Psychedelic experiences are incredibly difficult to describe partly because they are, by their nature, subjective and partly because they don't seem to conform to the "rules" of sober reality. I have seen the uninitiated speak on this subject and they are often under the false impression that a psychedelic experience like being very stoned with hallucinations and this is an unfortunate and damaging misconception. That misconception can lead people into trips that they are not fully prepared for. For the sake of educating those who have never tried this strange class of drug and for the entertainment of those that have, I will make an effort to describe what a psychedelic journey is really like.
You don't feel high at all in a strange sort of way. I would describe effect of the drugs as a profound shift in consciousness rather than a high. You don't, exactly, feel like you have changed but, rather, you feel that the way you perceive the world around you is different. This is a subtle distinction but an important one. It adds greatly to the gravity of your trip because you can't easily dismiss the thoughts and feelings that you had if they were not ,simply, the product of a high. They were, instead, as organic and natural as anything in your sober mind. The only difference is that these trip thoughts were born out of an alien type of thinking.
Next to the shift in consciousness, the hallucinations are almost an afterthought. When the entire way that you think changes there is little desire (or need, really) to question what you are seeing because everything feels natural. You know, somewhere in your mind, that these things are not real but also, in a sense, that they are. You know that they do not exist in a psychical form but you also understand that they are visual manifestations of your thought. Their lack of solidity makes them no less significant. You begin to feel like a veil has been lifted from your eyes and that you are seeing everything, your thoughts, your feelings, the world, all of reality as it should be. For a time, you could believe that the psychedelic reality is the "real" reality that hides behind the limitations of your unaltered perception.
Psychedelics are extremely intense. This may be the hardest message to get across because there is nothing I can compare them to. I suppose the closest example I can give is being in a car accident or in a fight but without the negativity. It may better to put it like this, they are so intense that, for a time, it becomes impossible to reflect on your situation. You, instead, are living entirely in the moment and few things can be as exhilarating (or potentially disturbing if you are not ready for this). You find yourself feeling freer than you ever thought was possible. There is a danger here, though. If one fights the intensity and tries to resist, he or she will be crushed by its weight. The freedom becomes a prison and the joy turns to terror. When you take a psychedelic drug you must choose to either submit to its power or be forced into submission. This is the thing one must be most prepared for before taking a trip or he or she may end up learning a hard lesson.
Despite all of their strangeness, psychedelics are always, somehow, familiar. It can be described like visiting a childhood home which was almost forgotten but instantly recognizable. When you trip, you get the sense that you have come to a place that you have been before and where you can expect a warm welcome. It is a beautiful and welcoming feeling that is like nothing else in the real world. I am not religious but I can understand why many people perceive a spiritual element in this aspect of psychedelic use. For them, it is as they are returning to the origin of their soul and are welcomed by familiar entities, if only, for a moment. No matter how you look at it, this is a very powerful feeling.
You must forget the concept of a bad trip. The difference between a good trip and a bad trip is your perception of the trip. You must be open to the experience because all trips have something to teach. One may say something like this: "My trip was bad because I spent an hour weeping." I would respond by telling them that, perhaps, they were upset by a recent event but hadn't realized it until the knowledge was drawn out of their unconscious mind by the psychedelic drug. In this sense, a "bad" trip can force one to learn something about oneself. You, then, can say that these bad trips are, in their own way, good.
The experience doesn't end with the trip. There is often a wonderful afterglow when you awaken the next day but the effect that I am alluding to is far more profound and infinitely more valuable than a pleasant morning. Though your consciousness has returned to normal, you have not forgotten that it can change. You know that you have the ability to think differently about things and, with a little practice, you can now summon that other kind of thought. You, forever, gain the ability to view things from two angles and this is an incredibly valuable skill to have in your life.
There is much more that could be said but I think this will serve as a passable introduction to the subject. If you are considering using psychedelics for the first time, keep this stuff in mind when you go in to the trip. It can be very rewarding but you must be prepared. If you are experienced, I am curious to know what you thought of this post and I would like to know how you would describe tripping yourself.
Peace.
All the images in this post are sourced from the free image website unsplash.com.
