What is DMT? 🪬

 

Dimethyltryptamine is a natural chemical substance that is produced in many plants and animals, including humans in the liver, lungs, and pineal gland. Despite occurring naturally in us, it is famous for being the strongest psychedelic and has a reputation for inducing the biggest changes to our perception of reality. Also, it has been found that when someone dies, the brain releases DMT.

Common effects of DMT include leaving the body to another realm/dimension that seems more real, fractal, and complex, where people have interacted with other entities, feel more knowledgeable and think more clearly. Physicists have found that the human eye can only see 0.0035% of reality, and so many believe that DMT opens us up to some of this unseen reality.

Many people recall interacting with a female entity that they ask questions and she shares knowledge and that it takes them to a place where there is no time (as it is not bound by space and time like the reality we experience).  It is also common for people to feel like they know the place, that they’ve been there before (“before this life”). It is said to feel homely and people have a strong sense and are told that they will return there (“after this life”). People often say that entities experienced are benevolent and are pleased to see them like family. They say things like they “have been waiting for them”, that the person “must go back”, and that “they will see them again”, communicating with thoughts; “It’s like they communicate a feeling to me and my mind puts it into words like an intuition”.

DMT experiences can also include going through a tunnel/wormhole and seeing a bright light (similar to near death experiences), then seeing geometric patterns. These are captured in our post on DMT artwork and DMT simulation videos here. Also, experiencing an even greater presence than the other entities that is all loving is often mentioned.

This presence has been described sometimes as masculine, but mainly as:

• God/ultimate consciousness.
• The source of all reality.
• A field of consciousness.
• A “being” felt everywhere at once.
• No physical form (pure presence).
• Communicating via feelings or telepathy.
• Giving a sense of infinite love and unity.

People who smoke DMT say it lasts around 15 minutes (but the experience tends to feel like longer) and those who drink ayahuasca, the natural DMT brew, say it can last hours. You can also check out more on what DMT is and the lessons learnt from DMT here.

 

Check out our DMT Clothing Range:

 

What is Ayahuasca? 🌿 

 

Ayahuasca is a brew or tea made in the Amazon from just two plants; the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and the Psychotria viridis leaf. This combination of natural ingredients allows for DMT to work, giving ‘life changing experiences’. People experience ‘Mother Ayahuasca’ (also referred to as ‘Mother Earth’) after taking the brew. It has been said that she shares knowledge and gives advice ranging from explaining the nature of reality and how there is much more to it than we experience, to telling alcoholics to stop poisoning themselves. Another common theme is for advice to be given on personal traits, for example people have said that they have been told they should not take themselves too seriously.

Ayahuasca effects have also said to be therapeutic, like psychotherapy; “Ten years of psychotherapy in one night”. Many people consume it to cure PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), including soldiers and people with troubled upbringings. Others claim to get cured of issues/blocks in their subconscious that they were unaware of and describe the aftereffects as uplifting and life changing.

There are some side effects to taking ayahuasca. Vomiting or nausea was most common, reported by 62% of respondents. In all, 18% reported headaches and 13% abdominal pain. Only about 2% said they needed medical attention as a result. However, people travel from afar to ayahuasca ceremonies due to the positive, life changing effects documented.

How ancient Amazonians knew to mix these two plants from the vast abundance of plants that are in the Amazon is still debated. The common answer locally is that “the plants told them/guided them” to do so. As well as these life changing insights and experiences, ayahuasca has been found to have healing properties. Some of the mental and health benefits it can bring are listed below:

• Euphoria
• Feelings of connection and unity
• Introspection
• Intense visual and auditory experiences
• Powerful emotions
• Curing addictions
• Curing psychological conditions (such as PTSD)
• Curing health conditions (some claim to be cured from conditions such as diabetes)

The Ayahuasca videos below expand on this further.

Video 1 – Best Ayahuasca Explanation R.I.P. Scott Peterson

In this video Scott Peterson (who founded Refugio Altiplano and completed a six-year apprenticeship with a Shipibo shaman near Pucallpa, Peru) discusses the spiritual perspective of the use of ayahuasca as a traditional Amazonian healing plant. He describes Ayahuasca as a “mother plant” that is believed to heal on multiple levels; physically (purifying organs like the liver and blood), emotionally (helping people process trauma), and spiritually (opening heightened awareness and visions). It is also portrayed as a tool that can make people more receptive to other healing plants and therapies.

Peterson emphasizes that healing is not quick or effortless. While some patients arrive expecting rapid cures, they are told that deep, long-standing issues may require extended commitment and realistic expectations. The process is framed as gradual personal transformation rather than instant recovery.

He emphasizes the importance of context; ceremony, mindset, and the guidance of a skilled shaman. The experience is described as unpredictable at first, but ultimately guided by an “intelligence” or spirit within the plant. Proper ritual, environment (especially in the Amazon), and practitioner skill are presented as essential for safe and effective use.

The plant combination is also important. Ayahuasca is typically paired with Chacruna to produce visionary effects, vivid colors, and catharsis. Peterson notes that his practice uses only this combination, avoiding other additive plants sometimes used elsewhere.

Mythological stories are included to explain origins, especially Shipibo traditions that describe the plants as sacred gifts tied to ancestral bodies and the spirit world. These narratives are used to reinforce respect for nature and the idea that the plants carry intelligence and cultural significance.

In summary, ayahuasca is a powerful, sacred, and disciplined healing system that requires respect, patience, and proper ceremonial guidance.

Video 2 – The DMT/Ayahuasca Journey Explained: Graham Hancock & David Icke

This video shares insights on DMT and ayahuasca from Graham Hancock and David Icke. This includes that ayahuasca is a physically and psychologically intense experience.

1. Personal insight and self-reflection

Ayahuasca forces people to confront their own behavior honestly. It reveals flaws like ego, anger, and pride, encouraging personal growth and repeated self-examination. It helps to recognize and try to address negative traits.

2. Connection to a “larger reality”

The experience is described as entering alternate or hidden realms beyond normal perception. While some scientists see this as brain chemistry, they believe it reveals a deeper, unseen reality that the brain normally filters out.

3. Enhanced creativity

Ayahuasca is said to boost creativity, inspiring art, writing, and visionary work, something long recognized in indigenous Amazonian cultures and now seen more widely.

Hancock ans Icke share that:

• Drinking it is unpleasant, often causing vomiting and discomfort before any deeper effects begin.
• The experience doesn’t take you somewhere new, but reveals deeper layers of reality and consciousness.
• Encounters (like a “female voice”) are forms of consciousness or information, possibly aspects of one’s own mind.
• A central message they received was: “Infinite love is the only truth; everything else is illusion.”

They interpret reality itself as largely illusory or holographic (linking to Simulation Theory/the Holographic Universe), with a deeper underlying state of infinite awareness or “silent stillness”.

They connect their experience to near death experiences, suggesting similar reports of profound love, unity, and non-physical realms. Understanding reality as an illusion reduces fear and limitation, allowing greater personal freedom. They say mainstream science dismisses these experiences too quickly. 

Graham Hancock and David Icke view ayahuasca as a powerful tool for:

• Personal transformation.
• Expanding perception of reality.
• Increasing creativity.

Video 3 – The Journey on Ayahuasca at Rythmia: Gerry Powell tells his story

In this video Gerry Powell discusses how he suffered with severe addiction and suicidal thoughts. He discovered that his pain came from unresolved childhood trauma. After trying ayahuasca, he experienced a profound mental and emotional reset, helping him heal, find peace, and reconnect with others. He now runs a retreat center and believes true healing comes from confronting inner pain, not money as he was wealthy and suicidal. Also, that deep personal change can transform one’s life and relationships (saving the relationship with his family).

He describes ayahuasca as a “gateway to the soul” that clears emotional trauma (“cleans the closet”) and allows people to hear their true inner voice (not ego). He also believes that ayahuasca could help solve mental health crises (addiction, depression, suicide), addiction, and improve society if leaders experienced it. He says healing doesn’t instantly fix habits:

• Addictions fade gradually, the desire for them disappears first.
• Adjustment period after ayahuasca is around 2-3 weeks of feeling “different” or disconnected from old life, then stabilization into a new mindset.

Shared pain creates the ability to help others and group healing environments (like the ayahuasca retreat centers) accelerate growth as people often forgive quickly and gain empathy by seeing others’ perspectives. Also, ayahuasca is intense and emotionally difficult. It is not for casual use and must be done in safe, structured environments with experienced facilitators.

Videos 4 & 5 – Aubrey Marcus Podcast: Ayahuasca Gave me a Plan & Ayahuasca Trip Report

These videos of interviews on the Aubrey Marcus Podcast discuss ayahuasca and deep personal growth, explaining how intense inner experiences can surface hidden trauma and emotions. The key idea is that real healing happens when you stop resisting difficult feelings and instead surrender to them.

They emphasize that much of human suffering comes from overthinking, emotional avoidance, and unresolved trauma (often passed through family patterns and research shows trauma stays in DNA acros multiple generations until resolved). By facing these directly, sometimes through psychedelics, sometimes through awareness in daily life, you can break unhelpful cycles.

A major takeaway is that lasting change doesn’t come from the experience itself, but from how you integrate it afterward. This requires presence, honesty with yourself, and letting go of the need to control everything.

In relationships and life generally, others act as mirrors that reveal your internal patterns, and growth comes from learning to respond consciously rather than react emotionally.

Videos 6 & 7 – More Ayahuasca Experiences

Both people describe ayahuasca as a guided inner experience that brings up hidden emotions and trauma, often through intense sensations, visions, or symbolic insights. The main process is emotional release (crying, vomiting, shaking), which leads to feeling “lighter” and more clear afterward. They report lasting changes like reduced shame, better self-expression, and greater meaning, and emphasize that openness, trust, and proper integration are key.

Video 8 – Ayahuasca DMT Trip Simulation (POV): What Ayahuasca “Looks” Like

Here is an Ayahuasca trip visual/Ayahuasca simulation video. Note more DMT simulations and artwork can be viewed on this post.

Here is a video of Shaman Oaks where the entities/beings of DMT are explained through psychology (especially Carl Jung) and religious/mystical traditions (references to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity). Near death experiences are also compared with DMT experiences in this video which covers the “levels” of the DMT experience.

1. Surface Level – “Nature Spirits”/Entities:

People often first encounter elves, gnomes, jesters, insect-like beings, or playful “machine-like” entities or deities. These are interpreted as:

• Lower-level constructs of consciousness.
• Playful, mischievous, sometimes chaotic.
• Communicating messages or “showing things”.
• Communicating insights, but are unreliable and deceptive.
• Comparable to ancient “nature spirits” or trickster beings.

Personal & Collective Unconscious – Archetypes:

The trip progresses into deeper psychological layers.

2. The Anima (Jungian archetype)

A feminine presence (“the lady”) appearing as:

• A glowing woman.
• A voice or emotional presence.
• A guiding intelligence that builds the environment

This is said to represent:

• The feminine aspect of the male psyche or reversed in women as animus.
• The source or “womb” of the dream-like experience.

Users feel:

• Deep familiarity; “I knew her before I was human”.
• Emotional attachment to this figure which can cause instability later in the experience.

3. The Shadow

When the ego clings or becomes attached, a dark force appears as:

• Dark smoke.
• An angry, heavy, threatening presence.
• Sometimes chaotic or disturbing imagery.

This reflects the user’s own ego and inner negativity, suggesting that:

• Attachment creates suffering and fear.
• Letting go dissolves the darkness.
• The shadow is not “evil”, it reflects inner fear, frustration, and ego resistance.

4. The Void (Dreamless State)

A deeper level described as an empty, peaceful, timeless “black void” where users may:

• Experience time as a dimension.
• See their life across past/future (like a timeline).

This is compared to a deep sleep and a “fourth-dimensional” perspective of existence.

5. The Light/God Experience

In the final stage, there are encounters with a bright, infinite light or presence. This is interpreted as:

• God/ultimate consciousness.
• The source of all reality.
• A field of consciousness.
• A “being” felt everywhere at once.
• No physical form (pure presence).
• Communication via feelings or telepathy.
• Sense of infinite love and unity.

True union requires total ego death; letting go of identity, attachments, everything. Attachment causes fear, shadow, suffering; letting go leads to peace, clarity, access to deeper states. This aligns with:

• Buddhism (“attachment causes suffering”).
• Christianity (“let go of worldly things”).

Critique of Psychedelics

The speaker warns against relying on DMT as psychedelics are like “bungee jumping into truth”, meaning:

• Insights are often forgotten.
• Experiences can be overwhelming or destabilizing.
• Users may encounter deceptive entities which can lead to psychological harm or delusion.

Preferred Path: Spiritual Discipline

Instead of drugs, the speaker advocates meditation, prayer, moral living, dream analysis, and religious practice, as these:

• Prepare the mind gradually.
• Allow retention of insight.
• Lead to stable transformation.

In summary, DMT experiences reveal real structures of consciousness, including archetypes and deeper states. However, they are uncontrolled, risky, and fleeting. True understanding comes from slow, disciplined spiritual development, not shortcuts.

As mentioned, DMT is said to be secreted from the pineal gland. Our post on the pineal gland can be viewed here, our post on DMT here, and our post on DMT simulations here.