My friend, dont rush. You can always learn from the Spice, it doesnt matter how much you take.
Taking small doses it's the best way to get used to it, even if youll never really get used to it

Fear: normal, healthy... Don't feel bad.

Deeplake's exercise suggestion sounds great, going to try it myself; finish up in the fry room, couple stretches, deep breaths. I always get so worked up each time, I find it hard to just sit and meditate with that hammering going on in my chest. Even just a brisk walk on the treadmill (it's below freezing out!) could do it...

Out of my last 4 journeys, in 2 of them I backed out after the first hit. Still had amazing experiences. Pace yourself, there's nothing to prove!

I have a theory that goes something like this.

DMT trips a switch in the primitive fear processing part of the brain ( locus caeruleus? ) As DMT may be interpreted by the "primitive brain" as a "death experience" The rationale brain cannot overide this primal instinct so easily through logic, I'd say many have learnt to deal with it, but it's still often an issue.

The first time I did it I could litteraly feel the panicked primate inside me wanting to simply run ( flight) as resistance ( fight) was not an option.

The easiest times were always when I couldn't care if I died at that very moment in time., not a feeling one gets everyday.

Just me wee tuppence worth ! ( not gospel)

I would recommend coming up an other psychedelic prior to smoking, which is what I'm going to prior to the next time I smoke. I've had no success up to this point, but I did recently take an LSD tab and drink some mimosa-huasca, and I had wonderful CEV's and a very smooth peak without the anxiety that has stricken me before. My guess is it will do the same for smoking, but this is only speculation. It will certainly neutralize your fear.

Arcanum - interesting concept! makes total sense. like when you are going to sky dive, ski/snowboard off a cliff, bunjie jump, or just about any death defying feat, you feel this kick in. with these type of physical dare devil type stunts, you get nervous... my solution in my case is to do it quickly and the more I think, the more I get nervous.

There is no way to be "ready" for any sort of trip. This is because there is no way to foresee what the trip may bring to you, where it may take you, nor how long you'll be gone for. That is the fear in every trip. The uncertainty, the inability to control the trip and handle it to where its comfortable. Of coarse, there are ways to enhance passiveness such as trip setting. All suggestions above will set your mood. The key is to open up, yo be willing to undertake the most pain and the most pleasure... To embrace the uncertainty.


It is easier said than done, but... jump in

Very true, although not everyone can take long lasting drugs every time they want to blast of into DMT world
Funnily enough, I experienced something similar yesterday night. I took 3.5g P. Cubensis with some Passionflower tincture and towards the end of the trip I took three big hits of Spice. My god, it was the first time I did this sort of combo and I was in pure bliss! Not only the effect was lasting longer, but it made the visions sooo clear with no body load or whatsoever.

TimeCat, I understand your issue with pre-flight anxiety. I think we all have this anxiety and if we don't, we are not right in the head. Are you able to read signatures in peoples profiles by chance? While some would take ۩'s comment as unwanted or confusing, I am almost certain that he made that comment because of your attitude in your first post in this thread. I even took your post as being a bit, "well I can't so I might as well just give up"ish.. In ۩'s signature(if you can't read it I suggest you adjust your profile settings) there is a VERY VERY GOOD diagram on preparing for and launching into hyperspace. This diagram happens to work VERY VERY WELL... I highly recommend you have a look at it. I have launched over 200+ times now and I still get anxiety, enough to keep me from doing it sometimes still. I'm not trying to be a jerk, I just think ۩ might have meant a little more from his post without actually feeling the need to spell it all out for you. ۩ is one of the most knowledgeable and respected members of our forum. Sometimes he can say a lot with out saying much at all..

DMT is an incredible meditation tool. My friend never used to meditate, but her interest in DMT actually opened her up to meditating altogether -- almost like it "tricked" her into meditating. Her ego's obsession with the DMT experience opened her to realms beyond the ego! Learning to control your breath (both from holding smoke and preparing to smoke), to still your mind from frazzled nerves.... These are skills that definitely permeated far beyond the confines of the DMT experience.