Did you know that experts project the global psychedelics market to grow from 2.9 billion dollars in 2021 to 8 billion dollars by 2029?
There is currently a resurgence of interest in psychedelics. This is partly because of the pop culture buzz around microdosing and promising results from psychedelic-assisted therapy research studies.
This is why more people are wondering, “how can psychedelics help you to connect with yourself?”. We’ve created a guide that explains how and why psychedelics can support your personal development.
Keep reading if you are interested in learning more.
Helping Users Embrace a Beginner’s Mind
Even though most people never learn how to expand their self-consciousness, they are still interested in becoming healthier and happier.
With the popularization of “life hacks,” many people have also started to embrace new styles of learning.
Those who use psychedelics to connect with themselves often embrace the concept of the “beginner’s mind.”
Even though this is a concept that spiritual seekers have long embraced, it is not something that most people understand.
The premise of “beginner’s mind” is simple. It doesn’t matter what prior experience you have. All that you need to do is to approach every experience with an open mind.
But it can be difficult to not have any preconceptions about what you experience. This is why so many people use psychedelics. These powerful substances help people to see their lives from different points of view.
Keep in mind that it is not necessary to defer to somebody else’s expertise when you embrace a beginner’s mind. Instead, you should first attempt to understand what is being taught to you without making judgments.
You can then work towards integrating this new information in a way that will positively influence your behavior.
When people use psychedelics, they start to perceive themselves and their surroundings in new ways.
For example, a person who has walked the same forest trail for many years might begin to notice new plants, animals, and sounds.
This can help them to understand the value of embracing growth mindsets instead of fixed mindsets.
Understanding the Relationship Between Psychedelics and Meditation
Scientists have carried out many research studies on mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). This is a training where people familiarize themselves with new practices.
They also work towards developing compassion and embracing present-moment awareness.
These research studies suggest that people who regularly meditate become more resilient and compassionate. But it can take time for people to develop these abilities through meditation.
There is much less scientific knowledge about the benefits of using psychedelics. But this is quickly changing.
For example, universities such as the California Institute for Integral Studies are starting to carry out studies to explore the benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Researchers are finding that people who participate in psychedelic-assisted therapy can recover from depression. They also experience reductions in existential distress.
Most of the people who participate in these research studies are living with terminal illnesses. This includes diseases such as AIDS and cancer.
Learning to Observe Without Making Judgements
By using psychedelics, it is possible to observe oneself without making judgments. This can help people to connect with themselves.
It is easy to get trapped in the mind. People tend to have limiting beliefs about who they are and what they think they are capable of.
By learning to observe without making judgments, it is possible to overcome these limiting beliefs. It is also possible to connect with deeper and more meaningful desires.
It can take time to learn how to not make judgments. But psychedelics can make it easier for people to do this.
Important Psychedelics for Improving Mental Health
Indigenous cultures from around the planet have been using psychedelics for many centuries. Here are some of the most important ways that psychedelics can help people to connect with themselves.
Ayahuasca
Ayahuasca is a tea that people make by combining the ayahuasca vine and the chakruna leaf. They then add water and boil it for several hours until the tea has finished brewing.
There are many religious groups in the jungles of Brasil that use ayahuasca as a religious sacrament. The most famous group is known as Santo Daime.
In recent years, many people who live in the United States and Europe have traveled to Brasil to drink ayahuasca with these religious groups.
It is also common for people to travel to other parts of South America to drink ayahuasca.
Some people travel to the jungles of Peru to drink ayahuasca with indigenous shamans. One of the most well-known tribes in Peru that drinks ayahuasca is known as the Shipibo.
Most indigenous shamans drink ayahuasca while they spend many days or weeks in isolation. This is often referred to as a “dieta.” Those who go into a “dieta” will eat very simple foods and will drink ayahuasca.
When people drink ayahuasca, they tend to become more introspective. They might start to recall forgotten memories. This can help people to understand their situations from different perspectives.
It is also common for people who drink ayahuasca to experience ego death. An ego death is an experience where you lose touch with self-identity. People who experience ego death are often able to overcome their anxieties.
DMT
There is a close connection between the ayahuasca brew and the compound DMT (N,N-Dimethyltryptamine).
DMT naturally occurs in the chakruna leaf, which is one of the two ingredients of ayahuasca. This compound is responsible for giving people hallucinations.
Interestingly, DMT has a similar structure to several important neurochemicals that the human body naturally produces. This includes serotonin and melatonin.
Those who take DMT orally will not feel the compound’s effects for more than a few minutes. This is because quickly breaks it down.
MDMA
MDMA is not a naturally occurring substance. It is a synthetic compound that healthcare providers often give to patients who participate in psychedelic-assisted therapy programs.
The most common way that people ingest MDMA is as tablets, capsules, and pills. MDMA triggers the release of important neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.
It also increases the levels of hormones such as oxytocin and prolactin. This is why people tend to feel euphoric and uninhibited after they take MDMA.
Additionally, scientists who have performed brain scans on people who have taken MDMA notice that the amygdala becomes less active. This almond-shaped part of the brain processes threats and fear.
It is possible to expand self-consciousness by using MDMA because it helps people to filter their reactions and emotions. They can do this without getting stuck in old ways of thinking.
It is also important to know that the United States Food and Drug Administration recently gave researchers permission to conduct large-scale clinical trials.
Scientists are interested in understanding more about the mental health benefits of using MDMA.
Psilocybin Mushrooms
When people take psilocybin mushrooms, they often experience powerful hallucinations. It typically takes about an hour for people to start to experience their effects.
Psilocybin is a compound that naturally occurs in several hundred species of mushrooms.
By taking psilocybin mushrooms, users are able to increase communication between different parts of their brains. These are parts of the brain that would otherwise be disconnected from each other.
This explains why people who take mushrooms tend to experience altered states of consciousness.
Keep in mind that people sometimes become paranoid after taking magic mushrooms. They can also lose their self-identities. This is why it is important to use mushrooms under the guidance of a trained professional.
One of the best ways to do this is by working with a psychedelic-assisted therapist.
Ketamine
Ketamine is new to the medical field. It was first invented in the 1970s. But developers originally created it as an alternative to surgical anesthetics.
People often make the mistake of thinking that ketamine is a club drug. They don’t realize that it has many potential medical benefits.
Users can expand their consciousness when they take low doses. They can also quickly shift their mindsets.
After participating in a psychedelic-assisted therapy session with ketamine, they tend to feel happier. They will also experience a renewed sense of connection.
How Psychedelics Help You Connect With Yourself
There are many ways that psychedelics can help you connect with yourself.
They can help you to inhabit a beginner’s mind and to observe yourself without making judgments. The most common psychedelics include ayahuasca, ketamine, and psilocybin mushrooms.
If you are interested in using psychedelics to connect with yourself, it is important to do so with the guidance of a trained professional.
