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Psychedelic experience

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A psychedelic experience is characterized by the perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ordinary fetters. Psychedelic states are one of the stations on the spectrum of experiences elicited by psychedelic substances. On that same spectrum will be found hallucinations, distortions of perception, synaesthesia, altered states of awareness, mystical states, and occasionally states resembling psychosis. The word psychedelic means literally: Mind Manifesting. 


The psychedelic experience is an intimate experience, but there are many common themes, and ranges from a sense of connectedness to everything in the immediate vicinity, to a sense of oneness with everything in the universe. Potentially, the range of the drug-induced psychedelic experience goes far beyond other drugs, illicit inparticular. Simply because "trip drugs", or hallucinogenic drugs have these effects, in contrast to say heroin, and its depressant effects. 


Many who undertake such experiences come to see them as an ordeal, and mentally overbearing. For many, such experiences come to be seen as personal re-enactments of the hero's journey.. Psychedelic drugs can be used as a means to achieve states of mind in which different perceptions unhindered by everyday mental filters and processes can arise. Hallucinations and the mental, emotional and long term impact of the experience are positive, and enduring for many. 


There has been research, largely during the 1960s, suggesting that psychedelic drugs may be able to lead to breakthrough experiences during psychotherapy and or have documented pharmaceutical advantages.


The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies or MAPS is a more current organization that studies the effects of psychedelics.  They have a number of books and other scientific journals that have documented psychedelic experiences and information.



Altered states of consciousness can also be reached through other means; See meditation, yoga, sensory deprivation, spirit quests, etc.






Contents





Levels of psychedelic experience

The [Psychedelic Experience FAQ] describes five different levels of experience:



This level produces a mild "high" effect, with some visual enhancement (e.g. brighter colors). Left/right brain communication changes causing music to sound "wider," or more piercing to the ears.



Bright colors; visuals (e.g. things may move or breathe); some 2 dimensional patterns become apparent upon shutting eyes. Confused, cyclic or reminiscent thoughts. Change in short term memory leads to continual distractive thought patterns. Vast increase in creativity becomes apparent as the natural brain filter is bypassed.



Very obvious visuals, everything looking curved and/or warped, patterns, kaleidoscopes or fractal images seen on walls, landscapes, faces, etc. Closed eye hallucinations become 3 dimensional. There is some confusing of the senses (e.g. seeing sounds as colors). Time distortions and "moments of eternity". Movement at times becomes extremely difficult (too much effort required).



Strong visual effects, e.g. objects morphing into other objects. Dissolving or multiple splitting of the ego (e.g. things start talking, or feeling of contradictory things simultaneously). The loss of sense of self can bring a shift in the sense of reality, often accompanied by a sense of ineffable lucidity. Time becomes meaningless. Out-of-body experiences and ESP-type perceptions and abilities.



Total loss of visual connection with reality. The senses cease to function in the normal way. Total loss of ego. Merging with space, other objects or the universe. Reaching to the beginning or the end of space and time. The loss of reality becomes so extreme that it defies explanation. Dream or movie like states,  people have been reported seeing themselves in entirely different settings than their original setting.  Earlier levels are relatively easy to describe in terms of measurable changes in perception and thought patterns.  The only thing still reported to be working at a recongnizable level, is the mind's voice of thought.  Much is unknown about what a person actually experiences during this period, because most people actually come back explaining the experience as "unexplainable". (www.maps.org)



Psychedelic drugs





Notable mind explorers





See also



External links











 





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