Psychedelics, the "Point of Attraction" and What Gives me Pause

I approach most claims with the "I will believe it when I see it" attitude. I don't discount the possibility of "spooky" goings-on but I don't feel particularly inclined to believe in a weird thing unless I can see some (at least) semi-solid evidence to suggest that it exists. That being said, there are a few experiences that give me pause. There are a handful of strange things that I have undergone which I cannot fully explain with logic and my current understanding of how the world functions. Most notably, psychedelics have caused me to "sense" or "conjure" things that I have a hard time believing my mind is capable of. I can't say what exactly this means and I do not claim to have experienced some supernatural phenomenon but those psychedelic events stand out in my mind as being beyond satisfactory explanation. I want to be careful not to make a claim here. I don't want to argue that psychedelics do cause some supernatural event in users (I am not even sure if such a thing exists) but I would like to unpack some of these weirder aspects of my trips and explain why they occasionally cause me to question my skepticism.

I have written about psychedelic empathy before but there are times when this feeling is "unnaturally" strong and that can cause one to feel as though there is something more than a reaction to a drug occurring. I believe that this phenomenon is probably born out of an increased sensitivity to the emotional cues of others but this psychedelic sense sometimes seems stronger and more accurate than one would think is possible. Reading subtle expressions and slight changes in mannerisms is a fine explanation for why a psychonaut may be able to look at his or her friend and know what emotions that individual is feeling but the speed and precise nature of these determinations defy the limits of our cognition. One doesn't look at his or her companion and think "this person appears sad and, therefore, must be sad." The evaluation and shared emotion happens almost instantly. While I don't ascribe any "supernatural" element to this, it is strange enough to give me pause when I try to dismiss that possibly. It is more likely a result of our changed perception but the seemingly real nature of the empathic sensation is hard to ignore.

The level of detail and the complexity of my hallucinations are far beyond my artistic ability. This was one of the things that really amazed about these drugs when I first experienced them. I have never had much talent when it comes to the visual arts. If I was asked to reproduce the hallucinations (particularly the closed-eye hallucinations), I would be unable to do so but the issue goes beyond my own lack of artistic skill. The precision and highly complex nature of some of these visuals seems to be more than even my imagination can conjure. Now, as I focus on my memories of these things that I have seen, I can't summon an accurate picture of them, despite having a vivid memory of seeing them. I can generalize about them. I can say that some looked like infinitely detailed silk rugs and animate Aztec art had merged with a glowing neon sign to form a harmonious scene of indescribably ornate beauty but that is a poor description of what these things really are. They don't hold still either. The visuals flow and change relentlessly throughout the trip but, in the sober world, I can't even imagine a single still image of them with clarity. It is, in a sense, as though I was shown the thing that I have seen. That is how it feels, anyway. The most likely explanation for this unnaturally strong "artistic" imagination is that these drugs temporarily unlock some hidden potential for creativity. However, my own experience with psychedelic hallucinations gives me pause when I try to explain away the claims of "communications" with some outside "intelligence" which some psychonauts make.

Perhaps the weirdest thing to happen to some users is the sensation that they are all being pulled toward a location in a room. I have had this experience with several individuals and I have witnessed it happen to other people. It is hard to describe but when a group of people are tripping together, they may find that they are all being drawn toward a seemingly random"point of attraction" (for lack of a better term) around them. To be clear, this doesn't mean that they all gather around a campfire or something of the like. It is more accurate to say that, independently of each other, everyone feels as though they are being "pulled" toward a point in space two feet to the left of the coffee table and three feet off the ground. When I have seen this happen, no one mentions it until they all find themselves leaning in the direction of the "pull" and in some awkward position. "I feel like I am being pulled" one may began. "Right there," another will finish while pointing to the empty space which has them in its inexplicable grasp. If my pattern were to hold out, this is where I say "the more likely explanation is" and follow it with the thing that I think is actually going on but I can't do that here. I have no idea what may cause this sensation and even I did, I still couldn't explain how everyone else shares the exact same "point of attraction." I try to be rationally minded but when I find myself thinking that only the observable world exists, the memory of that "pull" gives me pause. It felt very real. It was strong, too. Is it the weak point in the fabric of the universe? Could it be the unseen flame that draws us in like moths? Is it a source of power or a Venus flytrap hoping to feed upon an unwary psychonaut? Of course, it could also be some elaborate trick of the mind. I don't have an answer and I don't suppose I ever will but it is an intriguing aspect of psychedelic usage.

All this stuff is very odd and I feel like a crazy person writing about it but they are things that I and many others have experienced and they weigh heavily on my mind when I start thinking that I understand the nature of reality. If nothing else, psychedelics are humbling. Their power and the strangeness of their effects (whatever the true source may be) force one to question the things that he or she thinks are undeniably true. I have seen no testable evidence for any kind of supernatural anything existing but these drugs and my experience with them occasionally force me to question my skepticism of such things. Perhaps, the truth lies somewhere in between. Maybe there is nothing unnatural at play but, at the same time, there is more happening than we can explain with chemistry and biology alone. In the end, it really doesn't matter, though. All of these things are "real" from the perspective of a user. The benefits one gains through the act of tripping are tangible as well. Whether the wisdom one receives is the result of a chemical response or of some outside force doesn't change its value. Perhaps, this is one of the lessons psychedelics can teach. Specifically, that our paths all lead to the same place. Whether the user is a shaman or scientist, these drugs will take that user to the same strange world and offer the same discoveries; the only difference is in how he or she applies them.

Peace.

All the images in this post are sourced from the free image website, unsplash.com.