Hello Nexians, this is my first report so any feedback is much appreciated. Thanks for reading!
This experience happened roughly a year before I am writing this. Because of this some details are a bit hazy, however, the main part i want to discuss is still clear as day. Since reading
The Psychedelic Experience by Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner and Richard Alpert my interest in this experience has been peaked. I will give a little background and then jump right in.
I think it is important to note that i was with a few friends at my house. I was the only one under the influence of a psychedelic and felt quite comfortable. I had taken about 5 doses and am not quite sure how many micrograms it equated to.
The experience started quite standard. A smooth comeup and nice first hour to the experience made me feel confident and happy. I did not feel all that intoxicated but rather euphoric and happy. I did not feel very detached from reality and I was not having many visual effects with eyes open or closed. The group of friends and I made food and listened to music. Nothing too intense and kind of even distracting from the experience. I was not mad about this but happy to be in the company of friends. Close to three hours after ingesting the substance something very strange happened. I was now with just one friend listening to music in my living room. I was seated in a chair and began to feel a warm sensation on my seat. I took note of it but did not pay a ton of attention to it. However, as the sensation got hotter I was unable to focus on anything else. It began to feel wet and almost as if it was melting. My butt was so hot I jumped off my seat to make sure it wasn't really wet. Once I stood up the heat travelled up from my bottom and lower spine, up my spine and eventually to my head. When it got to the top of my head an overwhelming force came over me. Immediately after the experience I described this feeling as DMT-like but it was different and indescribable. I stayed in this state for a few seconds and then faded back to a more ordinary reality. However, my visuals were far more vibrant. Everything was moving and flowing together. Colors were bright and I felt amazing. I had no idea what had happened or how it had happened. I told my friends who had no explanation either. Upon sobering up and reflecting I guessed that the heat travelling up my spine had something to do with my Chakras but really had no idea. I looked around and asked a few people about it but found no answers. Eventually I stopped thinking about the experience and moved on, until a few weeks ago. While reading
The Psychedelic Experience I came across a few very interesting quotes. They are as follows;
"Another typical and most rewarding phase of the First Bardo involves ecstatic energy movement felt in the spine. The base of the backbone seems to be melting or on fire. If the person can maintain quiet concentration the energy will be sensed as flowing upwards. Tantric adepts devote decades of concentrated meditation to the release of these ecstatic energies which they call 'Kundalini', the Serpent Power. One allows the energies to travel upwards through several ganglionic centers (chakras) to the brain, where they are sensed as a burning sensation in the top of the cranium. These sensations are not unpleasant to the prepared person, but, on the contrary, are accompanied by the most intense feelings of joy and illumination." (pg. 28-29)
"If the undifferentiated light of the First Bardo or of the Source Energy is lost, luminous waves of differentiated forms can flood through the consciousness. The person's mind begins to identify these figures, that is, to label them and experience revelations about the life process." (pg.38-39)
Clearly, these quotes are strikingly similar to the experience I had so many months ago. I read more and began to try and relate it all back to my experience. It appeared, at least in this explanation, that my ideas about the chakras was correct! I could most definitely feel the energy rushing around my body and up my spine to my head. After the fact, my visuals were increased ten-fold which I believe the second quotes talks about. The authors go on to describe the visions in a beautiful manner. Of course every experience is individual but I think the following description is better than any I could write.
"These visions might perhaps be described as pure sensations of cellular and subcellular processes." (pg. 39)
I am very happy that this experience happened to me, however, I am confused why it happened when it did and how it affects other people. Has anyone else had an intense spinal heat or a near ego-loss starting this way? Why did this happen when i was in a room with a friend not in meditation or even reflection? I am assuming the end "DMT-like" state would have persisted if I had not become concerned and distracted but is this true? Lots of questions with many answers I am sure. I am mainly curious to hear of other similar experiences and how people viewed them afterwards. Links or comments would be great!
Thanks for taking the time to read everyone!
βHow long will this last, this delicious feeling of being alive, of having penetrated the veil which hides beauty and the wonders of celestial vistas? It doesn't matter, as there can be nothing but gratitude for even a glimpse of what exists for those who can become open to it.β
β Alexander Shulgin, Pihkal: A Chemical Love Story