Hi all... I had my first experience 4 days ago and with my first real solid day to myself since then, today I have been seeking good experiential/forum sources to learn and understand this path better. So far, I am very impressed with this crowd.

A little about me and my first experience...

I'm not very experienced with substance, having only started with medicinal mj for chronic pain and about 8 trips with mushrooms in the last 2.5 years, alcohol only within the last 5 years of my 40-something year span on the planet so far.

I was raised by my mom in a very religious environment where a strict health code was a central ethic of the culture. After years and years of longing for a relationship with my dad, I finally started to have more contact with him in my late teens and learned of his long and abiding experience and affection for sacramental/ritual substances. As soon as I became aware of his explorations, and because I trusted and admired him, I wanted to experience these realms some day for myself and share that with him. For 15 or so years, I only read everything I could discreetly get my hands on while in a marriage where experimenting was taboo. Eventually I left the marriage and the religion so that I could explore more. That was a huge sacrifice, but even without much experience with substance, it has been worth it... its the freedom of knowing I can explore without reproach, find supportive friends and fellow travelers.

I have loved my sessions with mushrooms and over the last 2.5 years since leaving my marriage, have continued to "put it out there" that spice was definitely high on my wishlist, although my highest at this point probably is to experience ayahuasca ceremonially. I'm not a fun party person, to be honest (I like mj because I can function without pain). I'm in It for the passion of understanding our existence at deeper levels.

I am intrigued by extraction, and this topic of changa and its myriad variations, and am so interested to learn from this group.

Funny how things really work when an intention is set and reinforced. This past week I was on a 5-day long houseboat trip with several friends and one in particular who I had known to partake very regularly. I didn't realize he'd brought provisions with intentions of guiding me and my boyfriend, so when he invited us, I just smiled 'yes'. We'd anchored our boat in a very secluded cove of a very large lake. The cove had high red cliff walls. The day was perfect in every way with mild air and shocking blue sky. In the late afternoon, he suggested the three of us go out on a 4-man inflatable raft to the far end of the cove away from the rest of our friends. The sun would be setting soon and I thought it was a perfect time to accept the offer. Our other friends were very respectful.

We paddled out as he gave us a primer. My boyfriend went first, he'd had one other experience with spice a few years before. It was awesome to witness him move, his expressions and surrender. The floating sensation the raft afforded was perfect. So relaxing, gently cradling. His experience really was as short as our guide said it would be. I had been so used to mushrooms lasting so long that I hardly believed it was true. So much so, that even up to right before my turn, I felt a twinge of skepticism that it could be anything great. Funny now.

I took my turn and was determined to hold my smoke and take two full hits. The second one was a challenge as I felt a melting like no other.

To sum up, I had an closed-eye experience that was extremely still and moving. I wept nearly the entire time. I was quiet for at least an hour after and felt a sublime stillness the whole rest of the night. I have more questions and, for now, in the place of another trip, I've turned again to research and the experiences of others. I feel insatiable right now... so many questions. Now my mind is coursing through everything I ever read, connecting dots I can only now connect since I have experienced, as well. Since my own trip, more dimensions have popped out of a relatively flat exploration.

I hope to get to know more of you and contribute, as well. Thanks for showing up as an intelligent community that really seems to respect what This means in our lives.

—plex

PS. Worthy of noting: I'd had a migraine for 5 days straight prior to my experience and I immediately walked away entirely pain free and remained so for another 3 days. Wonderful respite.

Fabulous.

Really appreciate you coming on and sharing your story with us. I think you'll find a lot of other people around here have similar tales and histories.

Spice is not a party drug. Entheogens in general tend to discourage reckless, abusive or disrespectful use. People without the sincere appreciation you show tend to get shown the door by these substances.

I'm impressed with people like yourself who come from backgrounds where even considering taking psychedelics takes a huge amount of guts. Being willing to turn your back on the family culture or recognize that one's marriage is holding one back is a level of commitment that few can muster. Also, taking 15 years to research and prepare for your experience is commendable. In our times of instant gratification especially. Too many people try spice the very first time they hear about it, casually at a party or whatever, and then wonder why they are so utterly shattered by the experience.

It is not like you can prepare for it, really. Nothing you think you learn about it will get you ready for what it will show you. But, at least you can have some idea.

Anyway, welcome to the Nexus. Be well and find what you are looking for here.

Love & Light eternally.

Thank you very much for your response and insight. It does surpass my wildest notion that in the 15+ years of learning, imagining, anticipating psychedelic experiences, I'd have the community to share the path. Its so funny to me that I assumed I'd be alone. I was just in the Wiki and I looked at all the topics and thought "oh, these people *made* this place?! Clearly, I had lived far too long in a vacuum.