I haven't written much about my third experience sitting with Bufo (5-MeO-DMT). I often refer to my first time sitting with Bufo as my 'Psychedelic Origin Story', I wrote about it in detail here. The second time was like watching the sequel to your favorite movie. You know what to expect, and you're looking forward to scenes that replicate the magic from the first, but in doing so, the experience suffers. My third experience was nothing like the previous two.
It is widely believed that the setting in which one embarks upon a psychedelic journey can significantly influence the experience. For my third experience with the Toad, I was in Joshua Tree, which is known as the epicenter of spirituality (more on that later...).
I approached the shaman, and we embraced in a warm hug. This was the second time he had guided me through a Bufo journey, and we have developed a strong bond. Trust between the facilitator and the traveler is essential.
As the drums beat, the bells rang, and the shaman sang a beautiful song, I took my third inhale of the world's most potent psychedelic. It was a powerful moment that I will never forget.
I knew to get on the ground because it would only be a matter of moments before the medicine rendered my motor function obsolete. I remember looking up & being mesmerized by the beauty of the blue sky above. My final thought before departing from baseline consciousness was, 'this planet is so damn epic'.
The next memory I have is of the desert coming alive. The Joshua trees (from which the park gets its name) and the cacti all seemed to vibrate in perfect harmony with the music being played in a circle around me. I grabbed the sand with my hands and drifted off into the experience..
What happened next remains a mystery.
A Native American man appeared in the distance, adorned in traditional garb such as a headdress, feathers, and moccasins. What was interesting is that he appeared in the same desert where I was, so it didn't feel like a mere hallucination. Unlike my previous experiences with Bufo Alvarius, I wasn't visiting some faraway reality or a distant memory.
My favorite book is 'Empire of the Sumer Moon', which tells the story of Quanah Parker, the Comanche tribe, and the frontier days of the American West. Perhaps my subconscious was digging up a readily available image from the book. However, there is one problem with this theory: the Comanches were one of the only Native American tribes to learn how to break horses and were known for their excellent horsemanship, yet the man in my hallucination didn't have a horse. Additionally, he was tall like me, while the Comanches were generally short.
It's possible that the appearance of the Native American man was completely random, with no inherent meaning or need for interpretation. However, my problem with this explanation is that the image was too specific. It wasn't a distant memory or something I recall seeing in a movie. It was too acute to be attributed to random imagery produced while hallucinating.
Another possibility is that the Native American man approaching me was one of my ancestors. I have Cree tribe in my bloodline, so it's not entirely far-fetched. It wouldn't necessarily be the first time this has happened either. In the aftermath of my second journey with Bufo, I remember looking down at my feet & getting a quick flashback to walking on sand (even though I was on grass at the time). I recall thinking, 'that was the foot of my ancestor,' even though I had no reason to believe that. It was an odd reaction.
If the Native American man appearing to me during the height of my powerful Psychedelic journey was indeed one of my ancestors, it wouldn't be the first time something bizarre happened in Joshua Tree. In fact, one of the most fascinating stories in American history occurred just 20 miles north of where I was..
George Van Tassel, an automobile mechanic from Ohio, claimed in 1953 that extraterrestrials telepathically taught him how to build the 'Integratron' while he was living in Landers, CA, just north of Joshua Tree. The Integratron (pictured below) was an electrostatic generator that Van Tassel believed could be used for rejuvenation & time travel.
A year after the supposed telepathic communication with extraterrestrials, Van Tassel & his team started constructing the Integratron. The 38-foot high, all-wood dome structure is a sight to behold, rising out of the desert with a mesmerizing allure. Once inside, the energy seems to vibrate every cell in one's body, making for a truly profound experience.
Initially, Van Tassel's assertion that extraterrestrials were behind his idea to build a dome in the middle of the desert was met with skepticism and ridicule. However, years later, it was discovered that the dome was situated on an intersection of powerful geomagnetic forces. When combined with the unique geometry of the building, it was found that these forces concentrate and amplify the Earth's magnetic field. Magnetometers recorded a significant spike in the Earth's magnetic field in the center of Integratron (I stood in the middle & can attest to this... it was unlike anything I have ever experienced before).
The man I saw in the desert & where Van Tassel got his instructions to build a dome in the perfect place are as much of a mystery as the unexplainable phenomenon of being alive. Some things in this life are simply unexplainable, and that's what makes existence so beautiful. We are all a part of this grand mystery, and embracing that mystery can lead to a greater appreciation for the beauty of life.
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Just beautiful! All my fave topics psychedelics 👽, native Americans and vortexes of energy 👏
I remember friends of mine "licking the toad" in the Sonoran desert in the '80s. I don't like the idea of using a sentient being for our own hedonistic pleasure, but the truth is I don't know the process. Could you explain how the secretion is taken from the toad, or point me in the right direction to learn about this? Thank you