Weed is barely a psychedelic, and it shouldn’t be used as a litmus test for what mushrooms or LSD are like. I credit LSD with helping me recover from heroin addiction, and later it led me to a spiritual practice that has greatly enhanced my life. It isn’t a magic pill, but LSD and mushrooms can shake you out of your fixed perspective to help you see things differently.

For me, it made me realize that I didn’t want to escape life, but rather find a way to be more deeply invested in it. It made me want to find tools to pursue the mystery of the reality we all live in. It helped me have honest conversations with friends that in turn led me to a better understanding of who I am. And finally, taking LSD and going to the opera is one of the most beautiful experiences I have ever had in my entire life, and I highly recommend it to any experienced tripper who knows themselves well enough to handle it safely and respectfully.

It was a catalyst that opened up a richer way of living for me, but I don’t think it would have had that impact if I hadn’t followed it up with other tools like meditation, ceremony, talk therapy, and studying philosophy. That said, I never would have done those things without my experiences on LSD, and to this day, I still take some every few months to boost that feeling of wonder.

Any medicine can be abused, but they are intended to heal. I firmly believe LSD is a very powerful healer, and sometimes it is exactly what you need to see through the trance of reality we all get stuck in sometimes.