Just some thoughts:
All of SWIM's bad experiences have been on low doses, and in general almost all low doses have been bad experiences. This is maybe because SWIM's first dose was fairly high (LSD) and afterwards SWIM knew what to expect and want. When the does isn't high enough SWIM tends to feel like a pathetic drug addict who is totally misguided and blablabla, all those other socially imprinted ideas about usage. SWIM finds it difficult to let these thoughts go and go with the flow, if not a sufficiently high dosage is applied, because it's difficult to feel the flow with all this guilt-chatter.

SWIM understands, that this is a flaw of SWIM's own psyche, but it's worth giving consideration, before you try. A medium dose might be better than a low dose, just to make sure you don't get stuck in sub-psychedelic space and regret it. Make sure you have a sitter around and maybe some weed to take off the edge, if you feel anxious
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Because of above considerations SWIM actually thinks acid is the best solution. SWIM usually takes one hit and waits 1h then decides how much more will be needed. This also allows for a rather smooth transition.

Also don't underestimate setting and surrounding people, any kind of stress resulting e.g. in your phone ringing or someone stopping by unexpectedly. Any kind of physical discomfort (don't do it if you're even a little sick). Bad music, or stress you're dealing with at work. These can effect your experience considerably, so try to think about these things before hand.

If SWIM's trips get too hard SWIM puts in TOOL which SWIM finds totally captivating and comforting in times like these, and everything becomes ok again. It's good to have something like that around, something you know will make you feel better, even if something negative rides you.

Bad trips can happen at any dose, you just have to know how to deal with them. Try to figure this out for yourself as you go along. Oh, and all of the above only go for Shrooms and acid, since swim hasn't tried any of the more exotic stuff... yet.

Haha.. well said.

I think Enoons comment about taking LSD and then deciding if another tab is require an hour later can lead to going further than perhaps one would wish for.

I dont know if any Nexians experienced the Gorbachev acid that was around in the very early 90s but this tab was somewhat beguiling.An hour after taking it I was not very impressed with the strength but between 1 hr 20 mins and 1 hour 40 mins it came on with some ferocity.I was glad I hadnt opted to neck another one after an hour of taking it.

I suppose in that case it would be good to ask your friendly neighbourhood supplier what the stuff is like.
Actually SWIM has never had a really bad experience with acid, come to think of (only with bad acid that made SWIM's stomach hurt), but a few with shrooms (only the Hawaiian kind). SWIM has come to love the Columbian strain for it's strength and the ease with which one can navigate to where one wants to go. So SWIM would recommend that strain in particular for taking shrooms.

Hope you can make an informed decisions with all these good ideas. In the end you have to figure out to which you have the most affinity, with which you feel the most comfortable. If you end up thinking you've taken too much, don't fight it! Tell yourself all the things that you feel you're losing (orientation, self-concept, comprehension, coordination etc.) will all come back once it wears off. So just let it take you for a ride. DON'T PANIC.

I agree in terms of waiting one hour may not be sufficient to gauge how strong the acid is for a tab. Personally, more often than not, I may not get any visual distortion/effects until up to 3 hours in. By the first hour, it's usually an energetic drunken feeling, but no to little visuals. I think if you think you'll wanna take two tabs, just take them both simultaneously. It makes for a different quality of trip as opposed to dragging out what you already have.

Medium dose of shrooms definitely. 1.5gr. Liberty cap or 3gr. cubes for example.
A low dose can make you misunderstand what psychedelics are all about.
And I would say no to LSD unless you knew personally the one that made it and trust that person. Most "LSD" sold today is not LSD but some research chemical sold as LSD.

Good luck and I'm sure you'll find the right stuff

Definitely not salvia,
SWIM went straight from cannabis to salvia, and it was somewhat of a terrifying experience. Of course he wasn't ready for it, and didn't really know what to expect either. Learned a valuable lesson from the experience.

Shrooms are the questions and acid is the answer.

Funny my friends say the same thing

SWIM'd have to say mushrooms for the exact reason Evening Glory pointed out, bout half the duration. A low-moderate dose of acid may not be to intense for a first run, whose to say until you're in it, but the twelve hours on a first go may be very exhausting.

SWIM took 3.5 grams of mushrooms for a first psychedelic venture, and enjoyed it greatly.

My first psychedelic was DMT. The first few times I took a head buzz dose, I saw some patterns shifting thats about it.
Then the day came when I decided to just go for it, I was NOT ready. I started freaking out and the worst thing was, I had no sitter. I thought I was dead literally dead. In my mind I had chosen this is what death was and I had died. Obviously it wasn't but I was TERRIFIED. Even now though, I don't regret it. Scary as it was I took it as a learning experience. It slapped me and said DMT IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK IT IS. It's not it's something beyond amazing. I can't even fathom its power and the first time you experience it, the first time you even get a peek into that world. You will be blown away.

A part of me says go for it learn from it but it will be startling. I'm happy I did. It doesn't sound like the best idea even as I type it but I honestly think it's one of the best things I have ever done.

You know in terms of the whole duration argument that shrooms is less than acid, I usually find it to perceivably be the opposite because on acid between the estimated 3 hour come up and come down (where little can go wrong), I feel that the time that you spend at the peaks is longer or at least perceivably longer with shrooms. When I'm done tripping shrooms I think, "wow that took forever" and when I'm done tripping acid, I think, "I'm done tripping already? Oh yeah, I guess it has been 11 hours."

I would definitely recommend establishing a chill, friendly setting (camping with a friend sounds perfect) and eating some mushrooms. I've tripped countless times--mushrooms were my introduction and continue to be my go-to medium today. I'll eat a 1/2 eighth for a mild, enjoyable journey, and double that if I want to dig deeper.

Whatever acid I have had in the past, it must have been crap, if you guys say it's an 11 hour trip... Everything after 4 or 5 hours is just aftermath for me, and I can sleep it off. Sure, there are still trails and your mind is still fuzzy but it's not anything unsettling any more. But yeah, possibly whatever I had was ... bad? Never noticed a difference in length between the two... Maybe I was too busy tripping to check the time %-)

For an introduction to psychedelics I would probably suggest 2C-B for someone who has reservations, so that this opens up their mind - having a truly beautiful happy subtley visual experience, and hopefully releases some of the anxiety and tension that social stigma towards hallucinogens has instilled in the mind of many - fuck even I'e been there, being too scared to take mushrooms as I might have a bad trip when I was 17...

Mushrooms would also be a good one - the comeup euphoria would be very good at showing them a good time was going to come, especially if they'd already taken MDMA.

THis was my experience when I first took liberty caps - I thought the comeup was amazing, with some beautiful ganja being passed around, akin indeed to the comeup and general mood-lift of MDMA.

GOd I waffle on...

EDIT: Possibly a low dose of acid - like a half tab...this was my first experience with LSD - splitting a tab with a friend who had done it before a few times.

I think I would have to recommend peruvian torch cactus myself for a first trip as it was mine, and even though it was reasonably strong and lasted a solid 15 hours because I just ate the cactus(never again yuck!) it was still amazingly gentle in a way,

where as my first mushroom trip(liberty caps) was only 6 hours maybe in total but they were probably the longest 6 hours of my life, I wouldn't take back the trip if I had a chance but I wouldn't have that for my first trip,

so I guess what I'm trying to say is even with a strong dose of cactus I think it is easier to stay clear headed than it is with a strong dose of mushrooms, so if you happen to mess up your dosage(like I did with mushrooms my first time and had too many) by accident you are more likely to enjoy it with cactus.

With all that being said respect doasge and you should be ok with either one in my opinion.

Have fun!

I would suggest LSA. That's my psychedelic of choice right now, it's not too visual, and it's very fun. peaceful.
Music can always influnce your trip. Good or Bad. Easy Star All-Stars Dub Side of the moon is nice and transcending.

My first ever high was MDMA. Obviously it's not quite the "classic psychedelic," but I think everyone should try it once in their life. I think it was the most eye-opening experience I've had as of yet, since it led me into the world of chemicals and entheogens. MDMA is the one of the most forgiving substances you can take in my opinion. I really enjoy the unconditional love and the clear thinking of MDMA. I was with 3 of my friends and we had some intense bonding (it was all our first time taking it, and my first time taking anything.. I hadn't even smoked weed before). The only thing with MDMA is that it IS a stimulant, so be wary if you have blood pressure problems or heart problems.

My low-medium dose of mushrooms (which came a few months after the MDMA) was really relaxing. I was with 3 friends as well as my brother and we spent a few hours at my local arboretum. It's like a big foresty nature-walk type place. I gave one of my friends a bit of my dose, so he was on a low(er) dose with me. We all ended up sitting on a footbridge that crosses near a big pond, and everything seemed crystal clear in my vision. Also had some nice closed eye visuals. Nothing really mind-blowing, but it did allow me to get my feet wet before going in too deep with anything else.

MDMA or medium dose mushrooms. Or Hippie Flip. Don't forget to bring friends.

one word: SPICE!
My dog knows people that have never done anything besides weed their entire lives and smoked a bowl of spice and then another and another!
Other psychedelics are immensely intriguing, but spice takes you straight to the source, or so my dog thinks!

I personally had my first experience with 4-AcO-DMT (around 20mg) and I think it was a great decision. 4-AcO-DMT seems to be VERY forgiving to me regardless of dose or setting, I've yet to have a single bad vibe with it, it's amazing stuff. I'd definitely recommend it for your first time if you can get your hands on it - particularly if you are drawn to psychedelics for spiritual reasons. (Your reasons would tie in with spiritual reasons in my opinion, and I think you'll see why after your first few experiences)

One thing I'd recommend that a lot of people don't mention is finding out whether the substance you plan to use "works well" with other people. For example, I don't find 4-AcO-DMT to be very social, and so a trip sitter would be an absolutely awful idea if I were tripping on it - however if the trip sitter happened to be tripping too, I'd love it. 2C-E on the other hand I find to be very social, I can conduct myself normally in a sober manner on it, and so if I had tried 2C-E for my first ever psychedelic experience, a trip sitter would have been good.

I don't know just how forgiving MDMA can be. Sheer terror and similar emotions may not accompany the trip like they do with so many of the other psychedelics, but the last time I took MDMA, I felt no euphoria at any point in the trip. I simply felt weird, and uncomfortable, and no matter how positive I stayed, I always wound up wishing it would end soon. One of my friends actually had a similar experience yesterday in fact.