Psychedelic Trip Intentions (Mega-Thread?)

[GabrielWallace]

Hey everyone, I was looking to see if there was any mega-thread of 'intentions' to set when tripping - what I mean is questions, contemplations, inquiries and focuses to specifically write down before taking psychedelics, in order to make the most out of the psychedelic experience and penetrate the next layer of your consciousness to make spiritual (metaphysical/existential) progress. If it is already somewhere else on the forum, I apologize - but if not, I think it may be a valuable resource.

Tomorrow is my 33rd birthday and I am going to be doing a solo LSD trip. It's certainly not my first trip to the rodeo... I've had several life-changing experiences on psychedelics, having first been 'initiated' by my Dad when I was 18 and having since explored this independently quite deeply. But this is a big one because it's been quite a few years since I've done it alone, and this year in particular I've been through a lot. I won't go into all of that here, but I do think that personal circumstances are woven into the experience, and should be considered when setting intention. That's not to say that the objective of the intention itself should be necessarily therapeutic or personal - just that when considering the intention, it should be mindfully customized to the individual and where one's head is currently at.

I think sometimes an intention should ask a deeply existential question and sometimes it could be deeply personal. Either one could actually lead to realizations about the other - the separation is quite illusory anyway.

You might also argue that it is better to simply go into a trip with a wide open mind and receive whatever comes. I understand that, and I think in some circumstances, yes, that may well be the best way. But there are other times when people need to set an intention as a launching pad, so that it's not a completely aimless endeavor. When I say 'launching pad', I really mean it that way - I think if the trip takes you somewhere else entirely, you should go with it and not put up resistance, because that's the ego trying to dictate the ride. These 'intentions', the way I use them, are simply launching pads.

With that in mind, here are just a handful that I've either set before or that I might be setting in the near future:

• I am cleansing the blockage and baggage that has built up inside me, so that I may once again anchor myself in Self-Realization and walk my path with clarity and compassion, open eyes and an open heart.
• What is language?
• How can I be a better version of myself?
• Who am I and why do I forget who I am?
• What is reality?
• What is Existence? What is Non-Existence?
• What is Infinity?
• Who can I be and what can I do to create the most meaning in my life starting now?
• I am exploring my unconscious mind and bringing it into the light of my conscious awareness.
• How can I best express the beauty of the truth of reality through my art?

Hope to hear some of your 'intentions', too! 

[Forestluv]

I appreciate the thought you’ve put in your post.

I did an Ayahuasca retreat in Peru summer 2017. At the start of each ceremony, the shaman would speak about intention, Then there was a period of silence to contemplate intention. Then each participant shared their intention with the group. It was very genuine, intimate and solemn.

We were also told that setting a sincere intention can serve as a space the trip can return to. 

My intention for the second ceremony was to be shown subconscious fears blocking me from self actualization. It was the most terrifying experience of my life. Be careful what you ask for. . . 

[here-now]

I don't know if this counts as "setting an intention", but maybe it would be beneficial if, before you take your psychedelic trip, you ask yourself, "Am I aware that I'm aware?".... and then, once you've established that you are aware of Awareness, you proceed to take your "trip". 

Then see what (if anything...) happens to that awareness of Awareness during the trip... and after the trip.

Would be an interesting experiment, imo. 

 

[markusrabbius]

Speaking from my own experiences, your subconscious does all of the work for you.  If healing needs to happen, it does it in the sort of way that even if the experience is difficult, the integration happens automatically (although maybe not immediately) and will present itself when you are ready to see it.  Follow the rules of set/setting, dosage, good mindstate, etc.

I find if you try and force the experience, dose too low/high, have unrealistic expectations, you're setting yourself up for disappointment.

The best intentions are no intentions.. (at least for me).

[PsiloPutty]

I set a loose intention when I trip. Sort of like planning a day off; some of the things you map out may not happen, and that's okay, but just getting an idea of the direction you'd like to see the day go in.