Burning the locals, abusing the tourists, terrifying the help.
Posts: 273 Joined: 10-May-2014 Last visit: 28-Oct-2017 Location: United Kingdom
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Hi all, So, I had the idea the other day about producing a video for YouTube that gives emergency advice for anyone suffering from a bad trip. The idea being that we could compile what we've all learned in how to counteract negativity on a bad trip, and turn it into an easy-to-access and easy to understand video for anyone who goes deep and gets terrified in the process. This is all about harm reduction, and how to turn a bad experience into a good one. More discussion of how this project came about can be found in this thread: https://www.dmt-nexus.me/forum/default.aspx?g=posts&t=57348So, the first step is to create a script for the video. What I'd like Nexians to do is to read my draft, and give me feedback, constructive criticism, and their own advice. I'll then read everyone's comments in a few days, and create a second draft that compiles everyone's thoughts as best I can. The language used needs to be clear, concise, and as easy to put into practice as possible. Keep in mind that this is for someone already on a trip, possibly an intense one. I wrote it with LSD, mescaline, and shrooms in mind (I figured you'd be too gone to get to YouTube on DMT), but also for 2CI, 2CB, and 25i. Discussing how to avoid a bad trip for a sober audience will be a future harm reduction video. Here's the piece so far (please keep in mind this is a very rough draft!): Breathe.
Relax.
Don’t panic.
You are going to be okay.
You are on a drug, and having a bad trip, but it doesn’t have to be this way.
You will come down. You will return to reality, and it will welcome you back with warm, loving arms. Think of reality as a planet, and you on a slingshot orbit. No matter how you feel right now, reality’s gravity is too strong to let you go. You will return. This is a certainty. Many have gone before you, and many will go after. They will all come back, and so will you.
Meanwhile, the hours ahead could be the most enjoyable and enlightening hours of your life, if you let it.
First, are you surroundings disturbing you? Are you somewhere busy and loud? Are the people you are with troubling you? If yes, get to somewhere quiet and calm. Take a friend if you can, but don’t worry if you are by yourself. You will be fine – tripping by yourself can be truly beautiful. Walk, don’t run. You are in control. Everything that is happening is entirely inside your head. Nothing is going to hurt you.
When you get to somewhere quiet, can you control the music? Do you have speakers or headphones nearby? If so, listen to some music you love. Make yourself warm – get a blanket or a jacket or a hoodie. Relax. Get yourself comfortable. Control the space around you as much as possible. Don’t worry if things look weird. They’ll be normal soon enough.
Let’s talk about what is happening to you. Your brain is out of sync. The drug you are on has repressed different parts of your brain, and let parts normally repressed shine through. Your senses are not truly aligned. Everything you are seeing, hearing, and feeling is a result of this. The tingling in your body. The distorted sounds you hear. The colours, patterns, and movement your eyes are seeing. This is all your brain filing in the gaps. Don’t worry, your brain is going to be fine, and what you are seeing is not real. Enjoy it for the weird light show it is, and if it gets too much, close your eyes and think of somewhere beautiful. The drug you are on is less toxic and damaging than a cup of tea. The sensation will pass, and your body and mind will be great.
The most important thing for you to remember here is to not fight what is happening to you. Imagine a river, and in this river, imagine a rock. The water will slam against the rock and weather away at it, while the river will continue to flow regardless. Be the river, not the rock. Go with the flow. Let the drug work its magic. Let yourself wander. Let yourself go.
When you are somewhere safe and calm, let’s think about what is causing your trip to be bad.
Were you simply overwhelmed by the intensity of the drug? If so, you should be great once you are somewhere quieter. Are you worried you took too much? If you are on LSD or Mushrooms, you cannot overdose on these drugs, and as long as you work with the drug and not against it, you will have the time of your life. If you are on mescaline, it is unlikely you took a dangerous amount. Other drugs will be appearing on screen now, but you should be fine. Just to be safe, don’t do any more, and don’t do any other drug you have nearby. If you’ve made it as far as this video, however, you don’t have anything to worry about.
There are other things that can trigger a bad trip. Psychedelics are powerful drugs and, as you more than likely now understand, they are much more than a light show in your head. They have the ability to bring up memories long repressed, to show your life and actions to date in a new light, and to make you feel connected with the world and universe in a way you never thought possible.
If they have brought up old wounds and memories, embrace your emotions. This memory could be something long forgotten or well buried, but it is something deep within at the core of your being. Tomorrow, you will still be aware of this memory, and be able to deal with it properly. Knowing what you know now will make you a more complete person in the long run. Let your emotions out, and then think on what you’ve learned.
Perhaps you are experiencing ego death – the sensation that your personality has disappeared, or the concept of you as a person seems like a faraway abstract thought. If so, congratulations. Where you are now is a truly precious state. From here, you can feel your connection to the universe, and analyse your own place in the world with better clarity. You can also think about yourself without the normal barriers you set for yourself while sober. Think about where your life is going. Are you happy? If yes, think about who and what makes you happy, and how you can integrate that into your life more. If you are not happy as a person, why is that? What reasons do you have for not being happy? What brings you down? Where does the pressure come from? How can you change that pressure? What can you do to change your life for the better?
Let’s talk about meditation. Meditation can take you some beautiful places whilst on a trip, and can help you reduce anxiety at the same time. Why not give it a try? If you are unfamiliar with the process, it’s very simple to do. Make sure you are comfortable and somewhere safe. Close your eyes. Empty your mind. You are going to just be concentrating on your breathing. Your mind will do the rest. Relax. Breathe in for five seconds. Hold it. One. Two. Three Four. Five. Release over five seconds. Wait. Two. Three. Four. Five. Breathe in again. Two. Three. Four. Five. Hold. Two. Three. Four. Five. Out. Two Three. Four. Five. Relax. Two. Three. Four. Five. Repeat.
Let your mind’s eye take you where it will. A beach. Somewhere warm. Somewhere comfortable. Somewhere full of love. Let your thoughts simply run where they like. You are safe. Feel what makes you happy in your veins. Just let yourself go.
Use this technique to take control of your trip. Soon, this video will end, but the drug will continue. It is up to you how it will play out. Remember, we can use these drugs to learn a great deal about ourselves and our place in the world. Just let the drug do what it is supposed to do, and remember it is just a drug, and will wear off eventually. In the meantime, go with the flow, and learn to enjoy this moment of self-exploration in your life. You may have been scared, but this drug can also show you immense beauty, both within and around you, if only you let it.
If you are still nervous and need to talk to people, links will be appearing on this video now to show you communities on the internet where there will be people right now who can talk to you about what you are going through. But don’t let the nerves control you. There are two sides to this drug. Nerves, anxiety, and fear. And then there is love, peace, and understanding. Embrace the love, and you will have the greatest time of your life.
Don’t panic.
Relax.
Breathe. The plan for the video is to produce a video with a still DMT Nexus art image (as calming as possible - I originally thought animation but decided that it would be moving plenty, so no need), suggestions for the art are warmly recieved. Also, no faces as I thought a webcam in the bedroom type job would both be potentially incriminating and not as well received. We also need a voice, preferable a female with a smoothing voice who can read in clear English who can make a decent recording, and someone who can run a sound edit on it. Finally, some calm music with nothing too weird about it and no vocal track from the community we could use would be excellent. The next steps are: - Compiling the script. - Getting the recording done. - Sound production on the recording. - Compiling the video. - Upload. Thanks for reading, and I look forward to your feedback  Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”
― Hunter S. Thompson
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DMT-Nexus member
Posts: 3135 Joined: 27-Mar-2012 Last visit: 10-Apr-2023
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I think a single still image may not be such a good idea. I suggest a changing collection of calming scenic views. Nature usually has its ways. I have stared at single images, indeed it doesn't stay still but Def caused me to zone out on the image and could further the psychosis that one is dealing with. Make sure you create a downloadable version as I believe it would be much more successful if they were to use headphones connected to their phone/mp3 player as removing yourself from the area or at least walking around rather than sitting is one of the best things you can do. "Energy flows where attention goes" [Please review the forum Wiki and FAQ before posting questions]
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DMT-Nexus member
 
Posts: 3968 Joined: 21-Jul-2012 Last visit: 15-Feb-2024
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I second anrcy's sentiments. I read through the script intrigued by this idea. My tripping career took place in the pre digital age and I'm trying to suss this out in my head as to whether I would benefit from this. Yeah, I think it's a cool idea if the person using it had it downloaded in case of need or a tripsitter provided it. I'd imagine, personally, trying to find it on the interweb when I needed it might present some difficulty. But that's an entirely one sided perspective based on my feeble abilities. Carry on, carry on... Sine experientia nihil sufficienter sciri potest -Roger Bacon
*γνῶθι σεαυτόν*
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Burning the locals, abusing the tourists, terrifying the help.
Posts: 273 Joined: 10-May-2014 Last visit: 28-Oct-2017 Location: United Kingdom
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Good stuff. I think changing pictures would probably help - good thought there. And yeah, the idea is to have a downloadable version. I'm thinking something like "Help! What to do if I'm having a bad trip" might be a good title for the video, and to stick it on YouTube. Having never really experienced a bad trip (but discussing other people's in depths), I wouldn't be sure if I'd go looking for the video. But then, I'm a pretty strong person, and those times where things have got a little on edge were overcome through the power of thought. That's not the case for everyone, however. Any other insights from the community, especially on the script? Thumbs up/down? Thoughts? Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”
― Hunter S. Thompson
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DMT-Nexus member
Posts: 2277 Joined: 22-Dec-2011 Last visit: 25-Apr-2016 Location: Hyperspace Studios
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I've had a few hard trips and think I can weigh in a bit on this. I like how it starts but it then rambles... We are going to be dealing with very fragmented attention spans. I've got a lot of thoughts on this and will have more input later, but right now I'm getting ready for work. Meanwhile, have you seen Enoon's OHT? Since there is a lot of material in the OHT that overlaps this proposed project, I think it's important that we clarify the common threads in terms of the most fundamental advice .
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DMT-Nexus member
Posts: 1955 Joined: 24-Jul-2010 Last visit: 29-Oct-2019
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Ok, I edited the text somewhat as an example of what format I would use for a person tripping. The problems I see with the original text are the following: a) use of suggestive, negative words such as panic, anxiety, toxic, etc. When dealing with such maleable mind-states I would try to refrain from suggesting this kind of stuff as much as I can, so also I would try to use negatives as little as possible (e.g. don't panic, don't be scared, it's not toxic) b) Long explanations and sugestions that someone while tripping will not be able to follow. And worse, this person is not only tripping but also having a bad trip, speak panic or something similar, so they will be even less likely be able to follow long trains of thoughts. c) The person is watching the video, or already listening to it, so they must already have headphones or speakers and be in a place quiet enough to listen to it. It doesn't make sense to me to stress this too much. I cut it down quite a bit just to kind of change the format to something I think could work better in such a mind state. When people in real life panic what we do is establish personal contact and get them to breathe normally again reassuring that everything is ok. We could try to insert something like "listen to my voice" as we obviously can't establish real personal contact - unless of course they come to chat... We def. should cross reference with the OHT advice. I think using images that go along with the words a bit would be nice - the earth and the sling shot orbit, the river...
Breathe. Relax. You are going to be okay. You are on a drug, but you will come down. You will return to reality, and it will welcome you back with warm, loving arms. Think of reality as a planet, and you on a slingshot orbit. No matter how you feel right now, reality’s gravity is too strong to let you go. You will return. This is a certainty. Many have gone before you, and many will go after. They will all come back, and so will you. Meanwhile, the hours ahead could be the most enjoyable and enlightening hours of your life, if you let it. Now, find a comfortable place. Walk, don’t run. You are in control. Find a place where you are safe. Quiet down for a moment. Let the silence replace the turmoil in your head. Make yourself warm – get a blanket or a jacket or a hoodie. Relax. Drink. Get yourself comfortable. Sit or lay down. Don’t worry if things look and feel weird. They’ll be normal soon enough. The sensation you are having will pass, and your body and mind will be fine. Breathe. Relax. Don't fight what is happening to you. Imagine a river, and in this river, imagine a rock. The water will slam against the rock and weather away at it, while the river will continue to flow regardless. Be the river, not the rock. Go with the flow. Let the drug work its magic. Let yourself wander. Let yourself go. Release. Just to be safe, don’t take any more, and don’t do any other drug you have nearby. If you’ve made it as far as this video, you don’t have anything to worry about. You may be seeing : memories, connections, actions... all in a new light. Embrace your emotions. Your wounds, your weaknesses. Embrace your fears and answer them with love and forgiving. Let your emotions out, and then think on what you’ve learned. From here, you might feel your connection to the universe, your own place in the world No barriers. Think about where your life is going. Think about joy and love and what they mean to you. Soon, this video will end, but the drug will continue. You can use this experience to learn a great deal about yourself and your place in the world. Just let the drug do what it is supposed to do, and remember it is just a drug, and will wear off eventually. In the meantime, go with the flow, and learn to enjoy this moment of self-exploration in your life. Put on some music you love. It can help you in your journey. You may have been scared, but this drug can also show you immense beauty, both within and around you, if only you let it. If you are still nervous and need to talk to people, links will be appearing on this video now to show you communities on the internet where there will be people right now who can talk to you about what you are going through. Embrace the experience. Be the river. Relax. Breathe. Buon viso a cattivo gioco! --- The Open Hyperspace Traveler Handbook - A handbook for the safe and responsible use of entheogens. --- mushroom-grow-help ::: energy conserving caapi extraction
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Burning the locals, abusing the tourists, terrifying the help.
Posts: 273 Joined: 10-May-2014 Last visit: 28-Oct-2017 Location: United Kingdom
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That's some great feedback, thank you. I really like those edits - fantastic job, Enoon. Fully agree with the points. As I said, it was a rough draft, so more than happy to integrate it all into the final version. I'll also have to take a look at the OHT advice. Any other pointers on the text from the Nexus? Take Enoon's post as the latest draft. Also, is anyone willing to lend their voice to the project? Any pictures people can provide with how they think they should be used would also be great. Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”
― Hunter S. Thompson
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DMT-Nexus member
Posts: 3135 Joined: 27-Mar-2012 Last visit: 10-Apr-2023
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def good advice from Enoon. Its very important to know that when having a bad trip using strong words like panic, scared, toxic ect are very much triggers. The mind often goes into loop state when a bad trips initiates. Those words are likely to stick and cause more harm than good. Reassurances are the best weapon you have when trying to calm someone down, but sticking to talking about positive things and not bringing up the negatives. You don't want the user to become bored with what they are watching, imagine someone who is tripping and in panic and nothing is keeping there attention away from the negative feelings they are having they may just shut it off and continue in the bad trip. When I mentioned scenic views I was more picturing actual video of flowing streams and wind blowing through the trees, some timelapse of clouds, timelapse of flowers opening and closing, ect. Music wise, besides the whole youtube BS we can use any music since no one is going to profit from this. I think Enigma has some great songs that would atleast be a good closer for the user to listen to upon completion of the video. If they so choose to listen. Return to innocence is a good one that I feel brings upon feelings that relate to this topic. Using the word "remember" IMO is very important. Alot of times when we are having a bad trip we "forget" what we knew before we started tripping. We forget that we KNOW that we are going to be fine and that this is just an emotional lock. You get locked into the feelings of fear and forget that you don't need to feel that way. You also want to make sure you help them forget the fear. Its a little more difficult with a pre recorded video I believe for the following reason. The best thing I have found to help someone when they are having a bad trip is taking them on an adventure or atleast giving them a task that requires as much focus as possible. If you can force all their focus onto something completely different they will literally forget the feelings and the bad trip and miraculously being enjoying it again. This won't work everytime, but so far has in my experiences. So if you can figure out how to do that in a video... but ya keep it short and simple. "Energy flows where attention goes" [Please review the forum Wiki and FAQ before posting questions]
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DMT-Nexus member
Posts: 2277 Joined: 22-Dec-2011 Last visit: 25-Apr-2016 Location: Hyperspace Studios
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Thanks Enoon, that's priceless!
During my roughest rides, the one very helpful thing I kept forgetting was that I was on something and that I would come down, and during the brief moments of clarity where I recalled this fact it was like a lifeline... But quickly forgotten. That is part of the nature of a bad trip: fragmented, disjointed, and seemingly endless. This "you are on a drug and will come down" is mentioned once in the script but it's a point that may need a little reinforcement, as it may be one of the most crucial. Realizing that there is a ticket back home from that rocky place is priceless.
I think the music and visuals should be dreamy and calming. We can do long cross dissolves between beautiful visionary art, babbling waterfalls, etc, with gentle motion graphics to keep the video engaging without being overstimulating. We have members here (including myself) who are well versed in these things. As far as music goes, even without a profit motive I'd be uncomfortable using anyone's music without their permission. But that's not a huge hurdle- we have lots of musically talented members plus access to quite a bit of other material. It should be a background, nothing that will compete with the voice, that has a warm, nurturing vibe to it.
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DMT-Nexus member
Posts: 3135 Joined: 27-Mar-2012 Last visit: 10-Apr-2023
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Guyomech wrote:As far as music goes, even without a profit motive I'd be uncomfortable using anyone's music without their permission. But that's not a huge hurdle- we have lots of musically talented members plus access to quite a bit of other material. It should be a background, nothing that will compete with the voice, that has a warm, nurturing vibe to it. ah yes. agreed. "Energy flows where attention goes" [Please review the forum Wiki and FAQ before posting questions]
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Burning the locals, abusing the tourists, terrifying the help.
Posts: 273 Joined: 10-May-2014 Last visit: 28-Oct-2017 Location: United Kingdom
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Yeah, will be keeping the language as concise and upbeat as possible. Guyomech, I don't suppose you'd be able to put together the video visuals? It sounds like you've got a much better handle on that than I could possibly offer Again, agree on the music, although I am at a loss for who could provide the music as I'm relatively new. Can anyone reach out to the musical talents we have here via PM and draw them to this thread to post suggestions? Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”
― Hunter S. Thompson
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DMT-Nexus member
Posts: 3968 Joined: 21-Jul-2012 Last visit: 15-Feb-2024
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This was a little fledgonna be a cool one, too!gling thread when I split for work this morning and now it's turned into a cool community project! Awesome! and it looks like it's gonna be a good one, too! Sine experientia nihil sufficienter sciri potest -Roger Bacon
*γνῶθι σεαυτόν*
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Burning the locals, abusing the tourists, terrifying the help.
Posts: 273 Joined: 10-May-2014 Last visit: 28-Oct-2017 Location: United Kingdom
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Yeah - just a shame I stuck it in the suggestions thread. Hardly anyone can see it from the main page because the news and announcements supersede it, and we need more input to get it together. Whoops! Any mod reading this, a move to a better spot would be appreciated Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”
― Hunter S. Thompson
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metamorhpasizer
Posts: 995 Joined: 31-Mar-2009 Last visit: 17-Nov-2023 Location: US
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Im interested in doing the background music. I heard the idea of some natural sounds such as watery sounds, and bird noises, perhaps with some synth pad and a bit of fairy dust to tie it all together. or perhaps nature noises might not makes sense of the video does not take placei n a natural setting. but either way we would want simple calm and beautiful. You have never been apart from me. You can never depart and never return, for we are continuous, indistinguishable. We are eternal forever
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Burning the locals, abusing the tourists, terrifying the help.
Posts: 273 Joined: 10-May-2014 Last visit: 28-Oct-2017 Location: United Kingdom
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Excellent stuff, BTC. What's the best way to approach it, to produce the video/spoken track and to hand it over? Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”
― Hunter S. Thompson
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DMT-Nexus member
Posts: 289 Joined: 16-Mar-2012 Last visit: 17-Nov-2014 Location: home
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Great project, I'm not sure if this fits the scope of the project but sometimes some very practical things could help allot. Change the music, this can have great effect. Move to another room (this in my experience can change the trip 180 degrees) Take 10 mg diazepam or 2mg clonazepam (only in very extreme cases, but then again you probably can't think of looking for a video) Some mind trick I use that helps me if I'm spiraling down into a dark place, is to make sure to not finish my thoughts. This can help to break the loop or negative spiral. Disclaimer:
All Expandeum's notes, messages, postings, ideas, suggestions, concepts or other material submitted via this forum and or website are completely fictional and are not in any way based on real live experience.
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Burning the locals, abusing the tourists, terrifying the help.
Posts: 273 Joined: 10-May-2014 Last visit: 28-Oct-2017 Location: United Kingdom
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Thanks, expandaneum. Taking control of the music and moving somewhere safe are already in the text, so all good there I did think about adding valium whilst writing it. However, I'm not a doctor, and I can't recommend blindly that people take valium in the video (although I do normally have some kicking around to bring a trip to a close). Also, if they can't get any, then it might push them in the other direction! Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”
― Hunter S. Thompson
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DMT-Nexus member
Posts: 1955 Joined: 24-Jul-2010 Last visit: 29-Oct-2019
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I moved the topic to the open discussion; if anyone finds a better place for it, we can move it there. A nice idea might be to make a kind of post-information part of the video with some kind of more or less repetitive words underlayed by images and soft music, like some kind of positive mantra, so the person on the bad trip can choose to stop the video and follow a link or whatever, but they can also just keep watching and thus stay with the positive vibes the video has given them. With some artistic energy the whole video could actually be made into an extended electronic song... but perhaps that's too much... Buon viso a cattivo gioco! --- The Open Hyperspace Traveler Handbook - A handbook for the safe and responsible use of entheogens. --- mushroom-grow-help ::: energy conserving caapi extraction
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DMT-Nexus member
Posts: 2277 Joined: 22-Dec-2011 Last visit: 25-Apr-2016 Location: Hyperspace Studios
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I actually think it would be best if it were long enough to cast a positive spell... 5-7 minutes. There can be longish parts where little or nothing is being said. Positive, simple statements, good basic advice, nurturing music/imagery. People may even repeat the video a few times.
That kind of editing is pretty easy and is really not a technical hurdle at all.
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metamorhpasizer
Posts: 995 Joined: 31-Mar-2009 Last visit: 17-Nov-2023 Location: US
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I think it sounds like a great idea. And very do able. Yeah I think the best way to incorporate music would be to have some video ready and make the music follow it. So that if something changes in the video the music can make a subtle shift with it. Or even just a complete script to go off of could be enough. But we know it generally needs to be calm and atmospheric so I could start working with those sounds now so that when time comes there will already be some sonic options. I'll start working with synth pad and atmospheric sounds and post a sample soon to see if it fits the general direction of what you guys have in mind. Could be a great harm reduction video. Not to get ahead of ourselves, but sometimes when I'm bored I get on YouTube and look for psychedelic related videos and generally am appaled at the poor quality of content that really doesn't do the subject justice or show understanding of the subject. I think if we did some quality videos with good info it could have a great impact. You have never been apart from me. You can never depart and never return, for we are continuous, indistinguishable. We are eternal forever
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