The psychedelics that aren't psychedelics

There are many ways to manifest the mind. Mushrooms, LSD, MDMA and Ayahuasca may not be necessary.

Manifesting the mind

The word "psychedelic" has a cool etymology. It blends two Greek words: "psyche" and "delos."

1. "Psyche" (ψυχή) in Greek means "mind" or "soul."

2. "Delos" (δηλός) means "manifest" or "clear."

Put together, "psychedelic" essentially means "mind-manifesting" or "soul-revealing."

This term aptly describes substances that can induce profound changes in perception, mood, and thought, often leading to insights or experiences that people describe as revealing deeper or otherwise hidden aspects of themselves.

It’s for this reason (and some compelling scientific evidence) that psychedelics are the hot new treatment. They have been an essential part of my journey. However, I’ve also discovered that psychedelics aren’t the only way to tap into the hidden recesses of our undiscovered selves. There are several other ways to manifest the unconscious mind that may be more accessible, less disorienting, and more appropriate for you and your needs.

The other psychedelics

First off, why manifest hidden elements of the mind?

I could write my explanation, but Carl Jung already said it perfectly:

"Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate."

Manifesting the mind is about taking control of one’s life. Otherwise, it’s as if we’re all Sesame Street characters animated by the hand of subconscious influences. If you no longer want to be controlled by the invisible animators within you, you must find a way to shine a light on them.

Dream Analysis

"Dreams are the wishes of the soul." — Friedrich Nietzsche

Over the last three years, my dreams have become much more active, memorable, and thematically consistent, giving me insights into my subconscious that have been just as profound as some of my psychedelic ceremonies.

Carl Jung viewed dreams as direct portals to the collective unconscious, a deep layer of the psyche inherent in all humans. In Jung's theory, dreams overflow with symbols and archetypes — universal motifs reflecting various aspects of the psyche.

For Jung, these dreams transcend personal experience, linking us to the shared human condition and revealing universal truths. In Jung’s eyes, dreams are crucial in the journey of individuation, aiding us to bring these unconscious elements into conscious awareness and achieve psychological wholeness.

Sigmund Freud, conversely, interpreted dreams as expressions of repressed desires and unfulfilled childhood wishes. He asserted that dreams are symbolic, requiring analysis to decode their true meanings.

In either case, dreams offer a rich payload of information essential to the next stage in your life and personal development. For me, both perspectives have turned out to be valid.

My dreams revealed the archetype of the hero since all of my dreams had the same theme — trying to save the world and everyone in it from an impossible force. Whether it was from an alien invasion or nuclear war, I was always going the distance to try and save those around me, and I was willing to undertake a treacherous and uncertain journey to do so.

Only when I dove deeper into my healing and journey work could I make sense of the dreams and manifest the message they contained through my work with Clues Dot Life.

As I transitioned through the stages of my healing journey, the theme of my dreams shifted in parallel, revealing the direct relationship between my awake experience and my sleep experience.

Extended time in nature

"In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks." — John Muir

Who would you be if you were to isolate yourself in the wilderness for one month?

Would you have any identity at all?

A good friend (Pat Gault — a retired Air Force Pararescueman) took me and a buddy to a remote glacial mountain range a few hundred kilometers from civilization. We spent 10 days out there, alone with nothing but ourselves and our thoughts. Without the constant environmental chatter of modern civilization and its easily accessible vices, my rapidly thinking monkey mind had nothing to latch onto. Without its typical fuel of newsfeed doom scrolling, booze or weed, and an endless source of distractions, the monkey mind first went a bit insane, and then quickly fell dormant.

Beyond the monkey mind came a flood of unpleasant emotions previously tamped down by daily distractions. Fear, anger, and sadness set in. With nowhere to hide, I was forced to sit with those emotions and explore where they came from.

Pat often said to me, “Nature is a psychedelic.”

He meant that nature has the innate effect of quieting one aspect of our mind to illuminate the shadow that lurks beneath.

Vipassana Meditation

"Start observing yourself. Every time you find that you are reacting, understand that you are not free, you are a slave to the past." — S. N. Goenka

Vipassana meditation is an ancient practice rooted in Buddhist teachings that emphasizes deep awareness and insight into the nature of reality. The term Vipassana itself means “clear insight” and that’s precisely what it provides.

Clear from what? From the illusions of the conscious mind and the subversive control of deeply rooted subconscious conditioning. As Goenka said, Vipassana is a method for realizing how un-free you are. It will be painful, challenging, and uncomfortable. However, true seeing sits on the other side of the unpleasant process of arriving at an empty mind ready to spill its full contents.

Breathwork

"The breath is the cord that ties the soul to the body." — Paramahansa Yogananda

Breathwork is gaining popularity as a tool for healing, particularly through techniques like “psychedelic breathing”, which closely resembles the overall experience of a large dose of psychedelics in a guided setting, but without the feeling of having your eggs so intensely scrambled.

Psychedelic breathing involves various techniques aimed at achieving altered states of consciousness. Some of the most popular techniques include Holotropic Breathwork, developed in the 1970s for self-exploration and trauma release; Rebirthing Breathwork, which induces relaxation for confronting past trauma; Vivation, for stress relief and pleasure; and Shamanic Breathwork, connecting body and mind for self-discovery.

As Wim Hoff says, “Get high on your own supply!” As unbelievable as it may sound, it is possible to experience altered states of consciousness using your oxygen supply.