Psilocybin mushrooms and Soul Travel

Entheogens have been part of human spiritual practice ever since the dawn of human history. They have been used as natural medicine and a tool for contacting the divine. They appear repeatedly in ancient cultures in the form of art and religion but modern society has failed to recognize their value. This happened when psychedelics where connected to an anti-social message and where made illegal. Recent studies at the University of John Hopkins discovered something that the ancients surely knew. The use of these mushrooms showed promising results for psychological healing. This happens because during the trip different areas of the brain connect with each other and 'speak to' each other in a way. Their function has been largely misunderstood because society has turned them into a trend. People seek them for wrong reasons. They use them to have a good time as 'party drugs' without understanding the blasphemy they commit. Magic mushrooms are meant to be a tool for learning to be utilized by a craftsman who has the power to weild them. Any change they produce, be it good or bad, is bound to the abillity of the person. Psychedelics allow the unconsious mind to manifest in ways it normaly cannot. In higher doses magic mushrooms can cause hallucinations that send you in other realms. When I used them, I noticed they heightened all my senses and made me feel everything more intense. The effects were similar to the lucid dream state but I was even more aware and I had a more direct contact with my spiritual self than ever. Others who used them reported talking to aliens or elves. The reason these entities are being contacted repetitively in the experience of many different people around the world is because they are archetypical aspects of the unconsious that are being contacted in the inner realm of the person who should integrate them. When I first took them, I ate 4 grams of magic mushrooms. 30 minutes had passed and I was laying on a couch in a dark room. I started seeing geometric patterns through my closed eyes and before I realize, I was drifting off into hyperspace. The labyrinth of my unconsious mind took the form of a mandala and looked similar to many buddhist paintings. The shapes were profoundly beautiful and symmetric. I tried contacting a friend of mine who lives across the world and I found that energy exchange came very natural and strong. My friend was sober at the time and he described the same feelings towards me. The altered state of consiousness allowed different information to pass through. At one point, I tried contacting my higher self and saw different faces being projected in front of me. I felt that my higher self was not one particular person but a combination of all the people I have been in previous lives, like the faces I saw. I saw a bottle of water and it looked vividly alive. I could see different alchemical symbols floating inside of the bottle. I tried sending my energy into it and saw it changing. I truly believe in the use of these mushrooms for spiritual reasons and for entering higher dimensions. I wanted to share with you my thoughts and experience because of how profoundly beautiful it has been. Let me know your own experience/thoughts.


here is a brain scan on people who used placebo and on the second Psilocybin

I can't say I'm a fan of these kinds of substances. I'm aware that some things have their place in cultural traditions, but it isn't something I've ever explored or even had any urges toward.

The entire concept of hallucinogens detracts from spiritual growth, in my own view. One of the biggest goals of many paths is to control the mind, and that is something very hard to do when under the influence. This level of self awareness and self control is also a precursor to more advanced magical workings. Of course, this is just an opinion of mine. As I mentioned before, I do know that hallucinogenic substances have had a place of importance in some traditions such as shamanism, and I do not feel comfortable judging those things without having explored them at length beforehand. I do feel confident in saying that real shamans probably have developed some level of self mastery and mental control beforehand, and use the substances as more of a tool.

I will admit that I have bias toward this subject that has originated from watching some people in spiritual communities. People often try to be evolved, super enlightened, supremely aware and powerful, when much of their experiences that supposedly provided this level of prestige were instigated by the abuse of drugs. Such people and situations often give my intuition a very negative feeling. Their so-called spiritual knowledge does not usually vibe well with me when it comes mostly from drug abuse. Such people cannot control their minds and all of the mystical experiences hinge on something that exists outside of their own realm of Self. This leads to different levels of instability where necessary grounding within the foundations of reality becomes increasingly out of their reach. Quite often, this is evident in the vibration of their words and photographs, even their actions and the way they conduct their personal lives.

Personally, I do not think these substances would have a place in my spiritual life and practices. It just goes against my personal taste. That isn't to say that I am addressing you directly with this, or really criticizing you in a personal way as we each have our own paths and choices.

To present an angle that would unravel some points of my own post, multiple minds considered to be brilliant also experimented with drugs. Take Aleister Crowley for example, or Sigmund Freud. I see that Freud (thanks again, Google) used drugs and created his psychoanalytic theory while high. This is one thing that has been a base for modern mental health studies.

Despite reading that, the entire notion still makes me almost sick to my stomach and I feel a great distaste toward it all. I prefer to take long and winding roads.

At any rate, thanks for adding your experiences. Perhaps others will join in with their thoughts on the matter.

I liked your reply a lot, Rhea. It's true that people return from intense psychedelic experiences and accept them as being the ultimate truth and in fact, it happens often. Magic mushrooms have that particular element of delusion in higher rates. Its not uncommon to experience something on mushrooms and believe it to be true, so you can later realize you were not thinking clearly. Psychedelics are chaotic by nature and a level of mental mastery is neccesary before the pursuit of any kind of spiritual experience, worthy of undertaking. Sometimes, the experience is so complicated that people need years to proccess it and actually learn something from it. Society shouldn't demonize these substances and put them in the same box with other drugs while they are the ones holding a ciggarete in one hand and a drink in the other...

It is an interesting topic. Although I would somewhat agree with Rhea Kaye here. Yet, in spite of that, I have had my own experiences which were almost like on hallucinogenic drugs, although not exactly, perhaps more grounded in reality. But what I did see is something that you yourself described. I could see geometrical patterns in the form of buildings and architectural structures erecting themselves all around me when I travelled across the city. Entirerly different structures and design than those we are used to. This was a very powerful experience before my third eye, however more the result of dangerous experimentations with the occult, mind and metaphysics at the same time as I was undergoing episodes of spiritual, mystical and psychic experiences. Well, now this might sound like a lot and might even seductively attract people towards pursuing such experiences, however these were triggered on their own and was entirerly beyond my control and could never really be reached by pursuing them as they are not bound to expectation. Dangerous experimentations is nothing that I advocate either nor was it my end goal that these things would happen as they only happened on their own. Dangerous experimentations are, afterall, dangerous and what happened to me was that I had to pay a huge price, a heavy penalty; a price I wished I had never have had to pay for, which I had been better off not having to pay in the first place and for which I had to make up for several years to come... This is not to scare people off from relatively lesser degrees of similar practices done upon a more safe foundation, however, as they can be very useful bound to a mature mind and responsible hands so to speak. Only then can it truly be safe and secure as it relies upon experience and sometimes proper instruction or simple learning about it. Study about the things which you are dealing with is also of paramount importance. This is not to limit the potential of practice, however, as by relatively lesser I mean, of course, only that what I did was unknowingly dealing with too much energy on an impulsive basis of near magickal addiction and this did not end very well so moderation is something I was lacking and should herein try to teach as very good cornerstone. I did not know what I was doing as I was self-learnt, much more so than by any other readings, and did not have a solid foundation of knowledge upon what exactly I was doing but yet instinctively followed it, albeit to my own detriment as the instincts may not have been coupled with an enligthened intuition and pure knowingness of what I was doing from proper sensitivity. It is something I have had to learn later, through my mistakes and their grave consequences. So let me not through fear, however, impose any limitations upon anyone who reads this, but give an advice of cautious consideration and responsibility in a mature mind about these practices. Still it is very useful, but not when done as haphazardly as I used to...

Apart from that, I think meditation and spiritual, metaphysical or even magickal practice serves a far greater purpose than any experimentation with hallucinogens as more reliable. Yet this is, as Rhea states, bound to control of mind and self-mastery in a certain but very vitally important respect. This is not to underestimate hallucinogens potential in say shamanic ceremonies, and similar - what could be considered as - sacred practices, however. But the long and difficult road of hard work and effort should always be pursued and then I reckon even the hallucinogens might be more properly applied, if at all, than if just using them as recreational drugs for no valid reason and just want quick results. A serious road of commitment towards spiritual growth is always to prefer in such - and all of - cases.

Thank you for the reply, Mystic. Any form of Magick calls forces and these forces pull on you from your unconscious mind. These can be different kind of elementals such as Air or Fire, to name a few. I understand what you mean by magickal addiction. Sometimes I feel like that too and it seems like the only way to stop it is to stop calling more forces.

What?

Well, S. We were going to treat you like you were trying to be nice, but now you cannot blend in.  You are now becoming an ass again.   Do you want to stay or should you be banned again?  If staying you will have to become a normal being,  but maybe that is too much to ask... There is only so much rope a person can have before they hang themselves. You are getting close. It is up to you.

Ms. Sybil........with the Sickle....!!!

What?

I am confused again

I commented a joke about the subject and related faces to the joke of drugs

sure you did.

???

Don't act confused as if you were. You're caught in the act.

I am genuinely confused
Where is this all coming from?

My profile change?

I thought this post was funny so I commented
Is jokes not allowed here?

Now I know 2 rules from users here: no jokes, no changing profile info

just hold on. I am checking on something.

I have experienced a couple of entheogens, and find them very challenging tests of endurance and strength of spirit. The last time I had rapé and sananga. A very difficult challenge... I like them for the clarity they provide when you finally come out of the trenches. The quiet in my mind is diamond level. I can focus as if I had been in meditation consistently for months. A shortcut of sorts, albeit a brutal one... [Quiet laugh.]

My mentor administers them often. She has told me medicine men and women suffer for the people they treat. Suffering in the context of going through a life-altering experience time and time again for the benefit of somebody else. My thanks be to them for their service. My mentor makes me go through the trenches. I carry my kambo scars with the pride of having earned them.

I tend not to do them often. Maybe twice a year. This year none.

Medicine plants are healers as well as teachers. They require the same openness of mind and spirit to do internal work. I endorse them, breaking me time and time again so that I can be renewed in spirit.

Personally I don't want them too often, as I believe that could be disruptive for somebody not part of a tribe. I think that is the responsibility of the medicine men or women. And customs that should stay in their origin. Lucky be us that have experienced it, for we have found clarity and heightened sense in those experiences.

While I do think general masses could benefit from the use and practice, these plants need to be curated at the right time and treated responsibly by their handlers. Ceremony has a structure to be followed. That's not something people will learn from a book or from a Youtube tutorial.

I am happy to hear other forum users have been able to benefit from entheogens, whether on their own terms or in ceremony.

Leelahel wrote:I have experienced a couple of entheogens, and find them very challenging tests of endurance and strength of spirit. The last time I had rapé and sananga. A very difficult challenge... I like them for the clarity they provide when you finally come out of the trenches. The quiet in my mind is diamond level. I can focus as if I had been in meditation consistently for months. A shortcut of sorts, albeit a brutal one... [Quiet laugh.]

My mentor administers them often. She has told me medicine men and women suffer for the people they treat. Suffering in the context of going through a life-altering experience time and time again for the benefit of somebody else. My thanks be to them for their service. My mentor makes me go through the trenches. I carry my kambo scars with the pride of having earned them.

I tend not to do them often. Maybe twice a year. This year none.

Medicine plants are healers as well as teachers. They require the same openness of mind and spirit to do internal work. I endorse them, breaking me time and time again so that I can be renewed in spirit.

Personally I don't want them too often, as I believe that could be disruptive for somebody not part of a tribe. I think that is the responsibility of the medicine men or women. And customs that should stay in their origin. Lucky be us that have experienced it, for we have found clarity and heightened sense in those experiences.

While I do think general masses could benefit from the use and practice, these plants need to be curated at the right time and treated responsibly by their handlers. Ceremony has a structure to be followed. That's not something people will learn from a book or from a Youtube tutorial.

I am happy to hear other forum users have been able to benefit from entheogens, whether on their own terms or in ceremony.

This approach is what differentiates those who seek to use these substances as tools instead of escaping reality, as most do. There is also a book by Julian Vayne which gives a proper framework for the use of psychedelics in a ceremonial framework. He gave a lecture in Oxford recently, and the lecture was banned despite the nature of the topic. The lecture was about natural ways to get "high". Among these, he also talked about flotation chambers, which I found really interesting. I personally don't use any of these sacraments anymore, not because I don't see their value but due to them not having a correct place in my practices. I find that one of the biggest powers of magick is the creation of pathways and the opening of the mind to higher levels of experience, therefore giving the ability to experience things we otherwise cannot. This type of magick, can not only open certain pathways, but even close and re-form others. The changes can also be felt physically in the brain, while these are taking place and the subtle body reflects that through the opening of unique sensations. In many ways, these sacraments can be of such a use, if one is experienced and balanced. The reason I choose not to use them at all, is that any change of such nature I can achieve much more accurately through magick and inner alchemy. These changes are also possible through meditation to a degree, and our physical brain has that capacity to re-shape the way we respond to situations and the ways in which we behave, which is something that naturally takes a lot of time and effort. The study of neuroscience is what made me more interested in this form of magick. The different parts of the brain activated during ritual are all responsible for different functions. To summarize, if one is using a number of different methods for producing such changes, they would have to consider whether these are in harmony. Consequently, my own approach towards these substances has changed.


This makes me think of several different natural tools, that can be used in the practice of magick. These, more often than not, share the common element of personal challenge and confrontation of the will, such as the ones you mentioned. Some of which I have experience with and can confirm their value are fasting, frozen silence, meditation in the dark for several hours and cold showers. Thanks for sharing your experience.

The question of entheogens came up quite early in my study of shamanism in the late 1980's and what I learned was that rhythmic drumming is used worldwide basis as a means of entering shamanic states of consciousness (SSC).  I learned that there are very few aboriginal shamans that use entheogens as a primary way of entering SSC on a regular basis. There are two exceptions I know of:

1) they may be used by some aboriginal traditions as part of a shamanic initiation, especially if the apprentice shaman needs that extra push.
2) the drummers and musicians may use entheogens to sustain the many hours needed to assist the shaman.

My own personal experience over decades of practice is that none of the four groups I practiced with used anything but drumming to enter SSC.  I agree with the statement that the shamanic journey requires control because the shaman is doing very specific and urgent work: the shaman is working on behalf of his people to delve into the otherworld to deal with the spiritual side of healing, clairvoyance, etc.  No geometric shapes required!