Hi all,

I'm a new member and first time poster so sorry in advance if this message is a little rough around the edges. For example i realize this isn't the most suitable thread to post this in but the others wouldn't let me post due to being new. So first up i'll just explain my history with psychedelics so you know where i'm coming from. If you're not up for a read feel free to skip straight to my question at the bottom.

I've been a pot user since i was a teenager. Originally I did it recreationally. I wanted nothing out of it besides a good time and the munchies. If someone mentioned they smoked it for spiritual or introspective reasons i'd probably have scoffed, rolled my eyes and walked away.
My first experience with psychedelics came in the form of a mushroom trip 5-6 years ago. A friend of mine a few towns over invited me to come hang out in the woods where he and some of his mates were sitting around a campfire downing mushrooms. I spent most of the night lying on my back staring at the stars contemplating the universe and our place in it. Really mind opening stuff that i'd never really got from pot. It was all very insightful and changed me for the better but at the same time i was kind of turned off mushrooms by the intensity of the experience. Being new to it i ate more than a first timer should have and was high for a little longer than i was comfortable with. The last hour or two were tough to keep it together as i felt like i'd been high for too long, that the mushrooms should have worn off by now and thinking maybe i'd done some permanent damage and i was stuck this way forever. I was told later by my friend (who was also a first timer that night and ended up having a pretty rough trip) that the group we were with were all veterans and would often give first timers a much higher dose than they should take for a laugh. A little baptism by fire so to speak. This was my last foray into psychedelics for a while as the mushroom experience, as mind opening as it was, was ultimately daunting and off putting due to the large dose i'd consumed first time round.
A couple of years later a friend had been telling me about DMT. He was pushing it hard telling me it's not like anything he's ever seen before. This particular friend was a huge fan of drugs in general, not just the good ones so i took his recommendations with a grain of salt thinking it was just another way to "get high and see crazy shit". I ended up doing my own research rather than take his word for it and found my self intrigued enough to give it a try and damn if it didn't completely change my world. I won't go into great detail as this is turning out to be a long story as it is but lets just say the way i look at everything now is completely different. I still take DMT regularly (Once every 9-12 months if you call that regular) and only do it to gain some insight into myself as i'm sure i don't need to tell any of you that DMT is not actually a fun thing to do. I mean it's rewarding which is why we do it but it's a huge task and takes a lot of energy. On top of that i've found even my pot use is less about having fun and more about introspection. Something i'd never felt through pot before DMT. Since then i've been hell bent on learning about myself and the universe through spiritual means, whether they involve drugs or not im on a quest to figure out the universe and our place in it.

Which brings me to my question:

I will be heading on a trip to North America in 5 weeks or so. Whilst there i'll be spending some time in the south west states and one of the things i'd love to do is learn about Native Americans philosophies and way of life being that i'm both a history lover and a "seeker of enlightenment" so to speak. Ideally i would LOVE to learn about peyote for spiritual/religious purposes as they did. So maybe a ceremony or out in nature. I'd love to learn how they use it, what they get out of it etc Does anyone know if there is anywhere in that area i may find someone whether it be an individual or organized group that can a) give me some insight into their outlook on the world, history, philosophies etc and b) teach me about their peyote ceremony. From what i've found so far I'd say they wouldn't be big on sharing it with people who aren't of their blood so I understand if they're not willing to allow me to take part in it (Obviously the NAC won't let you touch it if you're not in their church and you can't get into their church if you have no native blood) but i'd still like to learn about it failing that. If anyone may be able to point me in the right direction as to how i can make this happen or help me out that would be greatly appreciated. My entire trip has been organised around breaking new ground, learning and growing and i feel like i could get a lot from this.

You won't necessarily get to experience authentic traditional use within Native culture. However, if you are interested in learning more about the medicine and getting the opportunity to try it within a safe, legal, and professional context, you may want to check out The Peyote Way in Willcox Arizona.

sow em , grow em , mow em.
or if you prefer,
hack em , rack em , snack em ,yak em.

if your gonna eat em, you should grow them also.

indians are alot of fun,
but after a point, you wont need them.

and remember, no one owns lophs.
they own themselves.

NAC is a land based operation, and has exactly zero effect on my loph pond.