Hello everyone,

I have been interested in psychedelics since 4 years and I hold them in very high regard as unique tools for advancement along the spiritual path.

As for the Nexus, I am one of those people who have been reading aplenty for more than a year now, but have not written anything since I didn’t think I could contribute to much. I came to find that most of my questions (90%+) were already answered somewhere and were readily available if I was patient enough to find them.

DMT: I have been experimenting (successfully) for some time a now.
I have also taken shrooms and Salvia many times.

In my opinion psychedelics could have a very positive effect on the individual and on our society as a whole. However unlike most users I also believe they could lead to deception,confusion and in some cases destruction (if taken in an improper way, with no discipline and/or by an unhealthy individual). Although beautiful and captivating after a point the fractal visions, hyperspace and everything else may just become another game and unnecessary hang-up.

IMO the way to go is a controlled trip under the guidance of a qualified (accomplished) teacher (Guru,Shaman et.c.) . Integrating this with the rest of the spiritual practice (meditation, lucid dreaming et.c.) could accelerate the progress a thousandfold.
This is why I have decided to do such activities with a teacher.

To conclude this essay I would like to express the wish and hope that someday the vast majority of psychedelic users will find a way to induce these states through simply wishing to do so or having a short meditation session. Also I would like to wish you all a pleasant and meaningful life.

Freedom and love to you all!
Agni

Greetings and welcome aboard!

The way in which you speak of taking psychedelics is of good value/nature and you'll find many Nexian's here have respect for that. It is much agreed that proper preparation is necessary to truly propel oneself in to the realms of conscious, living mystery.. I wish you well on your advancement within the Nexus. Also, in what way do you mean 'accomplished teacher/guru/shaman'? I think that with each experience comes a learning opportunity..and I feel that even shamans still go through this due to the unpredictability of entheogens and their varied practices.

Kind regards,

CH.

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I like your style Agni!

Welcome to the Nexus
---dls---

Hi there, I'm new here too Your attitude towards psychedelics definitely sounds wise. I would love to trip with the help of a shaman but I have no idea how to about finding a shaman, never mind deciding whether that person is qualified and the right match. May I ask how you went about finding someone? Was it someone you already knew? Do they practice it as a profession or is it a "hobby" so to speak? (Poor word choice but you get my point.) Sorry for all the questions but I am curious how this whole shaman thing works.

Do the do!

Freedom and Love, and a warm welcome.

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Regards,

them, aka time, aka Timmy the hustler Leroy Johnston

=)

Thank you all for the warm welcomes!

Sorry for the huge delay but I was kind of undeciding if and how I should respond to the few questions asked here. One reason for this is that I consider myself an apprentice still and not advanced enough to be giving much advice on such matters. That being said I am going to allow myself to say this:

nrrdgrrl , If you simply wish to find ANY shaman I am sure the amazonian jungle has a lot to offer.

I really don't know what you mean by

but in my opinion it is much better to trip by yourself than with someone who is not 'a right match' with you. I have never searched for a shaman 'to trip with' as a one time experience.

I didn't know my teacher before. I became interested in lucid dreaming as a means to understand the world arround me more. Then I met with him, spent some time with him and decided I can trust him.

As I already said I really don't feel I can give explanantions as for how 'the shaman thing works' . All I can say is that in my opinion entrusting yourself to a genuine spiritual teacher is the way to gain the ultimate understanding of the path he or she teaches.

As for this question

In my head an accomplished teacher/guru/shaman ideally means a being who is fully enlightened or is very close to full liberation. A being who depends on nothing.


In Carlos Castaneda's books Don Juan is a perfect example of an accomplished teacher. He doesn't need any entheogens or anything else whatsoever and therefore can't be said to go through anything he does not desire. He is absolutely independent and is a master of himself. Alas I don't think that there are many like him nowadays on Earth

Warm regards
Agni

I don't know about you finding them but they usually find you in western culture. Unless you make it a life time goal to find one you will (trip to the amazon), but under certain circumstances they do come out of the shadows sometimes, even in western culture now a days, reason being cause the technique of substances is illegal.

Some people you look at you wouldn't think they are shamans, or people with deep insights. Looks are deceiving, so listen to the words, don't look at the book cover in a sense. You just might be surprised...

Namaste,
---dls---

Much agreed..thank you for the well, thought out reply.



I'd like to reply to this with a quote - Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power. - Lao Tzu .. I feel this can be related to shamanism through the inner workings of self development, intuition and being. Whether that is with entheogens or not, they certainly are not a necessity so to speak. Much of my own discoveries have not solely been from psychedelics but simple realizations through inner practice, repetition, changes etc. Not to say psychoactives don't do this, they are incredible allies.

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Totally agree with that part.

Cognitive Heart, you are very welcome. I really don't feel I have anything to be thanked about though.

Have a nice and meaningfull weekend both of you.

Thank you, you as well friend!

Namaste, ---dls---