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I asked to be the first of our group of seven to go, mostly out of fear.
Photographed by Arthur Elgort,Vogue, June 2003
I do as instructed and lay back.
I tell him I dont want to die.
What happens next is almost impossible to describewhich, I learn, is common for participants of 5-MeO-DMT journeys.
Photo: Courtesy of Tandava Retreats
But as a writer, it has left me somewhat stumped.
But why are people drawn to them in the first place?
When looking at the data, the answer seems to be mental health.
Photo: Courtesy of The EAST Institute
My waking experience with 5-MeO-DMT lasted no more than 30 seconds.
The total ceremony, so Im told, was just under an hour.
Like a shooting star, I catapulted into everything, and also nothing.
I would wake up short of breath, gripping onto my bed to find my balance.
The world is changing, and the way we traverse it is, too, says Brierre.
One-third reported their difficulties lasting longer than a year and one-sixth longer than three years.
Theres a deep collective desire for wholeness.
Still, because theres little oversight of psychedelic retreats, theres no governing body providing any safety regulations.
Though the U.S. is expected to follow suit at some point, the timeline of legality remains uncertain.
While psychedelic advancements continue, its important to consider what your intention with psychedelics actually is.
I was assigned to the therapistOtto Maier, who was also present during my retreat.
It makes me wonder what lies beyond your writingwhat beauty you withhold from your spoken word, and why?
It also made me realize why Im drawn to psychedelics in the first place.
