So I've had a breakthrough on DMT and in short, I'm fascinated by the scope, power, and importance of the psychedelic experience. But I need to make some important decisions in my life now and I ask for some advice on my options. I'm 18 and stayed back while my peers went to college. Not quite ready to apply myself to academics, I also am not excited about putting myself many thousands of dollars in debt just to get a degree. That's a key concern, but what's most important to me is pursuing something I enjoy. I want to be practical but at the same time do something that is meaningful. The field of study regarding altered states of consciousness and consciousness as a whole is tremendously important. I'm deeply curious about it and want to make it a part of my life. To what extent and how is the question. How can I take this activity outside of my bedroom, so to speak? Where does one go to learn more about this kind of thing? Are there groups? Or do I need to head down to Peru and live with people of the Ayahuasca culture? I want to contribute my energy in someway that will benefit the cause. I'm drawn to the psychedelic experience because it is profoundly relevant to our experience in this reality. What are my options? I want to share the experience with people because it's way too incredible to keep to myself. It compels me to action. All I need is a little guidance.

Thanks.

Any thoughts? Anybody know of a group or a person to contact? Or a place to go, or, I don't know. The subject can't possibly be dealt with online only. I bet the community has a niche somewhere out there. I understand that the illegality of psychedelics makes it kind of a ghost town of a topic in much of the U.S., (where I live) but what about around the world?

Sounds like a wonderful field to get into. Depending on what scope you want to participate in this area is going to dictate your next step. Not wanting to go to college, which I understand, never went myself, is going to limit you quite a bit. Your options are pretty much volunteer for psychedelic medical studies at major universities and try and give as much input as you can. You're going to have to do many many years of self funded work, and probably in secret.
Even with years of education being able to practice studies in entheogens seems like a pretty rough field to get into. Not many doctors and scientists back this research.
Have you read Dr. Strassman's The Spirit Molecule? If not you should, it covers a lot of the groundwork necessary for such a line of work.

Ultimately your answer can only come from within. Nothing anyone tells you may be right for you. Beat your own drum and march to it all the way to shamanism.

What about training in some sort of healing technique (Massage, Herbal Studies, Diet, etc) and create some sort of cross over (personal or more public as desired) with your interest in entheogens?

One idea is the churches allowed to partake in such things. I think some, maybe all of them are selective about whether you're a native or not. There are churches that practice ayauasca use, and some that practice peyote. Could be something to look in to!

Thanks for the ideas! I like hearing all suggestions. If not creating a profession out of entheogen use, meditation, diet and exercise I'd like to make a private practice out of it. I've though about the various churches that use Ayahuasca before. Santo Daime I think is the name of one. I might see if they take new members! Though I say that jokingly, I don't approach Ayahuasca lightly. But I couldn't accept a neo-Christian ideology to get membership. Wouldn't want to lie either.

As far as listening to myself and finding my own path, so far I know a few things:

- I'm fascinated by the psychedelic experience and want to explore it for a variety of reasons

- I want to learn more about what is actually happening in altered states (scientifically), though I'm not inclined to pursue a career in science.

- I want to share the experience with others who would not normally encounter it, but for whom it could be life-changing

- I want to speak out in support of responsible drug use and smart drug laws. About this, I wrote down earlier today: "When a drug is illegal, irresponsible use of it is used to justify its illegality. When a drug is legal, irresponsible use is cited as a reason why the user is irresponsible. People don't think critically about some things! People accept that all things illegal are bad and that government knows best.." Just felt I'd share that because it's relevant.

I know a college degree is quite useful. I can manage the cost by getting scholarships, financial aid, getting good grades, and going to an in-state school. Also, if I work I can pay off a lot of it. I'm taking time off to travel now. Heading out to southern California in January to work on a few organic farms as part of a program called WWOOF (willing workers on organic farms). Should be fun! I need to figure out the best way to apply my energies. If that means going to school, I'm ok with that.

But if people have other ideas, I'm open! People sometimes go down to Peru or Brazil and have experiences with natives or gringo enthusiast who live down there. Seen that stuff in documentaries and listened about it in interviews. Anyone know how/where one actually does something like this?

I can only offer an opinion, but based on experience over the years I think the first piece of advice to consider is this: Slow down. I don't want to sound like I'm talking down to you at any point here, you come across as being intelligent and mature but I would strongly suggest taking your time in making big decisions like this, especially when the influence of an intense psychedelic experience is still fresh in the mind.

Your post sounds almost evangelical towards the end, which is not uncommon after such a profound and life-affirming experience, but it's been seen repeatedly over the years that the overly zealous approach in bringing psychedelics to the public rarely ends well. Look at Leary, for example, who, while obviously contributing immensely to the current data available on psychedelics, simultaneously set back legitimate scientific research by several decades during his 'guru' phase. Long story short: Take it easy, normal service will be resumed shortly and putting these experiences in perspective will be a bit easier.

You're young and time is on your side, from here you could go anywhere so there's no need to rush into anything right now. I absolutely agree that you should pursue something you enjoy; when I was 19, I became a father and have worked bog-standard call-centre jobs for the last 10+ years to support my family. Only now, at 32, am I considering going to University and doing something that I actually want to do rather than sacrificing happiness for financial stability...which in actuality isn't even remotely stable anyway!

You have no responsibilities, no mortgage, no debt and a lifetime ahead of you to live and experience this amazing, spectacular adventure called life. Look at your options, research, find out what's available through your own efforts and then don't let anything stop you from achieving your goals. Strong intent and complete belief in yourself are essential to getting to where you want to be, but don't forget to enjoy the experience and never take anything that comes along too seriously. Ever.

I hope things unfold in the most wonderful of ways for you and that you find happiness.

Peace.

I read a post by Olympus Mons on this and, if I recall correctly, he says that it's quite a difficult thing to do. I'll need to find the post but he gave some good info on it relating to this.

I highly recommend going to a conference that deals with psychedelics and talking to different people there. I think there is one comming up quite early the next year organized by MAPS. There you are sure to meet a lot of people that are interested in the general topic of psychedelics and you may get some ideas of what fields of studies to pursue. You might also get some ideas that don't include studying in the university. I would try to talk to as many people as possible at one of those conferences, especially if a talk really interested you.

While I love your enthusiasm for the field I think it's important to also think outside of the psychedelic box and perhaps pursue a lifestyle that allows for more variety than only psychedelics. After all - what are psychedelics used for? Healing, psychotherapy, spirituality, exploration and recreation. Perhaps you can find something worthwhile in one of those fields and contribute to the psychedelic culture by combining your insights from both worlds.

Good luck

As far as going to college goes, having a Bachelor's Degree myself, I would recommend you not rush into it. Do something different, explore other avenues, and if you find that somewhere along the line there's a career you'd like to explore for which a degree is necessary, then enroll.

But don't do what I did. Although I had a wonderful time in college, I went into it with no idea of what I wanted to do, and emerged with the same. However, now I have debt. My dream of living as frugally as possible and traveling around is not as easy as it might have been had I done something else instead of go to college.

Being unattached, with no children or wife or career, is a beautiful thing. The people I know who settled down early all seem to share a similar envy for my position. Enjoy it and explore!

You could always start your own 'Entheogenic University'....

No...wait...hang on...?/

Thanks everyone. I'm trying not to rush into anything. I know I'm young, it's just sometimes I don't see that as good reason for not doing something if I want to do it. It's obviously important but It often feels irrelevant to me. I'm still thinking about school though. I'm going to apply to a local college and defer for a year or maybe only 6 months if I'm accepted. Or if I find another path, I'll gladly take it. College isn't something I'm opposed to doing, I just need to have a clear intent and use for a degree to do it. That's just me. I understand I have the privilege of no responsibility and that I'm allowed flexibility and many options because of it. I want to do something that is interesting and meaningful to me. My parents tell me that someday I'm going to have to get a steady job and go through the motions of being an American adult. I just don't see things like this! I see that life as a kind of prison. I don't want to do play my hand like that. I don't think I have to if I don't want to. I know I'm idealistic, but I'd rather come to an understanding, whether that I was right or wrong, on my own rather than by accepting their views from the start. That's a trap and it's universally problematic. When it comes down to it, my parents are only espousing an ideology, and I don't like accepting that stuff without experiencing things for myself. It's the reason why I made DMT and came to my own conclusions about it instead of letting someone else tell me it's a waste of time or harmful (like I had a teacher do once when I expressed curiosity about the topic). But even if I cannot find a way to live differently, I'll have succeeded in trying. Whatever happens, I'll be glad to understand things through experience rather than merely know them on an intellectual, rational level. That's what DMT showed me to be important.

But I do think it's possible to make things work, so I'm hopeful. Conferences, classes, medicinal retreats, people in the field... I'll search on my own too but if anyone has some scrap of information, I'd be very appreciative if it could be shared here.

if you dont go to college there are still other avenues you can take where you can contribute and get involved- this forum being a big one of them!

for example just look at all of the authors, artists, musicians, graphic designers, and even people on this forum engaged in this sort of underground research that have greatly contributed to the collective knowledge bin

I'm sure there are options out there, I just don't know of many yet. But I'll keep looking.

This forum is great though I have not been a part of it for long. I haven't seen much of the content on here either. I should though. I would love to continue to contribute and learn with the Nexus, but I also seek involvement with aboveground work as well. To me what's most important is spreading information and ideas to those who don't know what this kind of thing really is. Though I really enjoy and have specific use for sharing my experiences with those who can relate, I think the real work that must be done is making the public sympathetic to the opinions and goals of people like us. In the Western-societies, change is dependent on when science is ready to deal with the issues. I think that time is very near though. And though I found that recent clip of Daniel Pinchbeck on Russell Brand's show entertaining and well-intentioned, I think the topic has to be discussed more conservatively to avoid knee-jerk, angry reactions from the conservative-minded people of this world. No more, "Lets take these drugs to expand our consciousness and free ourselves from cultural oppression!" That style of advertisement and discourse failed in the 60's and will fail again very quickly and easily. If it's done correctly, we could see a significant resumption of scientific and clinical studies within 5-10 years. Hopefully this will coincide with debate over the future of the American War on Drugs and the confluence of factors will result in the decriminalization of cannabis at the federal level and maybe even these psychedelics. I won't hold my breath though. But I want to do anything I can to help. Maybe I could start a blog about the topic to raise awareness. I'm certainly not of the opinion that the issues should remain undiscussed so we can still order our plants without any hassle. If it takes going through a rough period, so be it. But these experiences are for everyone (sure, anyone cane try it, but most won't risk going to prison for it) and I think those who have the knowledge should make the sacrifice for the benefit of those who don't. Just my opinions, but laying low won't change anything. Someone will champion the issue and it could be the wrong person. What if Russell Brand becomes an outspoken proponent of a governmental reconsideration of the issue? He's wicked smart, but he's also an eccentric comedian recovering from drug addiction! (9 years sober) What I'm saying is that things are happening now whether or not anyone from the Nexus gets involved. But things might change then whether or not anyone from the Nexus likes it. But if anyone thinks these issues should remain underground, please share your opinion. The only way to master the topic is to understand all points of view.

Anyway, blog is a maybe. What else could I do or do you think should be done? What can this community do? Should I check out the community projects section first? Haha.