MDMA Solo ; https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25974701
“The brain is not a blind, reactive machine, but a complex, sensitive biocomputer that we can program. And if we don't take the responsibility for programming it, then it will be programmed unwittingly by accident or by the social environment.”
First, that ^ is gold.
Second, I've only had a few experiences with it (MDMA), but as far as I'm concerned, it's a waste doing it with other people versus by yourself. It's cool with people too, but off by an order of magnitude from what you can cash out solo, especially if you're someone who makes that ^ kind of comment. To be clear, I haven't actually done any since I found this document here a few months ago. But I have some shit that needs to be dealt with at the kernel level and I'm going to handle that sooner rather than later.
Speaking to your other comment ^ I think one could also come to meditation from that gate. Someone not into any of this could realize over night that there are all these other layers of reality that are accessible to them and pursue the path inward afterwards. Or realize they are dealing with extra and unnecessary layers of reality, depending on their specific case and how you want to look at it.
It's my opinion that we need to recognize that these substances have the power to modify us in extremely powerful, unknown ways. And we need to create a safe environment (how? I do not know, probably regulation, but after seeing how California is handling "legal weed," I am not holding my breath) for people to use these substances in a safe way.
> What's your take on allowing a substance to change you so much?
In the end, it was still positive. But I wouldn't recommend the path that I walked with psychedelics to anyone, regardless of where it brought me. If I had been better educated, more informed, purchasing from a reputable source, etc... I imagine that things would've been vastly different for me than they were.
Meditation is the ultimate key though, putting in the hard work and then using shrooms sparingly to cash in on that.
One cannot speak indeed until one tries.
Here’s a personal example: a couple of years ago I had a very rough breakup, but over the years came to terms with it. More than 3 years later, I internally »met« my ex in a psychedelic dream-like state, both were happy with our new lives, and we said goodbye to each other. It was calm and peaceful. It was also the first positive thought I’ve had about her, undiluted by lingering negativity. I was not rewired, but it allowed me to think a thought I did not think I could ever have, and changed my outlook on the whole situation.
(It was a dose on the low-medium end, and I haven’t attempted repeating it, nor do I plan to.)
I watched a movie once that made me deeply depressed for weeks. Thin may have permanently changed my personality too. Should we ban movies because they make people feel and think things that they haven't felt and thought before? (That's as close as I'll get to cancel culture uproar in this post)
I think your rebuttal is more hollow than it appears. It ultimately ascribes equal value to all change, and all change no matter how poorly controlled.
I encourage you to take a moment to get acquainted with what is being done clinically ( which to be honest is not what I was referring to ) ;
Matthew Johnson: Psychedelics | Lex Fridman Podcast #145
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICj8p5jPd3Y
Matthew W. Johnson is a professor and psychedelics researcher at Johns Hopkins.
I could accept your statement with "afraid" switched for "prudent" but even then, it turns out Psilocybin is your friend.
You've calculated statistics for things you've made up.
>Matthew Johnson: Psychedelics | Lex Fridman Podcast #145
Please please don't quote podcasts as research, and giving me 3.5 hours of homework listening to understand your point is poor communication and ensures the maximum amount of resistance to understanding what you're trying to say.
As for the podcast, I was proposing it as a gateway into this field, not as a source to substantiate my general point although it does. My point is otherwise based on first hand experience and a large body of anecdotal evidence. You summarily dismissed one of the most promising array of treatments for people going through some rough stuff without any evidence or submitting any source yourself.
You're right about the poor communication bit though and thank you. Here's a 3:57 minute cut-off [0] from that same podcast, dealing specifically with psylocibin interventions.
> Please please don't quote podcasts as research
Well, this is a podcast with a cutting edge researcher ... I think it's fair game, and I didn't call it research.
I can assure you the general idea we're discussing is worth some of your attention, especially if you or someone you know is dealing with just about any type of serious personal issue.
Make a careful, informed decision. But there is no need to be ‘afraid’.
Most people are not qualified to and cannot make careful informed decisions about the way drugs affect you.
Who is pretending this?
> Most people are not qualified to and cannot make careful informed decisions about the way drugs affect you.
Who is qualified in your opinion?
But I know many people who have done psylocybin for fun who are probably changed because of it, in an uncontrolled fashion.
The background for this was my choice of leaving an ultra orthodox jewish community and going on my own.
I recently tried that (after 3 years of hesitation) and the magic happened. It affected my structure of feelings in several ways indeed, but in the context of this one, I would say that, at least for me, it was not like "I forgive you", "you owe me, but I let go". Not at all, in my case, it simply earased the "load", the hard feelings, completely.
Beyond the magic psychadelic affects, the trip is an emotional journey that one takes, a journey that you come back with compassion, understanding and rock solid outlook over the world.