psychonautics

[psychonautics]

She either has no pupils, or just really huge ones. I haven’t decided which one it is yet.

[psychonautics]

"I'd forgotten that what comes to you when you take a psychedelic is not always a revelation of something new and startling; you're reminded of simple things you know and forgot you knew, old, basic truths that long ago became clichés, so you stopped paying attention." -Shura Borodin from PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story (1999) by Dr. Alexander and Ann Shulgin.

#PiHKAL #Shulgin #psychedelics

[psychonautics]

#buckfast

[psychonautics]

...allow me to clarify, I am not [a psychonaut]. I am no longer part of that cabal,... But, as a philosopher, I will write of it

Mydriasis Aletheia

[psychonautics]

Apotheogen

n. A psychoactive substance that induces alterations in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, or behavior for the purposes of subduing personal drives in a profane context. The functional opposite of an entheogen. From the root, apotheo- (apotheosis, to deify) and the suffix -gen (genesis, to come into being). Apotheogenesis can be understood as the act of concealing or obscuring the self through the singular focus of one's will onto a pattern or substance, Raising it to a god-like position within their ideology. The individual is thus subsumed by it, distracting from dissonant parts of the self which are incongruent with the whole. Such parts become hidden though their drives remain in conflict.

#apotheogen #apotheogenic

[psychonautics]

#human traffic #1999

[psychonautics]

Psychonautics

Psychonautics is an act of configuration. It refers to a methodology for describing and explaining configurations of consciousness, And a research cabal in which adherents explore and harness those configurations. The power of psychonautics is that configurations of consciousness have resonant effects on meaning and belief. The psychonautic cabal emerges from a recognition of this. Psychonautic exploration is not without risk to the physical and psychological well-being of the researcher, to their essence and beliefs. An experienced and trustworthy practitioner can provide a tether to your shared reality, Advanced practices require caution and patience to navigate safely; “There is no casual experiment”. In the Western paradigm, classical psychonautics was defined by contemplative and ritual techniques, The religious or spiritual practices of a tribe or society. Modern psychonautics has been increasingly defined by the use of psychoactive substances, which is likely the result of secularization, advances in pharmacy, and the war on drugs. In contemporary society psychoactives are a valuable commodity that many people use (or misuse) for a variety of reasons. Some will seek out drugs they have not tried before. Few shall devote themselves entirely, investing their time and resources in learning about, acquiring and assessing psychoactives. This latter cohort aligns with the methodology of psychonautics, they commit to understanding through practice. Indeed many become well-versed in Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS), some academics assume this is the mark of a modern psychonaut but it is mere specialization rather than characteristic of. As more initiates into psychonautics emerge from drug experiences so does the cabal become more chemical. Nevertheless, it still draws adherents from a diversity of practices. With regard to ontological risks, the ranks of the cabal are full of disordered, misguided, or warped adherents whose heedless practice undermines the meaningfulness of consensual reality. This is not uncommon as there is no formal training for initiates. The cabal is decentralized, without singularly defined leadership or ideals, it operates through intrigue. Among its adherents there are differences in practice, and so internal politics wherein the ethos of configurations are disputed. Within the cabal there exist ethical stances: Cognitive liberals who believe anyone using responsibly should be allowed their methodology and be able to practice. Universalists or absolutists who believe everyone should be initiated, if not adherent. Elitists and psychocrats who hold that only their method and practice is valid. Cognitive dissidents who believe the methodology and its praxis must not be vested in nation-states, corporations, or religions if it is/they are to retain its power. The cabal’s politics of intrigue represent an unspoken power struggle where the stakes are unclear, if even communicable. It is ancient, perpetual, an eternal conflict over consciousness, An infinite crusade over mind and psyché, and as the war on drugs comes to an end, psychonautics will again be redefined by its next wave of initiates, may they be wise and kind.

#psychonautics #cabal #nps

[psychonautics]

#trainspotting #1996

[psychonautics]

Psychoactives

A psychoactive substance is a chemical substance—other than a nutrient or essential dietary ingredient—that alters brain function to produce temporary changes in sensation, perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, and behavior.

Psychoactive substances have been used by humans for a variety of purposes since recorded history (e.g. as medicine, for recreation, as entheogens, or for research.

The Psychoactive Substance Index (PSI) is designed to catalog and provide relevant, accurate, and unbiased information for any and all mind-altering substances known to humankind, with a special focus on those with potential applications as mind-expanding tools.

The individual articles detail not just the history, chemistry, pharmacology, toxicity, and legality of each substance, but also its user-reported subjective effects (i.e. phenomenology). This is achieved in accordance with a standardized system of definitions and terminologies proposed in the Subjective Effect Index (SEI).

#psychoactive substances #psychonautics #psychonautwiki.org