I listened to a lot of Terrance McKenna before I ever took DMT for the first time. I first found out about him after my first LSD experience, and then he is the reason I started moving more into mushrooms and away from acid. So I listened to pretty much every talk of Terrance I could find, and there were hundreds (see the Psychedelic Saloon if you don't already know about it!).

What I expected after listening to all those talks (some about acid, others about mushrooms, and many about DMT) was that there would be a predictability to the experiences. He seemed to describe them in a way that it meant that every time there would be the same basic features.

Now that I have had a lot of experiences and time to process those experiences, I have to wonder, why is it that no two trips are the same?

I am very meticulous of my dosage (always from the same batch and I have a very accurate scale). I also always use the GVG in pretty much the same set and setting. But sometimes I'm blasted into hyperspace at 30 mg and other times I just get slightly meditative. And of the times that I do get completely blasted out there, those experiences are rarely the same. I've had times where I was completely overwhelmed by the patterns and lights and changing of things (met the machine elves up close and personal on that one) and other times I see twisty, bendy ribbons that communicate messages of love and weirdness. Then other times there is absolute blackness and from there emerges the brightest of green lights. I had one where I closed my eyes and was in a field of these twisty, patterned worms that spoke to me and were very playful.

But how is it that there could be so much variation in experiences? It makes sense that changing dose would cause this (and it has), but so often I'll do the same dose and it's totally different.

From my limited experience the variations in experience seem to have a pattern.
There are x number of variations, & x number of modifications & deeper levels to each variation, the number of variations i'm sure is extremely large & i've only encountered a very small fraction i'm sure, but if you look at it like a probality (ex. You can only have so many outcomes if you roll a die) you will eventually run into the same experience again, or at least one very smiliar with continued use.
It's happened to me several times, but the amount of sides on this die, so to speak, are extremely vast & completely unknown, making the variations seem endless & unlimited in the short lifespan we have to 're-roll'. & keep in mind that each variation may have thousands of or even millions of deeper levels, alterations, & slight changes.

Why would you expect a similar experience (which I actually have had) each time you dosed? I mean our brains are dynamic adapting machines that are in continuous change. I mean just look at your thoughts for a while. Our thoughts are literally a continuous ever changing stream of subconscious activity bubbling up to the conscious mind. Well in some sense DMT is like a light that allows us to see the machinery spinning these thoughts up like a DJ to our conscious mind. Sure you will find some DMT trips to be of a similar theme, but rarely exactly the same, and most often radically different each time.

All IMHO of course.

Peace

I certainly don't expect the same thing every time by any means--what I would expect is some pattern or some commonalities that can be relied upon. Terrance always said that there is ringing, then crumpling bread wrapper then air pumped out of the room and so on. Sometimes that has happened to me. Other times I've just immediately found myself in this * place* that I cannot explain and I don't know how I got there.

I rather like the post above regarding the dice though.

Just because you can't see or find the pattern, does not mean it doesn't exist. And expectation/assumption is the mother of all f ups as they say. (I know from personal experience...)

IF it truly is another dimension we are able to tap into and experience (of which I do believe it is), that means it is a dynamic realm potentially with limitless layers. There should be no consistency in something like that

It may have to do with your own body at that time, if you were breathing your dose in faster or slower without even realizing it, holding it longer or shorter, heart rate may have been higher or slower thus sending the molecule quicker or slower through your system to get you to that wind up point or that BAM youre there experience.

There are too many variables to expect consistency from dose alone.

I beg to differ on this . My experiences have a range but are very repeatable within a certain dose range. You do it enough times
themes and patterns begin to arise. There are different flavors
but for the most part it is possible to dial in these experiences.
It's definetly repeatable. while not an exact science a sweet spot of
predictability can be achieved with careful attention to consistent
set , setting and dose. Remembering plays a key role as well .
Keeping log book of experiences can help to piece it together

^this guy!