Understanding the Risks of 5-MeO-DMT

5-MeO-DMT is widely considered to be the most powerful psychedelic. This is not due to the dosages needed to reach intense altered states – technically, the most potent psychedelic in that respect is LSD, with Salvia divinorum being the most potent naturally occurring psychedelic, given that active doses of Salvinorin A are as low as…

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The State of the World as an Aspect of ‘Set and Setting’

If we want to prioritise ‘set and setting’ (our mindset and physical and social environment) when using psychedelics, then we should be aware of all the possible aspects of our minds and the world that could influence the experience. Realistically, there are innumerable aspects of set and setting, many of which we won’t be aware…

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When Should You Challenge the Insights You Have on Psychedelics?

One of the characteristics of the psychedelic mystical experience is the noetic quality: the feeling of profound insight (this is the focus of Chapter 2 in my book Altered Perspectives). This type of insight is felt to be authoritative, that is, an incontrovertible revelation. However, insights that carry an authoritative truth can occur in non-mystical…

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Why Are So Many Psychonauts Attracted to the Simulation Hypothesis?

The simulation hypothesis – the proposal that we live in a computer-generated reality – is a philosophical idea that many psychonauts embrace. While tripping, or post-trip, this hypothesis can seem a lot more likely to be true; in fact, it can appear undeniably true. On the subreddit r/SimulationTheory, psychedelic experiences are often discussed and viewed…

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Some Psychedelic Users Are Unbothered by HPPD (and Might Even Enjoy It)

Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD) is a condition – characterised by chronic visual distortions – that can be triggered by psychedelics. It is considered a rare risk of psychedelic use, although the actual incidence of it is unknown (studies are limited and offer differing incidence rates). Many psychedelic users experience post-trip visual changes, but these…

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