Do We Enter A Parallel Universe When We Take Psychedelics?

Do We Enter A Parallel Universe When We Take Psychedelics?

Psychedelics in the name of science has a… mixed history. A shocking low came in the mid-twentieth century, when the US Government was found to have led forced human trials involving the use of psychedelic substances. But, in more recent decades, the story has gradually shifted. And, today, the growing interest in the likes of LSD, psilocybin, and DMT is increasingly tied to some of the most dramatic theories around. 

This is Unveiled, and today we’re answering the extraordinary question; do we enter a parallel universe when we take psychedelics? 

Psychedelics are a group of substances with the ability to alter perception, mood, and cognitive processes. The most widely known examples are lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD; psilocybin, a compound in magic mushrooms; and dimethyltryptamine, or DMT. In general, they interact with the brain’s serotonin receptors, leading to shifting sensory experiences, thought patterns, and emotional states. Extremely vivid visuals are common, as well as auditory hallucinations, a distorted sense of time, and uniquely deep introspective experiences. 

Most psychedelics are not thought to be addictive, although they are (or can be) highly stigmatized in society. This originated in the 1960s, mostly due to their popularity within counter-culture movements. That association bred governmental concern, leading the US authorities (under Nixon) to pass the Controlled Substances Act in 1970. Project MKUltra - the secret, illegal program run by the CIA depending on the forced use of drugs like LSD - was happening at the same time, however. So it’s safe to say that America’s official stance on psychedelics is (and always has been) messy.

Which, again, is why the tide may be turning in the modern day. The 21st century has seen a renewal of scientific interest and research into them. Today, many experts believe that psychedelics could have (and do have) therapeutic benefits for a wide range of conditions, such as for anxiety and PTSD. In many cases, the laws are being changed, such as with psilocybin, which the US Food and Drug Administration has now officially designated as a breakthrough therapy for depression.

More broadly, though, and because of their effects, it’s long been wondered whether psychedelics can be used to reach the other side or achieve a higher state. Despite the furore around them during the latter half of the twentieth century, the fact is that human consumption of psychedelics dates back thousands of years, with evidence suggesting that the earliest ancient cultures used them. LSD is a synthetic drug created in the 1930s, so it’s not like the ancients knew anything about that. But many natural psychedelics (i.e., mind altering plants) have existed on Earth for far longer than humans have. And it’s thought that, even thousands of years ago, such plants were used during important rituals and ceremonies, as medicine, or just as standard practice. 

There are cave paintings in Europe and North Africa that seemingly depict psilocybin, dating back to more than 9,000 years ago. There’s evidence of indigenous Americans consuming psychedelic substances from around 5,000 years ago, at least. Moving forward in time, the Aztecs - a Mesoamerican civilization, which flourished from the 14th to 16th centuries - also considered them to be an important part of their culture. It’s thought they considered one particular variety of mind-altering mushrooms to be the flesh of the gods. It was known as Teōnanācatl, which translates to mean “divine mushroom”. Meanwhile, for the Huichol - an indigenous group to Mexico - peyote ceremonies are central to their culture. With the peyote being a certain cactus that contains the psychoactive substance mescaline.

In ancient times, there seemingly was a belief that psychedelics had a major role to play in life and the universe. They were used at important moments, with paintings and records showing that their mind-altering nature was prized. Psychedelics today are renowned for their ability to create altered states of reality, which can be profound and even otherworldly. At times, hallucinations can be vivid enough that people see new, never-before-encountered and intricate patterns in the world, or even completely new landscapes. Auditory hallucinations include hearing sounds or bits of music that weren’t there before. Time distortion means that minutes can feel like hours, or hours like minutes. Some report a sensation known as ego dissolution, or ego death, which happens when the boundaries between them and their surroundings blur. They might later describe it as a transcendence. Or else, as though they’d obtained a true sense of clarity about their lives, or about the nature of existence. 

The psychedelic experience can be completely immersive. But, still, our understanding of these substances is very limited. Psychedelic trips can rarely be controlled. You could analyze them all you wanted, and search for meaning… but it’s not as though we have anything close to a guide book through which we can translate them. There are no rules, there’s very little structure. The effects appear to be wholly unique and personal, every time. One of the most significant scientific findings so far does relate to their impact on brain connectivity, with brain imaging studies showing that psychedelics can leave different regions of the brain more strongly connected. They can produce a more integrated and fluid brain network, which some suggest could be one way through which users at least gain a higher understanding. Call it a parallel universe, call it a higher dimension… it would seem as though psychedelics do at least grant an insight into another layer of reality, even on a physical level via changes in the brain.

In many ways, however, the potential (and seemingly apparent) links between psychedelics and parallel worlds fall within the same ballpark as those between dreaming and parallel worlds. The questions arise mostly out of the unknown. From a philosophical perspective, the experiences reported during both dreams and psychedelic trips serve to challenge the traditional understanding of reality. They trigger speculation regarding the nature of the universe. But, so far, there’s no tangible evidence to say that parallel universes do exist at al, let alone that we can get to them via mushrooms.

It’s a question, then, for the more metaphysical theories that are out there, particularly those (such as biocentrism) which propose the existence of a greater cosmic consciousness, in some form or another. Otherwise known as a universal consciousness, if it exists then it connects all living beings together as one. It’s sometimes visualized as a kind of energy, and it’s never dependent upon the bodies we have now. Advocates claim that our sentience is not isolated. We do not think alone, but instead as part of a larger, unified field of awareness. Most scientists view this kind of thinking with skepticism, though, at best. The more widely accepted theory is that consciousness is a product of individual brain function, and therefore that we aren’t interconnected in this way. Which means that, psychedelics or not, there is never a route toward joining a greater, collective mind.

The profound insights that come with psychedelic use are a little more difficult to explain. Metaphysical interpretations might suggest that these are glimpses into fundamental truths, or maybe even divine knowledge. Usually, these views are obscured in everyday consciousness, but psychedelics provide a pathway to unveiling them. Various spiritual and religious traditions might also support this claim, particularly to explain supposed encounters with higher spiritual beings or divine entities. Again, though, there’s very little scientific evidence. Although perhaps there are comparisons to be drawn here between reports of psychedelic trips and near death experiences. Following an NDE, much of what a person remembers could be considered very similar to what happens on LSD or mushrooms, with bright lights and out-of-body phenomena regularly being cited. Many scientists counter, though, that an NDE is only ever the brain striving to interpret the trauma it’s going through. Could something similar be happening with psychedelics, as the brain tries to make sense of something new? Or, is there more to it than that?

Finally, and as just a little extra food for thought, there’s the strange case of Terence McKenna’s machine elves to consider. As a famous advocate for psychedelic plants, McKenna is said to have first encountered the elves in 1965 - following use of DMT. He also referred to them as tykes, and they were to be found in a different, hyperdimensional space, on the other side of a membrane. If McKenna’s were an isolated experience, then it might be easy to dismiss… but it isn’t. Many people claim to have independently met the same (or similar) entities. For some, they were even best described as extraterrestrial beings. So, how can that happen simply by taking a substance on Earth? Despite all of the scientific doubt at present, could it be that there’s still something crucial that’s waiting to be uncovered?

For now, psychedelics provide humans with deep, insightful, and vivid experiences; that much is true. They don’t yet provide solid evidence for parallel worlds… but many believe that it’s only a matter of time before they will.