This article may seem a bit on the long side, but it will be worth your time.
Here’s the deal: mental strength, great spiritual insights and a deeper understanding of your real nature come as a result of sustained and dedicated work. Contrary to what some ‘gurus’ focused on quick gain may tell you, you can’t buy or cheat your way into enlightenment.
As with most things in life, though, there will be those who’ll try to mislead you. Such ‘spiritual vendors’ of low social responsibility offer their chemical products with the promise of instant clarity, confidence, all-encompassing love and a connection with the divine. Not only do they largely fail to deliver on those promises, but they put those who trust them in danger, at times even driving them to depression, insanity or suicide. Such cases are more common than you may think.
A warrior firmly refuses to be any part of that scheme.
On one hand, it is morally wrong to take advantage of the people whose thirst for knowledge makes them vulnerable to bogus ‘shamans’ or ‘gurus’. On the other hand, you should be mindful not to fall into such a victim trap yourself. A rule of thumb is, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
People are often driven towards trying psychedelics for all the wrong reasons. It can be idle curiosity, fear, laziness or unwillingness to face their shadows and wanting a ‘done-for-you’ kind of service. You must realise that such an attitude is like wanting to drop off your body at a gym and pick it up ‘when it is ready’. This is not how self-development works.
The rarely revealed truth is that the use of psychedelics and other mind-altering drugs is hugely damaging to your spiritual development. By using them, you give your power away. Here is why.
The highest, most powerful form of transformation comes from the practices that are most congruent with your mind structure, your soul needs, heritage and polarity. This means that various spiritual rituals from faraway places, designed specifically for their native users, are not readily adaptable to anywhere else in the world. The fact that their original users receive certain benefits does not mean you will get those results, too. This is because your mind simply works in a different way to theirs, and the connection will be weak.
When making your decision whether or not to say yes to something, the first thing to remember is that most plant-based and similar psychotropic substances (marketed as ‘medicines’ in popular culture for an easier sell), came from a culture and heritage that is not originally part of our own. Secondly, even in those native cultures, the entheogens were reserved only for a certain group who received special training and initiation. Many of the participants of Ayahuasca or iboga retreats receive no such training, which means that if anything bad happens, they have no tools or knowledge to deal with it.
And things tend to happen.
Something most people are unaware of is that psychotropic substances trigger an uncontrolled blast of energy, like a rip current, through your mind. It is that blast that causes the temporary change in your perception of reality and self. This is about as wise and safe as forcing the high-pressure water through thin fragile pipes. Those ‘pipes’ as the energy channels in your body. Damaging them may result in a low energy state, astral hallucinations and the DP-DR (Depersonalisation-Derealisation) syndrome, where reality continues to appear unreal and ‘fake’ long after the ceremony is over. This syndrome triggers intense fear and a deeply felt, suffocating feeling of loneliness. Although some of the damage can be reversed, people attending psychotropic retreats often receive no guidance on how to heal and end up being stuck with their condition for years. Logically speaking, spending a few thousand dollars to get yourself hurt is not the best investment you could ever make in your life.
The disfigured mind creates an even greater obstacle in growing your personal strength and living your Purpose than torn muscles and broken bones. You can’t function effectively in the world if your mind is crippled and does not function well. Repeatedly practising such ceremonies usually leads to permanent damage to the structures of your mind, a condition that can be described as ‘mental blindness’ because as you’re losing your mental sight, you will become less and less aware of what is happening to you.
But that’s not all. Another hidden danger (not hidden per se, it’s just you’ll never see such a warning included in your ayahuasca marketing brochure) is the risk of attracting the attention of parasitic astral entities. After a temporary high, the substances like mushrooms, iboga or Ayahuasca tend to send the user to the lower layers of the astral world that resonate with their insecurities and shadows. This is the dwelling place of dark astral entities that will often attack clueless, defenceless visitors. They are always on the lookout for new victims to feed on, and will see you as a target regardless of whether you believe in them or not.
Once attached, such entities can be difficult to get rid of without specialist help. Being under the influence of an astral parasite—yet not fully possessed by it—is a condition called ‘overshadowing’. Some of the most typical symptoms include recurring nightmares, sudden panic attacks and frighteningly dark or violent thoughts (including suicidal and homicidal ideas) that were untypical of you before.
If you happen to get attacked, do your best to free yourself as soon as possible. Some entities like to incorporate themselves into the mental structure of their host creating a long-term parasitic relationship. The basic skills in psychic self-defence are essential for all psychonauts.
The mind is the most valued asset and weapon of the warrior; he must care for it as though his life depended on it. Often it does.
Don’t fall for the marketing tricks that promise quick and miraculous progress. The true price for wanting to get on the ‘fast track’ without doing the work, could be permanent mind damage that means years of pain, darkness, and disempowerment. Right now, any true practitioners that could really help and pull you out of that state are very rare and almost impossible to locate, while the path of traditional therapy is limited to numbing drugs and asylums. This is why the easiest way to keep your mind healthy and safe is to refuse to get involved in dubious experiments in the first place.
Here’s a simple yet powerful truth: all the metaphysical wonders, insights and psychic abilities you may want to tap into, are already yours, for free. Your mind can access them naturally if trained right. It is designed to be able to do it. In other words, you can unlock your psychic powers in a healthy, safe, and sustainable way that would benefit yourself and others. ARIYA Project ZERO is an example of mind training that helps you achieve exactly that. Remember, your self-development is not only about you. It’s your gift and your contribution to the world and the lives of others. Use your power mindfully.
[If you’re interested in starting your training or learning more, GET IN TOUCH or check out my Youtube channel.]
