No Trip Sitters

By Leo Gura - May 31, 2017

The more I trip, the more I understand why most people doing psychedelics are misusing them so badly. One of the reasons is, they make it a social activity.

No! No! No!

I am a firm believer that psychedelics must be done solo. It’s a totally different experience when you have someone else around. Even just a trip sitter. That social contact will disturb your journey. These folks aren’t merely “just a trip sitter”, or merely a source of distraction, they are your umbilical cord. Even though you might feel like you’re being responsible by having a sitter, the fact is, you’re afraid to really face yourself, to enter the belly of the whale. In the belly of the whale, where you must face all your inner demons, and ultimately your own death, no one can help you. You are truly alone. Just having someone there to talk to will significantly change the dynamics of your trip.

This is not to say that I’m advocating doing large doses of psychedelics by yourself in a frenzy of macho chest-beating and bravado. No, that sort of arrogant approach will definitely get your ass handed to you.

If you’re doing psychedelics for the purposes of the deep existential contemplation — like I do — then you must go it all alone. No distractions, no social nonsense, just you alone in a room facing the Truth. And you must even make sure that you do not allow yourself to distract yourself during the trip. Running around, doing silly things outside, watching cartoons, etc. makes for good fun, but it doesn’t get to the rock bottom of things. It’s not contemplation. Contemplation isn’t flashy or fun. You just sit on your couch, or lie on your floor, ponder, and muster the courage to surrender to Truth.

Now, some will say that this is irresponsible and reckless; trip sitters are necessary for safety. Look… What I’m talking about here is real spirituality, not recreational tripping. Real spirituality is hardcore stuff. Way more hardcore than people realize. It MUST involve facing your deepest shadow, insanity, and even physical death. If it didn’t, what would it be worth? It would not address the deepest existential issues we care about. All those issues are directly tied to your deepest fears, and your deepest fear of all is physical death. Saying, “I want to do spirituality but I don’t want to face my fear, I don’t want anything ‘bad’ to happen to me”, is ridiculous.

Of course what I am talking about here is hardcore and involves a degree of danger. It also requires a high degree of maturity, humility, and wisdom to execute correctly. It also requires methodical research and patient testing. The psychedelic spiritual path is definitely not for everyone, not for teenagers, and not for fun. I’m talking about an ancient methodology which goes back tens of thousands of years. The oldest of all spiritual traditions: shamanism. The shaman ventures — alone — into uncharted territory. When the shaman eats an unknown berry or mushroom, it could kill him. He’s not playing around. He knows his life is on the line. Which is why he treats nature and plants with humility and respect.

So ditch your friends and trip sitters, and start to actually contemplate on your trips.

Warning: Misusing this advice could be psychologically destabilizing and even fatal. If you are not serious, mature, wise, and mentally stable, then do not do it. You could really hurt yourself.

Note: I would still use a trip sitter if I was doing a psychedelic like Salvia, which results in loss of motor function, or a deliriant like Datura. Substances like these can be extremely dangerous without assistance.

Note: When solo tripping, you need to start with very small doses and weigh them very accurately. Treat each new substance like a total unknown. Do not mix substances. Do not take weed or alcohol. Always use test kits on each new batch. Don’t get complacent. Expect that even a “party drug” can kick your ass.

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