Exploring the unknown realm of psychedelics can be both exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. It was no different for me when I was 19 years old and wanted to try LSD. Having already experienced magic mushrooms, I had a general idea of what to expect, but I thought that LSD would be a lot more intense. And then is the question? How do you prepare for a psychedelic journey? I figured I would just read some books of some experts on the topic of LSD and psychedelics in general.
Exploring Psychedelics: Key Insights and Learnings from Two Transformative Books
The first book I read was “The Doors of Perception” by Aldous Huxley. It was fascinating to learn about the central place of mind-altering substances in the world’s major religions and the role they played in our ancestors’ lives. This book gave me a sense of comfort, knowing that using psychedelics was not just some new, weird practice but something with a long history of use for spiritual exploration.
However, I was still nervous about trying LSD, so I turned to Timothy Leary’s “The Psychedelic Experience” for more guidance. The biggest takeaway from the book was the seemingly paradoxical nature of the experience of psychedelics. On one hand, you have to let go of control and surrender yourself to the experience. On the other hand, you maintain the ability to choose your own reaction to what you see and feel during the trip.
At the beginning of the trip, it can be hard to let go of control. Our minds are used to being in control of our thoughts and feelings, and when we take a psychedelic substance, we can feel like we are losing that control. But, if you resist the experience and try to hold onto control, it can lead to a negative or uncomfortable trip.
But, even though you are surrendering control, you still have the ability to choose your own reaction to what you see and feel. You can choose to be open and receptive to the experience, or you can choose to resist and fight against it. You can choose to focus on positive thoughts and emotions, or you can choose to dwell on negative ones. Basically, it works just like when you are sober and deal with emotions. They blow up once you resist them.
That insight really helped me to alleviate some of my worries. The book also taught me that I would be safe during the trip and that the only thing that could really confuse me was my own mind playing tricks on me.
Another surprising insight from the book was that LSD is actually not as intens as mushrooms! Most people report acid trips to be predictable and stable than mushrooms. Acid provides a steady trip for around 10 – 12 hours, whereas mushrooms ‘only’ last between 4-6 hours. But the psilocybin in mushrooms comes more in waves. So one moment you are tripping mildly and the next moment a wave hits you and you start tripping way deeper. Which then subsides quickly as well.
Reading these books gave me an enormous amount of confidence that I would be okay during the trip no matter what. Armed with this knowledge, I was ready for my first LSD trip.
My Psychedelic Journey: A Transformative Trip Experience
So since LSD was actually not something to be afraid of when compared to mushrooms, my preparation eventually had not been necessary. Nevertheless, I was super happy to have done it. It gave me a lot of confidence during trips but also more broadly in daily life. It reminded me in a very strong way that your life is exactly like a trip: you must let go of control regarding what events happen in your life. But to these events, you always choose your response, get to learn from it and perhaps alter your decisions in the future.
The duration of my first trip spanned approximately 12 hours, which may initially appear extensive. However, I found myself immersed in an extraordinary and captivating odyssey, relishing every passing moment. I did not think about time for the first 7 hours!
An intriguing aspect of this experience was the sudden resurgence of childhood memories, spontaneously resurfacing from the depths of my mind. I was granted the unique opportunity to vividly re-experience these recollections, feeling them like I was actually there.
Moreover, during the trip, I found myself doing some deep soul-searching and reflecting on the not-so-great moments in my life. But here’s the cool part – I had this awesome bird’s-eye view of it all, like I was floating above my own timeline. It gave me a fresh perspective and crystal-clear clarity on what I needed to steer clear of and what steps I should take to make positive changes. And you know what? It gave me a serious boost of confidence that I had the power to make those changes happen. This psychedelic journey was an absolute game-changer, leaving an epic impact on how I see myself and the world around me.
Lessons Learned: Insights and Revelations from my Trip Preparation
In conclusion, educating yourself about psychedelics before trying them can be incredibly helpful in easing your worries and making you feel more confident. Books like “The Doors of Perception” and “The Psychedelic Experience” can be great resources to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for the trip. They certainly gave me a huge confidence boost and helped me keep my mind in control during the trip. For me these two books worked great. But there are other great resources for preparation of psychedelic journeys can be found at the info section of this website. Apart from preparation, a guide can also make a world of difference when diving into your own mind.
Remember to always approach psychedelics with respect and caution, and be sure to do your research beforehand.
