Weed definitely can raise consciousness. It's been used by yogis in India for this purpose for thousands of years.
Of course most people use it irresponsibly, just like they do with food, drink, sex, and pretty much everything else. Blame the user not the substance.
It takes great care to use substances for spiritual growth. It's not for kids and fools.

@Wasem You are acting out and misunderstanding my teachings because your basic needs have not been satisfied.
Go watch my video: Using Maslow's Hierarchy Of Needs To Self-Actualize
You have decades of development to do before you are ready to understand what God desires or what God is.
Forget about God, go handle your basic survival needs so you're not like a thirsty dog.

No, it's because your mind is actively denying that such people are yourself.
When you judge another human, you are separating them from yourself, which is fundamentally false.

He is an excellent teacher, but he is missing the most important and deepest aspect of awakening.
I used to think I was crazy to think so, now I know 100% that he does not understand existential Love.
Love and Truth are one. This realiziation is critical. It is the core of this work. Love is not merely a human emotion. Love is the entire reason for existence.
It's not just Ralston, I notice now that many Eastern spiritual schools do not properly understand or teach Love. Zen and Buddhism are guilty of this. Even Vedanta to some extent doesn't teach Love properly.

Indeed

If you stare long enough at the carpet without blinking your eyes, you will see it start to melt and wave around.
You can also notice neon tips.
I mean sober. Usually sober people just overlook psychedelic effects in their visual field. It is filtered out as irrelevant to survival. But it's right there under the surface.
If I sit down and meditate for 10 minutes my carpet starts to wave.

This is false.
Insight goes beyond thought.
But also thought can carry truth, and must itself be a part of Truth, otherwise it could not exist.

Ultimately the only thing that's required to reach the truth is a genuine, unwavering desire to know the truth -- not your ideas of the truth or what is convenient and pleasant for you, but the actual truth, whatever it is, whatever the cost.
If you have that intention, then you will ultimately reach the truth. And anything shy of that will not take you to the deepest levels.

Initial Note: I'm putting this in the Self-Actualization sub-forum because this isn't just related to enlightenment (of course it's not separate at all either).
This post piggyback's off of a few Actualized.org episodes that talk about what I'm going to talk about here and a few other sources I don't have time to go out and cite here - I also want to credit Peter Ralston who has been an amazing indirect (yet to go to one of his workshops) resource for me in emphasizing and moving towards deep Not-Knowing and really helping to direct experiential investigation into the nature of my assumptions, beliefs, perceptions, etc.: 
How Authority Works Understanding Relativism Mankind Is The Bullshitting Animal What Is Actuality? All Criticism Is Untenable  Understanding Default Positions Mechanics of Belief True vs False Skepticism Understanding How Paradigms Work Anyways... Onwards we go...
So I've been noticing a massive reorientation in my own experience as I've, indirectly, been having more and more assumptions start to melt away. This is not to say I realize what's actually true but am actually left with more and more openness and not knowing. 
For example, the other week I was driving after a long 12-13 hour shift at this summer job I'm doing and suddenly I really got that I literally assume in my own experience that there is an "other". I'm pretty sure I had just finished listening to @Leo Gura in the car and I got that I actually assume there's a place called Las Vegas where there's a man named Leo that actually exists. Not as a theory or as "understanding" and that I can see how and make sense of all this. No. I realized I have been assuming that there are other people. That I have parents. That there are other places. I had to pull over because I was so mind-fucked. Again, I want to be honest and clear. I didn't have some realization in the nature of an "other" or existence or the Absolute nature of Existence. However, the assumption melted away. Then I realized as I was sitting there I "felt" in my own experience that I actually assume I exist. I closed my eyes felt my hand and really tried to feel it. I noticed as I closed my eyes that what arises were mental images of a hand being felt. I "penetrated deeper into my experience" and realized 'if I can go beyond these mental constructs... what am I actually left with?' It suddenly hit me just how much I conceptualize my entire reality through my own perceptions and that, despite it being a useful tool for functioning and trying to survive in the world (I'll get to that in a sec), I still assume it has any existence in it of itself Absolutely. Then I realized that I actually assume that I'm in a world... Safe to say this was quite a night.
Prior to this though I had an acid trip I a month and a half ago. In that very trip I had what I called "cosmic shadow work" done, not to sound so dramatic. I realized that all perspectives collapse into the One perspective, me. My own subjective experience. 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 99999th person perspective can only exist (as an illusion) so long as I cognize it - which is to say, I create it. I realized that day that anything that I perceive "out there" is being generated. To notice anything and have any sort of cognition on any occurrence has to be generated by me. I realized that anything I perceive when I listen to Leo, or I get outraged at "somebody else" for, I criticize non-dual keyboard warriors on the forum, any time I perceive any "other", all that I perceive in them is being created by me. I'm the source of it. In the relative domain, all there is at the end of the day is my own subjective experience. 
I suddenly realized that everything I really want to know about life, myself, enlightenment, etc. at the end comes down to me. It became utterly clear how ridiculous it is to literally go up to an enlightened person and try and ask for answers to any of my questions. At the end of the day, no other can really help me. This is not to say that even though "other people" can't be of some guidance. However, at the end of the day, I am the one it comes down to as that's always been the case. 
Despite this being very uncomfortably open ended, I find myself having a greater sense of trust in relation with my own direct experience. I find myself less lenient on the hearsay of others, including Leo. Questions are more open now as is my own experience, not that it's ever really been "closed". When I walk around and I'm feeling relaxed (quite rare) I feel this silence amidst any sort of noise. It's like the Truth is right here and I can really sense it - yet I can't sense it. Pardon the limits of language. That's the best way I can put it. I can feel Emptiness a lot in my day now and it's becoming like an ever more magnetic pull. 
If you have any comments, tips, advice, or feel like leaving any productive (and I don't mean positive) feedback I would sure love it. 
Note: I am NOT interested in non-dual keyboard warriors and whatever non-dual regurgitation may come as replies to this post. You know who you are. I am being honest in what I don't know and what I do know. Arrogant remarks of "this is just your ego" and "just love yourself" and "realize you're God" will be ignored.

Science's empirical observations are actually what make it useful and good. Where it goes wrong is in its interpretations of those experiences and especially in its big picture understanding of what it all means.
Science is much more than raw data collection. Raw data collection is fine. But science goes on to make models and theories, all of which are extremely limited. Data collection is also highly biased by one's survival agenda and metapnysical paradigm. You literally cannot see data which your paradigm tells you cannot exist.
Just because a thing is limited doesn't mean it is flat out wrong. It can still be useful. But at the same time it's also missing a lot of the big picture.
See my video: Understanding Recontextualization, where I address this point in detail.

Human "mistakes" are the result of the freedom God gave you. You are free to make mistakes so that you could learn and grow. Otherwise life wouldn't have any stakes.
If your life was perfect, it would be imperfect.
Imagine a video game where you push the button once and the game excutes itself flawlessly to victory. That would be the worst video game ever. You are missing the whole point of the game.

That's a self-defeating statement. The official paradigm is materialism, which denies the paranormal.
There are millions of cases of paranormal phenomena, but they are all denied by closed minds.
Science itself has statistically validated paranormal phenomena, but mainstream science and culture is in denial about it. Because according to official dogma, it cannot exist. Therefore it does not exist.
You might as well be in 14th century Europe saying: offically there is no evidence the Earth revolves around the sun.
It is the job of officials to enforce the status quo, not to reveal cutting edge truths. When you expect officials to provide you with cutting edge truths, that's where you go wrong.
Everything official is old news.

Science works on consensus of expertise which is based on authority.
There cannot really be science without a community of people. One guy working in his garage is not enough to produce modern science. Science needs schools, journals, universities, labs, peer review, confrences, textbooks, grants, teamwork, common languages, paradigms, government sponsorship, common units of measure, a common metaphysics, testing, credentials, certifications, etc.
99% of all the science you know is purely concepts and beliefs. This is true even if you are a world-class scientist.
All of this makes science very disconnected from direct experience, leaving a lot of room for error and myopia.
Just the fact that you think science is valid, true, respectable, and good -- notice that that's purely based on blind faith and indoctrination. You believe science is respectable because you were programmed by your culture to believe that. You have never actually verified whether science is a proper method for understanding reality.

@lmfao It's not a feeling either. Insight is consciousness's ability to understand itself.
As in: Eureka!

A belief is not an insight.
To understand what an insight is you'd need to have an insight about the nature of insight.

Yup, well said.
Yes, the peak lasts up to about 1h45m. Then a smooth organic comedown.
That was a good entry dose.
50mg+ should be awesome for ya.
I have noticed that DPT activates the 3rd eye area. My forehead starts to tingle and expand in this amazing way.

My point was, the effectiveness of your training will depend a lot on your pre-existing spiritual attunement and how your brain/mind functions. Imagine doing the same amount of practice but your progress is 100x less. That is more like the reality for many peeps.
The average person cannot climb 10 stages in 1 year. That's pipedreams.
But of course you'll never know until you try, so don't prematurely limit yourself.

I mostly keep to myself. I'm not a very social person. I am happy rolling solo most of the time.
A few intimate friends and lovers are no problem. Discussing with them is no problem usually.

You gotta keep in mind that introversion/extroversion is a spectrum. Many people are somewhere in the middle.
For me, I am very introverted and have been my whole life. Yet most people who meet me face to face would think I am an extrovert because one-on-one I can get very animated and go into a deep conversation with some close friend. But I am terrible at small talk or meeting new people because the shallowness of it bores me and drains my energy.
For me, the introversion label fits perfectly. And I know others whom it fits perfectly too. And I also know extroverts who are just the opposite: they go into a bar and light up like a Christmas tree. As an introvert I just can't do that. Small talk wears me out. I need quiet intimate environments, not noisy clubs or bars.
All that said, I can still push myself to go to a bar and be extroverted. It just feels very unnatural.
So a lot this has to do with what feels most natural to you.
Would you rather have 100 friends who you rarely have a deep conversation with, or 3 really close friends? Extroverts tend to have 100s of friends, so many they don't even have time to meet them for more than 10 minutes. An introvert will have a couple good friends but spend hours talking to them.
Of course, as with all theories, categories, and models, don't let it limit you. Use it to deepen your understanding, and if it doesn't help you do that, throw it away. For me it's a handy distinction which explains how I tend to act.

You're not yet understanding what I meant by survival.
You are thinking of survival as some biological evolutionary theory. That is not what we're talking about here. I mean something much more direct and viceral.
To understand you must turn to your direct experience of life and observe how every micro thing you do is a function of survival.
Don't speculate about it, observe it happening in you. It's happening every second.

1g of mushrooms
or
100ug of LSD
Is great to start with. Don't go beyond 2g of mushrooms or 150ug of LSD as a newbie unless you have a high tolerance.

Hello everyone. I wanted to share with you my practice for effective meditation.
I've recently perfected how to reliably hit Stage 7+ samadhi in Culadasa's 'The Mind Illuminated' with self enquiry.
Once you are there, you'll add the insight practice of self enquiry and hopefully make significant progress towards the first stage of permanent awakening: stream entry.
I'm not a stream enterer yet but the reason I want to share this is that I've experienced temporary and VERY reliable no self insights while doing this exact method. Not just once but almost every time I sit.  This is insane. This state I consistently hit prior to self enquiry is like a low dose LSD.
How to check if you are ready for self inquiry: My method's check is visual and the room starts to lose its solid property slightly due to advanced breath concentration and clear extrospective awareness. If you experience that, it is the perfect time to start self enquiry.
 I just want to share the technique with you since I've experienced a lot of intelligent ways of practicing samatha supported self inquiry.
My Method:
1- Start the session and quickly move towards Stage 7 in Culadasa's system.
Here is how I do it.
-- First, stabilize the attention to the breath at the tip of the nose for 20-30 seconds until it stays there with little to no effort. Do this without subtle dullness and energy loss. Follow the breath with bright clarity. (Make sure you are not meditating in very warm temperatures.)
If you can't do this reliably, then you must practice more with Culadasa's system and develop sustained attentional skills. Read his book 'The mind illuminated' for details. Forget about self-inquiry before mastering this. Trust me. Samadhi developed Self inquiry is 50 times more effective than dry self-inquiry in my experience. (Although people still get enlightened without any samadhi practice. It is your choice in the end.)
I presume you can reliably attain effortless breath attention in less than 10 mins. Once the access concentration is on this level, you need one more skill to do proper adept self enquiry practice.
2- Practice Extrospective Awareness with Shinzen Young's 'Gone' Technique.
For this skill, drop the breath practice for now. This is the key part of the puzzle after mastering Culadasa's breath concentration. Once Culadasa gets you to master sustained attention, now it is time to develop adept levels of awareness. Introspective (inner) awareness is a solid choice as well (Body awareness etc.) but extrospective (outer) awareness of external sounds and visuals will be our technique here.
If you don't know, google 'Shinzen Young's Gone Technique'. We won't label anything. The mind will ONLY notice the endings of external sounds. I HIGHLY recommend a piano piece where it is slow and the individual notes can be discerned. Endings in particular. If you are not into music, do it listening to Leo. Focus on 'goneness' every time Leo utters a word. You must develop awareness to a point where you can experience this at the end of most words regardless of how fast Leo speaks.
You can label 'Gone' until you experience this and intuitively feel that you are 'access-concentration' with the sound. Also, do this technique with open eyes. Because we'll synthesize everything in the 3rd step.
3- Combine Breath Concentration with Extrospective Awareness with Visual Check. (IMPORTANT!!!!)
This is the hard work in my opinion. Any meditator can work with these skills separately. But the low dose psychedelic experience reliably comes from simultaneous practice of Culadasa's bright breath concentration and Shinzen Young's clear 'Gone' extrospective awareness. In this stage, once you combine these two skills, you'll have to check if you don't delude yourself. You'll do this with visual fluidity.
Once you think you are 'there', open your eyes, look at the center of your visual field with relaxed eyes. If you experience less visual solidity in objects while you are combining these 2 meditation skills, then you are ready for self enquiry. Remember that at this point, your breath attention is effortless and extrospective awareness of 'Gone' is very pronounced. If not, then you are not ready for self inquiry.
4- Samatha supported Self Enquiry
You are done with the bulk of the work. At this point, the mind is pliant enough to have a permanent and transient insight experiences regarding no self, impermanence and suffering. Now we facilitate the no self experience with the classic: 'Who is experiencing?' 
Pick whatever phrasing you like:
'Who am I!
'Who is looking'
'Who is breathing'
Just make sure you ask the question and bask more in silence until you feel the effects. Consciously let the self enquiry question effect your samadhi. Because if you feel zero effect in concentration and awareness, then you are not doing self enquiry. You are just using it as a mindless mantra. This is a mistake.
Everytime you ask 'Who is experiencing?', You must experience a certain inner tug in your sensory experience. This is a potential insight experience. The more you experience and go deeper like this, the insight into no self will get clearer.
-----
That is it. Do this 90-120 mins a day and you'll progress so quickly that you'll be shocked how skilled you get on a daily basis. In fact, do 2 sits a day like this. I'm standing on the shoulders of spiritual geniuses like Shinzen Young and Culadasa. It is thanks to them that I've experienced these training methods. The strategy MATTERS. 
 I'll write again when I discover a more effective method and/or attain permanent stream-entry.
Hopefully, this guide helps all of you struggling with meditation
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

That is good. I would recommend you do more small dose mushroom trips. They will teach you a lot. Become comfortable in the mushroom space.
No, truth is not just truth. Truth is extremely radical and has many layers and facets to it. Most egos are not ready to handle the full Truth, they will recoil, freak out, reject, deny, demonize it, etc. To handle the Truth you gotta be at a certain level of development and you need a certain degree of purification of mind.
In practice one has to ease oneself into the Truth. Usually with spiritual work this happens gradually over years and decades. With psychedelics this whole process is short-circuited, thrusting you into the Truth within minutes or hours. With smoked 5-MeO-DMT, it's even worse, you're thrust into Buddha-levels of Truth within seconds. That's way too fast for most people. It can be overwhelming and traumatic if you're not ready.
Not all people have the same capacity to handle Truth. For some it's a lot easier than others. A lot of this has to do with how much ego you've got, how much psychological trauma or baggage you got, and how much you desire Truth.
Most people have a very low desire for Truth, which is why they spend some little time contemplating metaphysical questions.

Don't overthink it. It's certainly not done through logic. Logic is there to serve survival.
For me it just comes naturally as a means to my ultimate goal: Truth, Love, and understanding.
If you just desire Truth, and Love, and understanding enough, and work towards that, eventually ego-death will happen and it won't be a big deal.
Psychedelics help a lot with getting confortable with ego death. That is one of their most useful features. You can become so comfortable with it that you don't bat an eye when it happens.
Otherwise try years of Kriya yoga.

A) I don't know what you mean by that. You are painting with a broad brush here. People experience and realize different things.
Nondual consciousness is not a state of ego, it is the absence of ego, and the realization that your true nature is nothing and everything, or infinite, or God.
There are many people here who are unaware of many things. Just because they have some degree of realization does not mean they are aware of the deeper layers.
Ego dissolution also has layers and degrees of depth to it. The ego is a complex and relentless structure. It takes a lot of deconstruction work to fully get beyond it.
B) Do not start yet another nonduality debate.