I had a very bad trip, my last trip, and it took me years to recover. That was > 2 decades ago.

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.

Did you prepare and also surrender to the experience? I think if you give in and accept, you can’t lose.

I wasn't as prepared as I should've been, no, but I did surrender to it. That didn't, however, make it any less terrifying or traumatic (or less embarrassing and humiliating in the time after).

To me, I don't think it's so much about "change" as having your normal day to day experience being clouded by so much emotional pain, conditioning, trauma, rationalization, etc. If you can take a step back from all that, you can understand your deeper feelings.

The substance turns your thought process inward. You think about the thoughts you are having, and the associations behind those thoughts much more deeply than you otherwise would. You think about ordinary, everyday things in a much deeper way. This is what changes you. You could do the same thing with meditation probably.

Shrooms hit at a raw emotional level, especially highlighting your connection and oneness with nature.

Meditation is the ultimate key though, putting in the hard work and then using shrooms sparingly to cash in on that.

It doesn't change you. It increases your access to your subconscious. From there, you can draw your own conclusions.

not sure I understood the question, mind elaborating ?

Can’t speak for OP but it sounds preferable to when he “allowed” his relationship with his father to take him on such an emotional journey.

I was not setting goals before, nor did I know what to expect. This was just an unexpected outcome, one amongst few others.

One cannot speak indeed until one tries.

You’re changing yourself. The substance is allowing the transformation to occur.