Intuition and Acupuncture

Jump to Section

Jump to Section


The following is excerpted from Star Sister: How I Changed My Name, Grew
Wings, and Learned to Trust Intuition
, now available from EVOLVER EDITIONS/North Atlantic Books.

Every summer weekend, Providence folk descended upon Narragansett
Beach, the southern Rhode Island beach I grew up on. They rocked a look we
called "guido," characterized by gelled-up bangs, layers of blue eyeliner, and
lots of gold jewelry. Their bodies were hard, tanned to within an inch of
leather, and they lay on towels, chewed brightly colored gum, and fussed with their
leopard-print or shiny metallic bikinis, but never went in the surf. To me,
they seemed like otherworldly beings, curious, fascinating, carrying the
answers to unimaginable questions.

At the other end of that beloved beach was a cove carved out
by the tides of an inlet known as Narrow River. There, then-healthy beds of
seaweed supported a different but equally marvelous population of creatures.
Eels darted between strands of kelp, and clustered on the shore were horseshoe
crabs, prehistoric visitors who did their best to ignore us. To get to that
idyllic spot, you had to wade against the Narrow River current, sinking into
the soft wet sand and feeling the wavelets curl away from your ankles and
shins.

Beyond its obvious pleasures, the beach was a place where I
could read or be with my own thoughts. At home, I was a reader and a daydreamer,
forever trying to find a quiet corner in which to do one or the other. Being
internally focused from a young age taught me to identify what intuition was.

It happened on a day I was supposed to meet my neighbor to ride
bikes together. Before heading out, I had developed a strange, unidentifiable
feeling that I shouldn't go, but reasoning that this premonition didn't make
any sense, I went anyway. The results were disastrous. When my friend's brother
found out that she had been planning to use his bike, he reacted by punching
her in the face with a closed fist. I was horrified to witness what amounted to
a beating. Once safely back home and with time to reflect, I realized how
valuable the information I'd received earlier had been. I vowed to pay attention
when that knowing came again.

When I was about sixteen and packing for a solo trip to
Colombia to visit my father's family, intuition returned. About nine o'clock at
night, I got the heebie-jeebies and knew that something awful would happen if I
got on that flight the next day. I explained my concerns to my family, and it
was finally decided that I would go the next day,
but that my stay would be cut shorter than planned. When I got home from the
trip, we learned that a bomb had gone off in a building that one of my uncles,
knowing that I was interested in architecture, would have taken me to visit if
I'd stayed.

A slightly different type of intuition came some years
later, when I was living with the man whom I would soon marry. Aaron had been
away on business in London and he was late getting home to New York (where we
were then living). I started to get more and more anxious, especially as the
evening turned into night with no sign of him. Finally I went to the window,
hoping to see him drive up in a cab. As soon as I looked outside, I heard a
voice in my head that was distinct from my normal thoughts. For one thing, it
was a different pitch than my own voice. For another, it seemed to shoot into
my head from the outside rather than originating internally. The voice said,
"It's not Aaron."

I knew immediately that Aaron was safe, though I couldn't
shake the feeling that something was wrong. Aaron got home about an hour later.
The flight had been late and, as nobody had cell phones back then, there was no
easy way to call upon landing. I went to bed not knowing what the voice's
message had been about, but early the following morning, Aaron's mother called
with the terrible news that his brother Jeff had died. He'd had a heart attack at
just about the time that I was freaking out and wondering where Aaron was.

My dreams were nearly as rich as my intuition. At college I
went through a period where I was "waking up" in my dream and able to look back
at my body. I could even walk around the school and discover things that I
would then be able to corroborate in my waking life. I later learned that this
was similar to "lucid dreaming," which is practiced in order to empower the
dreamer. At the time, it just scared the bejeezus out of me and I forced myself
to stop doing it.

The point is that, by the time I became an adult, my
relationship with my intuition was strong and I paid attention to what my dreams
told me. This is the only way I can explain why I listened when a combination
of dream and intuition told me to leave the best job I could imagine having.

Growing up, I had journeyed alone to visit family in
Colombia and Switzerland, and every time I returned, I was somehow changed. Whether
I'd seen slums, tasted guinea pig, or gone topless on a beach, my boundaries
had shifted. My personal mutability fascinated me, and self-exploration became
a calling. I loved travel. There seemed to be something inherently valuable in
asking, "Who am I here? And here? And here?" So when I landed a gig as an
editorial assistant at Condé Nast Traveler magazine, my first job out of
college, I was ecstatic.

While the subject captivated me, I also loved working in
magazines, especially under the tutelage of editor-in-chief Tom Wallace, who
would later become the Editorial Director of all the Condé Nast titles. A
natural teacher with an inborn generosity, Tom made a point of schooling his assistants
in the editorial arts. In between arranging his calendar and calling his cars,
I learned from him how to pick cover lines, balance the features well, even
understand Traveler's business strategies.

Despite what most people presumed, the Traveler staff didn't
usually travel all that often. The feature stories were generally reserved for
name writers, and the rest of the assignments went to reporters on location or
with an established beat. At the time, I didn't mind this so much because I was
learning tons and happy to be moving up as an editor.

The other great advantage of being at Traveler was that it
allowed me to meet Aaron, who was then the Special Projects Editor. I remember poking
my head into his office for the first time and being hit by an intuitive
one-liner that said, "Oh, he's my kind of people." That said, I was definitely
not interested in Aaron romantically, and this was for the best, since we soon
began working together on Condé Nast's first Internet venture, Traveler Online. The intuitions of
others were perhaps working better than mine on this point, however, because
rumors started flying that we were having an affair about a year before Aaron
and I proved them honest.

Once Traveler Online
launched, the political situation in the office changed. Aaron was given a
package to leave and, instead of floating to another magazine, he joined an
Internet start-up called Agency.com. Meanwhile, I resolved to quit Traveler and
go backpacking around Europe. I didn't want to leave Aaron, but neither did I
want an office job for the rest of my life. When an associate editor job in the
"Honeymoons" department at Brides magazine opened up, a position that required
lots of travel, it seemed as if someone had heard my need to cut loose and
provided me with the perfect avenue.

Working at Brides was
a cushy gig, one that had me flying nearly every other weekend and becoming a
connoisseur of the world's luxury hotels. Besides visiting many of the
Caribbean islands, I also got to cover Mexico, Chile, Argentina, and French
Polynesia. In every location I could feel myself becoming a different creature,
and I couldn't help imagining what might unspool if I stayed. I could blend in
with the crowd in Buenos Aires. I could open a restaurant in Todos Santos. I could
dress in pareos and teach scuba diving in Tahiti. So often, it felt as though
any of those choices were a whisper away from happening, making it all I could
do to board the plane bound for home. I didn't always like feeling so
untethered, but I did enjoy learning about all the possibilities out there. If
life is our creation, then our available palette is decidedly unlimited.

I'm sure everybody is restless in their twenties, but travel
writing accelerated my discontent. I was dining in expensive restaurants, sleeping
in celebrity digs, testing all variety of plush terry robe, compiling a short
list of piña colada favorites (the Hotel Bora Bora's arrived in a glass rimmed
with toasted coconut) — and yet, something was missing. Every TV show, magazine
article, and pop song tells us that the dollar buys happiness and contentment,
but that wasn't what I was finding. The more I consumed, the emptier I felt. Furthermore,
recommending five-star hotels to young couples that could barely afford a
single night at Disney World left me feeling dirty, like I was lying for a
living. I knew I had more to contribute than that.

Up until this point, my whole life had been privileged. My
family was intact and relatively happy; I'd never wanted for anything; I had
tasted the world's luxuries. But something inside me hungered for more — and,
early on, experience had conspired to show me that I wouldn't find it in the
prevailing mainstream American ideas about what brings happiness. After probing
the source of my dissatisfaction, I realized that I was frustrated by not
helping people in a more direct way. To the best of my abilities, I wanted to
serve humanity.

Not that I knew how or what to do about this desire. There aren't
many opportunities for travel writers, and I'd already enjoyed the best of
them. If I wanted more, I'd have to come up with something completely new.

This was my situation when I had an unusual dream. One
morning, in the middle of all this intense turmoil surrounding the question of
what to do with myself, I shot up out of bed simply knowing that I had to be …
an acupuncturist! I didn't remember any other specifics about the dream, but
the quality of my knowing what my next career path should be was distinct: I
just knew.

I'd never received acupuncture or even known anyone who had.
I'd once seen a 60 Minutes episode on the topic, where Chinese neurologists
performed open-brain surgery using only needles for anesthesia. Beyond that, I
was in perfect ignorance about the subject. My father was a doctor, as was his
father, and I had toyed with being premed in college, so there was a thread
that made logical sense to me, but mostly this impulse came from left field. I
trusted it precisely because I knew it was coming from that intuitive place.

While I may have
trusted my gut instincts, not many others did. My mother, who had chirped
"Delta Dental! Delta Dental!" when she learned about Condé Nast's benefits
package, told me I was making a big mistake. So did more than a few of my
former colleagues. In some cases, the concerns were for my career as a writer, but
others simply considered acupuncture to be quackery and hated to see me
associated with something so dubious. Since my only argument for doing this was
that it felt right, I had no choice but to weather their disdain with
alternating bouts of bemusement and chagrin.

Despite the flak I caught for giving up a perfectly blessed
travel-writing career, I never thought about changing my mind or caving in to
peer pressure on the subject. Instead, something about standing up for myself,
for my true self — an important function of my intuition — felt seriously good.
Though I no longer lived by the ocean, I still felt at home wading against the
current.

Within three months, I had quit my job at Brides and begun an acupuncture degree
program part-time. Imagining all the spare time I would have between classes, I
also started writing a novel. This was something that I'd always wanted to do,
and it made the leap into an entirely different field seem more palatable.

I knew I was being ambitious, but I didn't realize just how
ambitious. In traditional Chinese medicine (often called TCM, as well as
Oriental medicine, never mind the political incorrectness), there are twelve
primary meridians, more than three hundred and sixty acupuncture points, some
four hundred herbs (to start with), and all sorts of patterns and pathogenic
factors to learn. That's not even counting the theories layered upon theories,
all rooted in a worldview that couldn't be more different from my own. Oh yeah,
and much of the terminology in Chinese.

In the beginning, studying Chinese medicine is all
memorization. You cram what seems to be pure silliness into your brain and hope
that some day it'll make sense. Patterns like "Dampness affecting the spleen,"
"Internal wind stirring," and "Phlegm misting the mind" are considered
legitimate conditions. And you're meant to keep a straight face when discussing
an organ called the San Jiao, or "Triple Burner," which is an imaginary organ
but nevertheless considered a force in the body. (What?)

Despite all the seeming preposterousness, one day it clicks.
You realize that the metaphors upon which Chinese medicine is based, constructed
from resonances found in the natural world, are just ways to communicate what was
being seen in the body over centuries of observation. This contrasts with
Western medicine, which focuses on the gross pathology of advanced disease
states, making its scope very narrow in comparison with the whole-body view of Oriental
medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine teaches its practitioners to really look
and listen to the patient — the whole patient — and, in this way, to perceive
subtle deviations from health. This is what accounts for its renown in
preventing disease.

I loved studying Chinese medicine, not to mention all the Western
subjects we had to learn, including biology, chemistry, physics, anatomy,
physiology, etc., but it left me no time to write. This shouldn't have been too
much of a problem — the degree takes four years, and there was no rule saying
that I couldn't pick the novel back up after finishing my studies — but writing
was something that had become part of my identity. Continuing to study Chinese
medicine at the expense of writing, even for a short while, threatened my
conception of myself. It all added up to one big internal conflict.

In retrospect, I see that this period of my life was
providing me with an opportunity to expand my self-definition, an opportunity that
I didn't take. Previous to the intuitive prod to become an acupuncturist, I'd
always envisioned myself being a writer. Following through on the Oriental
medicine degree would lead who knows where. Of course, leaping into the unknown
is a tried-and-true technique for spiritual development, but I didn't know that
at the time. Instead, I just knew that staying in school was highly threatening
to my ego. If I was, always had been, and still wanted to be a writer, then
what the heck was I killing myself at acupuncture school for?

At the same time, Aaron was doing phenomenally well at Agency.com.
They were gearing up to go public, with the promise of Internet millions coming
our way. Though that fortune never actually materialized, we did live on its
fumes for a few years, and Aaron loved being able to offer to support me while
I finished my novel. I felt incredibly honored to be given such a gift. Putting
aside feminist ideas about not relying on a man, not to mention my confusion about
my life's path, I quit Chinese medical school and dove into my novel.

Perhaps it really doesn't matter which path you choose. If I
had stayed in grad school, I might have finished my degree sooner. And if I had
finished my degree in New York, then who is to say that I wouldn't have still
needed to devote time to writing afterward?

One thing is certain: Any direction you take leads back to
yourself. For me at that time, that meant confusion.
Though a part of me had always dreamed of writing full time, I found that the
reality of it totally sucked. Instead of being able to delve into my project with
complete focus, I developed an insidious pattern of procrastination and
self-loathing broken only occasionally by desperate and sloppy productivity. In
the mornings the whole day stretched out before me. What did it matter if I
first spent an hour reading the newspaper? Or two? What did it matter if I made
myself a leisurely breakfast?

Then
I'd sit down at my computer and … surf the Internet for two
hours. Then it would be lunchtime. You get the idea.

Of course, there were days that I did get work done, despite
myself. And it was fun. Or it would make me cry, which was even more
satisfying. I was writing about an awkward preteen girl who was actively trying
to get her horse to throw her in order to overcome her fear of falling. When
she finally did manage to get herself tossed, I had a cathartic realization
that there really are doors of perception, à la Aldous Huxley and Jim Morrison.
As the main character was flying through the air, she had a vision of her dead mother,
and it occurred to me that she had found the doorway to the realm of spirits. I
sobbed for days after making this discovery. And yet, I also had the distinct
impression that there was something I was missing, something I didn't quite
understand about what I had written. A voice was whispering, just beyond my
hearing.

Though moments like these seemed to make up for the days of frustration,
the sheer number of difficult days was overwhelming. I'd never realized how
completely wild my thoughts were. I could set out in the morning with all the willpower
in the world and still get sidetracked for hours by the most inane celebrity
detail being presented as news on Internet sites. It led me to start
questioning what this propensity of the mind toward dissolution is all about.

In particular, I wondered what it said about the creative
process. Was I supposed to let my thoughts wander? Perhaps the ensuing chaos
would seduce the artistic muse to my side. Or was I supposed to buckle down and
force myself to put word to page? Cultivate extreme discipline and focus, with
a stick if necessary? This second option seemed kind of harsh. Perhaps it was
all the crying I was doing, but I had an instinct to be nicer to myself for a
change. As an experiment, I decided to let my mind wander where it may. I hoped
that, after a while, my mind might settle down naturally, but that never
happened. Instead of wandering around until it reached some exhausted bottom,
my mind just continued to spin and spin. I felt helpless and at its mercy, as
if my mind itself were the wild horse I was supposed to be writing about and I
a tamer with no tools.

This became a very black time. Aaron was working long hours,
and I was home alone in a sun-starved apartment trying to manage my mind with a
wet-noodle philosophy about discipline. Becoming multimillionaires — which we
did, at least on paper — when Aaron's company went public didn't help. The
world's distractions were simply that much more accessible. Something had to
change, and since I didn't know much about meditation at the time, I looked outside
for that shift.

When the opportunity came to leave New York for Los Angeles for
Aaron's work, I jumped on it.

 

 

Copyright © 2012 by
Stella Osorojos. Reprinted by permission of publisher.

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.