Psychedelic Terminology

The annual holiday celebrating cannabis occurring each year on April 20th.

It apparently originated in 1971 with a plan to search for an abandoned cannabis crop by five high school students in San Rafael, California.

Suggests that a person is comfortable around cannabis, either in the context of a relationship, with regard to roommates, or with regard to a place or activity.

The annual holiday celebrating psilocybin occurring each year on September 20th.

It apparently originated in 2015 as an intended “educational day of action” to encourage dialogue around psilocybin use.

The annual holiday celebrating LSD occurring each year on April 19th.

It celebrates the day in 1943 on which LSD’s inventor, Albert Hofman, intentionally consumed it and rode his bike through Basel, Switzerland.

Abstaining from alcohol in favour of cannabis and psychedelics.

Note: there are other competing interpretations of this term.

Refers to consuming LSD and MDMA together.

A very large dose of a psychedelic, as contrasted with a macrodose (large or normal) or microdose (minuscule).

Derived from Terence McKenna’s description of a 5 gram psilocybin dose.

Refers to consuming psilocybin and MDMA together.

Descriptions vary, but generally, a bad experience on DMT. The result could be that one is informed by an entity that (a) they’ve transgressed by not acting with proper intentionality in using DMT; (b) they’re doing too much DMT and need to ease up; and/or (c) they’ve seen somewhere they’re not supposed to see. This may result in being ‘locked out’ of DMT hyperspace.

A bizarre realm (of sorts) persons doing DMT may access when they have a ‘breakthrough’ trip. Recently, some have begun work to create a scientific “map” DMT hyperspace.

This refers to the process by which a person integrates the insights of their psychedelic experience into their general perception of the world and/or understanding of self.

Integration is a critical part of psychedelic-assisted therapy that occurs following a psychedelic experience or between multiple psychedelic experiences.

Refers to consuming LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA together.

Refers to a deep dissociative state some reach through the consumption of ketamine.

Refers to consuming ketamine and MDMA together.

Refers to consuming mescaline and MDMA together.

Describes a large or ‘normal’ does of a psychedelic, as contrasted with a microdose.

Please see our page on microdosing.

Refers to the renewed scientific and cultural interest in psychedelics starting in the 1990s and continuing through the 2020s, following a ‘freeze’ in psychedelic research between the mid 1970s and early 1990s.

See also “Third Wave”.

The term “set and setting” refers to:

(1) the mindset or intention with which one approaches a psychedelic experience (“set”); and

(2) the physical and/or social environment in which one partakes in a psychedelic experience (“setting”).

Refers to the practice of combining psilocybin with non-hallucinogenic substances, such as other mushrooms or chocolate, to alter or improve the overall experience.

Refers to the third wave of broad cultural interest in psychedelics, starting in the 1990s and continuing through the 2020s.

See also “Psychedelic Renaissance”.

The first wave refers to ancient and indigenous peoples’ traditional use of and interest in psychedelics.

The second wave refers to Western cultural interest in psychedelics starting in the late 1950s and continuing until the early 1970s.

A tripsitter is a sober person who casually (as opposed to professionally, generally speaking) supervises the psychedelic experience of others to ensure they remain safe throughout the experience.

Refers to consuming psilocybin and LSD together.