with your morning bagel.

[Phil153]

Nice idea! It would probably work better if we didn't know the effects are caused by changes in the brain similar to mental illnesses.