Doing a threadapalooza on the why/what/how of drugs (and altered states of consciousness in general)
Pls feel free to chip in with your insights, disagreements, concerns and stories.
It's time to unshackle ourselves and do/experience things beyond our wildest imaginations. LFG!
Pls feel free to chip in with your insights, disagreements, concerns and stories.
It's time to unshackle ourselves and do/experience things beyond our wildest imaginations. LFG!
https://twitter.com/threadapalooza/status/1466049208725635075
1. First, we need to challenge the Single state fallacy — "the erroneous assumption that all worthwhile mental processes occur in our usual awake mindbody state"
Altered states allow us to access novel kinds of perceptions, emotions and cognition — new ways of using our minds
Altered states allow us to access novel kinds of perceptions, emotions and cognition — new ways of using our minds
2. The risks associated with drugs are not zero. But the perceived risk is much higher than the actual risk.
You can further minimize the risk significantly by taking a systemic approach.
You can further minimize the risk significantly by taking a systemic approach.
https://twitter.com/nowtheo/status/1433360392927936512
3. “You don’t need drugs to heal”
You don’t need an airplane to travel a thousand miles either. It’s just more convenient.
When a safe and advanced (psycho)technology becomes available, it makes sense to leverage it instead of wasting time with inefficient tools.
You don’t need an airplane to travel a thousand miles either. It’s just more convenient.
When a safe and advanced (psycho)technology becomes available, it makes sense to leverage it instead of wasting time with inefficient tools.
4. "Ehh life's alright, I don't need any radical interventions"
Sure. But just consider the possibility that your idea of "alright" may actually just be a 4/10 in reality. The ceiling for your happiness, fulfilment, self-love, etc is absurdly high
Sure. But just consider the possibility that your idea of "alright" may actually just be a 4/10 in reality. The ceiling for your happiness, fulfilment, self-love, etc is absurdly high
https://twitter.com/nickcammarata/status/1315485855172096000
5. Psychedelics are to Psychology what Crypto is to Finance. A bunch of disruptive asymmetric bets that will accelerate your journey to (spiritual) wealth, while changing the world in the process.
6. Psychedelics are incredibly powerful tools for exploring the depths of our minds and cognition.
"What the telescope was for astronomy & what the microscope was for biology, psychedelics will be for the mind." — Stan Grof
"What the telescope was for astronomy & what the microscope was for biology, psychedelics will be for the mind." — Stan Grof
7. I like to think of the psychedelic experience as a theme park, and various perspectives being different rides.
Your life will never be the same again once you have experientially tasted certain perspectives.
Your life will never be the same again once you have experientially tasted certain perspectives.
https://twitter.com/kunaaaaaal/status/1449005549182324747
8. It's not something you have to depend on or indulge in frequently. If you do it right, you only need a handful of altered state sessions to radically and permanently transform your life.
Especially with MDMA therapy. It's like years of therapy condensed into a few hours.
Especially with MDMA therapy. It's like years of therapy condensed into a few hours.
9. Our conditioning runs way way deep.
Some of the unconscious stuff is buried so deep that you won’t even get access to it without altering your consciousness. Because there are limits to the degree of emotional safety you can simulate in a normal waking state.
Some of the unconscious stuff is buried so deep that you won’t even get access to it without altering your consciousness. Because there are limits to the degree of emotional safety you can simulate in a normal waking state.
10. MDMA creates a high degree of emotional safety in our bodymind. With the right set, setting, and intention, our painful biographic content rises to the surface for processing.
11. While feeling safe, we get to re-experience those memories and allow the emotions to move through us, triggering the "release" of trauma
The conditions created by MDMA are ideal for achieving the threefold aim of any somatic modality (excerpt from The Body Keeps The Score) —
The conditions created by MDMA are ideal for achieving the threefold aim of any somatic modality (excerpt from The Body Keeps The Score) —
12. If we were to use the IFS lens, MDMA radically drives up what's called the "Self energy".
This makes it very easy for us to access our split-off parts, get them to trust us, and then unburden them.
(What could otherwise take weeks, if not months)
This makes it very easy for us to access our split-off parts, get them to trust us, and then unburden them.
(What could otherwise take weeks, if not months)
13. The below adjectives aptly describe what MDMA feels like experientially. (Excerpt from Susan McConnell's Somatic IFS book)
14. But these substances often fail to "work" for a lot of people.
If there's a lot of pain at the core, our mind comes up with the most sophisticated defense mechanisms to make sure that pain doesn't come to the surface.
One such defense mechanism is dissociation.
If there's a lot of pain at the core, our mind comes up with the most sophisticated defense mechanisms to make sure that pain doesn't come to the surface.
One such defense mechanism is dissociation.
15. If you haven't been able to derive life-changing experiences from psychedelics or MDMA, there might be some degree of dissociation counteracting the effects of these substances.
If that's the case, I'd highly recommend checking out this webinar: vimeo.com/444713206
If that's the case, I'd highly recommend checking out this webinar: vimeo.com/444713206
16. PSI has had great success cracking dissociation in individuals with the help of Cannabis!
Check the webinar for what the process looks like. I'd also recommend reading their research paper: …f-4431-98b4-2059a1a2ae2b.filesusr.com/ugd/e07c59_d4d…
Check the webinar for what the process looks like. I'd also recommend reading their research paper: …f-4431-98b4-2059a1a2ae2b.filesusr.com/ugd/e07c59_d4d…
17. Their three-tiered approach for using consciousness-altering substances also makes a lot of sense.
First-tier involves psychobiological healing to develop a healthy, functioning ego structure. Substances recommended are Cannabis, MDMA, and Ketamine.
First-tier involves psychobiological healing to develop a healthy, functioning ego structure. Substances recommended are Cannabis, MDMA, and Ketamine.
18. Once you are much less biologically compromised by trauma, your system becomes far more capable of the shifts classic psychedelics beckon.
"Whereas Tier-1 deals with the events in your life, Tier-2 deals with the identity, the ‘I’ created in response to those events."
"Whereas Tier-1 deals with the events in your life, Tier-2 deals with the identity, the ‘I’ created in response to those events."
19. Tier-3 is the realm of mystical experiences and transpersonal psychology. Very interesting, very transformative, and beyond words.
I'd love to go deeper into these experiences. But first I'd like to cover the various pitfalls and risks we face when altering our consciousness
I'd love to go deeper into these experiences. But first I'd like to cover the various pitfalls and risks we face when altering our consciousness
20. We have an innate ability to delude and deceive ourselves. And classic psychedelics are non-specific amplifiers of our mental processes.
So there's a real risk of getting caught up in bullshit, especially at higher doses.
So there's a real risk of getting caught up in bullshit, especially at higher doses.
https://twitter.com/nowtheo/status/1409560332524085248
21. Psychedelics can also make you hyper suggestible. That's why they are potentially powerful tools for propaganda, brainwashing, and emotional manipulation.
Please be very vigilant about the kind of ideas and people you expose yourself to when altering your consciousness.
Please be very vigilant about the kind of ideas and people you expose yourself to when altering your consciousness.
22. In general, drugs will make you more vulnerable in every sense. So it's wise to explicitly define your physical, verbal, and emotional boundaries before going into the experience.
Your safety comes first.
Your safety comes first.
23. Speaking of safety, it's extremely important to validate the dosage and purity of whatever you're putting into your body.
Please do not ingest anything unless you have explicit and reliable information about the substance. Source from a reliable dealer. Always TEST!
Please do not ingest anything unless you have explicit and reliable information about the substance. Source from a reliable dealer. Always TEST!
24. Another risk that comes with classic psychedelics is that of spiritual bypassing. It is the tendency to use spiritual ideas to avoid facing unresolved emotional issues and psychological wounds.
So common in the psychedelic community.
So common in the psychedelic community.
25. Another problem that comes with the territory of altered states is over-exuberance and naivety. I've been guilty of this in the past.
These substances are very powerful tools, but not a panacea. Don't forget the enormous complexity of reality and our mind.
These substances are very powerful tools, but not a panacea. Don't forget the enormous complexity of reality and our mind.
26. Don't get too caught up in your head. Drugs can help you radically dismantle maladaptive beliefs. But the formation of new beliefs happens through real-life experiences.
That's why community and relationships are so important for holistic healing.
That's why community and relationships are so important for holistic healing.
27. Powerful tools will attract power-hungry people (with "good intentions"). A lot of people want to be the bearers of transformation in society.
We'll have to be vigilant about this and also recognize the urge within ourselves.
We'll have to be vigilant about this and also recognize the urge within ourselves.
https://twitter.com/algekalipso/status/1470962334868905987
28. That's why the three-tiered approach makes so much sense.
If you first focus on unraveling your fear-based conditioning, you'd be much less likely to deceive yourself (and others).
If you first focus on unraveling your fear-based conditioning, you'd be much less likely to deceive yourself (and others).
https://twitter.com/nowtheo/status/1473634846756929536
29. Please make sure you do not have any pre-existing condition that can be aggravated or triggered by psychedelics.
(Below text from @howpsychedelics website)
(Below text from @howpsychedelics website)
@howpsychedelics 30. Understand the various variables that influence any altered state experience. The most important ones are set, setting, and dosage.
Here's a great resource that goes deep into the preparation side of things: howtousepsychedelics.com/preparation
Here's a great resource that goes deep into the preparation side of things: howtousepsychedelics.com/preparation
31. Let's talk about bad trips — different kinds of bad trips, how they usually happen, how they can be avoided, and how to deal with them.
First, the usual culprits — set & setting.
First, the usual culprits — set & setting.
32. Situation A — You're not well-rested, stressed, and in an unsafe location or a small dark room
Situation B — You're physically and mentally in a good state, and at a safe place out in nature
Extreme examples, but imagine how radically different these two experience would be
Situation B — You're physically and mentally in a good state, and at a safe place out in nature
Extreme examples, but imagine how radically different these two experience would be
33. Also, avoid directly jumping to a high dose.
"You can always take more later, but you can never take less." — Timothy Leary
Most bad trips are easily avoided through adequate and intentional preparation. But you are still likely to have difficult experiences sooner or later
"You can always take more later, but you can never take less." — Timothy Leary
Most bad trips are easily avoided through adequate and intentional preparation. But you are still likely to have difficult experiences sooner or later
34. With classic psychedelics, you can have a challenging and even potentially traumatic experience as your trauma comes to the surface for processing.
Knowing how to navigate such an experience and having a facilitator around can be very useful.
Knowing how to navigate such an experience and having a facilitator around can be very useful.
https://twitter.com/nowtheo/status/1465244934747742210
35. But I wouldn't necessarily call such an experience a "bad" trip. It can potentially be one of the most transformative events of your life.
Facing and embracing our demons is what makes true lasting changes in our lives.
Facing and embracing our demons is what makes true lasting changes in our lives.
36. With classic psychedelics, I believe it’s the occurrence of a mystical experience that results in deep healing and lasting change.
Non-mystical experiences are still great, but not adequate for healing imo. Elaboration in the below post.
Non-mystical experiences are still great, but not adequate for healing imo. Elaboration in the below post.
https://twitter.com/nowtheo/status/1491787791696637952
37. Given the risks and challenges involved, one way to approach high-dose psychedelic experiences is by working your way up over time.
I worked my way up to 500ug LSD and wrote about my experience here:
I worked my way up to 500ug LSD and wrote about my experience here:
https://twitter.com/nowtheo/status/1482435086981410816
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