Hi everyone. I've been a longtime lurker on the forums and thought I should actually become a part of the community.

My first introduction to the psychedelic world was through a mushroom trip on a hike. I'll never forget actually appreciating the beauty in nature that I (all too often) take for granted. Since that day, I've been obsessed with psychedelic research and understanding more about the brain. These substances have fundamentally changed my life and I can only hope that they will change many more. I'd love to share my findings with this community and learn from it too!

Some things I like to talk about:

* Substances and how they affect cognition
* Bootstrapping consciousness
* The nature of artificial intelligence and what that means in relation to natural intelligence
* How amazing the moon looks in the morning sky
* Lucid dreaming
* (There are other things but I think it's time to wrap this up)

I'm excited to interact with all of you and spread the love

-GG

Those are great intentions

But please don't take success for granted. I've seen hardcore entheogen users not succeeding in 'that promise'. Some think there's a hidden agenda in the plants to better humanity, and I was also inclined a bit that way in the beginning. I think the compass of the soul has to have a good bearing as a base humus. I suppose the plants work like a catalyst, they help the process but not steer it.

Welcome!

Thank you! I'm totally on the same page with you. After all, we have to remember these are just chemicals that alter our perception. What's more important is what we do with these novel experiences and how we integrate that in our lives.

Cheers!

Hi there galaxyghost,

Welcome to the nexus =).

I've been trying to lucid dream lately but have not had any success yet. Any pointers you could give?

Cheers.

lucid dreaming is a topic I have a lot of interest in

Imho there may be much more to it than just chemicals, the underlying intelligence can hardly be denied. But whatever depth is behind the material curtains, it cannot be foolishly filled in with persona-wishes and sell them as facts. Religions are masters in this matter, to connect the mysterious dots just as they want to see it. Nice attempts but usually painfully shortcoming with as much painful results.

The entheogen realms and their particularities are prone to this also as people address and define them out of their inevitable limitations. Art without words is a mere fair approximation than mental interpretations/expectations.

It would be a pity if the deeper mysteries could ever be fully comprehended by our minds because that would mean that these mysteries would fall within the very same limitations as our minds. Those who proclaim wisdom about the deeper lying intelligence are at the verge of pitching it into personal corrals of limitations.

I believe in deeper-than-matter activity, but I frown upon those making claims about it, like agenda such or so. The sole expression I dare to handle is a word like 'catalyst' which directs more to a noted effect than an attempt to define it.

I'll turn off my philosophical button, now.

Artificial intelligence? Do you mean mechanised vested interests and policies? Do we even know what intelligence is to even try to automate the artificial? Will the meaning of words ever stay the same long enough to ask the pertinent questions?

Welcome to the Nexus!

Hey @Phangz and @Transition! (I don't know if that's how you tag people)

Lucid dreaming is something I became interested in after my first shrooms trip. I can't be sure about this, but according to what I've read in the James Fadiman's The Psychedelic Explorer's Guide, lucid dreaming is a possible side effect of macro (and possibly micro) doses.

I had always tried to lucid dream but without any luck. However, within a week of taking shrooms, I achieved a vivid lucid dream! So I'd say that's definitely step one (anecdotally). However, my biggest tools have been keeping a dream journal (feels silly but it definitely helps your dream recall) and practicing DILD.

So DILD is short for Dream Induced Lucid Dreaming. So, throughout the day, I remind myself to do reality checks, which usually entails genuinely questioning if I'm in a dream and trying to push my finger through my palm. If my finger makes it through my palm, well, I'm dreaming. It helps to run this process whenever you feel something out of the ordinary happened in your day. Question what you've been doing for the past few hours, the logic behind your current actions (I once became lucid when I realized I was illogically stuffing cookies in my mouth while I was in the bathroom, that's just not something I do).

It can take a few weeks. But generally, you will start to question those same things in your dreams the next time you find yourself at a high school reunion without any pants.

I hope that helps! But let me know if you have any more questions!

I couldn't agree more with you! I think 'catalyst' is the perfect word to describe how entheogens affect us.

Also, thanks for the warm welcome!

Ouch, already heading into deep waters! Ha!

Watching series like WestWorld definitely gets you thinking about concepts along the lines you've mentioned. Right, how can we possibly replicate something we don't understand at its deepest level? It seems like we need neurology to advance before artificial intelligence can progress.

Thanks for the warm welcome! Happy to be a part of this community!