A Manual of Psychedelic

Etiquette & Safety

by 5HToInnity
Version 1.0
20 April 2013
Introduction
Te psychedelic experience is a bombastic burst of
novelty, an adventure into vast uncharted territories of
mind. Te things to be found in this landscape hold
the potential to break barriers, build bridges and erect
momentous monuments of meta-apprehending con-
sciousness. Traversing its terrain is a delicate process, and
its outcome depends heavily upon the navigational skills
of the explorer. It is to be approached cautiously, but
not fearfully, for the only thing to fear in this journey is
fear itself. If not taken seriously, it is easy to get lost in
the jungles of the (un)conscious. If taken too seriously,
it becomes a dry scientic investigation. Tus, a balance
must be found. In that balance lies the potential to revo-
lutionize your conception of existence, revealing beauty,
goodness and truth.
Tere are three stages to its full unfolding that must be
kept in mind: the premeditation, the experience, and
the aftermath. Each plays an equally important part
in the outcome of the experiment. Balance these three
phases carefully for best results.
Part 1 The Premeditation
Te two main key words to keep in mind before an
experience are set and setting. Tey, along with the
character of the neurochemical dyad, determine the
outcome of the experience. Te neurochemical dyad is
composed of the substance, the dosage and the particular
neurobiology of the individual. Te setting is the envi-
ronment, and the set is the mindset. Te amalgam of all
these factors is the experience.
In any novel experience lies an anxiety with roots in
the most primal of human instincts the fear of the
unknown. Like a child afraid of the dark, we turn away
from what we cannot yet comprehend as if a beast hid
within it. What you nd in the psychedelic darkness is
variable. Depending on how you step into the darkness,
you may nd a beast or you may not. However, this is
determined not by the character of the beast, but by
whether you believe in the beast at all. Te psychedelic
space is a magnifying glass of experiences: anything
that enters its realm, whether positive or negative, will
be amplied by several orders of magnitude. Tus,
your mentality in approaching psychedelics determines
the tone of the experience. Believe in the existence of
the beast, and it will pounce on you in a self-fullling
prophecy: your expectation of having to shield against a
predator will actually summon the predator into exis-
tence, causing your stance to be defensive. Te problem
is that when you ght against a psychedelic, you lose,
because your receptors will be activated regardless of
your willpower. On the other hand, if you realize there is
no beast, the experience will amiably take you along its
path. Te psychedelic experience is a owing river. Once
you dive in, the current will carry you along regardless
of your desires. If you ght it, you might have a bad
time. Go with the current, and it will gently take you to
a beautiful place. Rid yourself of anxiety; it is unneces-
sary and self-defeating. One excellent way to do this is to
meditate peacefully, breathing deeply for however long
it takes for a calm mood to take over. Ten, the psyche-
delic will amplify your serenity.
Te setting in which the experience takes place is critical.
Your setting is comprised of the location and the people
who accompany you.
First, carefully pick out an environment that instills a
sense of well-being. Peaceful and natural places are pre-
ferred, but active places are acceptable as long as you are
psychologically prepared to deal with a chaotic setting.
Note that the larger the dose and/or the more sensitive
the individual, the harder it becomes to deal with chaos,
and the more necessary a peaceful settings becomes.
Second, thoughtfully choose who will accompany you.
We often underestimate how profoundly the presence
of others inuences our experiences, psychedelic or not.
Being around a condent, happy person might provoke
sensations of happiness and condence, in the same way
that an insecure, scared person might provoke sensations
of insecurity and fear. Terefore, your partner(s) should
be one(s) that bring you comfort. In general, you may
want to avoid being around people who are not partici-
pating in the experience, especially if its your rst time,
for interactions with them may provoke anxiety. In some
cases, its best to be accompanied by a sitter a trusted
person who will accompany you throughout your expe-
rience but who has not ingested the substance. A sitter
is particularly recommended for intense experiences.
Te function of the sitter is to provide a safe haven of
sobriety and security in case your worldly consciousness
is impaired or lost. Te best sitters are the more experi-
enced trippers. Tey can guide your journey through the
psychedelic space.
Te choice of substance is also a crucial part of the pre-
meditation. Dierent psychedelics elicit dierent feelings
some of confusion, some of clarity; some of relaxation,
some of stimulation; some of introspection, some of
recreation. Te substance must be chosen according
to the context of its use you wouldnt want to use a
stimulating psychedelic for a session of quiet meditation,
nor would you want to use a confusing psychedelic for
a festival. Here is a list of a variety of psychedelics and
quick description of their eects according to general
consensus. It should be noted that despite the consensus
regarding the range of eects of each substance, every
person has unique neurochemistry and psychology, lead-
ing to unique experiences.
Phenethylamines
Tese are the clearheaded psychedelics. Tey tend to be
far more intellectual than emotional or spiritual. Tey
may also be somewhat stimulating.
2C-B
6 - 8 hours
Tis is the most famous and most popular of the 2Cs.
It has a physically stimulating edge that will encourage
you to be active and interact intensely with your envi-
ronment. Te mental aspect is less pronounced than
with most 2Cs, despite colorful visuals and aural hallu-
cinations in higher doses. It is the most recreational 2C.
2C-I
6 - 9 hours
Tis is the most stimulating of the 2Cs. It will provoke
an acute urge to engage in physical activity. However,
the stimulation is compensated for with a lack of
particularly profound intellectual eects, and is known
for being one of the most supercial 2Cs. Tis may be
advantageous in stimulating environments such as par-
ties, festivals, etc.
2C-E
6 - 10 hours
Tis one is noted for its profoundly introspective and
visual aspects. Unlike the previous 2Cs described, this
one tends to produce full blown psychedelic visuals.
It has an intellectual and philosophical edge, mostly
due to the clearheaded sensation that accompanies the
experience. It is less prone to physical activity than 2C-I
and 2C-B.
2C-P
10 - 20 hours
Tis is one of the richest 2Cs, having characteristics of
2C-I, 2C-B and 2C-E mixed into one. It is relaxing,
but also favors movement. It is clearheaded, visual and
intellectual. It would be a perfect mix of all the 2Cs if
the duration werent excessive (typically over 14 hours).
2C-T-2
6 - 8 hours
Here we begin to see a more emotional component
come into play. Its not particularly stimulating, espe-
cially considering the nausea that usually follows as a
side eect, but it produces a beautifully therapeutic
emotional warmth.
2C-T-7
8 - 16 hours
Very similar to 2C-T-2, except with longer duration.
Tryptamines
Tis is a very broad class of psychedelics. Te substanc-
es in this category that produce full blown trips tend to
be spiritual and emotional, giving them the potential to
be more confusing than the phenethylamines, and thus
less recreational.
4-HO-DMT / Psilocin
and 4-AcO-DMT
4 - 6 hours
Te rst one originates from psychedelic mushrooms;
the second is a slight chemical modication of the rst.
Both produce eects too similar to be accurately distin-
guished from each other with language. Tey produce
intensely profound trips on all levels intellectually,
emotionally and spiritually. Tey are best handled
with caution, because they may produce emotionally
volatile, confusing experiences. Tey highly amplify
any emotions, positive or negative. Tey are some of
the most valuable psychedelics due to their capability of
inciting very deep introspection, emotional ecstasy and
spiritual connection with the universe.
4-HO-MET
4 - 6 hours
Tis is the more recreational, less spiritual cousin of
Psilocin. It produces a distinct mood lift that is very
favorable for social interaction. Its gentle and fun.
DMT
5 - 15 minutes
Tis is the godfather of psychedelics, the one that is en-
dogenously produced by your pineal gland. Smoked, it
will instantly launch you into a vortex of colorful light,
dissolving all boundaries and concepts. Te magnitude
of the DMT experience completely evades language,
making it very hard to explain. Expect to be completely
out of touch with mundane reality for a good ten min-
utes. Not an experience to be undertaken outside of a
controlled, sitter accompanied environment. Best done
lying down, accompanied by a sitter.
5-MeO-DMT
5 - 15 minutes
Tis is the more dicult cousin of DMT. It produces
eects that are almost identical to DMT, but usu-
ally lacking in colorful visuals and warmth. It bluntly
launches you to the center of the universe at the speed
of light, where you hover in a paradoxical state of
omniscient oblivion. It is the ultimate simplication
of all things. In this space, one becomes the entirety of
the universe. Best done lying down, accompanied by a
sitter.
5-MeO-MiPT
3 - 5 hours
Along with 5-MeO-DiPT and 4-AcO-DiPT, this is the
aphrodisiac of the tryptamines. Expect enhanced tactile
sensations and a very physical experience overall, with
comparatively little psychedelic intensity.
Others
LSD
8 - 12 hours
Tis one is the popular gem: having in its structure
both the tryptamine and the phenethylamine back-
bone, it is a perfect mix of both universes. It is intellec-
tual, emotional and spiritual, though more clearheaded
and slightly less emotional/spiritual than Psilocin.
Salvia divinorum
5 - 10 minutes
Tis is a very atypical psychedelic. Instead of producing
a gentle increase in clarity and associative thought as
most psychedelics do, it instantly casts you into abso-
lute insanity. It is quite dissociative like DMT, but lacks
DMTs gentle qualities, and is far more unpredictable.
Users report widely varying experiences that range from
hysterical laughing about nothing at all to being trans-
formed into random objects or entities. Usually one
experiences a complete removal from ordinary reality
and total distortions of thought. Caution is advised and
a sitter is essential.
Generally, the clearheaded phenethylamines are more
appropriate for situations that require normal function-
ing and focus, since the emotional tryptamines such as
4-AcO-DMT become completely overwhelming outside
of calm, welcoming environments.
Even more important is the dosage range chosen. Even
though tryptamines tend to be more immersive than
phenethylamines, any psychedelic can take you to un-
imaginable levels of all-dissolving (in)sanity if the dose is
suciently strong. Tus, it is essential to take doses that
will not be overwhelming. When experimenting with a
new substance, start low and slowly work your way up to
larger doses.
It is best to take psychedelics orally on an empty stom-
ach. Tis will accelerate absorption and decrease nausea.
In case of the development of nausea, cannabis may
be highly useful, though it will signicantly intensify
the experience and change it in unpredictable ways. To
avoid having to smoke cannabis, previous administration
of powdered ginger or lemon extracts help preventing
gastrointestinal discomfort. Nasal administration (insuf-
ation) is sometimes preferred due to a possibility of
nausea reduction and a very fast onset of the eects (<
20 minutes) and shorter overall duration. Extreme cau-
tion should be used since insuation usually doubles the
potency of the material.
Psychedelics are usually physically benign in comparison
to other substances, but caution must still be exercised.
Common side eects include slightly elevated heart rate
and blood pressure, nausea and jaw tension. Psychedel-
ics will not make you go insane, unless you already are
insane. Tey will not sit in your spine forever. Flashbacks
may occur rarely, but their nature is purely psychologi-
cal, and they dont last long, nor are they intense.
Drug Interactions & Combinations
SSRIs
Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Lexapro, Luvox, Paxil
Generally cause a signicant decrease in the intensity of
psychedelics, although some individuals are immune to
this eect.
MAOIs
Syrian Rue, Aurorix, Selegiline
Signicant and possibly dangerous increase in the ef-
fects of most psychedelics. Exercise caution!
Lithium
Eskalith, Lithobid
Dangerous and harmful interaction with most psyche-
delics. Avoid.
Benzodiazepines
Valium, Klonopin
Decrease in eects of psychedelics.
Antipsychotics
Risperdone, Olanzapine, Clozapine, Torazine
Cancellation of the psychedelic eect. Sometimes used
in a medical setting to terminate experiences.
Alcohol
Booze, Drank, Te Bottle
Decrease in eects of psychedelics, increased mental
confusion.
Stimulants
Amphetamines, Modanil, Caeine, Cocaine, Wellbutrin
May either increase or decrease the eects. Preferably to
be avoided due to the possibility of hypertension and/
or tachycardia.
Last but not least, it is always vital to do
your own research when experimenting with
new substances, especially when taking
them in combination.
Part 2 The Experience
Te psychedelic experience incorporates itself into your
mind, becoming a part of what you are. It is as innitely
exible as your mind itself. Te trip depends largely on
what you make of it. Tere are however some common
eects: expect your thoughts to become immersive, and
every perception to call you to its attention. In this state,
all that is implicitly taken for granted becomes explicit.
Biases become visible and limitations are recognized, as
well as the paths to transcend limitation. Innity and in-
terconnectedness are shown to be quintessential aspects
of reality. William Blake wrote: When the doors of
perception are cleansed, man will see things as they truly
are, innite. Te psychedelic experience will cleanse
these doors.
Note how visual distortions show that boundaries be-
tween objects are not as clear as originally supposed. If
visual data is taken in its rawest form, it is nothing but
a unied shield of light. Boundaries are sociolinguistic
constructions designed for utilitarian purposes, but they
can easily be deconstructed. Blue and green are dier-
ent colors, but they are both colors. Sound and light are
dierent perceptual channels, but both are perceptual
channels. Any two dierent objects are made of matter
and thus may be considered as part of the same thing.
Furthermore, any two dierent things within your expe-
rience may be considered one. Appreciate your senses as
much as possible, and a theme of unity will eventually
emerge. Listen to music. Talk to friends. Explore nature.
Close your eyes and watch kaleidoscopic patterns dance
in front of you. What is the origin of this experience?
What is the purpose of this experience? What can I learn
from this experience? Ask yourself questions, and the
answers will come. However, dont become excessively
analytical to the point of resisting the ow. A Nietzsche
aphorism comes in handy:
Not to wish to see too soon As long as one lives
through an experience, one must surrender to the
experience and shut ones eye instead of becoming
an observer immediately. For that would disturb
the good digestion of the experience: instead of
wisdom one would acquire indigestion.
Keep hydrated. Dont forget to eat. Te rest is up to you.
Part 3 The Aftermath
Returning from the psychedelic state is just as impor-
tant as the experience itself. It will elucidate the contrast
with sobriety, and show you the things you used to see
before, just as they were. Te only dierence now is how
you approach these things, and how you think about
them. Before the trip, its easy to take your existence for
granted. During the trip, it is impossible. Te challenge
of the aftermath is to reect upon your life from a dier-
ent perspective, and to maintain the level of awareness
acquired during the trip. What have you learned? Keep
those lessons in mind constantly, and watch your life
transform itself. With practice and experience, ultimate
truth will be revealed. But dont rush! Nietzsche advises:

Tourists Tey climb mountains like animals, stupid
and sweating; one has forgotten to tell them that there
are beautiful views on the way up.
Eventually you will reach the peak. Have you found the
path you seek? You probe the skies for the answer you
must meet only to nd it standing at your feet.
Happy tripping!
- 5HToInnity