Excellent post! I thought to mention this book I am reading called the immortality key - the religion with no name /by Brian Muraresku. It connects pagan to Greece to Paleolithic Christian’s in the use of psychedelics as the original sacrament . Your perspective here helps shape my inner journey. Blessings!
And then there’s experiencing your near death experience while doing ketamine. That’s another death. It does have you questioning the nature of reality. Are we sure we’re not all dead right now? Lol Maybe when we’re experiencing psychedelics we’re experiencing life in all its fullness and dimensionality.
Mourning the death you were suppose to have, but didn’t happen can be a burden. I’m not saying I wanted to be dead. But, living in this world isn’t always easy. Not everyone has the easy path.
Death is perception. Death is a transition. Death is a reality.
Super interesting, Andrew - looking forward to coming back to this later today (as I haven't read the whole piece yet, but is an area of exploration I have a lot of interest :) Don't know if you noted this - but Dr Greyson was on the Tim Ferris podcast a few weeks ago (of the "Greyson Scale" metric for NDE classification) and he spoke a bit about the similarities - and differences - between classic NDE's and psychedelic experiences. (I'm fairly sure Dr. Roland Griffiths did as well at John Hopkins through their psylocibin studies - although, I think he arrived at a different conclusion than folks like Dr. Greyson - who tends to support theories that point to non local consciousness ) Dr. Greyson also discussed the f spikes in brain activity with Ferris at the moment of death (in I believe only one documented case - and if I remember correctly from previous research - were first observed in rats in larger numbers - and seemed to explain the "life review phenomena" - due to the surge of activity in the part of the brain that lights up during memory consolidation) Overall - he tends to discount the more materialist explanations - and seems bullish on the more "brain as reducing valve" theory of mind, popularized by Huxley and William James and others - which aligns more closely with my own experiences - and if I'm being honest - my hope as well :) Going to come back and read this in full - love the topics you're covering here - and the personal insights are super helpful as well - for folks a mile or two behind you on the psychedelic experience path. :)
Thank you so much for your thoughtful insights! I’m glad to hear this resonates. Dr. Greyson’s perspective is fascinating, especially with his emphasis on non-local consciousness. I didn't catch his conversation with Tim Ferriss, but his stance on the “brain as a reducing valve” is intriguing. The spike in brain activity at the moment of death is such a compelling area of study; it adds so much weight to the “life review” phenomenon.
It’s interesting that Roland Griffiths has explored a different perspective, especially through the lens of Psilocybin at Johns Hopkins. The variation in interpretations just adds layers to this field, and I think it’s exciting to see the dialogue evolving between different schools of thought.
Thank you for taking the time to engage with these ideas. I’d love to hear your thoughts after you finish reading, especially as someone also exploring this path.
Thank you so much! I always look forward to having an email from your blog. I love how you write and express yourself. It has been very helpful to read you, gaining more knowledge and clarity. I´m so grateful for your words!! Happy friday and big hug!
I think ego death is a little bit of a false idol in the psychedelic community. Unwrapping the focus on one's identity isn't actually death. You don't die when you meditate and stop being self-centered and feel the oneness of the universe.
I’m not talking about the kind of ego death one experiences through meditation or on Psilocybin. The experience that 5-MeO-DMT catalyzes is something altogether different—it mirrors an actual death & rebirth. Consciousness isn’t binary; it’s not just baseline consciousness and then whatever state meditation or Psychedelics induce. A better analogy is levels in a video game: baseline consciousness is level 1, Psilocybin or MDMA takes you to level 2, but 5-MeO-DMT brings you to the highest level. There’s nothing like it.
This nuance is often missing from the conversation; most people discuss “Psychedelics” as if they’re a single category, but the differences between the experiences they produce are vast. 5-MeO-DMT stands apart, offering an encounter that goes far beyond conventional Psychedelic states.
So many factors influence how each experience unfolds! I’ve communed with 5-MeO-DMT four times—two of those journeys were simply beautiful & cathartic, while the other two were the most powerful mystical experiences of my life, resulting in lifelong change.
So I messed up that Quote… but I made up for it with an accurate RHYME:
“If You don’t focus all 3 of Your eyes & take the time to die before You expire Then You’ll get stuck in all this Muck & the Mire & this will simply be the end of Your story when You retire
So kill Yourself or at least the part of You that doesn’t inspire”
How they permeate through & touch so many areas in life.
Their history & use.
Etc.
Etc.
Like Minded Minds as they say
I mean… even talking about sight & vision can’t be honestly discussed without bringing in DMT into the conversation to understand what We can perceive Vs. What actually exists. 👇🏽
Excellent post! I thought to mention this book I am reading called the immortality key - the religion with no name /by Brian Muraresku. It connects pagan to Greece to Paleolithic Christian’s in the use of psychedelics as the original sacrament . Your perspective here helps shape my inner journey. Blessings!
Thank you so much! This means a lot. I loved Muraresku’s book & reference it often. Appreciate the kind words.
And then there’s experiencing your near death experience while doing ketamine. That’s another death. It does have you questioning the nature of reality. Are we sure we’re not all dead right now? Lol Maybe when we’re experiencing psychedelics we’re experiencing life in all its fullness and dimensionality.
Mourning the death you were suppose to have, but didn’t happen can be a burden. I’m not saying I wanted to be dead. But, living in this world isn’t always easy. Not everyone has the easy path.
Death is perception. Death is a transition. Death is a reality.
Thank you for reading & sharing this!
Interesting. I’m fascinated by NDEs.
Highly recommend Leslie Keans research on it :)
Same. Will check it out, thanks for sharing!
Super interesting, Andrew - looking forward to coming back to this later today (as I haven't read the whole piece yet, but is an area of exploration I have a lot of interest :) Don't know if you noted this - but Dr Greyson was on the Tim Ferris podcast a few weeks ago (of the "Greyson Scale" metric for NDE classification) and he spoke a bit about the similarities - and differences - between classic NDE's and psychedelic experiences. (I'm fairly sure Dr. Roland Griffiths did as well at John Hopkins through their psylocibin studies - although, I think he arrived at a different conclusion than folks like Dr. Greyson - who tends to support theories that point to non local consciousness ) Dr. Greyson also discussed the f spikes in brain activity with Ferris at the moment of death (in I believe only one documented case - and if I remember correctly from previous research - were first observed in rats in larger numbers - and seemed to explain the "life review phenomena" - due to the surge of activity in the part of the brain that lights up during memory consolidation) Overall - he tends to discount the more materialist explanations - and seems bullish on the more "brain as reducing valve" theory of mind, popularized by Huxley and William James and others - which aligns more closely with my own experiences - and if I'm being honest - my hope as well :) Going to come back and read this in full - love the topics you're covering here - and the personal insights are super helpful as well - for folks a mile or two behind you on the psychedelic experience path. :)
Thank you so much for your thoughtful insights! I’m glad to hear this resonates. Dr. Greyson’s perspective is fascinating, especially with his emphasis on non-local consciousness. I didn't catch his conversation with Tim Ferriss, but his stance on the “brain as a reducing valve” is intriguing. The spike in brain activity at the moment of death is such a compelling area of study; it adds so much weight to the “life review” phenomenon.
It’s interesting that Roland Griffiths has explored a different perspective, especially through the lens of Psilocybin at Johns Hopkins. The variation in interpretations just adds layers to this field, and I think it’s exciting to see the dialogue evolving between different schools of thought.
Thank you for taking the time to engage with these ideas. I’d love to hear your thoughts after you finish reading, especially as someone also exploring this path.
Thank you so much! I always look forward to having an email from your blog. I love how you write and express yourself. It has been very helpful to read you, gaining more knowledge and clarity. I´m so grateful for your words!! Happy friday and big hug!
Wow thank you so much for this! Means so much. Happy Friday, have a wonderful weekend!
I think ego death is a little bit of a false idol in the psychedelic community. Unwrapping the focus on one's identity isn't actually death. You don't die when you meditate and stop being self-centered and feel the oneness of the universe.
I’m not talking about the kind of ego death one experiences through meditation or on Psilocybin. The experience that 5-MeO-DMT catalyzes is something altogether different—it mirrors an actual death & rebirth. Consciousness isn’t binary; it’s not just baseline consciousness and then whatever state meditation or Psychedelics induce. A better analogy is levels in a video game: baseline consciousness is level 1, Psilocybin or MDMA takes you to level 2, but 5-MeO-DMT brings you to the highest level. There’s nothing like it.
This nuance is often missing from the conversation; most people discuss “Psychedelics” as if they’re a single category, but the differences between the experiences they produce are vast. 5-MeO-DMT stands apart, offering an encounter that goes far beyond conventional Psychedelic states.
I don't think I've had a real all in 5MeO experience. Only tried it once and it wasn't nearly as intense as DMT.
So many factors influence how each experience unfolds! I’ve communed with 5-MeO-DMT four times—two of those journeys were simply beautiful & cathartic, while the other two were the most powerful mystical experiences of my life, resulting in lifelong change.
I enjoy reading your work, so you clearly gained something.
I've been on the, "Psychedelics are a good school but you have to graduate.", tip for a while.
Thank you so much!
Agreed they are one part of the process.
Yeah, it all depends on where one is on their journey.
Concerning: An endless existence would lose its appeal.
An interesting movie:
The Man from Earth
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0756683/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_6_nm_2_in_0_q_the%2520man%2520from%2520earth
For those who .torrent with VPN
https://yts.mx/movies/the-man-from-earth-2007
I will check out the movie! Thanks for sharing.
If you don’t die before you die you won’t die when You die
*
Correction To This Quote:
“If You Don’t Die Before You Die, You Die When You Die”
Amen, brother.
So I messed up that Quote… but I made up for it with an accurate RHYME:
“If You don’t focus all 3 of Your eyes & take the time to die before You expire Then You’ll get stuck in all this Muck & the Mire & this will simply be the end of Your story when You retire
So kill Yourself or at least the part of You that doesn’t inspire”
~Grand Schemes~
Damn. This is good!
Thanks Man
Thanks 👊🏽
And can they help us remember how to get to Shell Beach?
https://substack.com/@stevenberger/note/c-86666156?r=1nm0v2
I share a lot of information on Entheogen’s❗️
How they work.
How they help.
How they permeate through & touch so many areas in life.
Their history & use.
Etc.
Etc.
Like Minded Minds as they say
I mean… even talking about sight & vision can’t be honestly discussed without bringing in DMT into the conversation to understand what We can perceive Vs. What actually exists. 👇🏽
https://open.substack.com/pub/grandschemes/p/awake-aware-and-activated?r=1fe7ot&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Subscribed. Will check out this piece...thanks for sharing!
I loved him more than words. 💔✨