i get severe anxiety prior to smoking... as i'm sitting there staring at the pipe my heartbeat goes through the roof, my hands beging to violently shake. What is surprising to me is that as i see the smoke swirl and just about begin to take my first inhale, my heart rate steadies...to a very low beat, my breathing suddenly becomes shallow and relaxed and my muscle tension expires. Its odd its as if a subsciousness reaction is taking place both before and immediately prior. I wonder if i was somehow subsciousnessly taught to relax myself by the dmt entites. Anyone else have this experience?

It's very similar for me, though less extreme. I see it as when you're about to give a talk or an oral presentation, you're nervous and erratic at first, and as soon as you start talking, things fall into place you're like a fish in water, if you prepared properly in both cases of course.

Yeah i used to get this alot! But recently i have been using the sandwich method with some blue lotus on the bottom and top and it has made the whole experience alot more pleseant. I am no longer anxiouse before hand because the whole experience is alot smoother. Hope this helps. Also a couple of cans of beer before hand (tho i know its not everyones cuppa tea) the anxiety i USED to feel ritht before doing spice cometely ruiened it for me but now i feel eager and excited to enduluge in a pipe or two :o)

i have a degree in public speaking and this is exactly how i would relate the experience, once i commit and the first word comes out, the axiety ceases replaced by confidence and euphoria

Honestly man, I won't lie, I get the anxiety every time as well. Hell, I have it right now, knowing I'm about to journey...I'm actually writing this reply to buy me a little more time..lol..Its one of those things,the body and mind know what's comin, and its nothin easy, ya know? Honestly, reading posts regarding anxiety does lots to diminish anxiety for me....

I think that the anxiety is our bodies become aware that there is about to be a big change. It can be fearful because we commonly associate anxiety as the flight or fight from fear.

I was reading about welcoming the anxiety and not fighting it will give a body buzz/glow that is energized for the transition. Like a pure energy from within that a divine force flowing through our body.

I too get a heart beat spike at the very thought of DMT. In the past, when the vapor hit my lungs the air seemed to thicken and the world became still like a supercritical fluid. In those seconds before the visual aspect is manifesting its like the wind stops, time stops... everything is turned down in volume.

Meditation is very good at calming ones self before the journey but also and just as importantly: It can train your consciousness to be relaxed when in alternate modes of being and will help to deal with the neurological onslaught of data when it inevitably occurs or simply help train ones mind to "let go".

I've had a problem with this lately myself. Ask any astronaut if they ever get nervous before blasting off into space and I bet they all do.
A psychonaut has it a bit different in the fact that they have no idea what "space" they will enter after takeoff. Hyperspace is a whole other ballgame psychologically!

The only way i have found to deal with this is to work myself in gradually over many small doses until i feel somewhat at ease.

positive experiences for me have something to do with raising my vibration to a super high level.

with each consecutive dose i seem to elevate myself to a more receptive point allowing and opening to deeper and deeper levels
without fear. Its a long process for me but the only way i go these days.

I've abandoned many a journey knowing that i was not up to the task in the moment.
I know that fear very well I also know there is a good reason for it . I also have experienced a super fearless point where
you can't get enough of the stuff and have no anxiety what so ever.

its funny how it always comes back to fear .

Yep I get the same racing of heartbeat and fear with the same release of tension and fear as soon as I get that first hit. Even laying in bed thinking about doing DMT makes my heart race.

That's why i love changa. You can have a few hits to ease into it and then go for gold. I have to agree with hydroblowback with the beers thing. A can or two sometimes calms the nerves enough, but won't spoil the experience.

the anxiety/fear is the only way to describe it and it can be so intense.
But when you stand in the face of true power the awe feels a bit like fear yet with a different 'taste' to it.

that fear is a barrier for many, we adventurers earn th reward of experience by overcoming our fears...

Kudos t my fellow travelers...