People should be coached in how to have a good mushroom experience and what to expect. Nature + fresh fruit + good music + comfy place to sleep has always been a winning combination for me.
I am not opposed to drugs but you should know what you are getting into.
I also have more advice for newcomer shroomers: one thought can spiral downward or upward. Try your best to stay optimistic and open to the experience. You will not understand everything that happens (and this is a good thing because it's how people walk away feeling like they learned something), but you need to stay open and firm in your conviction that you're ok. As soon as you tell yourself "I think I'm going to die", you will create your own personal hell.
People think "innocence" isn't a feeling -- it's a judgment. They're wrong. Mushrooms evoke a feeling of innocence that brings the typical user back to a childhood state of mind. And while children are pretty stupid (no fault of their own), their perception is typically void of petty judgments adults cling to (by fault of their own). In this newfound awareness, just like a kid, you feel that anything is possible and yearn for adventure. It's a wonderful experience and is what makes mushrooms my #1 recommended drug.
Should add: Would meditation experience help? I feel that my experience helps me dealing with fearful situation. The fear is there but I can watch it and it doesn't define me.
Meditating an hour or so before ingesting your substance of choice and then continuing to meditate until you come up helps to ease the stress of going into a trip.. Stress and trips are bad so making that as limited as possible is always good. Set and setting are key here.
Yep meditation is yet another form of strengthening the resolution within yourself that you have power over your mind. Psychedelics show you this insofar as your effects are felt almost immediately -- this is why I said your thoughts can spiral up or down. Negative feelings must be taken responsibility for with one self and that is all. Even if you were burning at the stake, fear has no utility.
Fear is the ego's chief instrument in ensuring its command over your mind. Humans have not woken up yet to the deeper Life inside of them, and as a result feel victims, and as a result believe fear (and attack) is justified. Veiled in one action or another is the constant reminder that you will die, and it is this idol you serve when you are experiencing fear.
When one is completely silent in meditation, their identification is slowly dissolving from ego to Life. You are sinking into your mind and realizing more & more that your feelings come from your own valuations upon your projections. When this is recognized, the great game you play of devil & angel on each shoulder becomes meaningless and conflict (and thus fear) is dissolved with it. Yet to those who cling to their body for identification and purpose will have a sad life indeed for it is guaranteed to fail.
Now, if you really want to take it even further, I would explain that this world is not real but rather a dream of Hell that we have summoned after purposefully forgetting our creator ("biting the apple", "great fall") so we could be our creators in complete opposition to God. As a result, all fear is rooted in the fear of God and serves as witness that you are what you are not (you are life; you cannot be not life `A != !A`, but having infinite power you can will yourself to forget and live out a dream). Sleeping dreams are merely re-enactments of the great fall we took as one and you get to play out your egotistical desires & fears. In short, fear is never justified because of who you are and any value system with it as its underpinning is not to be trusted.
You are merely be defensive against the greater Truth, and your ego is smug in its defense. I walk the holy path that only healers walk -- what path do you take? Smug dismissals that offer nothing of value? What path is that a part of?
Forgive me if I came off as dismissive, that was not the intention. I only meant to suggest that there may be a better way to accomplish your goal, one which is more subtle and gentle.
Tolerance and gentleness are not absent in my message. However, it's bound to be misunderstood if it comes across as if I am tacitly attacking religions and promoting my own unique one (the connotation I would say proselytizing has behind it). I'm not because there's no point in this kind of behavior. Truth will always be true, and the journey toward it is going to be unique for each individual but the destination will always remain the same.
If you do know what I speak of, you will also have learned that ideas only increase by sharing and that learning necessarily involves teaching. You are potentially misrepresenting tolerance as acceptance; the two are not one in the same. There is only one truth, but that does not mean you accept falsehoods out of tolerance. It means you tolerate them in your perfect forgiveness, which does not judge. I have no idea how my message could be construed as not gentle, but tip-toeing around what it is you truly believe out of fear of offending others is not the definition of gentleness. God has ordained my mission and that was just something that came to me to write -- it probably took me 5m because I didn't have to do much thinking. I only wish the best for everyone and the +8 upvotes meant it clearly resonated with a few people. This is enough for now and certainly does not backfire on my purpose here.
The only proselytizers that get on my nerves are those desperate to be agreed with. It makes we wonder - what do they want of me?
I agree that thoughts can spiral out of control, which is to some degree what depression is for me. Trying to stay optimistic and open is a standard day when I'm having a low period.
More generally, it's easier to hate than love in this world. Why is that? What purpose does it serve? Why are thoughts utilized this way? Understanding this is like a key to which you will unlock the gate to your true happiness. Yet be sure not to slip to temptation and justify attack or hatred. The same thoughts that project hatred or attack upon others will be used against oneself as both sword & shield (you will attack yourself for [x] and also start to become defensive about [x]).
Instead of leaving me feeling refreshed I am drained and dread the idea of going back to being "normal" where I become blind to those obvious flaws and complacent with living a sub-par life.
Without (1), you'll never get (2) and believe me, as someone who smokes everyday, (1) will come up from time to time when things aren't going well with your life. That's when you gotta smoke and mentally sort out what's going on.
Weed leaves you in a slightly-crippled state insofar as your self-defenses don't work as well. As a result, thoughts from the subconscious creep upwards to the conscious level. As much as it "hurts", it's good to be fully aware and honest with yourself.
<3
For a life changing experience hike a few days into a national forest and drop some shrooms.
Also, increased vitamin C.
Can't go wrong with Messrs. McKenna and Anton-Wilson.