Lately I feel like I am come to the conclusion that psychedelics, NOT JUST DMT, but all psychedelics serve a common purpose. And to make this short, that common purpose is to create deeper and more meaningful levels of empathy. So in a sense its gift its to create empathy in the human being, and it does this by creating depth to human emotion. Creating potential to experience the highest of highs and lowest of lows. Which I believe directly leads to a lifestyle transformation. Being able to be empathetic allows you to empathize with the critic of your life. Your inner self you have not yet come completely in contact with.

Now this is all still very crazy in my head, and I've spoken very little about this with anyone. But I have seen it proved over and over in myself and my fellow psychonauts.

What do you guess think about psychedelics in relation to empathy and the depth of human emotion?

Much love, Walter D. Roy.

P.S.
if anyone wants to play devils advocate, go for it!

I am of two minds on this, and I think it largely depends on the individual.

In my experience, psychedelics (when used safely and respectfully, that's important), tend to give people whatever they need to find some kind of peace. For some, that is increased empathy, for others, maybe it's relief from depression or spiritual direction.

Trying to say: "this is what they are for" seems to deny the versatility of psychedelics as a tool.

My $0.02
Blessings
~ND

As Nathanial said, I find the psychedelic experience to be healing in a very multi-faceted way. Unlike any other medicine that I know of, they are very tailored to the individual taking them. No one knows you better than yourself, and when you exponentiate yourself through the use of psychedelic plants and chemicals, they can send you down a very personal path of healing. They work based on your past, your dreams, your fears, your beliefs, etc. and in this way they are incredibly medicinally unique.

But isn't there a universal healing that we all need?

If psychedelics are a part of the equation when it comes to evolution of consciousness then wouldn't there be universal factors in its effects on people?

I completely agree with you guys, and I am not trying to say your wrong. I am just wondering what you think. Because if they are a medicine then there would be things that it would be known to cause every time. No matter how the person walks to get there. Just like if you have a stomach ache, you eat a certain root and it takes it away. No matter what the different experiences are of everyone who eats the root, medically its main objective is to take away the stomach ache.

Yes, that's another thing to consider. They are also tailored to your intention. If you want to use psychedelics to see pretty colours and have a good time, they can let you do that. If you want to use them to explore your inner self, they can do that too. That's why intention is important when it comes to these substances. They have a much greater chance of healing if that's what you're using them for. That also makes them difficult to change the world because obviously not everyone is going to be using them for those reason.

Walter, I think yes.

Also meditation I've found operates in a similar way. Actually I think the feelings are deep from the start. But psychedelics can help paying closer attention to them.

I agree that psychedelics do have such a potential as the OP describes. That would be an example of a positive attitude, and a mature attitude regarding their use and purpose. However, it is not a conclusion that everyone necessarily comes to, nor would even understand. OP I am glad you feel this way, and I feel the same way. I use ayahuasca regularly to help me understand my relationship with the world and others. Many people would not understand how that is even possible, but with so much experience, I am learning how to understand what I experience while under the influence. I have also learned how to access the psychedelic mind without any drugs at all. I think it's a matter of learning how to stimulate the same part of the brain, which can also be done through meditation. Anyway, what I realize is that the things we see on psychedelics, as well as in dreams and meditation, are not random, but show us, in a way, our relationship with the world. What we see can be interpreted, we can learn from it. And yes, I realized that what exists in me potentially exists in everyone else too. Our experience of existence is all happening in the brain. I have a brain, everyone has a brain, everyone has the same psychedelics receptors I have. Everyone can experience psychedelia, and emotions, various states of consciousness. I try to include as many people as I can in a circle of positivity and co-operation.

I agree with the previous posters who present the many headed beast scenario.

I don"t think that they have made me more able to empathise any more than normal. I think empathy may develop as you slowly understand about the fallibility of human nature. Maybe psychedelics can be used as a tool to help develop this. But i think the raw materials are already being put in place by our everyday reactions to experiences and people.

Then again a psychedelic experience can affect how you interact on a daily basis. Which may change the information that you share and recieve in your interactions with the outside world and, in turn, affect how you trip.

There seems to be such a wide spectrum of possibilities with psychedelics (as with other mind altering substances) which may or may not be dependent on how we have developed as a person, that i really don"t think that they have a prime directive.
I suppose it is a bit like me saying that the common purpose for drinking beer is to be able to talk to women in bars (which is not the case. I have no problem talking to women.... As long as there is no eye contact).

not just Your inner self but the whole ...
more empathy for the whole of life yourself others the whole world cycles everything
"....and it does this by creating depth to human emotion"
this is the best i have seen it put into words I agree depth in understanding a complicated and yet simple all the way around

loved reading others views we are all so complex not all feel more empathy while on psychedelics but many do feel the love and share it how they wish into the energies which they focus it to for their own personal experience
this is why I say so simple and yet so complicated

It seems to me that the general consensus is that you get what you need. If you're looking for peace, you find it. Looking for a spiritual experience, you get it in spades. If you're looking for a well to draw creative energy, you bet you get it. So, if you get what you need, doesn't that mean you had the answers all along?

That's the crazy thing about psychedelics. If anything else were to give anyone what they needed, it would somehow seem cheap, and false. Like a genie or fairy from children's fables, it would come back to bite the hero in the ass. But not psychedelics. Somehow they give the user what they need. Ultimately, any thing a person is seeking in life and psychedelics is ultimately tied to inner peace. So, I suppose I agree with Walter. There's your universal healing we all need.

I believe it is a two way relationship. You get what you give.
If you are open minded enough for the information you will get it, but the next person might not get the same feeling or information because they have another intention.

I know lots of people who have taken psychedelics and have not had the life changing experience. In my opinion they were either afraid of it, or didn't want it to happen to them and therefor blocked it out.

But do you think that people who take psychedelics just to get fucked up and giggle a lot can keep doing that indefinitely?

lol. I agree. They are pretty awesome. I've even had psychedelic trips where I basically met God, or my deepest inner self, I asked what the meaning of life is, and it said you will get whatever you want out of life. But in this context, want and need are the same. Whatever you need IS what you want, but we might not be aware of this all the time because there are so many levels of existence, many deep levels that we are not conscious of. The message was that what seems repulsive on superficial layers of consciousness, such as sense perception and some emotions, are actually occurring on an inner level out of love and out of what it is you 'truly' want.... for whatever reason. So I was told that rather than fight against what is and protest why it is wrong, it's probably a better idea to search the inner self for the deeper meaning and realize why all is right. It was like the heart of God was some eternal fairy that explodes out love in all directions, even crazy nonsensical directions that might even seem evil on the fact of it.

Anyway, this is how I see it. But there are always a few who seem to disagree. A couple years ago I got in to a discussion with a guy here who was convinced that dmt is evil, and that entities were attacking him and taking control of his mind and sending him to hell. He believed that taking dmt is the equivalent to allowing evil spirits to possess you. He said that taking dmt causes the same evil desires that lead people to murder and commit suicide. I gotta say.... I disagree.

No I don't. Most of those people I know never do psychedelics anymore. They don't like them, are afraid of them or think that nothing good came from it.
But I must admit that this fear comes from the fact of not using them in the right way (set & setting).

This for me is very hard to understand as it is one of the most life changing experiences I have had so far. I have just seen the documentary Neurons to Nirvana and there is one certain person who says that psychedelics can heal, BUT only if the subject will be open minded towards the healing properties of it. As a person you need to be willing to change and better yourself in order for these things to be of aid.