The Real Psychedelic Trip is What Happens 1 Month After

Photo by Jan Huber on Unsplash

Everyone talks about how psychedelics changed their life, but psychedelics are a catalyst only. With time, the mesmerizing visuals, emotions, and feeling connected to everything will be a distant memory. The real trip is your intention to move forward in life, and fulfilling that intention.

The Forces of Society Are Powerful

No matter how mentally free you are, the forces of society will always influence you. If you do not believe me, think of any belief you have. If you cannot trace it back to a personal experience, you are influenced from others’ beliefs. These include employers, family expectations, friend’s belief systems, and any form of media. It is completely fine to be influenced by others (this is how we better ourselves), but understanding what comes from within and what comes externally helps you access your authenticity.

Seeing Yourself Objectively Does Not Last Long

To break down psychedelics into its purest form, I describe it as “raw data.” When you look at a chair sober, you rationalize it as “something you sit on” and there is no need for further investigation, because it is a familiar object. But when you trip, you see the intricacies of the chair fabric, how the legs are shaped, and it might look like it’s breathing.

Taking this raw data approach, you look at yourself from foreign eyes. What are your real strengths and weaknesses? How have you let people down in your life? What do you bring to the table in social situations? In real life, your ego protects you from being this introspective. Any emotional discomfort of a trip is the dissonance between how your ego sees yourself and objectively how you really are.

This objective lens in fleeting. Before you know it, your protective ego comes back. The ideas of society slowly water down your own convictions. And you are back to your old self with the same habits and thought processes.

I Usually Have About a Month to Get My Life in Order

It’s amazing how quickly old habits and ways come back to you when you know they are detrimental to you. Psychedelics gives you a temporary window to see who you are objectively. Knowing the changes you have to make is the easy part. The hard part is actively implementing them into your real life. A trip only lasts up to 12 hours, but the decisions you make following the trip last a lifetime.