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ShroomSurvey
USA
1 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 08 2013 : 3:22:39 PM
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The topic of entheogens is of intermittent interest to those interested in meditation. Recently, there was a meeting on this topic:: Buddhism and Psychedelics: A Community Discussion with Kokyo Henkel and James Fadiman that discussed meditative practice among other aspects of Buddhism.
Part I: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYnheKnpmGs
Part II: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyeYH4xKoaY
Our research group at Johns Hopkins has just finished enrolling volunteers in a study of psilocybin and beginning meditators and we hope to start a study of psilocybin in long-term meditators within the next few months. Although some people report positive effects of psilocybin others do not. We are now conducting an anonymous, web-based survey [ shroomsurvey.com ] to characterize difficult or challenging experiences that people sometimes have on psilocybin mushrooms (i.e., "bad trips," whether the person later regards them negatively or positively).
If you’ve ever had such an experience, we’d greatly appreciate it if you would take our survey. Importantly, if you know of others who’ve ever had a 'bad' psilocybin experience, please send them the link and encourage them to participate. This includes people who had a difficult experience long ago.
We think the topic is important. In addition to characterizing the phenomenology of difficult experiences, we'll be probing the contribution of set and setting, personality, dose, and various other factors as well as assessing persisting negative effects attributed to psilocybin.
Survey link: www.shroomsurvey.com
http://secularbuddhism.org/2013/02/...s-your-help/ |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Feb 09 2013 : 02:16:57 AM
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I just took this. Quite comprehensive.
Man, I wouldn't wanna re-live my bad mushroom trips! Thank God those days are over. I'll take life in pyschologically digestible increments, thank you. God is more merciful than high-powered psychedelics when sought through the proper channels (meditation and yoga). |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Feb 19 2013 : 11:15:46 PM
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| Would love to take your survey but I don't ever recall having a "bad trip" on mushrooms, although I have had a few on other substances. Mushrooms were always totally benign and beautiful for me, other than perhaps the unpleasant taste, which we would diminish by eating the mushrooms in chocolate icecream. Gosh, it's been 30 years since I've had any! We used to pick them fresh in the cow pastures near the college (Florida State University), until the government started putting a chemical additive in cow feed to prevent the fungi from growing... :( |
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machart
USA
342 Posts |
Posted - Feb 19 2013 : 11:44:18 PM
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Loved the shrooms!...I'm one of the crazy people that saw god on them...helped focus me on yoga!
Treat them as a sacrament... |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2013 : 8:22:42 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by machart
Loved the shrooms!...I'm one of the crazy people that saw god on them...helped focus me on yoga!
Treat them as a sacrament...
me too. Totally!  |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2013 : 8:48:06 PM
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Better to regard them as a sacrament, than as candy (like I did  ). Native Americans have shown the proper reverence to psychedelics, but being an American kid, I approached them far too recreationally. There's a significant difference between sacred ceremony and casual amusement. Bravo to those who observe the former rather than indulge in the latter. |
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Chaz
USA
129 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2013 : 8:53:13 PM
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Towards the end of November until just recently I fell into a period of heavy psychedelic use; Mushrooms mostly, as well as LSD, MDMA, and I tried Ketamine once. I've even combined these substances; LSD + Shrooms, Shrooms + MDMA. Never had a bad trip on any of these, but I think the whole experience wasn't as beneficial as I'd hoped it would be, and I was left severely disappointed with the lack of psychological and spiritual breakthroughs I was looking for. Some people have such life changing experiences on these things, and while I had a lot of fun, the experiences weren't as profound as I had hoped, though profound nonetheless. Maybe I had too high of expectations, or maybe Yoga has been taking me far enough all on its own. I know it wasn't very healthy, especially so much in such a short period, but I'm stubborn and was curious about these things for a VERY long time.
Reflecting upon it I realized I was driven by a strong desire to break out of the normal constraints of my mind. I may have succeeded in some ways, I laughed madly, I loved fully, I danced nights away like I never thought I could, feeling my spirit express itself through my body as my mind slipped away... But I'm a little ashamed I didn't have the will power to realize my potentials without these things. Anyways it became quite clear that these things weren't as powerful as the spiritual practices outlined here, and could only take me but so far without taking me off course. I still had a lot of fun and learned a lot from it, and I've connected deeply with the ones I was able to share these experiences with, but at the end of the day I came to realize I was only tricking my mind, I was trying to avoid the hard work that needs to be done on myself and thought these things would provide a shortcut, but I only got more caught up and it threw me off very much. A week ago was my breaking point and since the ketamine experience I've quit all drugs for a while, including marijuana, and I already feel much more happier with this direction and overall much more balanced.
I'm not saying these things don't have their place and benefits in spirituality, but to expect them to help you permanently gain something you couldn't on your own, naturally, is a very big mistake and it becomes easy to get caught up. Maybe in the future I will come back to these things with more respect and a wiser attitude, but so far AYP has given me the most intense and inspiring highs yet, and I'm satisfied and happy with just that. Thought I should contribute this. 
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Edited by - Chaz on Feb 20 2013 9:29:14 PM |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2013 : 9:52:50 PM
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You're way ahead of the game, Chaz. Keep on gliding with that rhythm and scientific observation of the options in front of you. "Go the distance."
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Feb 20 2013 : 10:29:50 PM
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Dear Chaz,
I can't speak for your experience because I'm sure it's different for each of us, but - I do think it is entirely possible that the reason your recent tripping did not produce the desired "breakthroughs" could be evidence of the "work" that your yoga practice has already done, as you said, or maybe Yoga has been taking me far enough all on its own. Maybe so.
From my perspective, I had not done any psychedelics for many, many years, and then a few years ago a friend gave us some LSD for Christmas. We FINALLY had the opportunity to do it last year. We're so busy that it is actually difficult to find an entire day free for such an activity! Well, it was beautiful and sacred and wonderful, and my husband and I had a LOVELY time together. But it was quite different than my experience many years ago with the typical process of facing various issues, then the letting go and ego-death, dissolving into Oneness with God and then eventual reintegration and slight feeling of loss or sadness at having to return to the ego. This time there was none of that - nothing to die and nobody to return to. Was already One with God all along, although perhaps enjoyed that Presence a bit more intensely, but nothing dramatic or "breakthrough" like in the past (despite taking quite a high dose). It was evident that yoga had brought me to the place that I always previously sought through these substances long ago. And I agree, they can't get you there permanently. Nevertheless, it was very pleasant and I would be willing to do it again if we ever have the opportunity. Kind of like a mini-retreat. NOT that I am recommending this to anyone, of course. because drugs are bad, umkay. 
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Chaz
USA
129 Posts |
Posted - Feb 21 2013 : 12:15:30 AM
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Thank you Bodhi, I think I should point out that it was you who foreshadowed this recent phase of mine;
quote:
1) Start experimenting and enjoy the altered consciousness marijuana induces
2) Try other psychedelics and drugs/alcohol to see how far they take you
3) Excessively use these plants/chemicals/inebriants until the point of burning out--which negatively affects all aspects of personal, professional, and inner life.
4) After getting ass kicked by barrage of consequences, quit all substances, realize that higher consciousness can be achieved through much more effective and lasting means.
It wasn't until last week when I quit that I was drawn to read that and I realized that was the path I was walking down, thankfully I don't think I reached the point of burning out, but I was walking on thin ice...
Rad, I'm almost certain that's the reason why none of these things provided me with what I was looking for. Perhaps it was God's way of showing me that I have a truly priceless gem right in front of me, and I need to stop going out and chasing other things for a certain experience or breakthrough. I took high doses of mushrooms, around 7 - 10 Gs on a few occasions, my first time taking real LSD it was two high quality tabs and was about 40 mins after ingesting 3.5gs of mushrooms. If I ever experienced ego death on any of those occasions, which in my opinion I should've, it was very insignificant to me. But every experience always confirmed yoga in my eyes, the expansiveness and unity may have been felt at deeper levels, but it's always there. It definitely fired up my Bhakti to keep chasing the REAL & PERMANENT thing. I wouldn't take it back for a moment, despite the let downs it was a big growing experience for me, and I have some very memorable moments to look back on from it. I'm extremely glad in the end it all brought me to a point where I'm ready to let go of my attachment to these substances and the experiences they produce.
On the topic of bad trips however, I'm EXTREMELY grateful I never had one despite my recklessness and lack of respect in the situation. I'm also glad it didn't have to take a bad trip for me to finally let go. Psychedelics have been very gentle and kind to me, so I'm glad to put them down on somewhat of a good note. |
Edited by - Chaz on Feb 21 2013 02:26:24 AM |
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Arman
Australia
47 Posts |
Posted - Feb 21 2013 : 02:00:50 AM
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I'm very thankful for the experiences I've had with psychedelics on my journey up to this point. The exposure to other realms and potentials was the inspiration that brought me to yoga.
My first experience with psychedelics with was psilocybin mushrooms just before the age of 18. I was very prepared and had read the the Tibetan Book of the Dead translation/psychedelic-guide and was ready to engage in some kind of disciplined meditation throughout the experience, with the hopes of experiencing something special (though that it was going to be, I had no clue) However, the profound anticipation of waiting for the mushrooms to kick in eventually had me laying down and deciding to just listen to music instead, and the original plan went out the window.
I decided to give The Beatles a proper listen for the first time. :) I listened to the album Revolver.
Oh the ecstacy... an evening I will never forget...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd9HrO1b7pk
I've loved The Beatles ever since.
You can imagine my astonishment, just how dumbfounded I was when I reached the last track 'Tomorrow Never Knows' and the lyrics were from the translation of the same book I just mentioned! "Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream - It is not dying - If you may see the secret of within, it is shining." :)
Then by some further serendipity I stumbled onto a video by the Irish madman, Timothy Leary, called something like 'How to operate your brain' which in retrospect, I believe was meant to be watched under the influence of psychedelics. It was intense to say the least and threw me into a profound ego death - what felt like a complete reset of my brain. Although I was on a relatively low does, the ideas itself shattered everything I knew and it took about an hour before I realized that I am human, and there are in fact, others!
I recall standing in the middle of my room, extending my arm towards the light on my ceiling and exclaiming "This is it. I have got it." believing I finally had the secret. To be lost moments later, of course. Rats! :)
I also believe that my first psilocybin experience triggered my first rise in kundalini.
Ahh... such wonderful experiences I had. I had few other experiences with psilocybin and used primarily LSD later on. Although incredibly beautiful and filled with discovery, wonder and inner evolution, I eventually decided that substances are no longer the way. This notion was delivered to me in the form of a cosmic beatdown; a bad trip (to say the least) in a substance called ayahuasca which took a good month or two to recover from both emotionally/spiritually and chemically.
I'm so thankful that I discovered yoga. Now 'getting high' is an experience no longer reserved for the weekends. It's all every-day, all-day affair, baby!
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Edited by - Arman on Feb 21 2013 02:27:28 AM |
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Bodhi Tree
2972 Posts |
Posted - Feb 22 2013 : 01:45:50 AM
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Chaz:
Love. Unity. Strength. Wisdom. I see all these essences in you. |
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Chaz
USA
129 Posts |
Posted - Feb 24 2013 : 5:43:57 PM
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| Thank you Bodhi, I really do appreciate the support and wisdom you've offered me many times. God bless! |
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maverick angel
France
42 Posts |
Posted - Jun 21 2013 : 02:29:15 AM
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| I've taken Ayahuasca twelve times. Incredibly holy and totally complimentary to yoga. It's like plant kundalini, sraight up the spine into the pineal and out into space! If you have an awakened kundalini then Ayahuasca can do very serious work with you. |
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Meditation, entheogens, and bad trips
