"Once I was chatting with Jonathan Ott when I had dropped in on an Entheobotany conference at Palenque. At the time I had been underground for about 30 years, and a fugitive for about 20. No one knew who I was. We were discussing sacraments, and I used the word 'psychedelic.' Jonathan responded, 'We prefer to use the word entheogen.' I replied, 'When it is used sacramentally, then it is an entheogen. Until then, it is just a psychedelic, or perhaps only just a drug.'" ~Nick Sand
I put this quote first because it so beautifully encapsulates what I want to write about. Many people have written about the importance of intent and treating DMT with the respect that it deserves, but I was struck by how true this is after this evening with a friend who claimed he was "0 for 2" with psychedelics. My friend had only had extremely negative and difficult experiences with indole alkaloids, psilocybin and LSD, respectively. Yet when I asked him what actually happened, it was, in my opinion, exactly what not to do when taking entheogens: way too much, out in public, with people who were essentially acquaintances. I spoke with him about how in cultures that use these compounds traditionally, you don't get a pressed pill from some dude named Drifter at a festival--you experience these very same compounds in a ritual context, often accompanied by family members or pillars of the community i.e. wise men and women. With an experienced, compassionate guide, it's different. I feel like while many people get that set and setting are important for facilitating a positive visionary experience, most do not really know what these two concepts really mean.
I've been taking entheogens for almost 20 years now. No one taught me, I bought most of my first visions on the street from strangers. But I learned to treat them with respect, to come correct, so to speak, to enter the visionary state with the mindset of going on a literal vision quest. That's different from the party scene, which I came to after more than ten years of tripping my ego off with my closest friends in isolated locations. That's different than taking mescaline to get high. I'm not knocking the party scene as a whole: there are some seriously beautiful, conscious events out there that provide a (mostly) safe setting for people to explore their minds.
But when you want to go deep, or like my friend, you need to undo some damage, approaching DMT or other entheogens in a ritual context is basically the way to do it. Wait! You might be saying, I don't know any rituals! Jeez waitwhatwhere, you aren't helping! Well, again, no one taught me how to take entheogens the way I do now, I had to pick it up as I went along. Luckily, there are plenty of rituals to borrow from. I like to meditate. DMT told me to do it, so don't blame me. I also like yoga, tarot, and the Western occult tradition, as well as Tantra and...well, you get the picture. What I'm saying is, do what works for you. Use the symbols that resonate with your core. The Hindus have a useful concept called Ishta-devanta--the deity you prefer. Dig Norse mythology? Sweet, invoke Odin and get with it. It's all terribly Post Modern. Even if you are totally atheist, and take a secular neurobiology view to all the pretty colors of the DMT induced transcendental experience, cool, say a few words, state what you want out of the session and why you are doing it and take the plunge. Science is the shit, but do it with
feeling. Do it like your actions have consequence. Do it like you are going to come out different on the other end, because like it or not, that is highly probable to happen.
Without turning this post into a full trip report, my friend said he's now 1 for 3 after tonight. He wept with gratitude. What I did was say: this space is safe, I'll take care of you, if you shit your pants, I give you new pants. We said some words, we burned incense and candles, played drone-y music and stated our intentions. After the visions, we closed the ceremony by sharing water, and then we went outside and talked about what we saw. This isn't hard, it doesn't take much effort, and in my humble opinion, demonstrates to myself and the compound in question that I come to the experience pure of heart, to listen, to learn, and to grow.
So, what are your DMT rituals? What about for other entheogens, are they different? Personally, I've taken these compounds hundreds of times in lots of contexts, so my own approach has evolved over the years, but at present I try and take a moment or two to formally address the gravity of the mental state I am about to enter.
"The mystic cannot communicate, but the artist can." ~Robert Anton Wilson