Entheogens In A Sensory Deprivation Tank

[DOS]

SWIM says: Have any of you Nexusinians, Nexicans, Nexians (however you want to coin it) done any entheogen(s) in an isolation tank? I've been day dreaming for quite some time now about doing some pharma, shrooms, mesc, or sally quid while floating in a dark, quiet chamber of super saline water. I keep telling myself some day hopefully sooner than later I'll make it happen.

 

[Bancopuma]

No but I would very much like to...would like to try an isolation tank while stone cold sober as well actually, perhaps for the first time, for later comparison. Definitely on my 'to do' list. 8)

 

[69ron]

The movie Altered States comes to mind.

Did anyone here see that movie?

Anyway, the idea of being in a tank just seems too artificial to me. I’d rather be in a completely dark sound proof room. I don’t like the idea of being in a tank. I would feel confined in there and it would bother me.

 

[۩]

I've had shared visions with people in dark sound proof rooms with certain entheogens.
(we were literally oooooing and awwwwwweing at the same time when people in the vision would leap through the air above us and disappear leaving rainbow trails...)

in settings like this consciousness reveals itself.

 

[DOS]

Yes, I've seen Altered States. I thought it was pretty good, although all of the religious content in the psychedelic scenes bugged the heck out of me, because the movie was therefore saying that entheogens would give proof somewhat that religion, specifically Christianity is true...call it a Hollywoodism. The acting was excellent, and you have to give Hollywood a small pat on the back for touching on a subject so ridiculously taboo even though they didn't do enough research to make what could have been a HUGE cult classic like Fear, and Loathing which went nowhere near the deep metaphysical end of psychedelic use that this movie touched on. I laughed out loud at the brief scene where the lead actor, and his peer if I remember correctly walked through a research lab where a patient was being administered DMT, and they just carried on like it was not worth their attention.:lol: Reminds me of the mention of mescaline in the first Matrix movie.

I'm surprised no Nexian has done it! Really, there must be someone? Ron, think of the isolation tank as like being in a womb again, it is very natural because we are born out of that type of environment. I find this idea no more artificial than sitting in an unusually dark, quiet room sharing visions with people which BTW reads incredible! I just found a day spa in my area that has flotation tanks.8)

 

[magickpencil]

... although all of the religious content in the psychedelic scenes bugged the heck out of me, because the movie was therefore saying that entheogens would give proof somewhat that religion, specifically Christianity is true...call it a Hollywoodism.

just my two cents:
i thought the Christian imagery was entirely appropriate and indicative of the main character's subconscious fears and fundamental (ego-related) beliefs
the main character is based directly but loosely on Dr. John Cunningham Lilly who had several dissociative meetings w angels as a child which prompted his interest in human consciousness, and in turn sensory deprivation and entheogens (all though the real Dr. Lilly catalyzed most of his journeys w LSD or ketamine)
one of my favorite films for sure

 

[antrocles]

how coincidental.....today is my girlfriend's birthday and one of her gifts is a trip to the float center here in town. i used to float a ton back when i lived in the bay area but haven't done it much since i moved. she's never done it before...

she's going in straight-edge. i'm bringing my VG loaded with a breakthrough dose of spiced weed.... report to follow.....i'm actually kinda excited like a kid on christmas eve....

LOVE AND GRATITIUDE!!

 

[DOS]

just my two cents:
i thought the Christian imagery was entirely appropriate and indicative of the main character's subconscious fears and fundamental (ego-related) beliefs
the main character is based directly but loosely on Dr. John Cunningham Lilly who had several dissociative meetings w angels as a child which prompted his interest in human consciousness, and in turn sensory deprivation and entheogens (all though the real Dr. Lilly catalyzed most of his journeys w LSD or ketamine)
one of my favorite films for sure

Good point about the Christian imagery in the movie, but even still I can only imagine the extent to which this Hollywoodism reinforces religious dogma. THAT bugs me. I'm well aware of John Lilly, blessed be his name. Altered States, the movie was based off the novel by the same name.

how coincidental.....today is my girlfriend's birthday and one of her gifts is a trip to the float center here in town. i used to float a ton back when i lived in the bay area but haven't done it much since i moved. she's never done it before...

she's going in straight-edge. i'm bringing my VG loaded with a breakthrough dose of spiced weed.... report to follow.....i'm actually kinda excited like a kid on christmas eve.... Wink

What a gift. So can you tell us about some of your entheo-tank experiences? :surprised And need I say we want to know how your spicy weed tank session goes!

 

[transitory]

I am reminded of the following ... (the emphasis is my own)

The key patterns we are looking for when approaching persistent delusions of grandeur are 1) high dose ranges, 2) high frequency of use, 3) ingestion contexts which isolate the user from external stimulus, and 4) ingestion contexts that revolve around repetitive rituals, themes, or patterns. In the cases of Leary, Lilly, and McKenna, each seemed to follow the other's opinion that high-dose experimentation in complete sensory isolation was the way to go, all (or most) of the time, sometimes for extended periods of time, often the longer the better. Each one of these explorers claimed that they were receiving Gnostic telemetry from the psychic logos of the conscious universe (or something like that), just as prophets have mystical visions and receive supernatural wisdom from their Gods. Each of these men claimed to be rigorous thinkers, yet none of them ever stopped to consider (publicly at least) that they just might be swimming in their own BS.

The above is a quote from Psychedelic Information Theory (Shamanism in the Age of Reason) Chapter 20: Messianic Ideation & Delusions of Grandeur by James Kent. A preview of which is freely available here: http://www.tripzine.com/pit/

Not necessarily my own take on things but a thought provoking chapter I think.

 

[PerPLexED]

The movie Altered States comes to mind.

Did anyone here see that movie?

Anyway, the idea of being in a tank just seems too artificial to me. I’d rather be in a completely dark sound proof room. I don’t like the idea of being in a tank. I would feel confined in there and it would bother me.

If you were to feel confined would defeat a big part of it(unable to tell if you're in infinite space or in a tiny box).


Also, PerPLExED has never floated before, but how would one be able to get to hyperspace from within(unless SWIM own's their own isolation tank)?

 

[69ron]

Feeling confined as you start your trip is NOT a good mind set at all. Mind set is very important to the experience. SWIM would not be able to enjoy it, especially if it was LSD. But DMT? SWIM has found only LSD and LSH and their relatives really require a good mind set going into the trip. Mind set has little to do with a DMT experience, at least that’s the case for SWIM because he can easily forget what he’s thinking about while on the effects of DMT. SWIM finds DMT causes slippery thinking, where its very easy for him to lose his train of thought. But with LSD at very high doses, the train of thought can sometimes be enhanced to an extremely annoying level, to such an extend that attempting to change your train of thought can actually be difficult. At least that’s the case for SWIM (and the reason it is more bad trip prone for SWIM than other psychedelics).

I can’t see how one would use DMT in a tank. LSD makes sense, but DMT? By the time you take your DMT and get into the tank, your trip is already ending. So how do you do it?

 

[DOS]

The above is a quote from Psychedelic Information Theory (Shamanism in the Age of Reason) Chapter 20: Messianic Ideation & Delusions of Grandeur by James Kent. A preview of which is freely available here: http://www.tripzine.com/pit/

Not necessarily my own take on things but a thought provoking chapter I think.

That quote pretty much insults entheogens by labeling visions "persistent delusions of grandeur" and then the author suggests that Leary, Lilly, and Mckenna are full of BS. This James Kent guy obviously has his head up his own arss...strange you reference him.

If you were to feel confined would defeat a big part of it(unable to tell if you're in infinite space or in a tiny box). Also, PerPLExED has never floated before, but how would one be able to get to hyperspace from within(unless SWIM own's their own isolation tank)?

You might want to try floating in one before disregarding sensory deprivation tanks as mere tiny boxes. I don't get claustrophobic so this isn't an issue for me, but anyways some Day Spas have flotation ROOMS so there you go problem solved.

I can’t see how one would use DMT in a tank. LSD makes sense, but DMT? By the time you take your DMT and get into the tank, your trip is already ending. So how do you do it?

Wouldn't it be as simple as having a bottle of Pharmahuasca handy? I would think discretely popping a SP mescaline pill or downing a low dose of mushrooms before entering the clinic would be easy as well. Antrocles said he was going to do some spicy weed so aparently some places not only give you the needed privacy but also allow you to bring in a backpack for example of things you need. I have some THH I've been itching to use with the spice...

 

[69ron]

I can’t see how one would use DMT in a tank. LSD makes sense, but DMT? By the time you take your DMT and get into the tank, your trip is already ending. So how do you do it?

Wouldn't it be as simple as having a bottle of Pharmahuasca handy? I would think discretely popping a SP mescaline pill or downing a low dose of mushrooms before entering the clinic would be easy as well. Antrocles said he was going to do some spicy weed so aparently some places not only give you the needed privacy but also allow you to bring in a backpack for example of things you need. I have some THH I've been itching to use with the spice...

The only way to experience DMT is by injection or by inhalation (or possible some other route). DMT doesn't work orally. Pharmahuasca is not the same experience as DMT, at least not for SWIM. I thought we were talking about DMT, not pharmahuasca. I my opinion those are two very distinct experiences. Pharmahuasca is a combination of two or more drugs, not just DMT.

 

[DOS]

The only way to experience DMT is by injection or by inhalation (or possible some other route). DMT doesn't work orally. Pharmahuasca is not the same experience as DMT, at least not for SWIM. I thought we were talking about DMT, not pharmahuasca. I my opinion those are two very distinct experiences. Pharmahuasca is a combination of two or more drugs, not just DMT.

Well, I'd imagine smoking spice in the tank would be a bit easier than drinking margaritas totally wasted in a swimming pool. Of course there would need to be a dry place to set the pipe down inside. I've never done pharma so I can't compare it to my spice journeys, but I think of it in the traditional sense you know...the Chacruna provides the light, and Caapi the force. I'm just waiting for the opportune time to use the THH, and that might be a float session.