Solo tripping vs tripping with others

[thenondualtankie]

Leo seems to be quite heavily on the solo trip side of the debate here. But I feel like he's a little biased when it comes to this question, mainly because of the fact that he says he's deeply introverted.

Do you guys think the same applies to extroverts? Are solo trips "better" for extroverts just as much as introverts? I'd love to hear your thoughts and (especially) your experiences when it comes to this matter. I'm just looking to get more perspectives on this question than Leo's.

I wouldn't really call myself too experienced with psychedelics - probably about 20 trips so far - all relatively low to medium dose. But I'll try and briefly explain what my stance on this topic is:

I guess if you're aiming for the highest levels of Truth, then there's no such thing as tripping with "others" in the first place. All they can do is distract you from this Truth. However, if you're not at a stage in your life where you feel ready to be pursuing absolute Truth, then chances are, you might not be ready for solo trips either. But you may still find benefit from using psychedelics or you may simply have the desire to do so.

In this case, it's ideal to trip with one or two good people you trust and share values with, or maybe even more ideally with a facilitator. The point of the facilitator is to act as a grounding force for your trips, for example decrease the likelihood of a negative experience.

So the debate basically boils down to this: does the facilitator work as a "grounding force" (whatever that means), or is it true that s/he would purely be a distraction in all cases? In your personal experiences, would you say that "others" - especially "others" that have been chosen carefully e.g. facilitators - are an effective way to stay more grounded in trips, even in high doses?

Edited July 19, 2022 by thenondualtankie

[King Merk]

If you’re doing serious contemplative work while tripping then solo is the best way. That’ll become obvious to you when you start getting into higher doses.

I still love to trip at raves with friends but that’s social activity, not deep spiritual work.

Being around others is generally a distraction to the inner work being done. It’s hard to truly dive deep within one’s self when there are other people around and social norms that are being followed. 

[thenondualtankie]

Bumped as I feel this is an important topic. 

[Grateful Dead]

18 hours ago, thenondualtankie said:

However, if you're not at a stage in your life where you feel ready to be pursuing absolute Truth, then chances are, you might not be ready for solo trips either. But you may still find benefit from using psychedelics or you may simply have the desire to do so.

I started tripping with my two best friends when I was 18 and we all benefited greatly in terms of personal development and spiritual growth. It also connected us on a level that can't really be described. As if there was nothing between us, I trust them 100% in everything.

I think we did about 50 trips together using different substances, mostly LSD and magic mushrooms. After a while, my friends lost interest in tripping for various reasons, but I didn't and started tripping on my own. Even when we tripped together, I contemplated a lot and it led me to an intellectual understanding that I am nothing.

But doing it alone is on a whole different level for me, like almost every time a deep breakthrough experience. I don't think I would have been ready for that at first.

[OBEler]

@acidgoofy Do you think you got insights while tripping together which you could not have while tripping alone? 

[Grateful Dead]

18 minutes ago, OBEler said:

Do you think you got insights while tripping together which you could not have while tripping alone? 

No, I dont think so. But I had some shared experiences that I couldn't have had alone. Like our trips synchronized and we would see exactly the same visuals etc. and shot energy out of our fingers and play with it together. It was very cool but the insight from that you can also have alone.

[OBEler]

@acidgoofy wait.. You could send energy out of your Fingers and the others could see it also? Even played with it? What visuals did you shared? 

Can you elaborate more? 

How can this be explained.. 

Edited July 20, 2022 by OBEler

[Grateful Dead]

Just now, OBEler said:

@acidgoofy wait.. You could send energy out of your Fingers and the others could see it also? 

How can this be explained.. 

There is no other, no boundary between anything.

[Arcangelo]

Solo tripping = actualizing

Tripping with others = partying

[kamwalker]

I made my two best friends by tripping with them. I would say I probably can't go as deep with someone else there as I could solo tripping, but the connection you form with another person in this manner is insane. I trust these two with my life. The last time I tripped with one of my buddies it was like we synchronized as one throughout the entire trip. All the guess work that comes with being an individualistic selfish ego was gone. It was incredible. We both understood that we are nothing and words were not needed for much of the trip. Now I just hope I can find a girl to do that with on an intimate level some day lol 

[Jodistrict]

3 hours ago, Arcangelo said:

Solo tripping = actualizing

Tripping with others = partying

ceremony + others = group healing

[OBEler]

@acidgoofy ok thats too abstract. Why can you share same visuals? what were these visuals?

I tripped also with a friend and we did not shared any visuals at all

[Vynce]

On 19.7.2022 at 10:12 PM, thenondualtankie said:

All they can do is distract you from this Truth.

"Others" are absolute truth. So they don't distract you at all. Given your can deconstruct others as what they really are: just consciousness. OR you just take enough psychedelics, so "otherness" deconstructs itself into: just consciousness.

On 19.7.2022 at 10:12 PM, thenondualtankie said:

In this case, it's ideal to trip with one or two good people you trust and share values with, or maybe even more ideally with a facilitator. The point of the facilitator is to act as a grounding force for your trips, for example decrease the likelihood of a negative experience.

You are your best facilitator. If you need a "other" facilitator don't take much psychedelics. I've had trips where friends helped me to stay positive, whereas other trips when they just annoyed me. 

Both scenarios are not likely anymore, because I've learned to trip myself. If others are with me fine. If not, fine. 

[Space]

@thenondualtankie Personally i'd never do a trip with someone else. I need to be able to fully let go and release. I'd have to be super comfortable around the other person to do that. There's usually lots of crying and ecstatic laughter which needs to happen freely without any thoughts of 'I wonder what she or he is thinking about me right now' or 'does this look weird to him?'. 

The other person would also need to be extremely comfortable with some strange things happening, like spontaneous vocal sounds/speaking and spontaneous body movements and shaking. Basically no one has seen this kind of thing before. They'd freak out. 

[Jodistrict]

5 hours ago, Space said:

@thenondualtankie

The other person would also need to be extremely comfortable with some strange things happening, like spontaneous vocal sounds/speaking and spontaneous body movements and shaking. Basically no one has seen this kind of thing before. They'd freak out. 

I think I have seen every reaction possible in Ayahuasca ceremonies.  It is better to have outdoors ceremonies.  People can make sounds and movements without too much interference to everyone else while in a small enclosed space.    

[thisintegrated]

I typically have a better time alone as I can control the setting better..

..BUT, I'd still have to say it's probably better to trip with others.  Acid makes me feel so much love and I really want to feel a human connection while tripping.  But it all depends on the people you're with.

Edited July 22, 2022 by thisintegrated