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Why Do DMT Users See Insects from a Parallel Universe?

sprott.physics.wisc.edu

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Re: Why Do DMT Users See Insects from a Parallel Universe?

#181

Post by colordrops »

krapp wrote: post #176
colordrops wrote: post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Once again, assumptions. "A more primitive, shamanic point of view". "faith, personal belief". This is quite the opposite. No one is asking you to believe anything. There is no presumption of human-like deities without a shred I'd evidence. There is just direct, personal observation of phenomena. Choosing the most obvious explanation for it doesn't make it pseudoscientific crankery. It is just a first pass of a hypot…

The hypothesis you're presenting not the most obvious, Because it requires discrediting existing and established science and starting over from "direct, personal observation of phenomena," as if humanity hadn't already been doing that for centuries, with the cumulative effort of that observation being precisely the process by which we arrived at the conclusions that modern science reaches. The flat earth may once hav…

The problem here is that science isn't the only paradigm or even the most relevant paradigm with which to interpret these experiences. That is not to say that scientific method cannot be applied, but there is little in the way of frameworks and tools for exploring altered states of consciousness and subjective experience. There isn't anything even close to a consensus on the nature of consciousness or whether it even exists, let alone the specific phenomena experienced subjectively by consciousness, so trying to cram them into inadequate scientific models will not bring about much insight. This is all addition to the fact that science has really only tackled the capture of knowledge about the objective world, that being the shared world between humans, but is not the best tool for approaching the subjective individual experience. Philosophy and metaphysics are better suited to this, as science says nothing about the "reality" of something.

Re: Why Do DMT Users See Insects from a Parallel Universe?

#182

Post by abecedarius »

anigbrowl wrote: post #175
abecedarius wrote: post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"A few experimental attempts have been made to elicit parapsychological phenomena through the controlled administration of LSD-type substances... None of them produced statistically significant results" http://stanleykrippner.weebly.com/lsd-and-parapsychological-...

Not surprising. I've only had this experience with DMT and am skeptical that it's perceptual rather than imaginary, but a) I couldn't think of a better way to describe it and b) it was really hard to ignore. It's not something I've ever seen referred to in other people's reports, though I don't really keep up with research in this area. I have no hesitation in saying that DMT fundamentally altered my worldview though…

Testimonials like that do tempt me a little, though I'm conservative about drugs.

Re: Why Do DMT Users See Insects from a Parallel Universe?

#184

Post by waqas- »

wyck wrote: post #141

Is there a theory that the DMT "beings" are actually your bodies cells and proteins visualised and communicating as different entities? The whole "You should not be down here, but hello" at a very very self macro level? Maybe even at the atomic level?

> "You should not be down here, but hello"

this line sent shudders down my spine. does this happen to everyone?

Re: Why Do DMT Users See Insects from a Parallel Universe?

#185

Post by anigbrowl »

abecedarius wrote: post #182
anigbrowl wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not surprising. I've only had this experience with DMT and am skeptical that it's perceptual rather than imaginary, but a) I couldn't think of a better way to describe it and b) it was really hard to ignore. It's not something I've ever seen referred to in other people's reports, though I don't really keep up with research in this area. I have no hesitation in saying that DMT fundamentally altered my worldview though…

Testimonials like that do tempt me a little, though I'm conservative about drugs.

It's not something that strikes me as having hedonistic appeal. On the other hand it would be pretty drastic for an inexperienced tripper and imho better worked up with some less intense drugs. There are certainly 'smart' ways to structure drug experimentation and minimize risk, but it's important to feel comfortable about your consumption decisions precisely because drugs temporarily make your psyche more malleable.

Re: Why Do DMT Users See Insects from a Parallel Universe?

#186

Post by [deleted] »

Figs wrote: post #83
nether wrote: post #4

I saw these weird drapes folded around me that were brown, green, and white stripes. They were gently heaving, and I knew that they were living creatures that were watching over me. I didn't take enough to have a full breakthrough, but in that moment I was certain that I was dying, with all of my consciousness welled up into my head, as if that's all I was. When I came to and regained awareness of my limbs, I was rel…

> Just "feeling sure" isn't enough to certain of something. Back when I was a teenager, I got interested in the idea of lucid dreaming. One of the suggested ways I'd read of gaining awareness that you are in a dream is to habitually ask yourself if you're dreaming -- sooner or later, you'll do it in a dream. I tried that for a while, and sure enough, I did actually ask myself if I was dreaming while in a dream, and c…

[deleted]

Re: Why Do DMT Users See Insects from a Parallel Universe?

#187

Post by sli »

SturgeonsLaw wrote: post #62
nether wrote: post #4

I saw these weird drapes folded around me that were brown, green, and white stripes. They were gently heaving, and I knew that they were living creatures that were watching over me. I didn't take enough to have a full breakthrough, but in that moment I was certain that I was dying, with all of my consciousness welled up into my head, as if that's all I was. When I came to and regained awareness of my limbs, I was rel…

> Just "feeling sure" isn't enough to certain of something. This, I believe, is one of the most powerful and profound lessons hallucinogens can teach us. If you can experience, first hand, that even the sensory input from your eyes and ears can not always be trusted, then it tends to make you very, very skeptical of things that are held as immutably true beliefs.

In the same vein, after a couple experiences with hallucinogens, I've started having some amusingly pedestrian reactions to some of the effects. I still enjoy them all the same.

For example, when I look at a tree and notice that the clumps of leaves all have the same shape, I'll just immediately blurt out something like, "Well that doesn't seem correct," almost as a reflex. They keyword of course being "seem."

There's no reason those clumps of leaves can't all be the same shape, but my brain seems to want to reconcile what I'm seeing with what I know is pretty unlikely, but not impossible. I've had similar reactions to leaves on the ground arranging into gridlike patterns at first glance. I see no reason why the leaves can't naturally fall into a grid pattern, and I likely won't notice minor variances in how they're spaced out if they actually were in that pattern.

All in all, some of the most positive and personally insightful experiences I've had.

Re: Why Do DMT Users See Insects from a Parallel Universe?

#188

Post by exodust »

zild3d wrote: post #126
exodust wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The book Art of Dreaming has some good tips... Such as remembering to look at your hands. That action for some reason if performed in a dream will help you realize you're dreaming. The other thing is there's two factors of realization (according to the book), the first is realizing you're dreaming. The second is realizing you are asleep in your bed right now. Surprisingly, it helps to realize and acknowledge these in…

Looking at your hands doesn't seem like enough a test to me. I think you need something more convincing. My reality test when I was interested in lucid dreaming was to count my fingers, and one day I happened to count to 6, and was then pretty sure it was normal and went on with my day. When I woke up, I couldn't believe how easily I convinced myself that I wasn't dreaming

I guess it's a personal thing. For me, the reminder to look at hands worked. Perhaps when you did it, the activity of counting was enough to distract you and prevent you from realizing. Above all, the recommendation is to keep reminding yourself during your normal waking day to look at hands (or whatever routine you prefer). That's the key, to keep the technique in recent memory, which your dreaming self with any luck, will access.

My first ever lucid dream I was about 17, and the week before read about lucid dreaming for the first time. I don't think that's a coincidence. I read about lucid dreaming, then had one. This supports the theory of thinking about lucid dreaming in everyday life in order to trigger them.

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