I see pictures here and they look nice but also say 'university'. But this isnt a university. Why put that there? Almost no university has courage to study entheogens. Why honor them with using their word of describing what they wont do? They would laugh at us calling us a university. Why do we want to be a university? Maybe university belongs to logical side of things? Not sire if psychedelic experiences are logical. Are we trying to put on some ego or air, like, look how logical and smart we are so please respect us? We hijack their word that dont belong with us.

It's currently a university in the works. You'll see!

Yip I will be studying for my doctorate of dmt.
Dr Ewok, phd of dmt.

How can you make a university then? Register with government? Crazy!

Ain't no government in hyperspace.

You just have to pop in and say hi to the entities, you're automatically enrolled. Mama aya will reserve you a place on the path, and then your studies can really begin!

One of the best degrees the school of life has to offer, if I do say so myself

So? Let them laugh. Won't make our learning any less valid just because some people at the top of the pedagogical chain think it's silly.


The psychedelic experience is a universal experience. It is both logical and illogical. It is both rational and irrational; internal and external; positive and negative; real and not real. It's not the case that it's either one or the other (of anything practically ever). Unfortunately most people see something that would indicate it's logical, put their foot down and declare it so, or conversely see something illogical and declare it so, but the experience is much more subtle than that. As part of it's universal nature, I see it being perfectly fit for university study. Now also what is encouraged at universities is critical thinking. Whether or not you wish to believe me when I say that the experience can be logical is one thing, but to deny these topics critical thought because you perceive them to be "extra-logical" is to promote ignorance.

There is a whole logical side to traveling into hyperspace using entheogens. DMT extraction in itself is a science that is constantly being refined by members on these boards. The same accounts for botany, chemical analysis, effects, dosages, mindset.

The Nexus wants to be an "Entheogenic University" because psychedelics are more than just altering your perception of reality. Let's take a look at mushrooms. There is more to mushrooms than just eating them and trip balls. Growing mushrooms requires skills, hygiene and that you pay attention. In the future you can learn all about how to do that, why it works that way and how the mushroom organism works from spore to fruit.

There is a lot of information out there regarding all the different psychedelics and we want to gather all that information together and condense them together in bite size chunks, so everybody can learn about them and perhaps contribute to the knowledge.

By grouping it together it becomes easy to spread awareness and true information about these substances / medicines. Psychedelics are shrouded in nonsensical stories(such as "take LSD 7 times and you're legally insane" or the story about a man who took LSD and thought he was a glass of orange juice even after his trip ended). We can end that with the entheogenic university.

This a quote from the [WANTED] New forum Banner thread:

For this it is of vital importance that any information presented on the DMT-Nexus as fact has to meet certain quality aspects. Not only to keep within harm reduction ranges but also to be taken serious by the 'outside world'.


Current Research at the DMT-Nexus

ANALYSIS

Substance testing

* The Phalaris Analysis Thread
* The Acacia Analysis Thread
* The Caapi Analysis Thread

* Substance Indexation - Subjective Effects
* Extraction Tek Evaluation


SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT

Philosophy (just a few picks)

* A pragmatic approach: What is "real", and when is it actually useful to ask this?
* The Improbability of Hyperspace

Mysticism (just a few picks)

* Methods of achieving mystical states & spiritual knowledge
* 2 questions of spiritual experience and DMT

Science (just a few picks)

* Seeking Pharmacological/Biochemical Software Ideas?
* Hackers and the brain...


LAW

* On the Legal Status of DMT Source Plants in the US (with a discussion of the religious use defense)


SUBTANCE INTERACTION

* Known substance-interactions and their effects


WIKI INFORMATION

* Extraction Teks
* Psychedelic Compounds Chemical and Physical Properties
* Analogues and structures table
* Ingestion Methods


OTHER WORK IN PROGRESS

* Psychoactive Lichen!!!...Novel Entheogen needs Research!
* Adding Method to the Madness
* More harm reduction
* Learning site for courses
* Phalaris analysis for safe extraction from grasses
* History (history of ethnobotanicals and psychedelics)
* Presentation of the progress of our research at the International Conference on Psychedelic Research in Amsterdam in October.
* Many more things


This is to give you an indication why we are moving more and more into education: all understanding starts with proper education.


Kind regards,

The Traveler

Neat. One thing I'm interested in is the neurochemistry of psychedelics. I've read up a bit and watched a few David Nichols talks about the subject but the bulk of the material seems to go over my head.

Really? There are countless academic specialists in the field of entheogenic and psychedelics study. They have to get their doctorates from somewhere. And I am pretty sure they didn't all go to the same university. So surely the legitimate study of entheogens must occur worldwide in a fair few universities?

Even I managed to convince a theological university to let me write about entheogens (and their connections to religion) in both my batchelors and my masters dissertations.

Plus, there is a first for everything! Why can't we be the first University to specialize in Entheogens?

Much love,
Sally xx

I'm not sure this is entirely accurate. After a quick search around the web, here's a link, and I've attached a file that show that there are academics working in this field. I'm sure there are plenty more examples out there.

As for the Nexus, as Trav has pointed out, there is plenty of research and philosophy within this site. Our slogan has changed to reflect this content, and the ethos behind the Nexus of educating with quality, reliable information. Trav and the mods work very hard to keep the Nexus this way.

Peace

Macre

I will see what happens with this. There is a dark side to it. Not sure if you going to reach anyone that isnt already into these things. Teks are nice for hobby not for lab work. University is a big word for DIY stuff. And that is already on this site yes? Critical thought always good. But who is the audience? Who will come here and learn? Not my mother. Maybe Thomas B. Roberts, Ph.D?

pdf file show all by Roberts, not so many studies after all. Seems he too busy with being hot shot. I know studies in usa are forbidden, mostly. I think this all delusions of grandeur, like C3PO think he can fly the chair in Star Wars. But we see.

The audience will be whomever finds it naturally. Whoever this appeals to will be the audience and I don't see the importance of a narrow minded restriction of thought on these topics. If the audience isn't you, then just don't look any further.

Plenty already have...many more will continue to do so.

I wonder why you are so opposed to engaging with these things in a scientific or disciplined manner...seems kind of generally and amorphously counterproductive (especially as nothing is being asked of/required of you in particular).

They who came already had an interest otherwise they wont come. People who are indoctrinated by propaganda wont come. Just like me when I dont read propaganda site like drugfreeworld.org or something. DMT use is small market so to say. I think people hear from friends and they come.

But Im not against science. But science seems very hard. What standard or quality we aim for? We cant do lab studies. We cant go to real university and ask researchers to do something. We dont have money to pay for research. We have no Strassman here. Or maybe we have somone with lab schooling and how to make an experiment. If you cant do that then it isnt 'science'.

And exchange opinion is not counter productive. If you cant deal with me asking questions and have doubt, how can you ask other people to take you serious? Fringe and pseudo science is what they call it then. Who are you kidding? You can make tek look real pro and give many details, but still not science. Everyone anonymous here, so cant do studies.... Could look like erowid I guess. But we already have erowid. I just dont think science way will make dmt trips better to understand or make you know how much to take. For each is different anyway. Like, interactions with other drugs. Any professor who read that laugh cause no 'real' study done here.

But we will see. Do what you wish but this wont get you more respect from politcians, researchers, indoctrinated people and anti-drug organizations. But could make us feel good...

PS I also though maybe backfire. If you show you are 'university' law may not like it cause we pretend, like step out of bounds.

Call it science. Don't call it science. It doesn't really matter as it's a matter of semantics as far as I'm concerned. I don't think this is as vital to how it is received by the academic community as much as it's potential to inform those who are interested. The standard I think we should aim for is the dissemination and analysis of information which someone whom happens to find may find beneficial/useful/practical.

This is far from true. We've had several site-wide engagements with 'indoctrinated people' who came here asking for information for themselves or their loved ones. You seem to be making assumptions that are not based on any sort of facts, merely your own opinion, which is fine in some cases, but here you happen to be incorrect.


What is a 'lab study'? Are you referring only to government/coprorate approved studies done in sanctioned labs? If so, why? Why are clandestine labs that adhere to scientific methods and appropriate methodology excluded? I think the issue should not be aiming for 'lab studies' that are sanctioned (I mean, yes, that can be one goal), but rather, studies that adhere to the structural framework of scientific legitimacy. Individually we do have money that actively pays for research.

We have some of the most cutting edge phalaris research in existence on this site. We don't need Strassman, he is merely one scientist with his own thoughts/ideas/experiments and is by no means the be-all/end-all of dmt research. We have plenty of people who are employed in lab research professionally, we have plenty more who are educated in the scientific method and are carrying out underground research that is valid, at least, for initial, foundational discoveries that can provide direction for future sanctioned (or non-sanctioned) research.


I don't know that I fully understand what you think science is...could you elaborate? Wikipedia states, "Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe." That seems to me to be very much what we have done, are doing and are working on focusing even more energy on. I also find it interesting that you think that science will make dosing ranges evident for a given substance...if not science, then what? As to professors laughing, we have actually had professors who are members or who have come to the site after students have given presentations on dmt or entheogens, and laughing seemed to be far removed from their agendas.

As I said earlier, you seem to be operating with a lot of preconceived notions that don't really fit into my perception (or the actual evidence) of what has taken place on this site over the past years. The work we have done and are doing on this site has been presented at conferences and will probably be presented at even more as we move forward. Feel free to join in if you so like, if not, that's cool too, but please take heed of what we're telling you and try to refrain from unfounded statements.

I think you are simply jumping to conclusions, and underestimating the quality of work that is being conducted. That doesn't make you a bad person you're just not fully informed.

Peace

Macre

Well Benny, now you done it! Never argue with a member with 3000 posts. My advice, let it go! What difference does it make anyway? Good info is good regardless of how its being researched. I am happy there are these underground scientists...I remember McKenna mentioning that there is a lot of research being done and that was decades ago.

But it seems hard to value the presented facts when they come. It could be an opinion. There won't be references to actual people. There is no peer control. Personally I think the transformative power of the psychedelic experience can not be found in research. Only in experience. Entheogens alter your mind, your perspective and that leads to a new behavioral pattern, which in turns changes society. Did I spell entheogens right? My dictionary underlines it as misspelled and it gives no suggestion. I guess that is what I mean.