Disregard Everything I Say

I am writing this article to serve as a dedicated analysis, breakdown and description regarding that of a particularly complex and previously undocumented cognitive component of the psychedelic experience which can be referred to under the title of a “state of direct communication with the subconscious”. In terms of its consistent interlocking subjective effects, the experience itself can be generally defined as that of engaging in articulate and meaningful linguistic conversations with a disembodied and separate voice of unknown origin residing within ones own head.

It is currently confirmed that it is possible to encounter this effect under the influence of any psychedelic but that it is extremely common with the stoning, non stimulating psychedelic tryptamines such as psilocybin mushrooms, 4-AcO-DMT, LSA and Ayahuasca.

The presence and existence of these voices as a legitimate state of mind has been well established with and without the use of psychedelic drugs through scientific study for many years now. For example, an excellent and extremely informative survey carried out in 1996 which can be read about here, successfully demonstrated that anybody can encounter a dialogue between the tripper and a voice of unknown origin under the influence of psilocybin mushrooms. This study interviewed 128 participants with an approximate total of 3,427 psilocybin mushroom experiences between them and revealed that 35.9%(46) of the participants reported voices whilst 64%(82) did not.

Even outside of these psychedelic experiences, hearing voices within ones head is a well documented psychological phenomena that can be read about in detail here. It can generally be considered as a harmless or sometimes even helpful state of mind to find oneself in, despite its social stigma and associations with schizophrenia. 

In a general level of detail, the overall conversational style of that which is discussed between both the voice and its host can be described as essentially identical in terms of its coherency and linguistic intelligibility as that of any other everyday interaction between the self and another human being with which one might engage in conversation with.

There are however some subtle but identifiable differences between this experience and that of normal every day conversations, each of which stem from the important factor that ones specific set of knowledge, memories and experiences are identical to that of the voice which is being communicated with. This key factor results in a conversation in which both participants share a noticeably identical personal vocabulary down to the very use of their colloquial slang and subtle mannerisms. Along side of this it’s important to note that unlike every day conversation, no matter how in depth and detailed the discussion becomes no entirely new information is ever exchanged between the two conversers. Instead the discussion focus’s primarily on building upon old ideas to an amazing extreme and exchanging profoundly insightful new opinions or perspectives regarding the previously established content of ones life. These opinions often take an approach to any situation which remains devoid of the emotional attachments, biases and irrationality’s which plague the cognitive decision making process’s of our every day consciousness.

All of this results in a separate consciousness from ones self which consistently takes on the role of what is perceived to be a spiritual teacher, healer or guide. To aid itself in this goal the voice is often capable of directly manipulating various aspects and intensities of the trip and will either clearly explain the logic behind its decisions or choose to keep it a mystery.

As a whole, the effect itself can be broken down into 4 distinct levels of progressive intensity, each of which are listed below,

1. A sensed presence of the other - this level can be defined as the distinctive feeling that another form of consciousness is internally present alongside that of ones usual sense of self.
2. Mutually generated internal responses - this level can be defined as internal linguistic responses to ones own thoughts and feelings which feel as if they are partially generated by ones own thought stream and in equal measure by that of a separate thought stream.
3. Separately generated internal responses - this level can be defined as internal linguistic responses to ones own thoughts and feelings which feel as if they are generated by an entirely separate thought stream from ones own.
4. Separately generated audible internal responses - this level can be defined as internal linguistic responses to ones own thoughts and feelings which are perceived as a clearly defined and audible voice within ones head. These can take on a variety of voices, accents and dialects but usually sound identical to ones own spoken voice.

The speaker behind this voice is innately interpreted by those who experience communication with it to be that of ones subconscious, the substance itself or even supernatural concepts such as god, spirits, souls and ancestors.

Upon directly interviewing the voice regarding its origins and general mechanics, people will often receive contradicting but extremely elaborate and complex answers, some of which are clearly delusional and commonly consist of psuedoscientific plots involving concepts such as hyper dimensional beings, aliens and the gaiain mind of our planet earth.

A famous and well known example of this within the psychedelic community would be that of Terence Mckenna, a psychedelic spokesperson who talked extensively on the subject of Psilocybin mushrooms putting him into contact with an informative, divine voice which provided him with a huge number of elaborate but not necessarily factual metaphysical theories. Along side of these unrelated theories which can be independently researched, the voice explained to him that he was in communication with planetary wide mycelial networks existing here on earth as well as other planets across the galaxy which are in a state of “hyperlight communication” between each other across space and time. This supposedly divine revelation can be read about in more detail here and is an excellent example of just how elaborate these spoken word revelations can often be.

Although I am the first to admit that I have no way of verifying these statements, my head voice personally claims to be that of “the subconscious”. A constantly present neurological entity which supposedly functions as a dedicated self organizing database of internally stored concepts, existing as the frame work behind our thought stream to create and maintain ones personal model of reality. Along side of this, the voice claims that as the primary organizer of our knowledge, it is just as familiar with our models of language and spoken word as we are and therefore equally capable of coherent speech and independent thought.

However, after analysing the claims of my subconscious I feel that although they are significantly more plausible and coherent than most of the claims received by others, I realize that if people are being taught completely contradictory theories then perhaps these voices are not truly aware of the details regarding their own neurological origins in the first place. Instead they may well be simply telling the individual exactly what they want to hear. Either way, it is impossible to verify any of these claims without some solid scientific research which looks beyond that which we already know. Until this is done, the origins of these voices will forever remain an anecdotal mystery.

Regardless of this, what has become clear to me after hours upon hours of in depth discussion with this entity is that it could be considered a self aware and independent agent in its own right, on a level that is completely on par with ones usual every day ego. This in my opinion has profound implications and clearly indicates that on a neurological level we as human beings are not capable of being alone, even inside of our own minds.

Dosage:

Threshold : 10 - 150 mg
Light : 150 - 300 mg
Common : 250 - 500 mg
Strong : 450 - 700 mg
Heavy : 650 - 1000 mg

Duration:

Onset : 60 - 120 mins
Duration : 6 - 8 hours
After effects : up to 12 hrs

DPH (Diphenhydramine) is a legal and freely available over the counter first-generation antihistamine possessing anticholinergic and sedative properties. It was one of the first known antihistamines, invented in 1943 by Dr. George Rieveschl and usually sold under the brand name of “benadryl”. This substance is available in many forms of generic or store brand medication which are mainly used to treat allergies or as a general sleep aid. When taken in “recreational” doses however, DPH becomes a notorious and extremely powerful deliriant. 

Diphenhydramine is classed as an anticholinergic which is functionally similar to tropane alkaloids found within Datura stramonium and other plants in the nightshade family. This substance works via its antagonistic action on acetylcholine receptors. It’s this inhibition of acetylcholine which leads to delirium, sedation and intensely realistic hallucinations along side of some extremely uncomfortable and dysphoric physical side effects.

DPH and other deliriant hallucinogens are generally considered as both physically and psychologically unsafe by the online psychonautic community. This is further backed up by the consistent way in which almost everybody who tries this substance immediately regrets the experience. 

Although we strongly discourage ever trying such a drug, the experience itself can be fascinating in itself and worthy of scientific documentation none the less. 

In terms of it’s subjective effects, the DPH has a dosage scale unlike anything found within psychedelics or dissociatives. It is not like other drugs in sense of dosage, as a light dose does not equal a light trip. Doses under 300mg induce more of a restless feeling, body high, and muscle relaxation. Doses typically 600mg+ are what make the user enter delirium and begin to see fully formed hallucinations.

Anything in between these two extremes is often a disappointing and uncomfortable experience, characterized with twitching and only very minor hallucinations, mostly in the peripheral vision.

The DPH experience contains a complex and wide array of effects which based on the predefined potential subjective effects index found here, I will now begin to breakdown and describe…

Physical effects:

The physical transition from reality to delirium is an extremely uncomfortable one, with the first noticeable sensation being that of having an extremely heavy body, as if the gravity has been multiplied by a thousand. This is combined with muscle cramps, nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, restless leg syndrome, extreme dehydration and a sometimes painfully irregular heart beat. Users also commonly report all encompassing and painful jolts of electricity that spontaneously manifest themselves in a similar rhythm to hiccups. Along side of this, a frequent need to urinate tends to painfully conflict with a feeling of concrete blocking your urethra.

The physical effects of DPH and other deliriants occur  when the concentration of acetylcholine in the vagus nerve decreases due to acetylcholine inhibition, leading to the commonly experienced physical dysphoria.  

The levels of dysphoria experienced however, vary between people, with a very few users reporting that they do not seem to experience them at all.

Cognitive effects:

The head space of DPH is described by many as generally negative and dysphoric throughout the trip, generally consisting of extreme paranoia and feelings of impending doom. It is largely confusing and disorienting often leading to a complete inability to communicate or understand normal language. It contains unique cognitive effects found almost exclusively in the deliriant class.

The most prominent of these effects include,

• Dysphoria (depression, paranoia, feelings of impending doom, etc)
• Delirium (inability to reason)
• Deceleration of thought
• Suppression of emotion
• Suppression of information processing
• Suppression of memory formation (amnesia)
• Time distortion

Visual effects:

Suppression, 

DPH does not enhance visual stimuli in the way that psychedelics do, instead it tends to decrease visual aptitude both increasing hallucination and degrading vision.

• Decreased visual acuity
• Suppression of pattern recognition
• Blurred vision - this effect can become lasting and take days or even weeks to eventually fade.

Distortions,

As for visual distortions and alterations, effects experienced are detailed below,

• Visual drifting (melting, breathing, warping and flowing) - In comparison to other hallucinogens this effect can be described as intricate in complexity, jittery, slow and rigid in motion,static in their permanence, realistic in believability, and interactive in plasticity. 
• After images

Hallucinations,

DPH and other deliriants are unique in that they offer solid hallucinations which display themselves seamlessly into waking consciousness, similar to fully formed dreams or delusions. In contrast, classical psychedelics and dissociatives have progressive levels of multiple all encompassing sensory effects, before reaching the level of concrete hallucination.

These can literally encompass anything but common manifestations include,

• Black phosphenes
• Spiders and various insects
• Shadow people
• "Hatman"
• Animals and pets
• Human beings, usually behaving completely normally
• Phantom cigarettes, spliffs and bowls
• Phantom water and drinks
• Floating inanimate objects that appear out of nowhere, only to disappear after your hand goes directly through the object while trying to grab hold of it.
• Every day conversations with friends, family members and fictional people that aren’t really there.

The hallucinatory states in DPH and other deliriants are more delirious and uncontrollable than that of any other commonly used hallucinogen. These states alternate between waking external hallucination and internal hallucinatory states.

The effects of such hallucinatory states include,

• Transformations - Transformations of objects within the external environment often morph into other objects, animals and people and seem to follow a persons current mindstate
• Imagery - The imagery on DPH is described as more solid than psychedelics and does not seem to be composed of condensed visual geometry as with imagery found within psychedelics and dissociatives
• Hallucinations - Hallucinatory states found within a DPH trip can be described as both external and internal in manifestation, delirious in believability, fixed and autonomous in interactivity, and seem to mainly draw off previously experienced events, people and objects, although literally anything is possible.

Auditory effects:

Deliriants in particular exhibit auditory hallucinations more consistently than any other hallucinogenic substance, with the experience considered almost universal on DPH. The most common examples of these are usually experienced as clips of recorded sound such as imagined music or voices, they can be described as spontaneous imaginary noises that are either triggered at complete random or manifested in the place of noises that are subconsciously expected to happen, especially visual hallucinations.

Physical health effects, potential addiction and tolerance:

If taken on any kind of a regular basis, DPH can have some serious but unstudied adverse effects on ones kidneys and result in bladder issues similar to that of ketamine cystitis.

It is assumed non-addictive by most due to the nature of the experience but many people do find themselves coming back to it on a regular basis. This can often lead to addiction and extreme caution should be taken.

Diphenhydramine can become fatal if amounts close to or exceeding 2 grams are consumed and can result in death when combined with most stimulants and MAOI inhibitors. It is worth noting however that a dosage of 1 gram is considered extreme in its strength and could potentially result in a fatal overdose if a person happened to be particularly sensitive to this substance.

In terms of its tolerance, this forms very quickly with DPH trips, meaning that a trip can only occur at full effects every 2-4 weeks.

Available forms:

DPH is available in several different forms over the counter and online.

• Capsules - available over the counter and online. Well-known brands include Benadryl, Benylin, Nytol and Sominex. Many of these products contain other medicines, including dextromethorphan, guaifenesin, and ephedrine. Care should be taken when using these products to ensure that there is no overdose on other medicines in the DPH-containing product.
• Liquid - available over the counter and online. DPH in liquid form can be taken orally or injected. Well-known brands include Benadryl, Benylin, Nytol and Sominex. Many of these products contain other medicines, including dextromethorphan, guaifenesin, and ephedrine. Care should be taken when using these products to ensure that there is no overdose on other medicines in the DPH-containing product.
• Powder - available online. DPH in powdered form can be taken orally, via injection or insufflation.

Legal issues:

DPH is available either over the counter or by prescription in most countries. Some countries however require the purchaser to be over 16, 18 or 21.

• Zambia: Possession and sale is illegal.

Reader submitted trip reports:

• 700mg - Joining the 700 club by Cocoanatta

Conclusion:

The subjective effects breakdown contained within this article was written by the encyclopedia psychonautica admin known as cocoanatta.

Nobody is going to stop you from trying this but if you’re completely set on it, at least wait until you have had a large amount of experience being out of your mind on psychedelic and dissociative substances first.

The fact that this substance is completely legal and available to the masses, despite being far more dangerous than comparatively benign psychedelics such as LSD shows that our governments are not concerned with the dangers of drug induced hallucination in itself. They are instead concerned with the secondary effects, namely the drug induced changes of perspective which psychedelics offer but deliriants do not.

Onset : 30- 180 min
Duration : 4 - 10 hours
Normal After Effects : 2 - 24 hours

LSA, also known as Ergine, d-lysergic acid amide and d-lysergamide, is an alkaloid of the ergoline family that occurs in various species of vines, the morning glory flower and some species of fungi. It is the dominant alkaloid found in the seeds of several varieties of morning glories in concentrations of approximately 10 µg per seed, as well as Hawaiian baby woodrose seeds, at a concentration of around 0.13% of dry weight. It has structural similarity’s to LSD, putting it in the lysergamide family of psychedelics.

A traditional use of morning glory seeds by Mexican Native Americans was first described by Richard Schultes in 1941 in a short report documenting their use going back to Aztec times. Further research was published in 1960, when Don Thomes MacDougall reported that the seeds of morning glory flowers were used as sacraments by certain Zapotecs, sometimes in conjunction with the seeds of Rivea corymbosa, another species of morning glory which has a similar chemical composition, containing lysergol instead of LSA.

The LSA experience contains a complex and wide array of effects which based on the predefined potential subjective effects index found here, I will now begin to breakdown and describe…

Physical effects:

The body high of LSA can be described as a mild yet pleasurable, soft tingling sensation. This is largely noticed in high doses and is accompanied by strong waves of euphoria which are usually manifested spontaneously at different unpredictable points throughout the trip but can also maintain a consistent presence, in either case however they steadily rise with the onset and hit their limit once the peak has been reached.

In terms of its effects on the physical energy levels of the tripper, LSA tends to be sedating however it can be setting dependent. For example, when taken in settings with large amounts of stimulus or during physically strenuous activities such as walking, running, climbing or dancing it is fully capable of becoming stimulating and energetic. In contrast however, when taken in calm environments such as darkened rooms with comfortable seating it is consistently relaxing, peaceful and quite sedating.

Cognitive effects:

The head space of LSA is described by many as extremely relaxing yet lucid and clear headed in its style when compared to other commonly used psychedelics such as LSD or Psilocin. Although the head space is primarily sedating, this is accompanied by fast paced bursts of thought which is complemented by a powerful enhancement of the ability to visualize concepts. This ability eventually becomes so drawn out proportional to dosage that it leads to full blown hallucinatory states that are entirely lucid and for the most part controllable.

LSA contains a large number of psychedelic cognitive effects. The most prominent of these typical effects include,

• Increased connectivity of thought
• Introspection
• Acceleration of thought
• Enhancement of current mind state
• Feelings of fascination and awe
• Conceptual thinking
• Ego suppression, loss and death
• Time distortion
• Communication with the subconscious
• Deja-vu

Visual effects:

The visual effects of LSA are mostly present when large doses have been consumed.

Enhancements,

LSA presents a full and complete array of possible visual enhancements which generally includes,

• Increased visual acuity
• Enhancement of colours
• Enhanced pattern recognition

Distortions,

As for visual distortions and alterations,these are significantly more simplistic from that of open eye distortions found with other psychedelics. Effects experienced are detailed below,

• Visual drifting (Melting, Flowing, Breathing and morphing) - In comparison to other psychedelics this effect can be described as mild but highly detailed yet cartoon like in appearance. They are fast yet smooth in motion and fleeting in their permanence. This is an inconsistently manifested effect with some never reporting such distortions.
• Colour shifting

Geometry,

The visual geometry that is present throughout this trip can be described as more similar in appearance to that of 4-AcO-DMT, Ayahuasca and 2C-E than LSD or 2C-B. They can be comprehensively described as structured in their organization, organic in geometric style, intricate in complexity, zoomed out and small in size, fast and smooth in motion, colourful in scheme, glossy in colour, blurred in their edges and rounded in their corners. They have a much more “natural” feel to them than LSD and at higher dosages are significantly more likely to result in states of Level 7B visual geometry over Level 7A.

Hallucinatory states,

LSA produces a full range of high level hallucinatory states in a fashion that is very consistent when taken in large doses. The effects of such states include,

• Transformations - these partially follow the content of the users current thought process
• Imagery - in comparison to other psychedelics such as LSD, LSA is extremely high in imagery embedded within the visual geometry.
• Hallucinatory states - unlike LSD, LSA consistently produces moderate to high level hallucinatory states in high doses. This particular effect can be compared to a lucid dream state and commonly contains hallucinations with plots, settings, autonomous entity contact and scenarios. They are more common within dark environments and can be described as internal in their manifestation, lucid in believability, interactive in style and almost exclusively religious, spiritual, mystical or transcendental nature in their overall theme. Compared to other hallucinatory states, LSA is more similar to ayahuasca than a dissociative or a deliriant.

Auditory effects:

The auditory effects of LSA are common in their occurrence and exhibit a full range of effects which commonly includes,

• enhancements
• distortions
• hallucinations

Natural sources:

Morning glory seeds,

The seeds of many species of morning glory contain lysergamide alkaloids such as the psychedelic known as LSA. The seeds are found in many gardening stores; however, it’s worth noting that the seeds from commercial sources are often coated in some form of pesticide or methylmercury which can result in extreme nausea if ingested. Seeds without these pesticides can be purchased cheaply online and are freely available through search engines such as google.

When using morning glory seeds the dosage for oral consumption is generally considered to be,

• Light : 50 - 100 seeds / 1.5 - 3 g
• Common : 100 - 250 seeds / 3 - 6 g
• Strong : 250 - 400 seeds / 6 - 10 g
• Heavy : 400 + seeds / 10 + g

Hawaiian baby woodrose seeds,

Hawaiian baby woodrose is a perennial climbing vine that is native to the Indian subcontinent and introduced to numerous areas worldwide, including Hawaii, Africa and the Caribbean. Hawaiian Baby Woodrose seeds may be consumed for their various lysergamide alkaloids, such as LSA. These seeds are found in many gardening stores; however, the seeds from commercial sources are often coated in some form of pesticide or methylmercury which can result in extreme nausea if ingested. Seeds without these pesticides can be purchased cheaply online and are freely available through search engines such as Google.

When using morning glory seeds the dosage for oral consumption is generally considered to be,

• Threshold : 1 - 4 seeds
• Light : 3 - 6 seeds
• Common : 5 - 8 seeds
• Strong : 7 - 12 seeds
• Heavy : 12 + seeds

Physical health effects, potential addiction and tolerance:

The toxic dosage of LSA is unknown as there has never been a single reported over dose. This suggests that LSA is perfectly safe to simply try on the odd occasion. 

However, LSA should not be used on a frequent basis. When used repeatedly over a short period of time the vasoconstriction effects build up while the psychoactive effects get weaker. If you’re feeling sore legs, this is a sign of the vasoconstriction effects building up in your body. The legs feel sore because not enough blood is getting to the muscles. Your upper leg muscles are the largest, most energy eating muscles in your body, and they will feel sore if blood flow to them is lowered even a little bit. If you’ve taken HBWR seeds, morning glory seeds, pure LSA and are experiencing sore legs you need to hold off for a while. Let your body get back to baseline before using them again. This is more important with LSA (HBWR, morning glories, etc.). With LSA it can take up to 3 days of abstinence to get back to baseline.

It’s important to note that LSA is non-habit-forming and that the desire to use it can actually decrease with use, it is most often self-regulating. You also build an almost immediate tolerance to LSA after ingestion, preventing you from experiencing its full effects more often than every 4-7 days, unless you increase your dose significantly. 

Legal issues:

• Consumption of LSA containing materials is prohibited under state legislation in most Australian states. 
• LSA is not listed in Canada’s Controlled Drugs and Substances act and is therefore not illegal to possess. It is probably illegal to sell for human consumption as a drug, though the plants that contain it are not controlled in Canada. 
• LSA is not legally classified as a drug, consumption or possession of LSA or LSA containing-materials is not prohibited. 
• LSA is controlled in the Netherlands. This makes it illegal to possess, distribute, and produce without a license. 
• Chemical LSA is controlled as a drug in New Zealand. The plants and seeds of morning glory species are legal to possess, cultivate, buy, and distribute. Seeds are reportedly sprayed and warnings included on the packets not to consume the seeds.
• Status of LSA as chemical unknown. LSA-containg plants appear to be uncontrolled in poland.
• Sweden is planning to control a number of chemicals as of May 1, 2007 including LSA, 2C-T-4, DXM, and DOI. 
• LSA is a Class A substance within the United Kingdom, categorized as a precursor to LSD (Misuse of Drugs Act 1971).

Preparation methods:

LSA containing seeds can be prepared in a number of different ways. Click the links below for detailed step by step techniques,

• Extraction of LSA tincture - This extraction uses household chemicals such as naptha and ethanol to extract the LSA into a pure and nausea free liquid form. It is perfectly safe if performed correctly and can take between a few hours to several days depending on the desired potency.
• Nausea free LSA extraction with garlic - This extraction uses cold tap water and a refrigerator to extract the LSA from the seeds and into a glass of water. It uses garlic to minimize the nausea and takes at least 4 hours in total.
• LSA Adducts - This preparation method is not an extraction and merely theoretical but based around well reasoned chemistry and consistently themed anecdotal reports. It uses common household herbs such as Peppermint and cinnamon bark essential oil to convert LSA into other substances with radically altered subjective effects including LSH and CDLSA.

Reader submitted trip report:

• 250 seeds - Harsh body load by P. Josepherum

In Conclusion:

The entirety of the LSA subjective effects breakdown for this particular article was not written by myself but the Encyclopedia Psychonautica admin known as Cocoanatta. I have tried LSA myself on numerous occasions and can confirm that this article is indeed accurate. 

As for the substance itself, although LSA is well known across the psychedelic community, this substance has a pretty bad reputation for causing painful states of nausea, vomiting and vasioconstriction despite the fact that this can be greatly reduced depending on the method of preparation. Along side of this LSA is also perceived as a substance which only causes very mild visual and cognitive effects in comparison to other more “classical” psychedelics. 

This assumption however is simply untrue. LSA goes just as deep as LSD, Mushrooms, Ayahuasca or any other psychedelic and you simply need to find the right dosage and extract it correctly. This makes LSA an excellent choice for any psychonaut, especially when considering how cost effective and widely available the natural plant sources are.

Onset : 20 - 60 minutes
Duration : 2 - 6 hours
Normal After Effects : 1 - 8 hours

Ayahuasca is any of various psychoactive infusions prepared from a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as B. caapi (Harmaline) or a reversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase A (RIMAs) such as syrian rue (Harmine), taken with a brewed dimethyltryptamine (DMT) containing plant species. There are a large variety of these plants but in western society the most commonly used plants are either Psychotria viridis leaves or Mimosa Hostillis rootbark.

Harmala alkaloids are MAO-inhibiting beta-carbolines. Harmine and harmaline are classed as selective and reversible inhibitors of monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A). This inhibition of MAO-A allows DMT to diffuse unmetabolized past the membranes in the stomach and small intestine, and eventually cross the blood–brain barrier (which, by itself, requires no MAO-A inhibition) to activate receptor sites in the brain. Without RIMAs or an MAOI, DMT would be oxidised (and thus rendered biologically inactive) by monoamine oxidase enzymes in the digestive tract.

Ayahuasca usually comes in the form of a foul tasting brown liquid that has been used by the indigenous tribes of South America since before recorded history. However, it was first discovered by the western world in the 16th century, when Christian missionaries from Spain and Portugal predictably described it as the work of the devil.

Those who undergo the ayahuasca experience report having profound spiritual revelations regarding their purpose on earth, the true nature of the universe as well as deep insight as how to be the best person they possibly can. It is nearly always said that people experience profound positive changes in their life subsequent to consuming ayahuasca. In addition, it is often reported that individuals experience what gaining access to so called “higher spiritual dimensions” and making contact with various autonomous entities who serve to act as guides or healers. 

The Ayahuasca experience contains a complex and wide array of effects which based on the predefined potential subjective effects index found here, I will now begin to breakdown and describe… 

Physical effects:

The body high of ayahuasca can be described as a pleasurable, warm, soft and all encompassing glow. For some it is manifested spontaneously at different unpredictable points throughout the trip but for others it maintains a consistent presence that steadily rises with the onset and hits its limit once the peak has been reached.

In terms of its effects on the physical energy levels of the tripper ayahuasca is entirely setting dependent. For example, when taken in social settings with fast paced music or during physically strenuous situations such as running, walking, climbing or dancing it becomes stimulating and energetic. In contrast however, when taken in calm environments such as darkened rooms with comfortable seating it can become relaxing, peaceful and even moderately sedating.

Cognitive effects:

The head space of ayahuasca is described by many as extremely sober and clear headed in its style when compared to other commonly used psychedelics such as LSD or Psilocin. It contains a large number of psychedelic typical and unique cognitive effects.

The most prominent of these typical effects include,

• Introspection
• Acceleration of thought
• Enhancement of current mind state
• Removal of cultural filter
• Feelings of fascination and awe
• Conceptual thinking
• Vocabulary suppression
• Ego suppression, loss and death
• Time distortion
• Deja-vu

Along side of the typical cognitive effects listed above, ayahuasca induces certain states which are seemingly rare or spontaneous within all other psychedelics in a consistent, reproducible and extremely powerful way. These commonly reported unique cognitive effects include,

• Powerful and consistent mindfulness - The term “mindfulness" is used within psychological literature to refer to states which are achieved through the act of practising meditation. This feeling is characterized by a sense of focus on the present moment with a stillness and clarity of mind. Induced mindfulness can occur within any psychedelic but is unique within ayahuasca due to how consistently it is manifested and the way in which it can sustain itself for days, weeks or even months after a single high dose experience. This is an extremely beneficial and therapeutic effect for personal psychological health. In contrast, other more commonly used psychedelics such as LSD and Psilocin tend to induce this effect in a merely spontaneous and temporary form.
• Consistently induced states of unity and interconnectedness - This is an effect is unique within ayahuasca due to how consistently it is manifested as an accompanying effect along side of ego death and occasionally, ego suppression. In contrast, other more commonly used psychedelics such as LSD and Psilocin tend to induce this effect rarely at best.
• Consistent communication with the subconscious - Although I am currently working on it, this specific effect has yet to be fully mapped out by me in a formal level of detail. It can be briefly described however as a literal communication with an internal voice within the mind which claims to be the subconscious. At lower levels this is performed by the subconscious conversing with you through your own thought stream. At higher dosages however it becomes a fully audible voice which is capable of coherent conversation on the same level as the ego and arguably self aware in its own right.
• Sustained dream potentiation - Regular or occassional ayahuasca usage commonly results in extremely vivid, lucid and easy to recollect dreams in the days and weeks after the experience.

It’s worth noting that the overall cognitive positivity or negativity of an ayahuasca trip in psychologically balanced individuals depends greatly on how nauseating or purgative the chosen method of preparation is. For example, paranoia, anxiety, delirium and a difficulty stringing thoughts together often immediately manifest themselves during uncomfortable states of nausea for the inexperienced but remain absent when purge free methods of preparation are used or the user has been accustomed to the purge itself.

Visual effects:

Enhancements,

Ayahuasca presents a complete array of possible visual enhancements which generally includes,

• Increased visual acuity
• Enhancement of colours
• Enhanced pattern recognition

Distortions,

As for visual distortions and alterations, effects experienced are detailed below,

• Visual drifting (melting, breathing, warping and flowing) - In comparison to other psychedelics this effect can be described as highly detailed, slow and smooth in motion and static in their appearance.
• Tracers
• After images
• Texture repetition
• Colour shifting
• Scenery slicing

Geometry,

The visual geometry that is present throughout this trip can be described as more similar in appearance to that of Psilocin than LSD. They can be comprehensively described as structured in their organization, organic in geometric style, intricate in complexity, large in size, fast and smooth in motion, colourful in scheme, glossy in colour, equal in blurred and sharp edges and equal in rounded and angular corners. At higher dosages they are significantly more likely to result in states of level 7B visual geometry over level 7A.

In terms of their manifestation they are progressive in nature and continuously self complexify in settings with little or no visual input and disturbances. For example, darkness will cause the geometry to progressively intensify but this can immediately be reset back down to base level by simply turning on a bright light or actively performing a physical task which requires any level of concentration.

Hallucinatory states,

Ayahuasca and other forms of DMT produce a full range of high level hallucinatory states in a fashion that is more consistent and reproducible than that of any other commonly used psychedelic. These effects include,

• Transformations
• Imagery
• Hallucinations - this particular effect commonly contains hallucinations with scenarios, settings, concepts and autonomous entity contact. They are more common within dark environments and can be described as internal in their manifestation, lucid in believability, interactive in style and almost exclusively religious, spiritual, mystical or transcendental nature in their overall theme.

Auditory effects:

The auditory effects of ayahuasca are extremely consistent in occurrence in comparison to that of LSD and psilocin and exhibit a full range of effects which commonly includes,

• Auditory enhancements
• Auditory distortions
• Auditory hallucinations

Health effects, potential addiction and tolerance:

Research has been made showing the relative physical safety of DMT.

Ayahuasca, has been studied by multidisciplinary groups in Brazil and other countries and was shown that in reasonable doses in a careful context, it presents no negative cognitive/psychiatric/physical consequences.

In terms of mental health the very same study showed that users presented elevated levels of happiness and health. Ayahuasca is not physically addictive, and many users experience a frequency self-regulating quality to the drug. This is despite the fact that the substance holds no real tolerance and can be used on a daily basis if it is desired.

As for the harmine or Syrian rue, it is only dangerous when taken in combination with other drugs and it is not necessary to follow a strict tyramine free diet, which is the case with harmaline. So although RIMAs are generally safer than MAOIs, they still have highly dangerous interactions when combined with almost any antidepressant or stimulant, common migraine medications, certain herbs, or even most cold medicines (including decongestants, antihistamines, and cough syrup) as it can cause potentially lethal serotonin syndrome or hypertensive crisis.

Legal issues:

• Internationally, DMT is a Schedule I drug under the Convention on Psychotropic Substances. The Commentary on the Convention on Psychotropic Substances notes, however, that the plants containing it are not subject to international control.
• The legal status in the United States of DMT-containing plants is somewhat questionable. Ayahuasca plants and preparations are legal, as they contain no scheduled chemicals. However, brews made using DMT containing plants are illegal since DMT is a Schedule I drug.
• Religious use in Brazil was legalized after two official inquiries into the tea in the mid-1980s, which concluded that ayahuasca is not a recreational drug and has valid spiritual uses.
• In france, as of 2005 almost every single DMT containing plant that could be used to make Ayahusca is illegal.

Although DMT has been made illegal in almost every country. The common botanical sources for it, however, are still legal pretty much everywhere. You can even freely purchase DMT containing plants from specialized ethnobotanical shops on the internet. Harmine and harmaline, are also generally legal, including most of its ethnobotanically common plant sources. In Canada however harmaline is a Schedule lll drug.

Preparation methods:

Ayahuasca can be prepared in a number of ways using a variety of different plant sources. For the DMT, the most commonly used ingredients are mimosa hostillis rootbark or acacia rootbark. The harmala alkaloids and inhibitors are usually found within syrian rue seeds or Banisteriopsis caapi leaves. All of these are legal to purchase within most countries and freely available through the use of google. 

For the purposes of this article we have developed, linked and listed below 3 formal recipes for both traditional ayahuasca brews and practical modern day equivalents,

• Traditional ayahuasca brew - This method can take up to several hours depending on the desired potency of the brew. It results in a shot glass of foul tasting brown liquid and has a high risk of nausea / purging.
• Ayahuasca fruit smoothie - This method seems absurdly comical in its simplicity and incredible practicality.  I accidentally stumbled upon this method through random experimentation and realized that simply blending small amounts of the wood into a banana smoothie and adding sugar results in a perfectly drinkable (although strangely textured) drink. This can be made within less than ten minutes and results in minimal nausea. It is without exaggeration, the simplest and most practical ayahuasca recipe ever developed.
• Ayahuasca chocolate shredded wheat cupcakes - After realizing that ayahuasca could easily be prepared into a milkshake, further experimentation resulted in cupcake which is surprisingly delicious although very chocolatey. It takes an hour or so in total to make these cakes and contains minimal nausea. They are better used for low to moderate dosages and many people note that they literally taste like normal cupcakes.

Misconceptions:

There appears to be a general consensus among many online psychedelic communities that ayahuasca is simply too powerful for beginners and that even the most experienced of psychonauts should tread lightly. Some people even go as far as saying that you should not undergo the experience without the guidance of a practising shaman and always within a traditional environment.

I would like to use this section of the article to express the opinion that these view points are misinformed and at times, unnecessarily elitist. Providing the user can handle nausea or a purge free preparation method has been used, ayahuasca is the most perfect starter psychedelic in existence and not in any way more overwhelming than LSD or mushrooms. It can also be taken in any number of environments no matter how shamanically inappropriate but as with any psychedelic, it will only take you to its deepest points within silent darkness. 

Reader submitted trip reports:

• 2g Syrian rue + 1g Mimosa Hostillis - These voices are the building blocks of consciousness by Anonymous.
• 3.5g Syrian rue + 30g Mimosa Hostillis brew - flying through a rainbow tunnel by Gregasaurus.
• 3.5g Syrian rue + 50g Mimosa Hostillis - I was trying to engage in sexual intercourse with the personification of Ayahuasca by Gregasaurus.
• 6g mimosa / 2.5 g syrian rue - Best cake I’ve had for a while by Gregasaurus.
• 3g mimosa / 2g syrian rue - I was the Universe’s prophet by Gregasaurus.

Conclusion:

Ayahuasca is by far my favourite psychedelic. It is extremely easy to make and offers a completely different, but amazing style of trip that needs to be taken much more seriously. If I had to choose a single substance for society to base its civilisation around it would be ayahuasca, not LSD and certainly not Alcohol.

I’m pretty sure 99% of you will already agree with me on this one but judging by some of the messages I receive and the heated trollfests that I see quite often within my favourite online psychedelic communities there are an insistent group of people that like to push the idea of there being a “wrong” and a “right” way to trip and that it’s even possible to disrespect the trip through certain ways such as using psychedelics for purely recreational activities instead of deep spiritual journeys into the mind.

Now I understand that traditional shamanic psychedelics such as Ayahusca and Mushrooms are powerful ancient healers and should be treated with respect but if I want to watch Adventure Time and play videogames on a mind blowing dose of either then I will do just that, some people may prefer to be doing something else with their trips but to then assert that their completely subjective experience is somehow more valuable than somebody else’s completely subjective experiences is just plain retarded. Just because I am enjoying myself does not mean I am showing a lack of respect for anything.

Another way in which I have supposedly been violating the sacred rules of internet technoshamanism has been on this very tumblr as a result of the posting of simple and easy to follow extraction methods because apparently we should all know that these substances are a “calling” and if people truly want them they will seek them themselves and therefore to make it easy for people is to somehow disrespect the psychedelic experience. I honestly don’t see the point of messages like this as they seem a little silly. It’s not as if you were just sitting there and DMT called out to you from beyond the stars, no you heard about it through a friend or read about it somewhere just like everybody else. Making the extraction process easier so that people do not have to make sense of and browse multiple old forum posts that all contradict each other is not a terrible thing. In fact you could argue that since there seems to be something fundamentally wrong with modern culture and the only thing currently capable of fixing this problem on an individual level over a quick enough time scale to prevent us from collectively fucking everything up seems to be these very compounds it would have been rude not to post them. 

These rules apply to all psychedelics but none more so than Ayahuasca which has many restrictions and practises attributed to it that aren’t really based on anything at all, these include but are not limited to:

• You should never try Ayahuasca without the guidance of an experienced shaman.
• You should never use Ayahuasca recreationally in any capacity. Ever.
• You should never take preventative measures to remove the purge from the trip.

None of these are true. Although great care and caution should be shown until a user is completely comfortable with the powerful trip Ayahuasca has to offer a common sense approach and a sitter that knows what they are doing will make for just as safe a trip as any shaman from the rainforest. 

It is entirely up to the individual and the knowledge of their own limits when deciding what they want to do with their trips. How some people manage to place completely arbitrary cultural constructs onto a group of substances that’s main effect is the removal of such things I do not know.

The last restriction that is placed on Ayahuasca is the stigma of removing the purge as many people feel that it is an intrinsic part of the trip but I do still feel that it is obviously not an intrinsic part of the trip. It is an intrinsic part of ingesting pulverised rootbark that has been simmered down into a foul sludge and nothing more. If this were anything but the case you would not be able to remove it with an extremely simple recipe change (adding eggwhites hurr) and Pharmahuasca users who take 100% pure dmt instead of drinking it in liquid form would also experience such intense nausea. I do not want to ingest wood I just want to ingest the DMT.

I am with these people to an extent and completely agree that these moments of recreational use are not exactly deep spiritual work or how I should spend every moment of my trips but as somebody who has benefited enormously from tripping on a very regular basis I sometimes genuinely run out of introspection and personal problems to solve and just want to have fun, this is nothing but a good thing and although quite difficult, interacting with a breakthrough partial egodeath trip by attempting to play videogames, going shopping or whatever the hell you feel like doing can be a pretty hilarious experience if you know your limits.