Group Tripping - One Consciousness

[Godzy]

So the last few times I've tripped on shrooms with a group of people this weird phenomenon has been happening and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this?

So basically, we all share the same mind. Everything I'm thinking about, everyone else around me is thinking about, and we can confirm this to each other by saying it out loud. It's a total mindfuck.

The thing that gets uncomfortable about it (and is kinda making me not want to trip with others) is that we all know each others secrets/insecurities etc. And it can be hard for some. Personally I don't mind it but others get scared and defensive when their ego starts to revolt.

It's like switching between calm conscience and ego rapidly. One moment we are thinking positive, happy, intellectual thoughts then the next moment the ego kicks in and we start getting defensive, insecure etc.

Any tips on keeping the ego restrained so that the entire experience can be happy/peaceful?

 

[Jees]

...Any tips on keeping the ego restrained so that the entire experience can be happy/peaceful?

I haven't.
It's a reason I don't like groups as of late. I can't really say to know sharing secrets without words, not that literal, but I get seriously fed up with the burden and loaded energetic atmosphere as everyone dumps his energetic shit and I feel like drowning in a pile of energetic rotten cesspool.

You probably think it's my own shit I'm having a hard time with and I consider that possibility but then what about the couple of hundreds sessions solo that do not show any sign of that particular kind of negative taint? If my solo's are difficult by occasion then I feel my own responsibility very clearly and is of a different nature than when peddling in a group dump happening.

It's not always negative, yes sometimes group can be uplifting if everybody is able to tune right. But those occasions are a minority, too bad actually, but I see it as a sign what I must do.

Just my story.

 

[Godzy]

I'm with you man. I've only tripped once by myself on shrooms and I managed to gain a lot more positive wisdom than I have in groups. I'm not necessarily blaming them, it's just a clusterfuck when everyone is going through their own trip and having others around can be scary. Not to mention egos. I'm gonna try tripping alone next.

Another thing I noticed, we all had the same trip, no doubt whatsoever I could see it in their eyes. But afterwards when we came down some acted like they weren't tripping... It's like they're ashamed of themselves... Kinda sad.

 

[Jees]

... I'm not necessarily blaming them, it's just a clusterfuck ...

Yes that is important to say, no blame, it's just a situation thing.

I can share that in my last groups, for some unidentified reason which shows as "coincidence" at first sight, I ended up sitting right next to the most annoying individual of the batch. I really don't talk down and feel compassion and everyone has right on their own kind of flow etc etc, but these are the kind of humming overly, tapping out of rhythm/sync of the music, banging the instruments too hard without finesse and clearly some ego want to show off something, looping in cough sessions far more than necessary, making strange noises affecting neighbors, ....

So I asked why me here?
To train me in focusing my own business?
To tell me to quit groups?
I dunno. There is no definite answer, so consulting intuition it said that I better work alone for a while.

Would like to hear about other dealing with such.

 

[Leithen]

Interesting experiences both of you.

Are the groups of people you are with generally close friends, acquaintances or just random mutual friends? I would like to have a group consciousness experience at least once. I have always heard you need to be close with the people you do it with. Because of this you would know more about them and feel more comfortable opening up with them.

As far as keeping the ego restrained it seems that generally, in my experience, problems arise when you try and restrain the ego instead of letting things flow naturally.

 

[Jees]

Yes I should have mentioned that my groups were like between 15 to 30, very non related people of all kind. Sorry if I maybe came across coming down on others, but likely I have become a bit picky in choosing my energetic setting for the experiences, being my own producer/director.

As far as keeping the ego restrained it seems that generally, in my experience, problems arise when you try and restrain the ego instead of letting things flow naturally.

That is a valid point. On the other hand the groups that were done with a very strict pattern of conduct (like churches or Camino Rojo) , there it seems that the conduct discipline hold people back "doing freely" on a natural base. Then this is not bad either, I think it all has particular advantages and disadvantages, fitting one day, unfitting on another day, it's all so volatile.

Don't let me scare you, groups can be very much bliss! I was just venting a bit :lol:
The one thing I like about groups is the serendipity and meeting fine people that lead to very useful information etc.

 

[Swarupa]

You can take some precautions such as being with people that know and love each other, people that understand the nature of psychedelics and respect each others space, but ultimately in a group setting there's no way to know for sure how other people are going to act/react and what energy they'll bring to the group.

I've found that meditating and remaining unattached to my own mind has helped to stay unaffected by any influence that other minds in the group may have, although i have experienced similar events to what you've described so can see how it's possible... hearing each others thoughts, feeling each others vibes, if people are meditating together it can be so awesome. One of my favorite examples was our second time trying LSD together, my friends weren't feeling much due to some cross-tolerance so we were talking about how to be sensitive to the effects, as we were going through a meditation one of them suddenly had a major breakthrough. This was also a life changing experience for me as i realized a calling to teach meditation.

Although there were some great group experiences nowadays i prefer to fly solo, i love laying in bed, headphones on, eyes closed, no distractions. I find with this introspective setting it hits home much deeper than in an extroverted group setting, recently the most social i'll get is popping into the Nexus chat or meeting with a friend afterwards. I recall during a few group trips i'd get the feeling that i should go it alone in order to integrate the experience as much as possible, not to say this should be the same for everyone, as for some a group experience may be a great support to have.

 

[Godzy]

FIRST OFF, I GOT PROMOTED YAAAAAAAAY && my 47th post. Now back to the topic...

Are the groups of people you are with generally close friends, acquaintances or just random mutual friends?

I would consider them close friends, there were some mutual friends there too but close friends isnt the issue, I have no shame in opening up with anyone, I think it's the opposite.. I get them to open up,then the ego gets to them. The whole entire trip consisted of me constantly reminding them that they're thinking with their ego, then we would all be happy and loving, then the ego comes back in, it's like a cycle. But I would say you definitely should try it with a group of people (somewhere between 2-5), it's a very fun experience if you can keep the ego out. Tripping alone is cool, but it's nice to have others to share a laugh with.

In conclusion, I still had a good trip, but I rather be able to focus on my self than having to help others battle their ego.

should have mentioned that my groups were like between 15 to 30

Oh god, I can't even imagine having to juggle that many egos lol. That's crazy, all my group trips have been with 3-7 people and I was having a hard time trying to keep everyone on the same wavelength. Try it with 2-5 people man, 10+ is way too much.

This was also a life changing experience for me as i realized a calling to teach meditation.

i love laying in bed, headphones on, eyes closed, no distractions

YES! I love being able to teach others, changing their perspective and that mindfucked look in their eyes when the light bulb goes on LOL. But the worst is when after all that, the ego takes back over and all your efforts were for nothing

And I completely agree, I ate some shrooms right before bed once, put on my headphones, greatest feeling ever, it's like full body orgasm ahaha. Will definitely do that again next trip.

 

[Hiyo Quicksilver]

Any tips on keeping the ego restrained so that the entire experience can be happy/peaceful?

Luv, and acceptance..

In my experience with these kind of things, while everyone may be on the same wavelength and experiencing similar thoughts, it's not very explicit as to exactly who is thinking what. Generally we all have some pretty similar insecurities and the lines between self and other can seem blurry anyway.

Acceptance with one another and maintaining a sense of community and serenity helps a hundredfold. Obsessing about one's internal environment or the "responsibility" to maintain a good environment only leads to killing the groove and falling out... In one former close friend's case, that kind of attitude on a heavy dose of LSD at a festival was enough to trigger a downward spiral of mental health and obsessive thoughts/behavior that to my knowledge he has not escaped.

It's crucial to be in the moment, to accept yourself and those around you. If you don't know yourself and your company to keep the moment positive and communal in those moments of shared reverie, then I would suggest limiting your contact with others while on psychedelics.
----------------

Ego is a buzzword. Period. No need to remind anyone explicitly of how they should behave... It's easier to change the energy simply by regulating your own, and trusting the shared continuum to bring everyone on the same level. Strength and power are in spirit, not in words.

Ego is crucial to our psyche and our ability to interact the way we do, in various degrees... However it ultimately consists of nothing at all. It's just a simple and powerful illusion. Pointing it out serves the opposite purpose and will indeed cause a resurgence... Helping people to feel comfortable and accept themselves in the moment brings things up, and up, and up. Sanguinity and equanimity in these situations is, ultimately, key.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Godzy]

You're absolutely right... maybe I should have let them figure it out rather than trying to show them... I've noticed people get defensive when you point things out. But some people are accepting once you point it out, and they kind of need you to point it out. The approach you take depends on the person you're dealing with I suppose. Thanks for the insight!

 

[○]

Any tips on keeping the ego restrained so that the entire experience can be happy/peaceful?

Luv, and acceptance..

In my experience with these kind of things, while everyone may be on the same wavelength and experiencing similar thoughts, it's not very explicit as to exactly who is thinking what. Generally we all have some pretty similar insecurities and the lines between self and other can seem blurry anyway.

Acceptance with one another and maintaining a sense of community and serenity helps a hundredfold. Obsessing about one's internal environment or the "responsibility" to maintain a good environment only leads to killing the groove and falling out... In one former close friend's case, that kind of attitude on a heavy dose of LSD at a festival was enough to trigger a downward spiral of mental health and obsessive thoughts/behavior that to my knowledge he has not escaped.

It's crucial to be in the moment, to accept yourself and those around you. If you don't know yourself and your company to keep the moment positive and communal in those moments of shared reverie, then I would suggest limiting your contact with others while on psychedelics.
----------------

Ego is a buzzword. Period. No need to remind anyone explicitly of how they should behave... It's easier to change the energy simply by regulating your own, and trusting the shared continuum to bring everyone on the same level. Strength and power are in spirit, not in words.

Ego is crucial to our psyche and our ability to interact the way we do, in various degrees... However it ultimately consists of nothing at all. It's just a simple and powerful illusion. Pointing it out serves the opposite purpose and will indeed cause a resurgence... Helping people to feel comfortable and accept themselves in the moment brings things up, and up, and up. Sanguinity and equanimity in these situations is, ultimately, key.

Just my 2 cents.

:!:

:thumb_up:

 

[TimeGearingBlocks]

You're absolutely right... maybe I should have let them figure it out rather than trying to show them... I've noticed people get defensive when you point things out. But some people are accepting once you point it out, and they kind of need you to point it out. The approach you take depends on the person you're dealing with I suppose. Thanks for the insight!

Yeah I agree this is EXCELLENT advice. I learned a few tips too myself. I have tripped on mushrooms in a group setting many times. The first time was my birthday, December 2013 and a few of these people in the group were people I had just met a few months prior to the trip. One of these new friends was a girl who shared the same name as me. She is a wonderful, sweet, loving, open and daring kind of person. The daring part of her personality I think gets her in trouble sometimes, a reflection of myself in a way. I personally have never had a bad trip where I lost my mind and needed help coming back. I've always been able to bring myself back if I got lost in a depressing thought or something and I've always been able to maintain self control. Everyone who was tripping at my party with me was very level as well and had a great sense of awareness and calmness to them. Except this one girl who I just mentioned. I already adored her so anything she was going to do that night did not bother me and I was able to work through it easily. I was a little concerned for the others in the group though. This girl who I am going to call Mary for the sake of place holders in this story is a real free spirit and has no fears about anything and in her mind, her society has trapped her in a cage where she cannot be the free spirit she is. [I personally think we all feel this way but like Quicksilver said, you cannot point this out to them, especially while tripping]. So when we were tripping, Mary had the urge to scream. She screamed with joy for probably 10-15 minute spurts. One of the other girls was looking at her with this really either concerned look or aggravated look I couldn't tell in the moment it was a little dark in the room. That's when I started to see a boundary issue in the group. I could feel the tension. Mary wanted to take up the whole space but what was hilarious about it was that she was apologizing for it over and over again while screaming. I cannot help but laugh at it in hindsight. Thankfully, everyone in the room kept silent and let her be to hear herself. She saw me sitting on the couch in a "lotus" position focused and zen. It drove her crazy. She said "I want you to feel what I am feeling! C'mon guys your missing out on this!" Again... in hindsight... lol. It's pretty adorable actually. I think that is why I stayed meditative and didn't lose my own sanity over her intensiveness. How else could I put it... it was irritatingly adorable. Does that even make sense? :surprised

In any case, we left her alone to do her thing and viewed it as a challenge to keep yourself zen in the midst of chaos and she eventually dove off into her own mind and went silent. She came out of that particular trip enlightened and apologetic for her intensity. Hey thanks for this post. This is a good subject.

 

[Godzy]

LOL that's a perfect example of how to handle someone when they can't hold their excitement inside. Just let them be. I'm going to try that next time someone I'm tripping with starts to get hyperactive. Something similar happened to a friend while we were tripping, but it wasn't out of excitement, it was like he was frustrated and trying to force us to feel what he was feeling, but we just wanted to relax while he was going into the deep parts of shroom mentality if you know what I mean. We tried to calm him down but he wouldn't so I ended up sneaking away from the group and listening to music on a bench, we found him 3 hours later and it seemed like being alone actually helped him more than we could help him if we stayed. Shrooms is confusing... lol. Thanks for sharing