Organically Induced Trance

States
by
Draco Zyzzyx
Copyright, all rights reserved
Updated February 2010

Preface
This writing is dedicated to those whom seek
wisdom and are not intimidated by society in order
to obtain that wisdom. This writing is dedicated to
those whom push the boundaries of their own lack
of knowledge in pursuit of the experience of
realizing the pattern that is revealed to them in
everyday reality. This writing is dedicated to those
whom seek to develop and integrate their
consciousness to its full potential and beyond!

Chapter One - Background as to

Altered States
This is written in order to assist others in gaining a
perspective in the use of trance inducing substances
for the purpose of the growth, development and
integration of consciousness. Also, it is written to
impart my experiences and knowledge gained in
this lifetime to those likewise on this path of
enlightenment. Thus, this writing may be used both
as a guide for the use of trance inducing substances
and a means of confirming similar experiences in
the use of those substances.
The trance inducing substances that are being
referred to are:
1. Tetra-hydrocannabinol (THC) found in species
of Cannabis and commonly known as
marijuana:
Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica
2. Psilocybin found in 186 species of certain
genera of mushrooms: A Worldwide
Geographical Distribution of the Neurotropic
Fungi, An Analysis and Discussion, by
Guzmán G., Allen J.W. and Garrtz J., Annali
dei Museo civico - Rovereto, Italia. 2000. vol
14:1890280. (in English)
3. Ibotenic acid which is metabolized into
Muscimol (the active compound), from the
mushrooms of the Amanita species which are
known as Soma, the "Food of the Gods":
Amanita muscaria, A. pantherina, A. gemmata,
A. cothurnata, A. frostiana, A. crenulata, A.
strobiliformus, Tricholoma muscarium
4. Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known
as "acid" and the only totally man-made
substance of the group
These compounds are termed "psychotropic",
which means that they have mind-altering affects
on psychic function, behavior, or experience. Since
THC, Psilocybin and Muscimol are natural
substances, they have been used by peoples the
world over for millennia. LSD has been around
since Dr. Hoffman first synthesized it in 1938 at the
Sandoz Laboratories in Switzerland. The question
to be discussed is the propensity for and need by
intelligent individuals for the use of hallucinogenic
substances. I personally found the experiences to be
both fun and entertaining during my period of
experimentation. I experimented both alone and
with one or more individuals. In all cases, the
experiences were positive.
I used the words "trance inducing". To my way of
thinking, this is the more appropriate terminology
rather than consciousness expanding,
hallucinogenic or mind-altering. The reason for this
is that this term "trance inducing" is a simpler, more
encompassing and scientifically correct usage. It
seems that the meaning of the word "trance" is
subject to much debate by psychologists, hypnotists
and cognitive behavioralists. Consequently, I will
discuss my reasoning for the usage of "trance
inducing".
At the age of 4 years, I spontaneously started to
meditate in full lotus position while repetitively
chanting the word "wisdom" and focusing my
attention on my "third eye". As my family was not
acquainted with the practices of Raja Yoga, I
brought into this lifetime knowledge gained in my
previous incarnation as a Yogi in India. I knew how
to meditate and control certain bodily functions.
Knowledge that young, white, middle-class boys in
Southern California in the late 1940's were not
privy to. At a Midwestern University in the early
1970's working towards a Doctorate in Behavior, I
started experimenting with LSD and THC. I then
began practicing Trancendental Meditation in 1973.
I rapidly surpassed my teachers and started a course
of meditational exercises on my own as I had found
the TM exercises to be not of sufficient quality for
my purposes. After graduation in 1974, I intensified
my intuitively derived exercises and deepened my
practice. I began working in New Zealand in July of
1975. I also began meditating 14 to 16 hours a day
while not actually working, eating or doing the
necessary chores. One day in May of 1976 while
conducting my work duties, I discovered a source
of absolutely gigantic Amanita muscaria . I
experimented with "Soma". In July of 1977 I
returned to the USA and ended my experimentation
with hallucinogens. I continued my meditations. In
September of 1978 I became a successfully
practicing Hypnotherapist.
All the above to get across the point that I am very
well conversant with all aspects of "trance" states.
Trance by my definition is any causal event that
turns the focus of the mind from external
circumstances to the internal milieu of the body.
The causes of inducing trance are many. Trance
may be entered into by simply closing the eyes,
watching anything mesmerizing such as television,
listening to a hypnotic speaker, or ingesting
substances with hallucinogenic properties. Thus,
"trance inducing" literally means anything or event
that turns the focus of attention by the mind from
the circumstances of the outer world we live in to
the inner world that is our personal beingness of
mind, emotion and body.
The type of experience is determined by many
factors: time of day/night, mood, setting, friend(s)
sharing the experience, partners and environment. It
is best to choose the setting and environment for
comfort and as few intrusive elements as possible.
The Nervous System (NS) needs at least three days
to recover from the effects of a "trip" due to cell
membrane surface receptor replacement turnover.
Thus I "tripped" on Friday night so as to recover in
time to go to school or work on Monday and then
"trip" the next weekend.
It is helpful to be intitated into the ins and outs of
the 'trip' by someone whom you trust for your first
experiences. I started out more or less on my own
and learned the processes through trial and error.
The process of personality disintegration,
transcendence and reintegration for me were always
positive, healing and enlightening.

Chapter Two - The Man With Two

Brains
In order to gain an understanding as to what
happens to the body during substance induced
trance states, it is necessary to describe man's
second brain. J. N. Langley in 1921 described the
Autonomic Nervous System. He described three
parts to this system: the Sympathetic (fight or
flight), the Parasympathetic (eat and sleep) and the
Enteric (second brain). The chemical modulator for
the Sympathetic NS is norepinephrine (NE). The
chemical modulator for the Parasympathetic NS is
acetylcholine (ACh). The chemical modulator of
the Enteric NS (ENS) is primarily Serotonin (5-HT)
and secondarily Substance P. There are 100 million
nerve cells in the gut (ENS), which is similar to the
number found in the Spinal cord. The vagus nerve
connects the ENS to the Brain and has
approximately 2000 nerves. If you cut the vagus
nerve, the ENS functions normally. The ENS is
capable of ignoring commands from the Brain, i.e.,
it is a second brain. The ENS makes Over 95% of
the Serotonin found in the body. Because the
Enteric Brain functions separately from the Cranial
Brain, it is important to treat the abdomen as a
separate unit apart from the Central N.S.
(CNS=Cranial Brain and Spinal Cord). All of the
neurotransmitters found in the CNS are also found
in the Enteric Brain. The Enteric brain is capable of
responding to environmental influences and thus
the term "gut feeling" takes on significance.
In most cases, consumed hallucinogenic substances
are by oral means. Absorption occurs in the Small
Intestine that is surrounded by the Enteric Brain, as
is all the parts of the Gastrointestinal Tract
(stomach, intestines, colon). This accounts for the
feeling of being sick and wanting to vomit due to
the various alkaloids found in the whole plant
consumed, such as Peyote. But more to the point
are the active hallucinogenic compounds that are
altering the characteristics of the cell surface
receptors on the nerve membranes for the various
neurotransmitters. The active substances are taking
the place of the normal neurotransmitters and
essentially blocking normal coordinating reflexes.
This accounts for the mind-altering properties and
feelings of unease. The CNS is affected secondarily
and the Enteric Brain zooms ahead. In the case of
inhalation, the effects are simultaneous as the blood
distributes the active compounds to all parts of the
body quickly. The CNS stimulates the Adrenal
glands to produce epinephrine and norepinephrine.
The effect of the epinephrine is not as long lasting
as that of norepinephrine and the Parasympathetic
N.S. gains ascendance. This produces the trance
state quality. I have found that concomitantly eating
Vitamin C as well as the trance inducing material
quickly eases the feelings of unease and speeds the
transition from Sympathetic ascendance to
Parasympathetic ascendance. Vitamin C is required
by the Adrenal Glands for synthesis of Adrenalin
(epinephrine) and Noradrenalin (norepinephrine).
Transcendence occurs when the CNS gains
ascendance over the ENS in its effect and the
conscious mind (usually the left hemisphere) lets
the parasympathetically-stimulated elements of the
brain come into consciousness which normally
remain in the realm of the unconscious (usually the
right hemisphere). Since personality is now
disintegrated, one may delve into the particular
aspects of the consciousness that demands attention.
The traumas that have arrested behavioral
integration now come up again to be dealt with and
put to rest so that emotional and mental healing
may occur with new integration and expansion of
awareness.

Chapter Three - THC

As with most all psychoactive compounds, THC is
a naturally occurring brain biochemical substance.
When smoking marijuana, hashish or eating spiked
brownies; the THC in the blood rapidly crosses the
Blood-Brain-Barrier and is in higher than normal
concentrations in the CNS. The effects are with
rapid onset and of a more intense nature if inhaled
and slower onset with milder effects if oral. THC
seems to affect the ENS more strongly than the
CNS. This accounts for the "munchies" and feelings
of sexual arousal. I find that the trance state induced
is fairly typical of deep meditation. I have been able
to consciously stop time around me while
continuing to be conscious and having an active
dialogue with myself until I decide to start time
again, whereupon all around me starts up again.
Out-of -the-body experiences are fairly typical with
higher doses. The marijuana obtained may be of
different quality due to the various factors in the
growing microclimate and species variety. The
species variety for making rope and clothing is not
for getting high. Smoking marijuana tars up the
lungs more than tobacco. Vitamin C and a cleansing
diet help to allay the effects of lung debilitation.
Since I am in my head most of the time I found that
marijuana enabled me to get close to others on a
level I am not consciously able to do so otherwise. I
am much more personable and able to tune into
what is going on around me on the more basal
levels. The trance state while alone allows me to
tune into what needs paying attention to for healing,
back-scanning and organizational planning. I seem
to lose that aggressive edge and am able to enjoy
the flow of events in a more body-oriented manner.
The senses seem to me to be more pleasant and
enjoyable. As the consequences of smoking
Cannabis tend to lead to a trance-like sleep, persons
of the Middle East routinely drink strong and very
sweet coffee while smoking Cannabis or hashish. It
is not prudent to consume alcohol and smoke at the
same time as the alcohol greatly deepens the mild
body stone and depressive effects of smoking
Cannabis.
The effects are relatively short lived, perhaps a half
an hour or so. However it is quite intense and
enjoyable while it lasts. Marijuana is a powerful
aphrodisiac as well you might suspect. It also aids
in the alleviation of pain in the body and is the
reason for 'medical usage'.

Chapter Four - Psilocybin

Perhaps the most famous center for consciousness
development in the Western World in early times
was at the 'Elysian Fields' near the ancient city of
Athens. The early Christian church out of profound
ignorance and stupidity, a characteristic commonly
found in most religious bureaucracies, destroyed
this center as it also destroyed almost all of the rich
medical knowledge of Greece and Egypt. One
family operated this center for over 600 years. After
a 3 month long period of preparation, the final night
of 'enlightenment' came after the consumption of an
elixir containing a Psilocybe extract. The
preparation, the setting and the elixir produced what
is described by all whom partook of the ritual as "a
life altering experience". Many of the nobles and
voting members of Athenian society were graduates
of this experience.
This speaks to us of the profound usefulness of
Psilocybe species of mushrooms for psychological
healing, both emotional and mental. Used properly,
psilocybin is a powerful ally in correcting the ills of
society by showing us the nature of the artifice of
human endeavors. It truly allows us to see,
understand and know the reality of our existence
rather than that which those whom would control
our minds want us to know. It shows us the
illusions, myths and perversions of truth as
perpetuated by those in control of our society, our
religions and our educational institutions. It goes
without saying that this is the reason for the
persecution of those whom would know the truth of
our reality.
Psilocybin is found mostly in the superficial peel
and just below the peel of the stems of the
mushroom, as it is a means of keeping the slugs,
snails, sow bugs and other detritus eaters from
eating the maturing fruiting body that is the cap. I
blend the stems in a cocktail of fruit juice and take
Vitamin C and a B Vitamin complex. This eases the
transition and helps keep the stressful effects to a
minimum. The 'trip' lasts about 8 to 10 hours. I
found that I would go through the Chakras from the
Basal through each up the linear Chakral matrix to
the Crown Chakra. I would experience the energy
and consciousness of each in turn. The final
'mellow out' period was one of reintegration of
consciousness and renewal of goal setting.

Chapter Five - Lysergic Acid

Diethylamide (LSD) or Acid
For a period of 3 years, I consumed ever-increasing
dosages of Acid until I reached a point that no
matter what dose I did consume, I did not 'get off'.
This is because I was already 'off' in the conscious
state. I started out with 1 'hit' and eventually ended
up taking 5 or 6 to no avail.
Sometimes I would sit and just watch what was
going on around me. LSD opens the filters in the
Thalamus so that you see and hear everything (as
well as feel, taste and smell everything).
Synesthesia is quite a common occurrence. It got to
be quite easy to know the dynamics of the
interpersonal interactions I saw around me.
Watching TV was a blast because you saw all the
errors, cues and glances in addition to how the
cameramen were reacting to what was going on.
The same occurred with watching a movie.
Making love while under the influence of LSD is
perhaps the most enjoyable experience I have ever
had the privilege to share with another. I do not
mean having sex, I mean making love! The feelings
of oneness, the intensity of physical sensation,
being together in all aspects of the shared
experience, the afterglow, the discussion of life
events, the goal setting and reintegration of
personality and affirmation of being a couple all
cannot compare with ordinary everyday
experiences. As with all hallucinary experiences,
set and setting are very important and careful
planning of the experience goes a long way to
augment the pleasures.
I participated in a street drug analysis program for 2
years while going to school and we never found
adulterated LSD. All the scares about the Acid
being laced with strychnine were unfounded and
based upon the stimulatory effects to the second
brain. I found the Vitamin C and Vitamin B
complex to be very helpful in this regard for
smoothing the transition from gut brain dominance
to skull brain dominance.

Chapter Six - Muscimol

Before the creation of LSD by Dr. Hoffman, the
most significant hallucinogen in the affairs of man
was "Soma" or the Amanita species mushrooms.
These mushrooms have been used in Shamanistic
rituals for literally eons. It is responsible for the
word 'Berserk" in the English language. The
Berserkers were a tribe of Lapps in Northern
Scandinavia. They would take Amanita mushrooms
and stew them in water in an iron kettle. Then they
would empty out the kettle and again fill it with
fresh water. One person would drink their fill and
become intoxicated. It usually takes from 45
minutes to 1 hour. Anything this person did while
under the influence was legal. Other persons would
drink the urine of the first person and become
intoxicated with less trauma to their bodies. What
they did was within the bounds of legality.
Obviously, sometimes the first person went
'Berserk'.
Muscimol is the psychoactive constituent, and that
following ingestion of ibotenic acid, a fraction of
the material decarboxylates to muscimol, which
then produces the inebriation. A brain chemical
called GABA (gamma-amino butyric acid) helps
neurons stay finicky about which signals they
respond to - a must for the brain to function at its
peak and to discern patterns in the background
noise and almost overwhelming amount of signal
input.
Muscimol is a chemical called a GABA-enhancing
compound that works by increasing sensitivity of
neurons to GABA and binds to the GABA-A
receptor. GABA and the GABA-enhancer
muscimol have a relatively small effect in the
young people, moderately increasing the percentage
of cells that were selective for particular
orientations and directions. In the older people,
however, GABA and the GABA-enhancer
muscimol have a much stronger effect, significantly
increasing the percentage of highly selective cells.
After oral ingestion of ibotenic acid, a substantial
percentage of the drug is excreted unaltered in the
urine, but small amounts of muscimol are also
excreted. This mechanism explains the urinary drug
recycling practice. After ingestion of the
mushroom, the celebrant would excrete substantial
amounts of ibotenic acid in his urine. A second user
ingesting the urine of the first, would cause some of
the ibotenic acid to be decarboxylated to muscimol
during digestion, producing inebriation when the
muscimol was absorbed; and the bulk of the
ibotenic acid would be re-excreted in his urine in
turn. Thus a 100 mg dose of ibotenic acid might
potentially represent four or five 10-15 mg doses of
muscimol, and reports that one dose of mushrooms
is recycled through four or five persons is certainly
feasible
These mushrooms and the Psilocybe mushrooms
are perhaps responsible for the eventual
evolutionary thrust that separated man from his
non-man progenitors. These hallucinogens are
powerful inducers of lucid trance states, a fact to
which I can personally attest.
In May of 1977, while on the job in one of the
planted Pine forests of New Zealand, quite by
serendipity, I discovered a colony of Amanita
muscaria. The specimens were 12" to 16" tall and
the open crowns were 9" to 12 " in diameter. I
collected a few and stewed them in milk, as I had
read that milk ameliorates the toxic effects. Since
then, I have learned that merely drinking the
strained decoction is enough. I ate the 4 cut up
gigantic specimens, I should have just drank the
decoction as it did a very negative effect on my
digestive tract and liver due to the amatoxins
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amatoxin). I became
allergic to milk and then all mammalian food
products as a result. I have also learned that it is
possible to roll a joint and smoke chopped up stem
to achieve the same result. Burning the stem
material destroys the harmful compounds but not
the Ibotenic acid. Also, most of the active
compound is found in the superficial peel and just
under the skin peel.
For those contining to experiment with Soma, it
might be a good idea to keep some Milk Thistle
(Carduus marianus) oil handy as it has ingredients
that reactivates the protein synthesis in the liver
which is blocked by amanitin and other mushroom
toxins. The herbal form, black seeds with tufts of
white hairs, stimulates regeneration and formation
of new liver cells.
I waited and nothing happened. I was quite
disappointed. While out in the area again, I
collected a few more specimens and again repeated
my previous weeks stewing and consumption.
Again, I waited but nothing happened. What a
disappointment to be sure. "What could be wrong?"
I asked myself. You must remember that I had
gotten to the point of not getting off with the
consumption of any quantity of LSD. I did not at
first get this connection.
One week later, two weeks after the first
consumption, my eyes swelled shut and seeped a
thick, clear yellow fluid that lasted for one day. One
week later and two weeks after the second
consumption, the same thing happened again. This
was a result of the harmful compounds on the liver.
Other than this, nothing seemed to be happening.
Oh, how wrong I was!
The effects steadily intensified and I 'peaked' one
and one half years later. It took about 17 years to
come down. I will never really know for sure since
the experience changed my life forever.
A series of events culminated in this experience:
The almost simultaneous beginning of Drug
Experimentation and Deep Meditational Practice,
this followed by loss of getting 'High' with drug
consumption, then the intensification of Deep
Meditative Practice and finally the consumption of
'Soma". My ability to read the thoughts of others
and to project my thoughts to others so that they did
what I wanted then to do became routine. I was able
to 'see', converse with and make friends with 'spirit
entities'. All while going about my daily life and
working 8 hours a day. No-one ever said to me that
they thought that I was acting strangely.
It became a task to keep up with the amount of
information that came pouring into my
consciousness. All the questions that I had ever
asked and had not satisfied myself as to an answer
came to me to 'see', mull over and integrate with a
definitive answer. Many things became startlingly
clear and interpersonal interactions became obvious
as to the dynamics going on between the players. I
became quite aware of the energy dynamics within
and without my body. I became a self-realized
being.
As the years passed, I lost many of the 'abilities'
that I had possessed. What has remained is the
aspect of being a self-realized human primate
animal. Also what has remained is the assurance of
my knowledge and wisdom, which deepens every
passing year.
I must close with this admonition - using drugs is
terribly hard on the body. You must make sure that
you eat correctly, get enough sleep and wait at least
3 full days between sessions in order for cellular
surface receptors to be replenished again. These
herbal substances are ours to use as we see fit.
However, as always we should be responsible in
our actions at all times!
Copyright, all rights reserved
Draco Zyzzyx
May 2003, updated February 2010

Meditational Arts