A Farewell to Advertising

Jump to Section

Jump to Section

I get great pleasure from imagining a world with no advertising. Sure, there’s the occasional commercial that gets me to smile, but most ads make me feel like I’m being talked down to; instead of addressing me in an honest, straightforward way, they try to draw my attention to whatever they’re hawking through gimmicky manipulations — for instance, paying a celebrity to announce how dearly he adores a certain car insurance, gas-guzzling SUV, or cat litter. Other ads try to freak me out because my breath smells, my armpits reek, and my hair isn’t glossy enough to earn me a kiss. No need to list the other approaches ad agencies employ; we’ve all internalized the myriad strategies used to subliminally coerce us into buying stuff we don’t need or want.

The sense I get from advertising is that I’m continually being lied to, everywhere I turn. But more disturbing still is that the picture of the world offered by advertising is of a throw-away consumer culture based on instant gratification, presented as a kind of heavenly paradise. We are in the midst of the Sixth Great Extinction, our country is perpetually at war, Wall Street’s investment culture has revealed itself to be irredeemably morally bankrupt, and through it all, we are bathed by a perpetual stream of consumerist messaging that proclaims we live in a material paradise. All you have to do is buy the right beer, and babelicious models climb out of your fridge. Shopping sets you free.

But despite the relentless propaganda, at this point most Americans accept that our version of consumer culture is unsustainable. Not everyone sees this, certainly, but for decades the number has been growing, and some demographers think this long-time minority perspective became the majority in 2008, the year of the Obama election, which is a convenient marker for the shift. And yet, we are assaulted by more ads than ever. They appear on eggs and apples at the store, arrive as cell phone spam, sneak up as product placement in the movies — some sources say that the average American is exposed to as many as three thousand ad messages a day. They blare at us from every conceivable angle: the sides of buildings, the floors of subway platforms, the back doors of public bathroom stalls. They shake, flash, and squeal in mock delight, aching to convince us that our deepest needs can be satisfied on the supermarket shelf. We’re only one kitchen cleanser away from having the time of our lives.

The cumulative effect of this non-stop assault, which begins at birth and continues through our final moments, is to make us numb. We know we can’t trust ads, but we get suckered in by them; ultimately, they achieve what they are designed to do, which is to sell product. Our understandable response is to develop a thick wall of defense against their come-ons. We become sophisticated critics, armed with irony and a knee-jerk cynicism, knowing better than to accept an ad at face value. At the same time, we can’t imagine an alternative to the consumerism they promote, and so fall prey to their manipulations again and again. As good cynics, we realize that any effort to remake society is bound to fail, so we might as well stock up on the latest disposable pleasure and make sure to get our money’s worth. But seeds have been planted for an alternative worth considering.

Today, thanks to the Internet, once I know what I want, I can usually find it pretty quickly. For instance, it took me about ninety seconds to discover that Americans are exposed to three thousand ads a day, and I was then able to compare that number to estimates from other sources. Search engines have become extremely effective at connecting people to what they’re looking for. Recommendation engines, like the kind on Amazon.com that suggests books you might be interested in, based on your previous purchases, have steadily improved, linking you to music and books you probably will like, people you could date, schools to attend, cars to buy. These matchmaking technologies might not be able to look into your soul and surprise you with an offer out of left field, but once you express, for example, an interest in permaculture, automated systems are now quite good at letting you know about new permaculture books and DVDs, and (in theory) permaculture courses, groups, gardening supplies — whatever a budding permaculturist could want.

Matchmaking systems of this kind are popping up everywhere online. Unfortunately, they are guided by the same manipulative practices and questionable ethics endemic to the advertising industry. Companies engaged in digital advertising, like Google, Microsoft, and Facebook, do their best to surreptitiously track the online behavior of whoever they can, creating detailed profiles of each of us that will help them capture our interests and predict our future purchases. Beacon and cookie technology installed by third parties stalks us as we go from website to website, following where we go and watching what we click on.  So if I spend a lot of time on car websites, I might notice that while visiting CNN.com, MSNBC.com, or YouTube, suddenly a legion of car ads appear. Marketers will spend extra for these targeted ads, because it helps them narrow in on likely customers, making the ad-buying process less like firing buckshot. And if you do want to buy a new car, all the car ads suddenly flooding your screen might be useful.

But these matchmaking systems, as they currently exist, have serious drawbacks. For a start, you have no idea what these profiles say about you, or what is being done with them. The data collected about you, usually without your knowledge, is owned by the company that collects it, which can do whatever it pleases with that information, including sell it to whoever pays. The lawyers at the Electronic Frontiers Foundation (EFF), the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), and other privacy advocates are rightly outraged by how little control we have over the data about us that streams across the Internet. They are also frustrated by how little the public seems to care about it. People tend to prioritize convenience over privacy, and they don’t expect that the owners of these profiles will abuse them, or at least not so badly that a real crisis results.

At the same time, it is also true that mainstream media has barely touched this story, aside from the occasional article in the Wall Street Journal or New York Times, so who knows how widely understood the situation actually is. Certainly, it is in the interest of media companies to keep concern low, since targeted ads bring them higher rates at a time when their traditional business model is melting down. But it is sadly predictable that abuses will occur without appropriate oversight, just as they did recently in the housing market and on Wall Street, to disastrous effect.

You can expect that soon profiles about you will be compiled with an expansiveness and efficiency that would have made the East German secret service green with envy. How will that information be used? Will that profile be reviewed by an employer to discover if you take part in “questionable” behavior, or will a landlord check into your “desirability” before you sign a new lease? If they can, while reducing financial risk and reassuring investors, it’s hard to believe they would resist.

Meanwhile, the ads that get pumped out through this targeting system are unchanged, as annoying and manipulative as ever. And as the number of ad messages we receive grows, the attention that any one attracts drops. Madison Avenue has been complaining for years about how hard it is to cut through the clutter in this crowded environment, that it forces them to push out more and more ads if they hope to have an impact and get precious clicks. But why should you click? Ads swarm around us like gnats, asking to be swatted away. Your first impulse is to not click, because you know ads can’t be trusted. The average click-through rate for an online ad is a fraction of 1 percent; a response by more than 2 percent is considered a phenomenal success. Think about it: over 98 percent of viewers prefer to not respond to the interactive ads they see.

But instead of bending matchmaking technology to the purposes of the old marketing paradigm, emerging technologies could support a different model, one that respects our privacy, acknowledges our intelligence, and responds to actual needs, not manufactured desires. Imagine how different things would be if marketing messages had integrity, if their claims were vetted by trusted sources, and if they informed you about things you really want, so you could evaluate whether a product is right for you. Instead of being on the receiving end of an endless stream of crafty seductions that hope to trigger a purchase, you would be exposed to just a few that are clear and informative, and only for products that you deliberately express an interest in. An ad’s claims would be validated by independent third parties, like Consumer Reports, and these ratings would be easy to find, even if they are less than favorable.

You’re probably thinking: forget it, that’s impossible. And, of course, you’re probably right. But before you dismiss this prospect entirely, please join me for a thought experiment. Suppose that:

* Instead of an anonymous corporation owning your personal data, and deciding what to do with it without your permission, you control the data in your digital profile. You choose to “track yourself” as you go from place to place online, collecting the geologs from your mobile phone, your social network links, your current address and other relevant data in your profile.  With this control, you get to decide what information is in your digital profile, what information can be shared with whom and under what conditions. This is not a pipe dream; companies are appearing that can provide these services. For instance, a new class of services is emerging that offers data banking to consumers; just as your money is not made invalid when you move it from one bank to another, your data can be portable in the same way between service providers. Companies such as Mydex, Azigo, Personal.com and Singly are offering the first wave of digital data banking services of this kind, and are an encouraging sign of things to come.

* Instead of being on the receiving end of a relentless stream of unwelcome ads, you use your digital profile to express interests and needs, soliciting information about the product categories that matter to you. Rather than being solicited by marketing companies who push out ads based on their best guesses about what you might respond to, you only view the marketing messages you request. It is well known that pursuing “qualified leads” of this kind is a far more effective way to reach a customer than today’s buck-shot model.

* Instead of producing ads that compete for your attention by making cheesy come-ons or questionable claims — while communicating next to nothing that can be trusted — advertisers agree to follow a code of conduct. Promotional claims are validated by independent third parties. Today, there are scores of certification systems that evaluate claims about product safety, greenness, organic materials, localism, and fair labor practices. Twenty-first-century Green Seal stamps would be printed on every package and be a click away from any ad banner. Product information becomes easily available and transparent — not because the government compells it, but because the absence of third-party certification signals consumers not to buy a product.

* Instead of staring blankly at a new product, unable to learn whether friends and others you trust have tried and liked it, you have access to a list of people you know that says whether they give the product a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down.” Every product, of course, has mixed reviews. But you can easily find the percentage of people whose shopping prowess you trust that have endorsed a particular product — not because they get paid for it, but because they want you to support the best green cleanser, the best locally built furniture, the most effective water-saving washing machine. Again, this information is managed through your user-centric digital profile.

* Instead of pushing sales messages onto an unsuspecting public, marketing companies act as brokers that work on behalf of both the producer and the consumer, bringing the two into contact. If you are in the market for a new rug, for instance, your interest is broadcast to floor cover marketing companies, which respond with information about their clients. Based on your desired price point, material of choice, and design type, the marketers target the messages they send to you. Because they have agreed to follow a code of conduct, the ads are substantive instead of gimmicky. Clicking on the banner brings you to a web page that conveys what you need to know about the product, along with a video and a list of stores near you that stock it. The best marketers are known for the effectiveness of their matchmaking capabilities in a trusted environment.

This approach would fundamentally alter the way we shop. The difference was made clear to me by Kaliya Hamlin, organizer of the semi-annual Internet Identity Workshop conferences in the Bay Area, and one of the leading analysts of digital identity trends. The current model, she explained, can be shown in a simple diagram with three nodes (see Diagram 1): the buyer, the producer, and marketer, which is the sole intermediary between the other two, sending messages to potential buyers with little to no idea who the buyers are, hoping to convert a sale. Note that the communication from the marketer to the buyer is in one direction, with the buyer at the receiving end, unable to respond or participate in any kind of dialogue. In many instances, the marketer is supported by services that provide digital dossiers on millions of people that help them to target customers. For instance, Experian proudly boasts that it has detailed profiles of 2.1 billion people which it offers for sale to support targeted web advertising.

Diagram 1

The alternative model, made possible by digital identity technology, introduces two new intermediaries between the buyer and the producer (see Diagram 2). One is the buyer’s agent, which represents the interest of the buyer and broadcasts the message the buyer is looking for a particular product — such as a dark blue organic wool rug that is 6 x 9 feet. This agent is the trusted broker of the buyer’s personal data (its “data banker”), and it only shares this information under the buyer’s direction. The second new intermediary is the producer’s agent, which broadcasts information about the producer’s products to buyers’ agents across the Internet, looking for matches. This product information would be detailed and vetted by third parties, and should include the product’s environmental impact, labor conditions, consumer evaluations, and more. So before the buyer makes a decision about whether to purchase that rug, she knows how it was manufactured, the materials that went into it, and what other people think about it. The key to this model is that the Buyer’s Agent holds and is aware of personal data buyer, and that the Producer’s Agent does not.  A fully functioning market like this eliminates the need for services that sell digital dossiers to marketers, such as Experian. The transactions could take place online, but just as likely, the producer’s agent could draw potential buyers to come by brick-and-mortar retail outlets to experience the products in person.

Diagram 2

You can see how a system like this could grow to include all of the essential products you use, from toilet paper and face cream to clothing and hardware. The technology exists today to turn our marketing paradigm upside down — or, perhaps more accurately, right side up. The key innovation is for digital profile data to move easily from place to place online, under the control and ownership of the person it is about. Over the past few years, a number of components of this potential new systems have emerged from forums like the Internet Identity Workshop, OASIS, W3C and the World Economic Forum Rethinking Personal Data project. The cores of these systems are built by privacy activists to keep governments and corporations from holding information about you without permission.  The challenge to this twenty-first-century marketing paradigm is not technical. Rather, it is social. As a society, are we ready to apply existing technology to transform how we exchange goods?

Once products are connected to people’s actual needs, the entire thrust of messages that marketers send would change. No more need for misleading claims. The tenor of advertising would shift to propositions coming from a place of integrity. At the same time, the rationale for wasteful, flashy packaging is eliminated. (You bought a computer to send email, not to revel in the layers of perfectly sculpted plastic shards that you had to tear out of the box to get at it.)  One possible by product of such a system could be that, without society’s relentless call to consume, people might realize that they would be happier with less than they currently possess. Why burden yourself with your own vacuum cleaner, lawn mower, coffee grinder, crock pot, electric heating pad, washing machine, or any of the other myriad contraptions that clutter up the average middle-class American apartment? All it takes is a moment of reflection to realize that each is used for an hour or two a week, if that. Why not pool resources with your neighbors, put the best appliances in a hall closet, give the extras away, and replace the broken ones (they always break) with really good ones meant to last, which are worth repairing and which you would be stretched to buy on your own? At the same time, you get to know your neighbors. Less is more.

We know that America’s relationship to stuff has to change, and digital tools give us the opportunity to design the kind of marketplace we want to live with. In the process of constructing it, we transform our communities and ourselves. We heal our hearts, pursuing the path of a more transparent, less materialist society. The earth is calling us to embrace a new politics of the sacred, one which will expand the safe space where the heart can be revealed, available for connection. As hard as it might be to believe such a transformation is possible, in fact, a profound change might be closer than anyone might think, ready to be expressed in how we live our daily lives. Along the fringes, far from the shopping mall, a yearning can be felt for a different kind of commerce.

Thanks to Kaliya Hamlin for reading a draft of this article and offering extremely helpful comments and suggested revisions.

 

Image by Lord Jim, courtesy of Creative Commons license.

Psychedelic Resources

A Foraging Trip: Where Do Magic Mushrooms Grow?
Eager to learn more about the origin of psilocybin species? Read this article to find out where magic mushrooms grow and more!

How to Make Shroom Tea: Best Recipe and Dosage
A step by step guide on how to brew shroom tea, and why entheogenic psilocybin tea is a preferred method for psychedelic connoisseurs.

R. Gordon Wasson: Author and Mushroom Expert
Learn about R. Gordon Wasson, the “legendary mushroom expert” and popular figure within the psychonaut community.

Shrooms vs Acid: Differences and Similarities Explained
Ever wondered what the differences are between shrooms vs acid, or if you can take both together? This guide explains what you need to know.

Quantum Mechanics, Reality, and Magic Mushrooms
Scientist and author Dr. Chris Becker takes an in-depth approach in understanding how we perceive reality through magic mushrooms and quantum mechanics.

Psilocybin Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
Our ultimate guide to Psilocybin has everything you want to know about this psychedelic fungi from its uses to its legal status.

The Psilocybin Experience: What’s the Deal With Magic Mushrooms?
From microdoses to macrodoses, the psilocybin experience has been sought after both medicinally and recreationally for millennia.

Psilocybin and Magic Mushroom Resources
Curious to learn more about psilocybin? This guide is a comprehensive psilocybin resource containing books, therapeutic studies, and more.

Paul Stamets Profile: Mushroom Guru, Filmmaker, Nutritionist, Scientist
Learn about Paul Stamets, read his thoughts on psilocybin mircodosing, the future of psilocybin, and his recent film “Fantastic Fungi”.

Microdosing Psilocybin & Common Dosage Explained
Microdosing, though imperceivably, is showing to have many health benefits–here is everything you want to know about microdosing psilocybin.

Psilocybin Nasal Spray: Relief for Anxiety, PTSD, and Depression
Microdosing nasal spray with psilocybin, is that possible?! Oregan a start-up Silo Wellness believes so and has created this new option for PTSD treatment.

Mazatec Mushroom Usage: Notes on Approach, Setting and Species for Curious Psilonauts
A look at traditional Mazatec psilocybin mushroom usage, and a comparison to the cliniical therapeutic approach, with an examination of the Mazatec setting and species used in veladas.

María Sabina: The Mazatec Magic Mushroom Woman
Magic mushrooms are incredibly popular today. How they became introduced to into American culture isn’t usually a topic discussed while tripping on psilocybin fungi. We all may have María Sabina to thank for exposing the Western world to the healing properties of the psilocybin mushroom.

Guide to Magic Mushroom Strains
Are there different types of psilocybin? Read our guide to learn about the different magic mushroom strains and their individual effects.

Kilindi Iyi: Mycologist, Traveler, Teacher
Learn about traveler and mycologist Kilindi Iyi known in the psychedelic community for his research and exploration of psilocybin.

How to Store Shrooms: Best Practices
How do you store shrooms for optimal shelf life? Learn how and why the proper storage method is so important.

Shroom Chocolate Recipes: How to Make Magic Mushroom Chocolates
This recipe provides step by step directions on how you can make mushroom chocolates with the necessary ingredients. Read to learn more!

Why Do People Use Psilocybin? New Johns Hopkins Study
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicines has just published a new study on psychoactive effects of psilocybin. Read here to learn more.

How-To Lemon Tek: Ultimate Guide and Recipe
This master guide will teach you how to lemon tek, preventing the onset of negative effects after consuming psilocybin. Read to learn more!

How to Intensify a Mushroom Trip
Learn about techniques like Lemon tekking, or discover the right time to consume cannabis if you are looking to intensify a mushroom trip.

How to Grow Magic Mushrooms: Step-by-Step
This step-by-step guide will show you how to grow magic mushrooms at home. Read this guide before trying it on your own.

How to Dry Magic Mushrooms: Best Practices
Read to learn more about specifics for the best practices on how to dry magic mushrooms after harvesting season.

How to Buy Psilocybin Spores
Interested in psilocybin mushrooms? We’ll walk you through all you need to know to obtain mushroom spores. Nosh on this delish How To guide.

Hippie Flipping: When Shrooms and Molly Meet
What is it, what does it feel like, and how long does it last? Explore the mechanics of hippie flipping and how to safely experiment.

Having Sex on Shrooms: Good or Bad Idea?
Is having sex on shrooms a good idea or an accident waiting to happen? Find out in our guide to sex on magic mushrooms.

Gold Cap Shrooms Guide: Spores, Effects, Identification
Read this guide to learn more about the different characteristics of gold cap mushrooms, and how they differ from other psilocybin species.

Guide to Cooking with Magic Mushrooms
From cookies to smoothies and sandwiches, we cover various methods of cooking with magic mushrooms for the ultimate snack.

2020 Election: The Decriminalize Psilocybin Movement
Are you curious if mushrooms will follow in marijuana’s footsteps? Read to learn about how the U.S. is moving to decriminalize psilocybin.

Oregon’s Initiative to Legalize Mushrooms | Initiative Petition 34
Oregon continues to push ahead with their initiative to legalize Psilocybin in 2020. The measure received its official title and now needs signatures.

Canada Approves Psilocybin Treatment for Terminally-Ill Cancer Patients
Canada’s Minister of Health, Patty Hajdu approved the use of psilocybin to help ease anxiety and depression of four terminal cancer patients.

Mapping the DMT Experience
With only firsthand experiences to share, how can we fully map the DMT experience? Let’s explore what we know about this powerful psychedelic.

Guide to Machine Elves and Other DMT Entities
This guide discusses machine elves, clockwork elves, and other common DMT entities that people experience during a DMT trip.

Is the DMT Experience a Hallucination? 
What if the DMT realm was the real world, and our everyday lives were merely a game we had chosen to play?

How to Store DMT
Not sure how to store DMT? Read this piece to learn the best practices and elements of advice to keep your stuff fresh.

What Does 5-MeO-DMT Show Us About Consciousness?
How does our brain differentiate between what’s real and what’s not? Read to learn what can 5-MeO-DMT show us about consciousness.

How to Smoke DMT: Processes Explained
There are many ways to smoke DMT and we’ve outlined some of the best processes to consider before embarking on your journey.

How to Ground After DMT
Knowing what to expect from a DMT comedown can help you integrate the experience to gain as much value as possible from your journey.

How To Get DMT
What kind of plants contain DMT? Are there other ways to access this psychedelic? Read on to learn more about how to get DMT.

How DMT is Made: Everything You Need to Know
Ever wonder how to make DMT? Read our guide to learn everything you need to know about the procedures of how DMT is made.

Having Sex on DMT: What You Need to Know
Have you ever wondered about sex on DMT? Learn how the God Molecule can influence your intimate experiences.

Does the Human Brain Make DMT? 
With scientific evidence showing us DMT in the brain, what can we conclude it is there for? Read on to learn more.

How to Use DMT Vape Pens
Read to learn all about DMT vape pens including: what to know when vaping, what to expect when purchasing a DMT cartridge, and vaping safely.

DMT Resources
This article is a comprehensive DMT resource providing extensive information from studies, books, documentaries, and more. Check it out!

Differentiating DMT and Near-Death Experiences
Some say there are similarities between a DMT trip and death. Read our guide on differentiating DMT and near-death experiences to find out.

DMT Research from 1956 to the Edge of Time
From a representative sample of a suitably psychedelic crowd, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who couldn’t tell you all about Albert Hofmann’s enchanted bicycle ride after swallowing what turned out to be a massive dose of LSD. Far fewer, however, could tell you much about the world’s first DMT trip.

The Ultimate Guide to DMT Pricing
Check out our ultimate guide on DMT pricing to learn what to expect when purchasing DMT for your first time.

DMT Milking | Reality Sandwich
Indigenous cultures have used 5-MeO-DMT for centuries. With the surge in demand for psychedelic toad milk, is DMT Milking harming the frogs?

Why Does DMT Pervade Nature?
With the presence of DMT in nature everywhere – including human brains – why does it continue to baffle science?

DMT Substance Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
Our ultimate guide to DMT has everything you want to know about this powerful psychedelic referred to as “the spirit molecule”.

DMT for Depression: Paving the Way for New Medicine
We’ve been waiting for an effective depression treatment. Studies show DMT for depression works even for treatment resistant patients.

Beating Addiction with DMT
Psychedelics have been studied for their help overcoming addiction. Read how DMT is helping addicts beat their substance abuse issues.

DMT Extraction: Behind the Scientific Process
Take a look at DMT extraction and the scientific process involved. Learn all you need to know including procedures and safety.

Microdosing DMT & Common Dosages Explained
Microdosing, though imperceivable, is showing to have many health benefits–here is everything you want to know about microdosing DMT.

DMT Art: A Look Behind Visionary Creations
An entire genre of artwork is inspired by psychedelic trips with DMT. Read to learn about the entities and visions behind DMT art.

Changa vs. DMT: What You Need to Know
While similar (changa contains DMT), each drug has its own unique effect and feeling. Let’s compare and contrast changa vs DMT.

5-MeO-DMT Guide: Effects, Benefits, Safety, and Legality
5-Meo-DMT comes from the Sonora Desert toad. Here is everything you want to know about 5-Meo-DMT and how it compares to 4-AcO-DMT.

4-AcO-DMT Guide: Benefits, Effects, Safety, and Legality
This guide tells you everything about 4 AcO DMT & 5 MeO DMT, that belong to the tryptamine class, and are similar but slightly different to DMT.

How Much Does LSD Cost? When shopping around for that magical psychedelic substance, there can be many uncertainties when new to buying LSD. You may be wondering how much does LSD cost? In this article, we will discuss what to expect when purchasing LSD on the black market, what forms LSD is sold in, and the standard breakdown of buying LSD in quantity.   Navy Use of LSD on the Dark Web The dark web is increasingly popular for purchasing illegal substances. The US Navy has now noticed this trend with their staff. Read to learn more.   Having Sex on LSD: What You Need to Know Can you have sex on LSD? Read our guide to learn everything about sex on acid, from lowered inhibitions to LSD users quotes on sex while tripping.   A Drug That Switches off an LSD Trip A pharmaceutical company is developing an “off-switch” drug for an LSD trip, in the case that a bad trip can happen. Some would say there is no such thing.   Queen of Hearts: An Interview with Liz Elliot on Tim Leary and LSD The history of psychedelia, particularly the British experience, has been almost totally written by men. Of the women involved, especially those who were in the thick of it, little has been written either by or about them. A notable exception is Liz Elliot.   LSD Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety LSD, Lysergic acid diethylamide, or just acid is one of the most important psychedelics ever discovered. What did history teach us?   Microdosing LSD & Common Dosage Explained Microdosing, though imperceivable, is showing to have many health benefits–here is everything you want to know about microdosing LSD.   LSD Resources Curious to learn more about LSD? This guide includes comprehensive LSD resources containing books, studies and more.   LSD as a Spiritual Aid There is common consent that the evolution of mankind is paralleled by the increase and expansion of consciousness. From the described process of how consciousness originates and develops, it becomes evident that its growth depends on its faculty of perception. Therefore every means of improving this faculty should be used.   Legendary LSD Blotter Art: A Hidden Craftsmanship Have you ever heard of LSD blotter art? Explore the trippy world of LSD art and some of the top artists of LSD blotter art.   LSD and Exercise: Does it Work? LSD and exercise? Learn why high-performing athletes are taking hits of LSD to improve their overall potential.   Jan Bastiaans Treated Holocaust Survivors with LSD Dutch psychiatrist, Jan Bastiaans administered LSD-assisted therapy to survivors of the Holocaust. A true war hero and pioneer of psychedelic-therapy.   LSD and Spiritual Awakening I give thanks for LSD, which provided the opening that led me to India in 1971 and brought me to Neem Karoli Baba, known as Maharajji. Maharajji is described by the Indians as a “knower of hearts.”   How LSD is Made: Everything You Need to Know Ever wonder how to make LSD? Read our guide to learn everything you need to know about the procedures of how LSD is made.   How to Store LSD: Best Practices Learn the best way to store LSD, including the proper temperature and conditions to maximize how long LSD lasts when stored.   Bicycle Day: The Discovery of LSD Every year on April 19th, psychonauts join forces to celebrate Bicycle Day. Learn about the famous day when Albert Hoffman first discovered the effects of LSD.   Cary Grant: A Hollywood Legend On LSD Cary Grant was a famous actor during the 1930’s-60’s But did you know Grant experimented with LSD? Read our guide to learn more.   Albert Hofmann: LSD — My Problem Child Learn about Albert Hofmann and his discovery of LSD, along with the story of Bicycle Day and why it marks a historic milestone.   Babies are High: What Does LSD Do To Your Brain What do LSD and babies have in common? Researchers at the Imperial College in London discover that an adult’s brain on LSD looks like a baby’s brain.   1P LSD: Effects, Benefits, Safety Explained 1P LSD is an analogue of LSD and homologue of ALD-25. Here is everything you want to know about 1P LSD and how it compares to LSD.   Francis Crick, DNA & LSD Type ‘Francis Crick LSD’ into Google, and the result will be 30,000 links. Many sites claim that Crick (one of the two men responsible for discovering the structure of DNA), was either under the influence of LSD at the time of his revelation or used the drug to help with his thought processes during his research. Is this true?   What Happens If You Overdose on LSD? A recent article presented three individuals who overdosed on LSD. Though the experience was unpleasant, the outcomes were remarkably positive.

The Ayahuasca Experience
Ayahuasca is both a medicine and a visionary aid. You can employ ayahuasca for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual repair, and you can engage with the power of ayahuasca for deeper insight and realization. If you consider attainment of knowledge in the broadest perspective, you can say that at all times, ayahuasca heals.

 

Trippy Talk: Meet Ayahuasca with Sitaramaya Sita and PlantTeachers
Sitaramaya Sita is a spiritual herbalist, pusangera, and plant wisdom practitioner formally trained in the Shipibo ayahuasca tradition.

 

The Therapeutic Value of Ayahuasca
My best description of the impact of ayahuasca is that it’s a rocket boost to psychospiritual growth and unfolding, my professional specialty during my thirty-five years of private practice.

 

Microdosing Ayahuasca: Common Dosage Explained
What is ayahuasca made of and what is considered a microdose? Explore insights with an experienced Peruvian brewmaster and learn more about this practice.

 

Ayahuasca Makes Neuron Babies in Your Brain
Researchers from Beckley/Sant Pau Research Program have shared the latest findings in their study on the effects of ayahuasca on neurogenesis.

 

The Fatimiya Sufi Order and Ayahuasca
In this interview, the founder of the Fatimiya Sufi Order,  N. Wahid Azal, discusses the history and uses of plant medicines in Islamic and pre-Islamic mystery schools.

 

Consideration Ayahuasca for Treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Research indicates that ayahuasca mimics mechanisms of currently accepted treatments for PTSD. In order to understand the implications of ayahuasca treatment, we need to understand how PTSD develops.

 

Brainwaves on Ayahuasca: A Waking Dream State
In a study researchers shared discoveries showing ingredients found in Ayahuasca impact the brainwaves causing a “waking dream” state.

 

Cannabis and Ayahuasca: Mixing Entheogenic Plants
Cannabis and Ayahuasca: most people believe they shouldn’t be mixed. Read this personal experience peppered with thoughts from a pro cannabis Peruvian Shaman.

 

Ayahuasca Retreat 101: Everything You Need to Know to Brave the Brew
Ayahuasca has been known to be a powerful medicinal substance for millennia. However, until recently, it was only found in the jungle. Word of its deeply healing and cleansing properties has begun to spread across the world as many modern, Western individuals are seeking spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical well-being. More ayahuasca retreat centers are emerging in the Amazon and worldwide to meet the demand.

 

Ayahuasca Helps with Grief
A new study published in psychopharmacology found that ayahuasca helped those suffering from the loss of a loved one up to a year after treatment.

 

Ayahuasca Benefits: Clinical Improvements for Six Months
Ayahuasca benefits can last six months according to studies. Read here to learn about the clinical improvements from drinking the brew.

 

Ayahuasca Culture: Indigenous, Western, And The Future
Ayahuasca has been use for generations in the Amazon. With the rise of retreats and the brew leaving the rainforest how is ayahuasca culture changing?

 

Ayahuasca Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
The Amazonian brew, Ayahuasca has a long history and wide use. Read our guide to learn all about the tea from its beginnings up to modern-day interest.

 

Ayahuasca and the Godhead: An Interview with Wahid Azal of the Fatimiya Sufi Order
Wahid Azal, a Sufi mystic of The Fatimiya Sufi Order and an Islamic scholar, talks about entheogens, Sufism, mythology, and metaphysics.

 

Ayahuasca and the Feminine: Women’s Roles, Healing, Retreats, and More
Ayahuasca is lovingly called “grandmother” or “mother” by many. Just how feminine is the brew? Read to learn all about women and ayahuasca.

What Is the Standard of Care for Ketamine Treatments?
Ketamine therapy is on the rise in light of its powerful results for treatment-resistant depression. But, what is the current standard of care for ketamine? Read to find out.

What Is Dissociation and How Does Ketamine Create It?
Dissociation can take on multiple forms. So, what is dissociation like and how does ketamine create it? Read to find out.

Having Sex on Ketamine: Getting Physical on a Dissociative
Curious about what it could feel like to have sex on a dissociate? Find out all the answers in our guide to sex on ketamine.

Special K: The Party Drug
Special K refers to Ketamine when used recreationally. Learn the trends as well as safety information around this substance.

Kitty Flipping: When Ketamine and Molly Meet
What is it, what does it feel like, and how long does it last? Read to explore the mechanics of kitty flipping.

Ketamine vs. Esketamine: 3 Important Differences Explained
Ketamine and esketamine are used to treat depression. But what’s the difference between them? Read to learn which one is right for you: ketamine vs. esketamine.

Guide to Ketamine Treatments: Understanding the New Approach
Ketamine is becoming more popular as more people are seeing its benefits. Is ketamine a fit? Read our guide for all you need to know about ketamine treatments.

Ketamine Treatment for Eating Disorders
Ketamine is becoming a promising treatment for various mental health conditions. Read to learn how individuals can use ketamine treatment for eating disorders.

Ketamine Resources, Studies, and Trusted Information
Curious to learn more about ketamine? This guide includes comprehensive ketamine resources containing books, studies and more.

Ketamine Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
Our ultimate guide to ketamine has everything you need to know about this “dissociative anesthetic” and how it is being studied for depression treatment.

Ketamine for Depression: A Mental Health Breakthrough
While antidepressants work for some, many others find no relief. Read to learn about the therapeutic uses of ketamine for depression.

Ketamine for Addiction: Treatments Offering Hope
New treatments are offering hope to individuals suffering from addiction diseases. Read to learn how ketamine for addiction is providing breakthrough results.

Microdosing Ketamine & Common Dosages Explained
Microdosing, though imperceivable, is showing to have many health benefits–here is everything you want to know about microdosing ketamine.

How to Ease a Ketamine Comedown
Knowing what to expect when you come down from ketamine can help integrate the experience to gain as much value as possible.

How to Store Ketamine: Best Practices
Learn the best ways how to store ketamine, including the proper temperature and conditions to maximize how long ketamine lasts when stored.

How To Buy Ketamine: Is There Legal Ketamine Online?
Learn exactly where it’s legal to buy ketamine, and if it’s possible to purchase legal ketamine on the internet.

How Long Does Ketamine Stay in Your System?
How long does ketamine stay in your system? Are there lasting effects on your body? Read to discover the answers!

How Ketamine is Made: Everything You Need to Know
Ever wonder how to make Ketamine? Read our guide to learn everything you need to know about the procedures of how Ketamine is made.

Colorado on Ketamine: First Responders Waiver Programs
Fallout continues after Elijah McClain. Despite opposing recommendations from some city council, Colorado State Health panel recommends the continued use of ketamine by medics for those demonstrating “excited delirium” or “extreme agitation”.

Types of Ketamine: Learn the Differences & Uses for Each
Learn about the different types of ketamine and what they are used for—and what type might be right for you. Read now to find out!

Kitty Flipping: When Ketamine and Molly Meet
What is it, what does it feel like, and how long does it last? Read to explore the mechanics of kitty flipping.

MDMA & Ecstasy Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
Our ultimate guide to MDMA has everything you want to know about Ecstasy from how it was developed in 1912 to why it’s being studied today.

How To Get the Most out of Taking MDMA as a Couple
Taking MDMA as a couple can lead to exciting experiences. Read here to learn how to get the most of of this love drug in your relationship.

Common MDMA Dosage & Microdosing Explained
Microdosing, though imperceivable, is showing to have many health benefits–here is everything you want to know about microdosing MDMA.

Having Sex on MDMA: What You Need to Know
MDMA is known as the love drug… Read our guide to learn all about sex on MDMA and why it is beginning to makes its way into couple’s therapy.

How MDMA is Made: Common Procedures Explained
Ever wonder how to make MDMA? Read our guide to learn everything you need to know about the procedures of how MDMA is made.

Hippie Flipping: When Shrooms and Molly Meet
What is it, what does it feel like, and how long does it last? Explore the mechanics of hippie flipping and how to safely experiment.

How Cocaine is Made: Common Procedures Explained
Ever wonder how to make cocaine? Read our guide to learn everything you need to know about the procedures of how cocaine is made.

A Christmas Sweater with Santa and Cocaine
This week, Walmart came under fire for a “Let it Snow” Christmas sweater depicting Santa with lines of cocaine. Columbia is not merry about it.

Ultimate Cocaine Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
This guide covers what you need to know about Cocaine, including common effects and uses, legality, safety precautions and top trends today.

NEWS: An FDA-Approved Cocaine Nasal Spray
The FDA approved a cocaine nasal spray called Numbrino, which has raised suspicions that the pharmaceutical company, Lannett Company Inc., paid off the FDA..

The Ultimate Guide to Cannabis Bioavailability
What is bioavailability and how can it affect the overall efficacy of a psychedelic substance? Read to learn more.

Cannabis Research Explains Sociability Behaviors
New research by Dr. Giovanni Marsicano shows social behavioral changes occur as a result of less energy available to the neurons. Read here to learn more.

The Cannabis Shaman
If recreational and medical use of marijuana is becoming accepted, can the spiritual use as well? Experiential journalist Rak Razam interviews Hamilton Souther, founder of the 420 Cannabis Shamanism movement…

Cannabis Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
Our ultimate guide to Cannabis has everything you want to know about this popular substances that has psychedelic properties.

Cannabis and Ayahuasca: Mixing Entheogenic Plants
Cannabis and Ayahuasca: most people believe they shouldn’t be mixed. Read this personal experience peppered with thoughts from a procannabis Peruvian Shaman.

CBD-Rich Cannabis Versus Single-Molecule CBD
A ground-breaking study has documented the superior therapeutic properties of whole plant Cannabis extract as compared to synthetic cannabidiol (CBD), challenging the medical-industrial complex’s notion that “crude” botanical preparations are less effective than single-molecule compounds.

Cannabis Has Always Been a Medicine
Modern science has already confirmed the efficacy of cannabis for most uses described in the ancient medical texts, but prohibitionists still claim that medical cannabis is “just a ruse.”

Related Posts

Ready to explore the frontiers of consciousness?

Sign up for the Reality Bites newsletter and embark on a journey into the world of psychedelics, mindfulness, and transformation. It’s where the curious minds gather.

Become a conscious agent with us.

Featured Partner

Cosmic Melts

Cosmic Melts are the latest mushroom gummies we’ve been munching on. Choose from five fruity flavors, each gummy containing 350mg of Amanita muscaria.
 
Amanita muscaria offers a unique (and totally legal!) mushroom experience, and Cosmic Melts is an ideal entry point for the curious consumer.
Featured Partner

Lab Link Supply

Our go-to source for spores so you can grow your own shrooms right at home. Carrying several of our favorite species including B+, Golden Teacher, Jedi Mind F*ck, Blue Meanie and more. Browse their selection of spores and get started with your home grow.

Our Partners

Welcome to Reality Sandwich. Please verify that you are over 18 years of age below.

Reality Sandwich uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By entering Reality Sandwich, you are agreeing to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.