Varying differences in experience between people

[I-Am-Ford]

I am new to the forum so I'm not sure if this question has been addressed already; But does anyone have any thought on why some people get the "Holy Shit - Spiritual Experience" and some people do not?

I have experienced this numerous times with people all taking the same batch of chemicals. My wife and I ALWAYS break through to this overwhelming spiritual experience, and so do some of our friends, however some of our friends never have those kind of experiences or even any kind of experience that made them interested in trying it again.

I should mention that before I ever tried a single drug I was completely Atheist. My psychedelic induced spiritual experiences have transformed my life in every way imaginable today.

 

[Ganesha]

I don't have a clue, but I almost always have an experience I would describe as therapeutic/spiritual. My friends who don't, usually don't look for it, so maybe intention is part of the process (although it wouldn't explain your atheist turnaround).

 

[I-Am-Ford]

Yes, I would completely agree. Once I understood what it was that I was experiencing, which I would now say is "The Divine Within" I can clearly see it as more Therapeutic than spiritual. Since that realization, I began paying close attention to Leary's "Set and Setting" principles. I video tape all of my sessions, set an intention and even ask questions.

This got me thinking about sharing the experience with others, but unfortunately I have had some fairly negative experiences sharing it. I have realized that some people just aren't ready or open to receiving it. The real question is Why? Why do some "get it" with relative ease and some very little or not at all and some even have a horrific experience if the chemicals are the same, the set and setting are the same and the intention is the same?

 

[Forkbender]

Well, the intention might be the same superficially, but if you aren't ready and willing to deal with your own problems, a trip may end badly.

 

[Caduceus Mercurius]

But does anyone have any thought on why some people get the "Holy Shit - Spiritual Experience" and some people do not?

If you got an intensely spiritual experience the first time you tripped, it may be that there was very little emotional tension stored in your body and unconscious, so the 'inner radar' activated by the psychedelic could move straight into the transpersonal realm. Your childhood may have been fairly pleasant and your passage through the birth canal smooth and quick (may also have been a nonlabor cesarian section). Another person taking the same psychedelic at the same dosage may first have to relive traumatic experiences from adolescence, childhood or a difficult birth, and such trips can be hellish if undertaken in a recreational context. If such people would seek out proper guidance and persist, they would eventually get to the transpersonal levels too.

 

[Ganesha]

^But still the trip can be very therapeutic even if there is trauma. Spirituality for me isn't a mystic state, but a process of unwinding.

Plus: I don't think that it is necessary to go through all of your traumas in order to reach a certain point of insight. Some people are clever enough to get it after a little while.

 

[Caduceus Mercurius]

Plus: I don't think that it is necessary to go through all of your traumas in order to reach a certain point of insight.

True, it's not a matter of reliving all of them, but letting their collective pent-up emotional charge get released, and that tends to happen through certain death and rebirth sequences and scenes and sensations that reflect aspects of the original traumas. It can all happen in a single session if the dosage is carefully chosen and there is good guidance.

 

[I-Am-Ford]

My wife has never had a bad experience. I have had one out of hundreds of journeys. I cannot really say that it was a bad experience. It was terrifying at the time. A feeling of ubber responsibility and a sensation of "Drowning" in my own reality. In retrospect however, it was probably one of the most liberating experiences of my life. Even this experience however took place after I had already had numerous spiritually enlightening experiences.

If I had that traumatic experience the first time,I probably would have never tried it again, but I had plenty of truly life changing and euphoric experiences to encourage me to get back on the horse.

 

[Ganesha]

^That's my experience as well.

 

[restin]

well, I guess this is called: the life. Everyone lives his own life and has his own thoughts and doubts. A psychedelic experience is as strong emotional re-opening and well, everyone got some different stuff in their chest, ain't it.

 

[Ganesha]

well, yes and no. The thoughts and doubts are different, but are all similar. At some point you just got to let the music play instead of listening to a skipping record.

 

[Caduceus Mercurius]

If I had that traumatic experience the first time

Was it really traumatic? Most trips, even the 'heavy' ones, aren't really traumatic. If in the process hidden tensions are released, they do the opposite of what traumas do. Traumatic trips are those where you are taken into a hostile environment, like a brightly lit, ugly hospital, and the process of unfolding is frozen by strong sedatives. Those kinds of experiences can have lasting negative effects. Freaking out at home doesn't have to.

 

[I-Am-Ford]

Traumatic may be a strong word. It was certainly difficult, and by far the most difficult thing I have ever gone through in my life. Had I been alone I believe that I would have harmed myself. I would have done ANYTHING to stop the misery I was experiencing. I have nearly drowned in the water before when I was young, and I think this is a fair comparison. I would have done anything not to be drowning anymore, including wish that I was dead.

All of this though is a bit off topic. I didn't bring this negative experience up to illuminate the negative effects of tripping. I don't believe there are any. I am just curious as to why different people react differently. This is a very curious question to me.

Traumatic or difficult or horrific, all of it is a worthy trade for the 99.9% beautiful experiences I have had under the influence. I just wish others I know had a batting average as high as mine.

 

[Caduceus Mercurius]

I have nearly drowned in the water before when I was young

Now that was truly a traumatic experience. Any situation where the survival or integrity of the body is threatened can be very traumatic. The fear and discomfort of those traumas have to surface sooner or later during a psychedelic experience. Such re-experiencing can be terrifying, but it also tends to have profoundly healing effects.