Experiments
This page is dedicated to non-drug, practical demonstrations which allow the public to experience the different aspects of the psychedelic experience. All aspects listed below are demonstrated to the the physical attendees of the Fundamentals of Psychedelics lecture series.
Psychedelic Visual Experience
Low Intensity
Specific optical illusions can demonstrate some of the visual effects experienced during the psychedelic experience. Most notably static pictures becoming animated. A quick example of this is illustrated in Figure 1.
High Intensity
A bright light which flashes at the same speed as the transmission rate of the optical nerve can induce visual hallucinations similar to effects induced by psychedelic substances[1].
Out of Body Experiences
Psychedelics such as ketamine act dissociatively, causing out of body experiences (OBE). By using stereoscopic cameras and a virtual reality headset a phantom self experience can be felt (see Figure 2)[2].
Astral Projection
OBE effects show how the patient can feel as if they are leaving their body, Astral projection is then the feeling of rembodiment within another. By using the same apparatus as listed above, the camera is then focused on an actor mimicking the actions of the primary viewer[3].
References
- ↑ Altered states phenomena induced by visual flicker light stimulation. Marie Therese Bartossek, Johanna Kemmerer, Timo Torsten Schmidt. Published: July 1, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0253779
- ↑ The experimental induction of out-of-body experiences. Science, Ehrsson, H.H. 317: 1048, first published in 2007. Accessed on 18th October 2022 via: http://www.ehrssonlab.se/pdfs/Ehrsson-Science-2007-with-SOM.pdf
- ↑ The Machine To Be Another. Embodied Virtual Reality System. http://beanotherlab.org/home/work/tmtba/