What are the benefits of combining meditation and psychedelics?
Have you ever thought about combining meditation and psychedelics? Both can be used to gain more insight into yourself and to experience a greater connection with the world and the universe. Yet, it is not a matter of sitting down and taking a mind-altering drug (e.g. shrooms). In this blog, we discuss how you can approach combining meditation and psychedelics.
Psychedelics and meditation: why combine them?
It seems so simple: meditation is sitting still and letting go of your thoughts. Yet this is not as simple as it seems. As soon as you seek silence, thoughts come to mind. Instead of observing it, you quickly get sucked into it. The worrying, grinding, and memories that come to mind all grab your attention. That silence you long for seems further away than ever.
A trip can be just as challenging, but in a different way. Like meditation, it can be a way to explore your subconscious. But with psychedelics this happens in a very direct way. However, here too, you can become overwhelmed by all the impressions, emotions and images. Human consciousness can be examined in different ways. Instead of using meditation and psychedelics separately, it can also be advantageous to use them together to get to the core faster.
The Default Mode Network
Both meditation and psychedelics are known to influence the brain. We now know that there is an area in the brain known as the Default Mode Network (DMN). The DMN is active when we think and reflect on ourselves. It helps us to form our self-image. People who suffer a lot from worrying and thinking negatively about themselves have a very active DMN.
What's interesting is that scientists have been able to use scanners to record the neurological changes that occur during altered states of consciousness. They also made scans of people who used psychedelics or meditated. With one of those studies, the scans of people who used LSD, psilocybin and ayahuasca were studied. These were compared with the scans of people who meditated.
The scientists saw similar changes in the DMN in both groups. Although not all mind-altering substances and forms of meditation affect the DMN in the same way, it was clear that both techniques can disrupt the DMN and the image you have of yourself. Peaceful feelings arise both during meditation and during a trip. There may be new insights and internal transformation. It is therefore no wonder that both techniques can be used in the treatment of mood disorders, such as depression.
Take your goals into account
If you are interested in combining meditation and psychedelics, keep in mind that there are different types of psychedelics and different ways to meditate. For example, a combination of cannabis with meditation will provide a completely different experience than a mushroom-based meditation. A low dose of weed combined with meditation can still be controlled, but when you go on an intense trip with magic mushrooms, there is a good chance that you have little input.
Before you start, it is good to think about where you are now and where you would like to be. One drug is not the same as the other. Consider which remedy best suits your situation and goals.
Steps to meditate with psychedelics
Those who want to combine psychedelics with meditation can take the following steps to get the most out of it.
Gain experience with meditation
The combination of meditation and psychedelics can be very powerful. But it is wise that you gain experience in meditating. Make sure you have meditated several times. If you haven't done so yet, you won't notice much of a deepening experience during the trip. Your meditation experience creates a calm, open mind, making the psychedelics easier to handle honor.
Meet psychedelics
Have you already tripped a few times? That is very sensible. If you have no experience yet, it is best to start with a low dose. This is especially true if you are concerned about losing control during the trip. Then take less than you think you need. Next time, you can take a little more. This way you can determine your own ideal dose.
This way, you can also see which psychedelic drug is best for you. Cannabis edibles are often used in combination with meditation. The effects come on slowly, and you can determine the dose well, allowing you to enter the experience mindfully. You can also combine meditation with microdosing, where you take a sub-perceptual dose of mushrooms or truffles.
The best combinations of meditation and psychedelics
As you can see, there are many possibilities to combine psychedelics with meditation. It can be a new way to move forward on your path of self-development. But some types of psychedelics suit your way of meditating better than others.
For example, MDMA has a great influence on your physical feelings. Given the fact that many forms of meditation focus on mental processes, you could combine this remedy with external stimuli, such as music, images or physical activity, such as yoga. Cannabis or a lower dose of magic mushrooms or mescaline go well with meditation techniques such as mindfulness, mantras or contemplative meditation.
