Through the generosity of a friend, I was recently able to take my first DMT journey. Here are some of my impressions and recollections of the experience.

I was comfortably seated in my friend's living room, looking out a front window across the street toward a large tree in front of a nearby house. My friend was seated nearby, and was helping me get started. The method of administration was by smoking (or more precisely, vaporizing) over a bed of inert leaf material. The first "hit" (pardon me if that term is incorrect or inappropriate, but I don't know another one at the moment) caused a bit of a coughing spell, so I didn't get too much from it. Presumably as a result, it didn't seem to do much, although the tree across the street did start to look a
little "cartoonish". I was able to hold the second "hit" for longer, and a few seconds thereafter, things got started in earnest. With eyes open, things started to take on a sort of a "planar" look; that is, things that were normally three-dimensional started to look like they were on two-dimensional vertical planes, arrayed from front to back. Shapes took on almost a "cubist" look; in particular, the leaves on the tree across the street started to take on very angular outline, sort of like the geometric patterns you find in Native American weavings from the desert southwest. I lost all track of time at
this point; my friend was preparing a third hit for me, and it seemed like there had been a very long time between the second and third ones, although I expect it was probably under a minute. I was barely functional enough at this point to be able to take the pipe and take in the third hit. Open-eye visuals became increasingly angular, and the tree across the street almost began to look vaguely menacing, although I was sure it would not become actually so unless I tried to approach it. I did not, however, experience much in the line of closed-eye visuals. The most I got there was some faint, horizontal colored
bars, and an elongated bluish triangle with its base near the bottom of my visual field, and its point closer to the top. It looked like I was above a very straight river, from beneath me and extending outward to the horizon. The visual experiences stayed in this general theme throughout until near the end, when I started to see things as though I were looking through a screen or a grid, and with closed eyes started to see a couple of slow-moving vortex-like shapes. Those I could "stir" a bit with my hands, but they didn't change much.

What I didn't see, or feel any presence of, were any entities, such as I have seen described in other accounts. The only presences I was aware of were my own (but a bit more on that later) and my friend's.

What I noticed mostly, though, was a change in my sense of self. It felt as though the boundary between self and non-self was becoming very tenuous and vague. This I found very unnerving, and a bit frightening, although not so much that it was a great problem. I felt as though I had to resist this, but resistance was largely futile; it was going to happen whether I wanted it to or not. After a bit, I quit trying to resist and just let happen whatever was going to happen, which actually made things less unsettling. In retrospect, I wonder if this wasn't at least the beginnings of the "ego death" that I've
seen described.

As I mentioned over in my introductory essay (thread title "A later in life novice would like to introduce himself" ), I began to get a very definite impression of a "this far, and no farther" condition. This was not of my doing, it seemed to arise from the experience itself. This sensation actually took on a physical aspect; I stood up and took a few steps forward and got the same "no farther" feeling, so I returned to my chair. In retrospect, I wonder if the mental impression might not have been an indication, either from myself of from the experience, that I was probably not ready to go farther.

After I sat back down and as I was starting to come out of the journey, I got a real impression of a sort of turning inward, like I was being drawn to look inside myself. When I did so, I got a very hard-to-describe sense of a sort of inner connectedness that I had not really felt before. This was a very peaceful and comfortable thing; it felt like the inner examination of myself was something very beneficial. In fact, even now, more than a week after, I still get the same feeling of inward connectedness and wholeness that was somehow missing before.

The rest of the journey was uneventful -- a gradual return of objects' normal appearances (especially the tree) and a return to pre-journey consciousness.

I hope soon to repeat the experience; I would like very much to see if the next time I can go beyond the "no farther" point.

Great report, LateJourneyer.

As Terence McKenna said, "Nature loves courage."

Welcome LateJourneyer

Next time, take enough hits until you start to feel it come on strongly, then when you think that there's absolutely no way for you to take another hit.......

take one more giant toke.

What you experienced is the initial stage of the experience. (a drop in the bucket literally)

Safe travels!

much love,
tat

I always get that at sub-breakthrough, looking at nature. It always becomes angular, meancing and "definite". A tree outside my house this winter in particular, stripped of its leaves, became a bunch of mocking, cheeky sprites, with pointed extremities. I could not shake the "personality" of that tree, watching me, until it grew leaves.

Thanks for your comments, my friends. You have given me some ideas on what to do next time, as well as confirming some of the impressions I got. I greatly appreciate it and hope to be able to do the same for some other newcomer at some point down the line.

LateJourneyer

Hello LateJourneyer, I too was a late starter to the world of DMT, I am now 53 if that means anything at all .. In late 2011, I extracted my first sample with the help of research gained here. Since that time I was able to grow my own sustainable plant material and refine my technique to the point where I now know what I am doing, with regard to extracting.

It is a fascinating hobby/interest

My own experiences have been reiterated many times here by many others and the responses to the reports of such invaluable..
I would research as much as you can and read all the reports relevant to you, although I'm sure you are doing that. I preferred to take it slowly with low doses and even now I am very cautious.. Set and setting are paramount

I would be happy to help or communicate more if you would like
Regards Gowpen

Hi, Gowpen!

It's nice to know there are some others around who have a few miles on them

You're right; I've been reading through various reports and noting similar threads among them, but also a lot of variability (which is to be expected, I suppose, since people exhibit a LOT of variability themselves). I've also recently watched the documentary "DMT -- The Spirit Molecule", which was a fascinating look into some approved, well-regulated studies of actual volunteers' experiences. There were some definite similarities between the reports of the volunteers and those here on the Nexus.

I'm not yet in a position to grow plant material, but have some on order and hope, with the help of a friend, to start to do some extracting myself.

I'm a bit conflicted on how to approach my next experience. Caution is always good, and I'm generally a cautious person, but there's an occasional "damn-the-torpedoes" streak in me, too. I certainly have some thinking to do between now and the next time.

Thanks again for your comments; I'd love to hear your thoughts at any time.

Best to you.

LateJourneyer

I've been trying to explain this part for days now. I had that launch and epic travel until I "arrived" and when I did I felt this sudden "inner-connectedness" that, yes until now, 1 week later I feel this strange peace over me that is very real. I feel like something happened and it was great. I took my first DMT vapor hit in a shaman tent on August 1st 2013, I will never forget.

There is a benefit to being cautious its good to look into the portal before you tumble head first into the abyss

Agreed, DreaMTripper, although I do occasionally get into a "damn-the-torpedoes" frame of mind

glad you dug up your own old thread as I'd probably never see it otherwise. I think the "this far, no farther" was meant for you, aka, your ego. Past that point is jkfla897375890rauh32ijc4m08ag2yuv85032h. Past there is to leave everything behind (it's rather pleasant in my opinion) and to just let go. I wasn't you at the time so I can't tell you that's what was meant, but it's how I interpret from the outside looking in. Either way, thanks for the report

Have you journeyed since then? Ever get around to extracting? EDIT: just looked up your 10 most recent posts and see that you have

My personal suggestion is to venture to the great outdoors, a safe, low-traffic spot, with a friend. DMT in the light of the sun is spectacular =)

I totally agree and this technique has always prepared me for the very rare horrors of the abyss.

Another geezer, here! I'm wondering if you've tried aya? It's a more gentle lift off, imo...and lasts much longer than smoking. The slower onset is much easier on us old folks

Thanks for the info upload. Anything making things easier as the clock ticks away is good.