Welcome to my contribution to what seems to be a new genre of blogging – people sharing their experiences with psychedelic substances. It’s been a long time since I did anything like this, but the resurgence of scientific interest in psychedelics along with the many positive tales of other’s journeys proved too tempting.
Beyond plain recreation, I felt ready for the needle of my life to be jolted from its well-worn grooves.

What follows started as notes to myself and morphed into something I hope may benefit those contemplating their own voyage.

17th July 2020, Friday. Overcast with a few sunny breakouts. Cold, 17c outside.
3 capsules of dried Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms (~1.5g), at home with family interstate.

Went to early morning boot-camp. Upon returning, had a protein shake and went out for early breakfast even though not particularly hungry – I don’t cope well without food and didn’t want to deal with it later. Had half a bowl of porridge and coffee, all the while feeling a secret thrill of what I was hoping to encounter while the rest of the world went through their ordinary day.
Read a book as usual but didn’t feel like continuing with my current ‘cafe’ reading of Peter Frankopan’s “The Silk Roads” since it was currently focussed on the (nascent) CIA and (continuing) British interference in Iran in the 1950s and was not setting the appropriate atmosphere, and I had read enough psychedelic-related material for the moment to take up yet another Medium article. So I went on with Felipe Fernández-Armesto’s “Out of Our Minds“, which ended up being perfect as it delved into the earliest pre-history of humanity’s development of art and expression and the formation of a non-material view of the world and a belief in the existence of spirits existing in all natural things.

Did a few remaining jobs to create what I hoped would be the perfect atmosphere and then sat out the back of the house nursing an orange juice mixed with a Berocca for extra pep, before giving in to temptation and pouring two shots of gin with tonic to relax me further although I was feeling eager to commence and full of confidence that I was in the best state for a positive experience.

At exactly 10.01am I texted my wife to say I wouldn’t be answering the phone for the rest of the day.

As I sipped my drinks, I wrote down some final intentions to fully solidify the thoughts that had been swirling around the past week. Primarily I sought to improve my ways of interacting with others, not just at a human, emotional level, but also at a practical level – I frequently struggle to find the right words and easily lose my train of thought. Not sure if due to a lack of confidence in what I have to say or some physical reason. While a small thing, I feel this is a barrier to improving many other aspects of my life and relationships.  Whether others really notice I don’t know, but I do, and that is enough.

I re-read my thoughts and fixed them in my mind and at about 10.15am down went the capsules and I leaned back, closed my eyes and focussed on my breathing.

The nervous anticipation of an experience like this, loosened up with an early morning gin, makes one hypersensitive to any shift in perception from external stimuli as well as awareness of inner processes, particularly one’s sense of time.

However after about 20 minutes of sitting with occasional meanderings into the house, no further changes were experienced. My touch-stone is our Gloria Petyarre painting of ‘Bush Medicine Leaves”. This work is monochromatic and features fine brushwork and already gives a sense of dynamism and growth. I figured once those leaves started to move, something was happening.

Nothing moved.

While it had been well over an hour since I had eaten it was quite a milky meal and I decided to assist absorption by going for a walk and getting the blood flowing. A brisk walk around a couple of blocks and through the skate park seemed safe, even if it came on during that time.

Donning headphones I strode off.

There was a lightness in my step, and despite little change in perception I still felt a welling excitement and positive mood. Perhaps I drew upon the familiarity of roaming the streets in an altered state as I was wont to do in my old home town of Hobart, Tasmania all those years ago.

As always, the walk was enjoyable for its own sake, and I texted my wife that I was not really feeling anything except a general light mood.

I returned home at about 11.30 with still little change in feeling and vaguely contemplated having more if nothing happened in another 15 minutes or so.
At 11.40 it hit me – over an hour since consumption, and at 11.42 I texted my wife: “Ok, it’s coming now. Time and space telescoping into infinity“.

And it didn’t begin to collapse again for the next 3 hours …

I’m not skilled enough as a writer to construct a story arc, and frankly, to attempt such a task would be to retrospectively structure the experience and deny its unpredictability. For me, the music is my most enduring memory and the anchor and trigger for everything else and thus will form my narrative:

Kaya Project – “Ambient Mixes 2“

I had this playing in the lounge since 10am as something to kick-start the atmosphere. When things hit me I lay on the couch and caught the last 6 minutes or so of “Arizona Morning Cocoon (Ambient Mix)”, and couldn’t ask for a better start, with spacious guitar invoking the desert landscape and some arpeggiated electronics giving it movement. The fact that our kitten came and lay stretched on my chest with her head near mine was blissful.

When it finished, I rewound it a few minutes as I really had no idea what to do next. Things had happened so quickly that I had little chance to adjust to my new situation. I think I simply patted the cat for a time which gave me great comfort but once silence descended I felt the alienation of being in a familiar setting that was now totally unrecognisable. I tried to avoid looking at anything too closely, not wanting to have thoughts or memories triggered from the external world.

Everything was glowing, moving and rippling in some manner and as the overcast sky drifted across, the light in the room continuously dimmed and intensified as if caught by a roving searchlight, even through the closed blinds. The silence was oppressive, although if I were in the bush or near the ocean I’m sure it would have been most agreeable and in itself provide a soundtrack to guide my otherwise muddled thoughts. Instead there was the gentle rush of the air conditioner and occasional sounds of activity from our thankfully quiet street.

A trip to the bathroom was easy enough as I didn’t feel particular difficulty walking around, once again moving through the house with eyes somewhat unfocussed to prevent reminders of what was rapidly becoming a former life. Passing the Gloria painting removed any doubt to my current state, with the organic forms lengthening and sprouting new leaves; pulsing with life trying to escape the confines of the canvas. Having relieved myself (disappointingly not with a sparkling cascade of diamonds!), I was prepared to move on.

Shpongle – “Are You Shpongled?“

It was already on my playlist, but having read an excerpt the other day with Simon Posford (Shpongle) (https://maps.org/news/media/2707-shpongles-simon-posford-speaks-out-about-psychedelics-music) I was even more keen to listen to “Shpongle Falls” from the Remastered 24-bit release. This track builds and builds so the tension and anticipation was palpable. Played loud in surround with the sub-woofer adding physicality was beyond anything I had hoped for. At numerous points I simply had to laugh and shake my head in disbelief that a mere human could compose a masterpiece so perfectly aligned to my current state of mind. When Raja Ram’s flute kicked in, I simply had to reset my wonder and recommence from a new high. This was such an assault on the senses that I had no thoughts outside the music, simply transfixed by every sound having its own place and life in a three dimensional stage with me at the centre.

All I could note were the relationships between the sounds and the inner, visual world unfolding behind my closed eyes. I was curious to realise that the relationship between them was tangential – there was no obvious pulsing of colour with the beat for example, yet while visually things unfurled slowly and organically it remained synced with the moods and changes in the music at a higher level than individual sounds. As the track wound down I almost felt out of breath, whether simply from the ecstatic release I now felt or simply because I had forgotten to breathe I wasn’t sure. I had been making a conscious effort to breathe deeply and focus on the movements of my chest between these moments of extreme absorption in the music and I’m certain this eased my journey over the next few hours.

I hadn’t prepared a specific playlist for the journey, but I did have a printout of a number of albums and tracks that I wanted to hear which I had been building up since 19th of May 2019 (as I just discovered while looking at my digital list in Evernote. I have Michael Pollan’s book ‘How to Change your Mind‘ to thank for rekindling my interest in psychedelics, which I’m sure I had finished reading not more than a month before that date).

Nevertheless, I still had to struggle with navigating my phone to control the music and while I managed that OK with long practise and familiarity, it was a distraction to have to keep ducking back into the real world, and the constant switching I feel did mar the experience.

ISHQ – “Fluid Earth“

Perhaps in recognition of that, I next played “ISHQ – Fluid Earth“, which at 20 minutes long, was enough to hopefully give me the space to fully immerse myself in the experience. It was also very high on my list to hear in an altered state as it has an atmosphere that frankly I can’t identify anywhere else. While starting with running water and crickets, this is no New Age snooze-fest. When the lead synth materialises, it is quickly apparent you are not on the Earth you are familiar with. Instead you are perhaps a denizen of the forest floor, tracking through giant mushrooms, ever alert to dangers overhead. The shapes in my mind readily adapted to the atmosphere, reminiscent of coral, brightly pulsing and reaching out with the irrepressible will to survive and grow. While there was beauty, there was danger – not all were benign. As a deep, droning square wave joined the gently pulsing bass tones, the shapes took a darker shade and sprouted tentacles that wavered, curled and grasped, while anemone-like creatures turned themselves inside out and ejected further creatures in a blighted parody of birth. While I had intentions to journey inwards, and into the past to confront anything still unresolved, this was going too far back and I briefly half-opened my eyes and once again focussed on my breathing and gently returned to my body and rediscovered my centre. Slowly the track began to lift away from the darkness and I returned to shallower depths and let it wash over me while I contemplated my next experience.

While actively listening to music and giving myself in to its ability to take me to another place is a major reason for embarking on an experience such as this, I had serious intentions for spiritual healing and enlightenment, and frequently found myself in conflict with simply wanting to enjoy the music versus focus on my thoughts and any revelations the medicine may reveal. Thus I oscillated between passive attention to the sounds and the imagery and letting it unfold, and pausing and asking myself questions as to their meaning. I came into the experience hoping for some revelation that had hitherto eluded me, even though I’m very introspective and I feel I know myself well (even if I don’t always act in accordance to my best version of myself). Similarly, I had hopes that the medicine could unblock pathways or disrupt unhelpful patterns in my thinking.

I contemplated removing myself from the lounge-room and lying in bed where I already had the blinds drawn and headphones at hand in anticipation of perhaps finding the experience overwhelming and needing a less stimulating environment. However, despite the buzzing in my head, I was generally able to reach some peace in my decision to simply enjoy the journey and not pressure myself to turn it into ‘work’. There is no shame in recreation if still done responsibly and with appropriate care and preparation. Of course, the fragile nature of memory in such altered states meant that this decision was made more than once over the afternoon. What was clear is that I still wanted to go deeper at an appropriate time, and that a future journey might be made under guidance, or at least in a vastly different atmosphere to my own home surrounded by the detritus of everyday work, school and family.

Steve Roach & Vir Unis – “Body Electric“

While content to simply savour the sensations, I thought I could bridge the electronic world I had been inhabiting and bring in some more spiritual and traditional aspects that may encourage the revelations I sought. To that end I played “Steve Roach & Vir Unis – Body Electric“. Like many of Steve’s compositions from this era it incorporated tribal percussion and shamanic themes, melded with the ‘Fractal Groove Creation‘ of Vir Unis. Played at volume, I was unprepared for the hypnotic electronics that defied more commonplace 4/4 dance rhythms and instead sucked me into swirling complexities that fully utilised the three-dimensional sound stage and caught me in a trance that was then shifted light-years as a wild flute soared across the shimmering poly-rhythms and took me from the heart of the machine to unimaginably ancient wilderness where humanity still felt affinity with the sky, the earth and the spirits within all of nature. Three tracks in I felt exhausted from sheer concentration, leaning forward throughout to catch every pulse, beat, swirl, sweep, shake and scrape of ancient rocks and modern synthesisers.

I noticed throughout that I often became quite parched, particularly dry lips and mouth. This seemed to coincide with those thoughts that did penetrate the focus on the music and cause me to briefly contemplate some deeper meaning. I kept water nearby most of the time, but at some point I was able to operate the kettle and boil it for a herbal tea (Lemon, Ginger and Manuka Honey I’m pretty sure). This proved most pleasant and thankfully I didn’t scald myself! Because of the liquids I was drinking, I needed to go to the bathroom fairly frequently, and I felt a marked difference in temperature between the lounge room (with an air conditioner) and the rest of the house. While I also kept a panel heater on at the opposite end of the house, I frequently felt cold to the point of slightly shivering and I eventually grabbed a light blanket to drape over my shoulders on my wanderings back and forth. Later when I came back to Earth, this feeling went away and everything assumed a more uniform temperature. Otherwise, I felt no other ill physical effects except an occasional slight headache (I do wonder if the music was too loud at some points – it was quite difficult to tell as it simply filled the room and my system was more than able to cope without strain).

I was blessed with the constant companionship of our kitten and she spent much of the time nestled into the crook of my arm and I have no doubt whatsoever that my journey was made easier by her loving, non-judgemental presence. At a later point I was joined by our older boy cat and was able to coax them to sit together with me.

Steve Roach & Robert Rich – “SoMA“

I wished to explore tribal/shamanic aspects further so reached for an old favourite. This has been a constant companion since purchased in 1996 and it didn’t disappoint. Much greater emphasis on a bewildering array of tribal percussion accompanied by various flutes and wild animal (and human) noises, with electronics providing textures and otherworldly sounds rather than driving structure. This album transports you far away from everyday life as it is, so under the influence of psychedelics it was a truly visceral experience. The first track, “Love Magick” is always a thrill as the beautifully arranged and recorded percussive elements climax in waves, wrapped in a swathe of flutes and synth washes, only to be released in a gentle unfolding of almost meditative rhythms, soaring synths and ethereal voices, all underpinned by sensuous bass tones leading to a gentle conclusion.
“Nightshade” takes a more difficult turn, with a haunting flute crying out over a sparse landscape of drums and untamed voices. While very much of this earth, it speaks to an ancient wildness that cannot be contained in the four walls of a detached brick home in the inner suburbs of Sydney. I took the opportunity to walk to the back of the house, the flute echoing down the corridor with me, and stare into the back-yard trying to reconcile the visions of endless steppes under a blaze of stars with the view in front of me of raggedy palms encircling a sullen swimming pool beneath a suffocating grey sky.
Perhaps it was one thing to visualise fantastic alien landscapes in my mind, and quite another to receive a vision of something that did once exist but at best is now a shadow of its former uncivilised majesty. It was an uncomfortable moment of loss and disorientation quite separate from any contemplation of my own life.
“Going Inland” took a brighter turn, evoking the nervous anticipation of travel and discovery in distant lands, once again the gentle washes of synths and voices seeming to spread over the landscape like an aurora. I was sitting back down and content to be swept up again by these waves of sound, although I was becoming aware that my closed eye visions were now less prominent. This led into my favourite track, “Silk Ridge“, with Robert Rich’s trademark floating choral-like sounds now forming the centrepiece of a beatless journey into mythical worlds and thus the perfect companion to my own pilgrimage. So deeply does this take you that care needs to be taken to return gently to the surface.

One thing I wish I could have changed about the experience was being able to make the room, or indeed the whole house, darker. While all the blinds were drawn in the lounge, there was still a tremendous amount of light and everything was perfectly visible. I had cleared the house as much as possible of clutter but there remained a lot of distraction, and even closing my eyes didn’t give me the true blackness I desired to form the canvas for my visions. I had some eye-shades, but they weren’t comfortable and proved more of a distraction. I had been curious about doing it during the day as every previous experience bar one had been in the evening, and I knew I would appreciate being fully alert and having the time afterwards to drift back down and even have some normality before going to bed. It also gave me the option to go out for a walk if I became afflicted with itchy feet once I felt able to face the world outside.

While I can’t truly say I had any “Aha!” moments, a number of thoughts recurred throughout on the themes of Trust and Openness. In my interactions I am never sure how much to give of myself and I’m always over-analysing what others might think about anything I reveal of a personal nature. I want to be more open but rarely truly feel that I have that level of connection with people, and so things proceed at a more superficial level. I need to have more trust, perhaps more in myself than others. I am fortunate that I have not ever had my trust abused, so I’m not coming from a negative place. It is more about taking the next step and exposing my soft, vulnerable underbelly so to speak. There is an element of lack of confidence also, whereby I hold back simply as I don’t think people are interested.

Part of the problem is none of this comes naturally – I am simply not a demonstrative person, although how much is nature and how much is nurture is difficult to decide as my upbringing was in a caring but not exactly loving atmosphere and I have no memories of real affection, just consideration.

None of these thoughts are new, and surface regularly in my introspective moments. What did come across powerfully was the true realisation of how lucky I am. No longer bound by teenage insecurities or even the various frustrations of my thirties, I now feel it in my bones. And not just regarding whatever personal and material success I may have, but my good fortune to be able to work comfortably from home during the COVID crisis without fear of my job, and that I live in a safe suburb in a safe country. Even the fact that I was able to take time off for this journey (with my wife’s knowledge) and experience it in a frankly luxurious environment is not to be understated. Sure, money is tight and work can be draining, but more than ever I feel the strength to power through and still have more of Myself to spare for my family and others. I realised then that my goal should simply be to be more “ME” – not as in doing things for myself, but to place less emphasis on externalities and not give any of my energy to events and people outside my control and keep it for those I care about.

Over the past year or more I had already slowly divesting myself of negative influences (starting with various media) and generally simplifying my life, and will redouble my efforts. I don’t 100% feel my family has come to the same realisation and this has led to conflict where I want to hold off on something or simply not do/buy it, however now I feel we can have the conversation on a higher plane with less knee-jerk reactions. I still need to worry about finances but now feel more able to share these concerns and collaborate on solutions from a position of calm rather than the more combative stance I had previously taken.
I also hope to have conversations about our family health. I have taken tremendous strides in the last 12 months, and the COVID lockdown has actually improved things and made me exercise more and drink less. Hopefully I can sustain that when (if!) I eventually return to the office and lose almost two hours a day commuting. In my mid-40s I’m probably healthier than ever, and want the others to feel the same way.

Global Communication – “76:14”

The drifting beauty of “Silk Ridge” was something I wanted more of and I reached for “Global Communication – 76:14 (Remastered)”, specifically the track “9:39” (after a false start of selecting “9:25”!). Vastly different in composition, there are no rainsticks, didgeridoos, clay drums or kalimbas here – simply pure, digital electronics with every sound meticulously crafted and rarely giving in to its early 90’s origins. “76:14” is the Rave generation’s “Dark Side of the Moon” and as familiar to me as any music you could name.
“9:39” leaves the plains of the Silk Road and instead enters an echoing, cavernous space so vast that clouds have formed. Less DSOTM and more “Journey to the Centre of the Earth”. To hear the breathy waves gliding overhead and the sonar-like echoes reverberating across the distances is to hear but half of it. It is the rumble of the sub-bass that hints at the primal energies still further below your feet and the barely constrained destructive forces at the heart of the planet.

By now it was close on 2:30pm and the colours behind my eyes had become mere suggestions of shapes and forms. The room remained absent of parallel lines and everything still pulsed gently, but now in sympathy to my mind slowly spinning on its descent home. The brief madness was over and could now be enjoyed simply as a curious reinterpretation of the familiar. The music still filled the room but no longer crowded out the ability to think and imagine beyond it.
Instead I became aware of my hunger, having not eaten anything since about 9.00. The cats were still with me, now sitting up and blinking, surely aware of a shift in the energy of the human creature in their midst. I stood up, stretched most satisfyingly, and went off in search of food and an understanding of what I had just experienced …

Practical lessons – what worked for me and what didn’t

DO: Exercise caution on who you share your plans with. For a start, unless you are in a more enlightened jurisdiction, possessing psychedelic substances is illegal, even those you might find growing in the wild. While this is slowly changing, it will be wise to not share this widely.  Also, don’t expect everyone else to share your enthusiasm and open-mindedness.  Psychedelics, particularly LSD, carry a lot of baggage with the average person due to decades of misinformation and demonisation. While you have done your research, others will simply parrot what they have heard in the mainstream media and regale you with debunked anecdotes and improbable tales of misadventure.  Don’t set yourself up for a bad experience by listening to these people or waste energy trying to convince them of the facts. Keep your eyes, ears and mind, open and the right connections will appear who can help you.

DO: Trust your source. You may already know people taking these journeys and have simply been researching and waiting for the right time to try it yourself.  Or, like me, you’ve cast your net to the universe and are just waiting for the right connection to drop in. It took me over a year to find someone who could provide what I wanted and I couldn’t be happier with the result.  A test kit is a sound investment also (search for “drug purity test kit” or similar)

DO: Set aside the time. Research the stats on whatever medicine you are taking, but keep the whole day clear for the trip itself, and then have the next day set aside to catch up on any sleep and also to continue reflecting on and integrating any lessons from the experience.  I felt a lightness in my mood the next day (along with that feeling again of knowing a great secret) and was keen to escape the house and go for a long contemplative walk, and then return home and start writing these notes.  Others recommend to take the day off beforehand as well and I heartily endorse this if you are able. This gives you time to prepare your setting for the next day, get an early night’s sleep, and finish any chores or last minute work emails that may otherwise distract you

DO: De-clutter.  A good idea normally, extra important for this experience.  Firstly, it means less things to knock or trip over.  Secondly, you are in a highly suggestible state and you may be distracted or affected in ways you don’t expect or desire. The last thing you want to see is a large bill when you go to open the fridge.  I also dusted and vacuumed, but that’s just me

DO: Stay hydrated.  I can’t comment on whether it is common to get as thirsty as I did, but no-one ever went wrong keeping water nearby

DO: Control the temperature.  It was winter when I did this and while relatively mild, I was unable to heat the whole house so it became cold and uncomfortable if I had to move.  A light blanket or something that can be removed as needed helped a lot

DO: Brush your cats (or dogs, rabbits etc) beforehand for extra softness – it will be most comforting if things become intense

DO: Try and obtain darkness.  Watching the walls change colour and undulate is a great way to know that the medicine is working but probably not what you are there for. You’ll want to close your eyes much of the time and the darker the better.  You are really looking for a blank canvas here, and also to remove the shock of opening your eyes to brightness (and reality) whenever you need to get your water or change the music. Many people recommend eyeshades, but this is really a workaround.  Ensure they are soft, comfortable and actually block out light.  Mine wasn’t any of those

DO: Set some intentions for the experience beforehand.  Something in your life you would like to improve?  A problem to solve?  Then write it down, don’t just think it.  If you are seeking help for trauma or something serious, please don’t do this alone – find an experienced guide. More and more research points to the benefits of psychedelics (and MDMA) to help even seemingly intractable trauma (PTSD being a prime example), but that is under clinical supervision

DO: Similarly, even if doing it by yourself, let trusted people know what you are doing and if you can, update them with an SMS

DO: Research from reliable sources.  Thankfully the ignorance of the past is being replaced by rational voices backed by research.  There is no shortage of articles, organisations and books.  Michael Pollan’s book restarted my investigation, which I own and have dipped into many times since.  I also have James Fadiman’s “The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide” and just re-read the sections on guides and the “voyaging” process.  Plus I have read dozens of articles and stories on Medium, as well as listened to various podcasts from Tim Ferris, Joe Rogan, Sam Harris and Peter Attia and their guests, many of whom are experienced researchers.  Throughout all of that, I don’t feel anything was inaccurate or bad advice, even the Medium articles from regular people such as myself. The key is to align the process and methodology to your own experience.  While I haven’t taken a psychedelic for almost 20 years, I still had memories to draw from with respect to gauging how I would experience them again.  I had followed advice from the sources above and had prepared the time and the space for my voyage. I also went into it with a clear mind, purposefully avoiding triggers and negative situations beforehand – don’t read the newspaper over breakfast before your trip, nothing good will come of that whatsoever.  I also know myself well, and wasn’t worried about what might be revealed to me.  For someone with no experience of mind-altering substances, find yourself someone reliable who has experience and work with them – no amount of reading can truly describe it or prepare yourself for the changes in your thinking and perception

DO: Turn off notifications on your phone and silence it or better still, lock it away. I decided a long time ago to keep my phone on silent, and while my wife is occasionally annoyed that I miss her calls, it is wonderful not being a slave to it.  However, I needed the phone to control my media player so I turned off notifications for Slack, Facebook & Messenger, Calendar and Mail. That includes the icon telling me I have unread messages etc – you don’t want to unlock your phone to change the music and see you have 5 emails from work.  I kept SMS notification simply because the only person I expect messages from is my wife.  If you receive messages from all sorts of people then turn them off also unless you want to feel compelled to respond to your mother-in-law asking what your kid wants for their birthday, whilst witnessing the creation of the universe

DO: Prepare a playlist of favourite music. I am a music and hi-fi buff so I could write forever on this, but clearly music is subjective and under the influence of psychedelics it takes on an even more powerful influence.  Nevertheless you could make a case that some aspects work better than others, even if they come from music you enjoy normally.  I already listen to a lot of music that traditionally lends itself to altered states (ambient, acid techno, dub, electronica, psychedelic trance, space music etc).  Hell, you only need to look at the covers of the various Shpongle albums to see they know exactly how people listen to their music.  However, I also listen to classical, jazz, industrial, darkwave, 80’s pop, drum and bass, rave, progressive rock and more, and amongst those are plenty of favourite albums that wouldn’t get a look in and indeed would be terrible choices.  If you pretty much only listen to Death Metal, that’s fine, but may I suggest trying something a little milder this one time. What is important is that the music creates a sacred space for you to explore and feel safe in, and while I appreciate the cathartic effect of some music genres, for a first time at least there is benefit in emphasising the positive, especially if you are looking to break negative patterns. At the least, look to more instrumental tracks, which frees your mind to form its own paths and not be unduly influenced (I can’t emphasise enough the increased suggestibility under the influence of psychedelics. The CIA experimented with LSD for its potential for mind control, not the pretty colours).  Magic mushrooms have been used by tribal peoples for millenia.  Music that evokes that history and cultural significance is not a bad place to start. Sadly there is a lot of chaff and in my opinion you won’t find the best examples in the same stores that sell crystal pendants. Honestly, give SoMA a go – you can listen to the whole thing for free on bandcamp if you want a taste.  And if you like that, their earlier collaboration, Strata, is also available

DO: Prefer longer tracks or full albums. This is personal preference, but giving something time to evolve and giving yourself time to go along with it worked well for me. Chopping and changing won’t allow you to go as deep as you may end up wishing you had.  As it was, I still felt like I should have let go on the music, and instead was too excited to hear particular favourites to truly reach the inner depths.  I might listen to “Steve Roach – Early Man” next time from beginning to end to really get that primal vibe happening

DON’T: Be a slave to your playlist.  Despite my previous point, if something is making you uncomfortable, or you are suddenly inspired to listen to something else in particular, change it

DO: Print or write out your play-list and any other notes of things to do or try during your session – one less need to look at a damn screen and is easy to annotate with thoughts and additions for future journeys. Keep pen and paper handy for thoughts, sketches, whatever.  Don’t get caught having to enter things into your phone. Perhaps the exception to that rule is if you want to make a voice recording. I didn’t do that, but I can definitely see the value in recording your thoughts and observations for later review.  The key is really to balance interacting with the outside world and paying attention to your inner world – don’t be that tourist who spends all their time behind a camera and never actually experiences anything first hand!

DO: Invest in a decent music listening experience. Clearly not everyone will have the same desire or means to do this, but small improvements can go a long way.  If nothing else, invest in decent headphones – you will appreciate them long after the medicine wears off.  If you are looking for a general purpose pair, go wireless and noise cancelling. I mostly listen to podcasts when I’m commuting so I had just stuck with the Apple earbuds, but after buying a pair of Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones, I can’t believe I ever stuffed around with wires or the frustration of having to crank up the volume to drown out everyone else’s yammering.  If you are able to sit at home listening to a stereo of some sort, just make sure you are sitting in the middle of the front speakers.  Just for the day, rearrange the couch if need be so you can get the most immersive experience.  And of course, prefer lossless audio formats over lossy.  If you are already doing this, then congratulations, you are probably at least middle-aged and know what you would be missing out on (the real purist might go for vinyl, but that is putting a lot of faith in your motor skills)!  For everyone else, it is just something to work towards. Take yourself to a decent hi-fi shop and get them to demo a stereo system coming in at around the $2,000 mark for inspiration.  Once again, it is an investment that you will continue to enjoy

DO: Find a way to incorporate Nature in your journey.  I chickened out this time around as it was cold outside and I was comfortable where I was, but from previous experience I can vouch for the power of getting amongst it, whether you are able to simply go to a park and take your shoes off and go barefoot on the grass, all the way to going for a (safe) walk in the bush (or forest for the non-Australians). If you have a garden, all the better – you will never see it the same way again. For my next voyage, I intend it to be far from suburbia

DO: Create a different space for your voyage.  I looked down upon the New Age movement and their crystal pendants in an earlier comment, but really I was only railing against its worst excesses. Light some candles, including a scented one (just one – it can get overpowering).  Smell is especially important – I recall reading that unlike the other senses, smell bypasses many of our filters and goes right to the most primitive parts of our brain. You know this to be true when you consider the flood of memories and emotions upon smelling a certain perfume or cologne, even after many years.  Take advantage of this – buy a scent you’ve never tried (or finally burn a candle a relative gave you for your birthday a decade ago).  Then only burn it again when you next want to recall this journey.  I took the opportunity to dust off my ochre-coloured Batik cloth to drape over our bland, glass coffee table (a cloth no doubt purchased from a New Age shop or market stall decades ago and kept in my cupboard for the sake of marital harmony)

DO: Prepare for the come-down.  Congratulations, you have touched something that relatively few people on the planet have, or ever will, experience!  Repeat after me the immortal line from Bladerunner: “I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe.”  Hopefully your dose was strong enough to reveal images, impressions, revelations, thoughts and feelings that will stay with you for quite some time and even make a permanent adjustment on how you view the world.  Many people now notice and take pleasure in small things, whether it be the pleasing shape of a tree or the dappled patterns of shade as the sun moves overhead. All those things that were always there but pushed aside by the cacophony of daily life concerns.  No matter how good the experience, there is a sense of relief as things slowly return to normal.  Take the opportunity to stretch, take some deep, slow breaths, and perhaps eat something light.  I had bought myself a treat in the form of a small but luxurious, dark chocolate ganache mousse. I truly believe I’d never tasted something so wonderful, and I honestly felt like I’d earned it.  Over the course of the next hour I messaged a couple of people to let them know how it went, and continued to play music (much quieter than before) while I collected my thoughts.  Over time the elation faded and was replaced by melancholy – perhaps triggered by the empty house as my family were still away, and maybe due to a drop in serotonin levels. This is not an unfamiliar feeling and I simply accepted it and let it pass while I made plans for the next day.  I had a single glass of wine with dinner while watching episode 17 of “Cowboy Bebop” (you know the one!)

DO: Get some sleep. I was content to go to bed by about 9.00pm but while I felt tired, sleep didn’t come easily and I also had a slight headache again, which I rarely get.  I took two Valerian tablets and paracetamol and was asleep soon enough

Resources

Just a couple to start with

• Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS)
• Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research