Research into psychedelic drugs in combination with psychotherapy as a treatment for mental disorders is well underway. And with promising results. But what about treatment for a so-called healthy mind, or what many call personal development?
A "dope slap"
While there is still a lot of prejudice around psychotherapy in Norway, personal development is starting to become quite chaotic. Most of what you do and say is automatic and it is the unconscious that allows us to manage so many complex tasks at the same time. There are practiced processes that allow us to walk, wave, and say "Have a good day" at the same time.
These processes are initiated by various triggers in life and many people find that they have less control over their own actions than they would like. Many people may have experienced an argument where you say things you don't really mean. Then look back on it afterwards and feel ashamed. Or that you decide to start exercising, but drop out after three days. For the fifth time. Psychedelic drugs can break up these unconscious actions by showing you that you actually have a choice.
It is your mind that creates the world.
Buddha is said to have said that “your mind creates the world.” What he meant by that is that most of what we experience as real is based on our own interpretations of an objective reality. Is the world full of joy or suffering? I understand this as a worldview, not an opinion. One can easily understand this concept intellectually, but without experiencing it for oneself it is difficult to understand just how clear this can be.
Classic psychedelics distort your emotions and perception of reality, allowing you to see and feel how much your own mind can actually influence what you see and experience. For example, you can go from blind trust in all people to severe paranoia in a matter of minutes. Without your surroundings having changed at all.
"When You Pray, Move Your Feet"