Psychonaut turned serious meditator, turned psychonaut.

[dharma-naut]

In 2011 my mind was blown wide open by a psychedelic experience. After that I got into meditation hard core. I did two 10 day vipassana retreats. I attended a buddhist university. I went back into the "real world" got a job and learned how to integrate into regular life. In there I took a 5 year break from meditation. And got back into it hardcore in 2021.

I did a rough count I've practiced for at least 1800 hours. The whole point is to change my brain and train basic sanity.

There is also the hope this is training for navigating the psychedelic experience. These are two different skills but they overlap.

In the 2010s I did 5 large dose trips. One mimosahuasca and four mushroom trips. I also did dozens of small to medium doses of LSA.

I currently have weaker versions of a DMT and 5-meo-DMT vape. I use the DMT one to just titrate low dose psychedelic effects to get my toes wet.


I used the 5-meo to replicate mediation based non-dual experiences. These aren't mind blowing, but subtle perceptual changes. Although advanced meditators say that with practice, it can be trained to become, not so subtle. I could increase the dose if I wanted to, but it's not appropriate right now. I don't think it would help.

So my goal is to do an extended state DMT trip in 20 years. And in 5 to 10 years do a single large dose DMT breakthrough.

The timelines here are general guides from how much I think I will progress in life and in meditation skill.

This will determine when I blast off into hyperspace for the first time, in this lifetime

Recently I've been binging on Andrew Gallimore podcasts.

These are my two main interests. 1. Mediation 2. DMT and how it intersects with spirituality, life, reality and the meaning and purpose of existence. This is where the handle "dharmanaut" comes from. Literally explorer of the dharma. Or perhaps a combo of dharma + psychonaut. For me dharma just means your direct sensate experience. The 5 physical sense doors of sensations plus their mental equivalents. The phenomenal world. Qualia. And studying it directly within one's own experience.

I believe combining these two fields will be super useful.

I will be posting and interacting on here though for DMT information. I don't know how much I will interact or if it will fall off. But I will always have this account. When it's time to Blast off, next decade. I will 100% share it here.

 

[Subtlevibrations]

Welcome to the Nexus @dharma-naut

There are quite a few Nexians, myself included, who share you interest in spirituality, meditation, and mysticism. We have a subforum dedicated to those topics I’m sure you will enjoy!

There are a few books written specifically on the overlap of Entheogen-induced mystic experience and technique (meditation) induced mystic experience. You may enjoy reading them. The two I personally enjoyed most are Cleansing the Doors or Perception by Houston Smith, and Zig-Zag Zen complied and edited by Alex Grey and friends.

My own personal advice which you are free to take or leave at your preference: let go of timelines. Stop counting the number of hours you have meditated. It really is an arbitrary thing. Everyone’s process is different. It may take one individual 10 minutes of practice what it took another 10 months of intense effort to realize. Measuring the hours can easily become an ego game, a way of justifying inappropriate levels of effort (neglecting regular life), and a way of unconsciously (or consciously) measuring yourself up to other individuals, especially others who practice using your same spiritual vehicle.

Often times, the progress we are making in meditation and its effect on our daily life are not incredibly apparent until that cumulative change has become quite significant. It is very hard to gauge one’s own progress by any meter other than that of how much of our waking day is spent in peace, contentment, and tranquility.

I am not in any way suggesting you dampen your enthusiasm - I can tell just from your introduction how passionate you are about your own path. I think that’s admirable and wonderful. On the flip side, however; let your unfolding happen naturally and spontaneously. You clearly have a curiosity in the mystic experience awaiting you behind DMT. I am here to say that if you feel the call, answer it. Do what feels right. And if it doesn’t feel right for a decade more, that’s just fine and well and good, so long as you are being authentic to what you really feel in your heart.

In my own experience, DMT, as well as other entheogens, reinforce and fortify the lessons taught in perennial philosophy. They empower the tradition. The tradition empowers the substance. The two synergize in a way that only experience can describe.

As you familiarize yourself with our community, be sure to check out our attitude page to gather a clear understanding of our values and rules.

Again, welcome, and safe travels
Sv

 

[dharma-naut]

Welcome to the Nexus @dharma-naut

There are quite a few Nexians, myself included, who share you interest in spirituality, meditation, and mysticism. We have a subforum dedicated to those topics I’m sure you will enjoy!

There are a few books written specifically on the overlap of Entheogen-induced mystic experience and technique (meditation) induced mystic experience. You may enjoy reading them. The two I personally enjoyed most are Cleansing the Doors or Perception by Houston Smith, and Zig-Zag Zen complied and edited by Alex Grey and friends.

My own personal advice which you are free to take or leave at your preference: let go of timelines. Stop counting the number of hours you have meditated. It really is an arbitrary thing. Everyone’s process is different. It may take one individual 10 minutes of practice what it took another 10 months of intense effort to realize. Measuring the hours can easily become an ego game, a way of justifying inappropriate levels of effort (neglecting regular life), and a way of unconsciously (or consciously) measuring yourself up to other individuals, especially others who practice using your same spiritual vehicle.

Often times, the progress we are making in meditation and its effect on our daily life are not incredibly apparent until that cumulative change has become quite significant. It is very hard to gauge one’s own progress by any meter other than that of how much of our waking day is spent in peace, contentment, and tranquility.

I am not in any way suggesting you dampen your enthusiasm - I can tell just from your introduction how passionate you are about your own path. I think that’s admirable and wonderful. On the flip side, however; let your unfolding happen naturally and spontaneously. You clearly have a curiosity in the mystic experience awaiting you behind DMT. I am here to say that if you feel the call, answer it. Do what feels right. And if it doesn’t feel right for a decade more, that’s just fine and well and good, so long as you are being authentic to what you really feel in your heart.

In my own experience, DMT, as well as other entheogens, reinforce and fortify the lessons taught in perennial philosophy. They empower the tradition. The tradition empowers the substance. The two synergize in a way that only experience can describe.

As you familiarize yourself with our community, be sure to check out our attitude page to gather a clear understanding of our values and rules.

Again, welcome, and safe travels
Sv

Great reply. Thanks for the welcoming me and explaining how both topics fit here on the forum. And I hear you with the timelines thing. I'm open to constructive criticism about what I'm trying to do with this stuff.

 

[dharma-naut]

I'll have to think about what you said regarding me feeling the call. there's something really exciting about that. I have the means to do it whenever I want. I'll be thinking about this stuff, probably pretty deeply.

 

[Panpsychic]

In 2011 my mind was blown wide open by a psychedelic experience. After that I got into meditation hard core. I did two 10 day vipassana retreats. I attended a buddhist university. I went back into the "real world" got a job and learned how to integrate into regular life. In there I took a 5 year break from meditation. And got back into it hardcore in 2021.

I did a rough count I've practiced for at least 1800 hours. The whole point is to change my brain and train basic sanity.

There is also the hope this is training for navigating the psychedelic experience. These are two different skills but they overlap.

In the 2010s I did 5 large dose trips. One mimosahuasca and four mushroom trips. I also did dozens of small to medium doses of LSA.

I currently have weaker versions of a DMT and 5-meo-DMT vape. I use the DMT one to just titrate low dose psychedelic effects to get my toes wet.


I used the 5-meo to replicate mediation based non-dual experiences. These aren't mind blowing, but subtle perceptual changes. Although advanced meditators say that with practice, it can be trained to become, not so subtle. I could increase the dose if I wanted to, but it's not appropriate right now. I don't think it would help.

So my goal is to do an extended state DMT trip in 20 years. And in 5 to 10 years do a single large dose DMT breakthrough.

The timelines here are general guides from how much I think I will progress in life and in meditation skill.

This will determine when I blast off into hyperspace for the first time, in this lifetime

Recently I've been binging on Andrew Gallimore podcasts.

These are my two main interests. 1. Mediation 2. DMT and how it intersects with spirituality, life, reality and the meaning and purpose of existence. This is where the handle "dharmanaut" comes from. Literally explorer of the dharma. Or perhaps a combo of dharma + psychonaut. For me dharma just means your direct sensate experience. The 5 physical sense doors of sensations plus their mental equivalents. The phenomenal world. Qualia. And studying it directly within one's own experience.

I believe combining these two fields will be super useful.

I will be posting and interacting on here though for DMT information. I don't know how much I will interact or if it will fall off. But I will always have this account. When it's time to Blast off, next decade. I will 100% share it here.

Welcome.
Its a great blessing for you to be simultaneously into psychedelics and to have found the dharma and meditation.
The two most definitely are mutually reinforcing and I really think, having a coherent metaphysical framework allows one to delve much deeper with psychedelics.

 

[stinkyfish]

I used to meditate everyday for years. Now life has taken over and it is nearly impossible because time has taken it all up. Wish I had time but I got to pay my bosses mortgage and have no time for myself. It is nice to hear others still do it. Hope you guys advance through the roof!!

 

[Koduckushi]

You have a beautiful mindset towards the intangible. One that I wish to have blossom more within myself. Your meditative journey is one I wish I was better equipped to undertake.

I don't post much but I read a ton of stuff within the nexus. I'll keep an eye out for ya while I cling to the spokes

 

[DoingKermit]

Welcome! I too am an avid mediator. I did a couple 10 day Goenka retreats and was quite strict on the practice doing 2 hours a day for over 3 years. I then realised I was ironically getting attached to the meditative practice itself... classic. It's all about the middle path.

Wishing you some prosperous psychedelic endeavours

 

[dharma-naut]

A collective thank you for all your welcoming me.

 

[dharma-naut]

I used to meditate everyday for years. Now life has taken over and it is nearly impossible because time has taken it all up. Wish I had time but I got to pay my bosses mortgage and have no time for myself. It is nice to hear others still do it. Hope you guys advance through the roof!!

"Pay bosses morgage" hahaha I know what you mean

 

[dharma-naut]

You have a beautiful mindset towards the intangible. One that I wish to have blossom more within myself. Your meditative journey is one I wish I was better equipped to undertake.

I don't post much but I read a ton of stuff within the nexus. I'll keep an eye out for ya while I cling to the spokes

Thanks. That's is VERY kind. Your profile picture is awesome. And also very funny, and cute

 

[dharma-naut]

Welcome! I too am an avid mediator. I did a couple 10 day Goenka retreats and was quite strict on the practice doing 2 hours a day for over 3 years. I then realised I was ironically getting attached to the meditative practice itself... classic. It's all about the middle path.

Wishing you some prosperous psychedelic endeavours

Damn.... I also hear you about the idea of the middle path. I quit formally meditating in there for like 5 years too. (Rebooted in 2021) Now I'm a bit more balanced I think. I like the phrase "constancy, not heroics". As opposed to meditating like I'm on fire. I respect 2 hrs/day when it works for a person. That's a lot! Glad you've found a good balance for yourself.

Right now I do 30 minutes a day. A miss some days. And on the weekends I'll do more. I'll do one hour +. It's not a chore for me though usually. I really like just the basic experiencing consciousness. If I'm not in the mood, or if it feels like a chore. I'll stop there.

In the future id like to do more. Idk when where or how but id be interested in doing longer retreats.

Thanks for the well wishes.

And your profile picture is hilarious. It's legendary in my mine, because I remeber seeing it from lurking here, over the years.

 

[dharma-naut]

I'm just really excited to explore DMT. And I'm just excited it exists. And I'm excited for what life is, and the afterlife. This is very heady and heart-heavy stuff. I'm only 33. I don't know where my life will lead. And when I was 26 my brother overdosed on heroin. So I've had a close relationship with death since then.

I do think about what life is. I remeber from a DMT podcast, I think with Gallimore, someone was talking about creating a "light body", to construct in life, so when you die you can navigate the afterlife realm. This has parallels with ancient mediation traditions including Tibetan Buddhism. It seems like extended state DMT would be the perfect training for this. Combine with certain forms of attention training, like "concentration" mediation, or "insight" mediation, then I'd be using all the tools available.

In the meanwhile the one thing that is important is simply being a good and moral person. As long as there is food on the table I can continue to practice. This is all a preparation for death in my eyes. And also while I'm here I feel like my life is for other people. For my loved ones but also future people. Just help guide this century a little closer to a healthier society for future generations. So then THEY can do this stuff too! (And by this I mean very humbly. Most of us aren't going to make contributions to science or something, of course. But just by leading a basic life of being good to people. It echos into the future I'm fantasizing about.)

Imagine if DMTx technology proliferates. As well as consciousness/mediation research and technology.

I can't even imagine some of the things future psychonauts will be doing in 100 years.