First off I wanted to express my most sincere gratitude to the intelligent, thoughtful and compassionate members of this incredible community who have given so much of their precious time to creating what has to be one of the most informative and creative forums that I have ever seen.

Over the years I have spent countless hours looking at, and posting to forums of different types, and in my opinion these online forums are arguably the best part of the "world wide web". Like many new users, I spent much time browsing the Nexus before I decided to create my own account. I am astonished at the level of civility and respect in this community, it is a breath of fresh air compared to most other corners of the internet. When I visit the Nexus after spending some time browsing elsewhere, it feels like stepping out of a blizzard and into a warm room heated by crackling wood stove, and being greeted by (soon to be) friends offering a hot cup of coffee. My hat goes off to the Mods and Admins who make this community possible...I look forward to contributing to this great project.

A little about me: I am a happily married 40-year-old father of two young children. Our family lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, and we enjoy exploring all the the wonders that nature offers all around us from snow covered mountain peaks, to the swift moving cool waters of the Salish Sea. I'm a hard working professional who makes a living on tug boats. Before tug boats, I spent years in Alaska taking people to see glaciers and whales and other amazing sights of the Tongass rain forest. I attended the University of California at Santa Cruz, and have spent a significant amount of time throwing Frisbees and smoking cannabis.

At work I'm a no-nonsense, by-the-book kind of guy who has to submit to random drug tests and does not discuss politics, or preach to my co-workers about using disposable coffee cups. At home I have been described as a little 'granola', and if you didn't know me you would never guess what I do for a living. This dichotomy is hard sometimes, but I have no choice at the moment as my job, which I do enjoy, pays well and provides all the benefits for my young family.

We love the outdoors, which is why we choose to live in this amazing place. We enjoy trail running and mountain biking, skiing, sailing, kayaking and pretty much anything that gets us outside. At home, we grow a large vegetable garden in the summer, and each year we get a little better learning how to grow and preserve more food for our family. We have a small flock of chickens for eggs, and a pair of dogs who share our enthusiasm for exploring trails.

I love building stuff, and have a large shop where I make lots of sawdust in my free time. I am an avid homebrewer, and have built an impressive home brewery using knowledge gained from over a decade of tinkering and experimentation. As I'm sure many members here will know, there is a thriving online home brew community, and it is thru my participation in some of those forums that I gained much of the knowledge I have today.

I consider myself a relatively experienced psychonaut, having experimented with many of these molecules since I was in high school.* Like many before me, my journey started with P. Cubensis. After that I met LSD, and then MDMA. Under a full moon, surrounded by redwood trees, I discovered the joys of dancing all night to the thump of bass music with a tribe of midnight ravers. I have not done DMT or Ayahuasca, but of course that is why I'm here. I'm a builder, a tinkerer, a grower, a chef, a brewer and I have a thirst for knowledge. So far, I have found the Nexus to be an overflowing fountain of knowledge, and I am scooping up little spoonfuls trying to fill my cup.

*[Pubic service announcement: I had my first psychedelic experience at the age of 16, and although I do not claim any adverse effects from that experience, from what I understand there are real risks associated with using some of these substances when a young brain is still developing. Finish high school kids, get that diploma, and then seek out an experienced guide for your first trip.]

So here I am, at the gates of infinity. I have all the required tools and materials, just waiting for the invitation to come. When I does, I can't wait to share my experience with you. Thanks for building this amazing little sanctuary, I look forward to getting to know you all better in the near future.

Welcome to the Nexus!

Nice introduction essay

Do you also grow any psychedelic-related plants? If not, you definitely should!

Did you ever try mescaline/cact? You didn't mention it but thats another thing you can grow there (probably bring it indoors in winter), and it's easy enough to just make a tea to consume or to learn how to extract it which is similar to DMT extraction.

Did you browse around the different extraction methods, find anything that calls your attention?

Be well (and spiral out! )

Wow. You almost sound like a slightly altered clone of myself... scary! Jk jk. (I'm a few years younger - in relation to quantity of orbits around the sun.) Also... you've got the kiddos... something I will have to work to get. I had a vision of having twin daughers, at one point. We'll see.


Welcome!

You've found home. Prepare to be here for a bit. Prepare for the weird. It's great!!!


Our psychedelic introductions were inversed. I started with MDMA, then LSD, and last (of the three mentioned) cubensis. So is our relative location - South East.

I won't mention the name of the uni that I graduated from - but I had already been wearing the "pretender" suit by the time I started back at the university. You wouldn't notice me in a crowd, and likely wouldn't think that I have used substances. (I'm currently on a well-deserved break from substance. I'm really enjoying sobriety - going into the "unknown" as often as I had been was beginning to burden me more than help.)

I understand the disclaimer about high school. I was kindly requested to withdraw - resulting in a GED and an uphill battle to get where I am. I've taken a beating - but that was the good part. The struggle (likely 98.9999993 % self imposed) has only made me "stronger." So, I do have appreciation for the mistakes of my past. Hindsight has given insight to interpolate foresight.

I am not a brewer, or even drink beer any more, but I spent over a year and a half performing research, at the university, developing methods of colorimetric detection of the thiol that is responsible for the skunky or lught-struck flavor of beer.

Not done DMT yet, eh? Damn. I am conflicted. I don't know whether to encourage you OR advise you to proceed with caution. Not physical danger - none of that. It's more like - things will change, and you cannot undo what you've done, once you do it. Just know that - and that's all I'll say.

If you do make the choice, I'll be glad to share the details about specific scenarios as they arise. I'll also pass on some of the best advice that was given to me the day after I had my initial breakthrough:

"Be sure to leave room for others to grow around you."

On that note- spiral out, keep going....

Take care!!
ACY


Oh, I'll toss you a bonus vote towards promotion due to the very similar conditions of life experiences.

AND mescaline = yes. I do suggest looking into that. Plenty of cacti want to share their.... experience with us.

Thank you for the warm welcome my friend! To answer your question, I do not currently grow any entheogenic species at home, but I have been dreaming of starting a psychedelic garden for some time. I have been looking at different sources for live plants (or seeds), and hope to get started on that project in the next couple of months. The idea of growing my own plants to experiment with is very appealing to me. I do have experience growing cannabis, and I feel great satisfaction after spending much time and effort caring for the plants...they return the favor and take good care of me! Something about the patients required in cultivating your own plants makes it seem like a good practice to me, almost like a type of meditation. Only after months, or even years, of care and attention can one enjoy the fruits of his or her labors!


I have acquired some MHRB as my source material. I have not yet thoroughly reviewed every tek, but right now I am leaning towards Q21Q21's Vinegar Lime Tek #2. The reason that tek is appealing to me is because of the use of "food safe" materials, as I would prefer to minimize the use of harsh chemicals. However, after doing much reading I am not as adverse to using naphtha as I once was (seems relatively harmless). The only thing I don't like about the Vinegar/Lime Tek is that it seems to use much less liquid than the other teks for some reason. The instructions call for a very sticky oatmeal-like consistency of the lime mixture for reasons I do not understand.

I am also drawn to Vovin's Tek. His write-up is very detailed, and includes helpful photos. I already have a small collection of borosilicate glass including flasks and beakers that I use for home brewing, as well as a stir plate and pH testing equipment. I figure this endeavor is a great excuse to grow my collection of lab ware and go ahead with the purchase of a Buchner Funnel and Seperatory Funnel. These items, while not required for successful extraction of MHRB, might come in handy for future extractions of various substances, plus I enjoy learning to use new tools and techniques.

I've got lots to learn, and much reading to do still. Feel free to suggest a tek if you are familiar with any that you think might be a good fit for someone like me.

Kind Regards,
C_V

Thank you for the thoughtful reply. Glad to be here!


My feeling is that the time is right for me, this is my time to get on the elevator and see how many floors up I can go. I want to see this view from the top that I have heard so much about. Or, maybe its not an elevator, but a submarine waiting to plunge me deep into dark uncharted depths? Hard to say. My mind set feels solid. I'm generally a happy-go-lucky kinda guy, and I don't have any skeletons hiding in my closet (that I know of at least). Life is good...maybe that's a reason to leave well enough alone? I can't help but feel that I have reached a point in my life, in this middle-age, that I have enough maturity to take this trip. I have a thirst for knowledge, a sense of adventure, and I really want to see what is behind door #1.

But of course, I would by lying if I told you that I wasn't a little nervous, or scared. You are not the first person to caution me that I cannot un-see whatever DMT will reveal to me. We have all read the stories of people doing radical things following a DMT experience, such as quitting their jobs, leaving their families, or even dropping out of society completely. I don't think that I would do any of those things, but then again most of those people probably didn't think they would do those things either. I am the primary provider for my family, and take that responsibility very seriously. Faced with a new understanding of the structure of the universe, after having a glimpse through the veil, I hope that I would remain grounded enough to carry on paying the bills and taking care of those most important to me.

Terrence Mckenna said that "People ask me if DMT is dangerous. The honest answer is only if you fear death by astonishment!" I don't think he was talking about physical death. I believe he was referring to death of your existing world view as you knew it before the DMT experience. Death of the ego, or at least a significant re-examination of oneself.

Perhaps one could accuse me of giving into the impulse of some sort of mid-life crisis. Some guys turn 40 and go out and buy a convertible Miata. I'm considering taking my trip with DMT. For me, I see it as a natural progression of psychedelic events that started a long time ago, and will continue for my whole life. I have friends who claim to have "burned out" on these things after going after it a little too much in college. They dismiss it as something they did when they were younger, a phase of their lives now past. I was more cautious in college, more reserved, though still very naive and not realizing the full potential of these molecules. But even back then I knew there was much more to learn, many more experiences to be shared, and I planned on continuing my explorations into old age.

So, that's where I'm at now. My trips are few and far between. Its been years since I last enjoyed a voyage, and I feel like I am ready for another trip. Perhaps this next time it will be DMT, or maybe something else. I'm not going to force it, as these things tend to happen when the time is ripe.

Thank you for your valuable input. Please don't ever be shy to share your thoughts, both cautious warnings, and encouragement! My travels here in the Nexus are only just beginning!

C_V

Most guys buying the sportscars during their mid life would never admit to you that's the reason.

No one but you can feel the readiness or not of what you are about to experience.
Having said this and having been on whats sounds like a similar story i think you may find it conducive to your life, but there is never any gaurantee.

It will alter your perspective whilst expanding your subjectivity.
People from the outside may not know but you will be challenged and changed somewhat.

I wish you good vibes and look foward to reading the report.
also x3 on the cacti.

pinejinja, thanks for the words of encouragement. I look forward to sharing my experience when it happens.


It seems that I am picking up a very strong signal from the universe about this cactus. Time to arrange a meeting with the prickly little fella.

Well high...

I've just discovered this forum and I'm slightly overwhelmed with the wealth of information now at my disposal!
I have approximately three decades of psychedelic encounters, starting with LSD and Psilocybe semilanceata and recently venturing into the realms of DMT. Unfortunatly due to lack of accute information I have only been able to visit the waiting room, however, now that we are more informed it is likely that we will be exploring deeper in due course.

I'm a mother, a raver, a dreamer and a nature lover, and I look forward to learning and discovering.

On a side note...I found this forum whilst I was searching 'waking up with the taste of DMT in your throat' I'm wondering, do we produce/secrete small quantities whilst sleeping? Also, on another side note, the abattoir where I buy my dog's meat smells of DMT.

Cascadia_voyager..

As a newbie to DMT travel, I tried taking small dosage in a PAX vaporizer prior to full immersion. I found this to be a soft introduction to the environment.

Hello there, thanks for contributing to this thread, and thanks for the tip about a small-dose-vaping to probe lower orbits...I was thinking about 'testing' my spice in that way before jumping in with both feet.

I have no idea about our bodies producing DMT while we sleep, but I'm sure you will find the answer you seek somewhere here.

Warm regards,
C_V

Hey cascadia_voyager,

I didn't mean to sound as if the challenge are all bad - but once there is a huge perspective shift - it can feel strangely freeing from prior notions; yet possible to build a new, stronger ego with a different set of beliefs.

Example: I was generally atheistic prior to my first breakthrough. After that experience, I decided that I could be wrong. So, I set out to learn and sample some of the proposed religions. My wife was/is still atheistic, so this kinda came as a shocker to her. I didn't really dabble in the abrahamic religions, but I was curious about eastern philosophy and spirituality. So, I started "trying on" different religious/spiritual beliefs to see if it was a good fit.

Ultimately, I learned a lot about different cultures and beliefs, but I didn't find that any of the proposed religions really satisfied my quest. In the end, I didn't return to atheism, nor did I compromise and "pick one." I simply took the values that I thought were righteous, from each one, and built my own foundation of spirituality. It wasn't a surprise that the concepts of value were also in line with my previous speculations - though I felt that atheism was most appropriate. I chose a new label for my beliefs: Anti-absolutism = I have no idea what's up, but I'm willing to be wrong and leave room to learn.

If you feel that DMT is the next step, then don't question the warnings of others. I only offered the "cautious advice" because I will never forget the challenging parts. I don't forget the goodness that came from it, either. My path was different than yours and anyone else's. If I could go back in time and change my choice? Hell no! Would I have deceased the amount and frequency of use? I guess not. Maybe I'd add some more time between uses, but it's all coming together now (5 years later).

I didn't think that my word of caution would be considered - lol. I wouldn't have considered a word of caution when I was in your position. I was determined to experience this molecule that had such fascinating lore associated with it. I didn't really read many experiences reports, or read the books or watch documentaries. I did minimal research - but I found one tidbit of info that still makes sense. Commitment. If yah gonna do it - DO IT!


Take Care,
ACY

Wow, this is very interesting to me, it seems that we might have even more in common than first thought!

I have considered myself an atheist for all of my adult life. I started getting into Buddhism in college, practiced meditation, and read a shelf full of books on the subject, but I've never called myself a Buddhist. My theory is that God is just a way for mortal man to explain the otherwise un-explainable. Our ancient ancestors looked up at the stars and created myths and stories to explain how the world came to be. I believe man created God, not the other way around.

I couldn't tell you when the timeline started, or how long it will keep going. I don't know what the universe was before the big bang, and I have no idea what happens to us when we die, but I'm okay not knowing those things. I'm okay with the idea that there are a lot of unanswerable questions about the soul and the universe as a whole...and anyway it doesn't matter. The point is to make the most of my time here, living and breathing on earth, right?

I am however, curious. Very curious. I am looking forward to my first experience with the spice, and seeing what it has to show me. I wholeheartedly believe that you can have a divine experience, but not believe in "capital g" God. Based on the trip reports I am reading and listening to, it seems very common that the spice can lead to a meeting with "gods" (or devils!), divine beings, and a chance to peek at unfathomable dimensions of existence. I'm prepared to come back from hyperspace with more questions than answers.

Thanks for the reply. It really got my wheels spinning, and trying to get some thoughts out was a good exercise for me.

C_V

Hehe, I hit the buddhism bug in "high" school. It was my attempted compromise to the surrounding ocean of Southern Baptist. I played it out for 6 months or so; but went back to opposition. I didn't really revisit buddhism when I decided to give the worldly religions another shot.

Enjoy the travels... it's gonna get weird! I look forward to seeing how you develop over the next +4 years.

Take Care!
ACY