Want to explore the power of psychedelic states without drugs? In this article, we’ll show you how you can achieve this, all while in the comforts of your own home. We’ll explore five types of non-drug induced states of altered consciousnesses and put them to the test. First, we’ll explain the science behind why they work. Then, we’ll have our Content and Community Manager Caitlin try each method out and share her honest experiences about their effects.
So why do people want to explore non-drug induced altered states of consciousness? Psychedelic therapies have been on the rise due to the healing powers they have been offering within the world of mental health. While this shift in perception is exciting, the truth is that they are still not easily accessible to the public. And for those who are able to access, it’s worth noting that a psychedelic journey can last for a few hours with the participant having no ability to stop the experience when they want to.
Some people turn to non-drug induced altered states of consciousness to experience what a psychedelic journey would be like. They are interested in exploring their minds and experiencing immersive visual hallucinations while remaining in complete control. Others turn to these kinds of practices to deepen their meditations, help reduce stress and anxiety or to sleep better. These experiences can also be used as a means of self discovery and healing; a vehicle to open up the doors to your mind and explore whatever feelings and emotions follow.
While there are many forms of non-drug induced altered states of consciousness, our article will cover sensory deprivation, eye gazing, holotropic breathing, shamanic journeying and brainwave entrainment.
Brainwave Entrainment - Lumenate
Here at Lumenate, we strongly believe that through altered states of consciousness you can get a new perspective on life and meaningfully improve your overall mental wellbeing. In fact, it’s our company mission to make these experiences more accessible than ever and inspire millions to live more fulfilling lives!
We began by reviewing hundreds of scientific papers covering subconscious exploration states such as the ones we’ve highlighted above in this article: sensory deprivation, psychedelics, shamanic trances, breathing exercises as well as other altered states. We then joined-the-dots and came up with our ‘design brief’ for the perfect brain state for subconscious exploration – brainwave entrainment.
Brainwave entrainment is when a sudden sensory input, e.g. a flashing light, causes neurons in the brain to react and fire in response. When the flashing is repeated at a given frequency, the neurons adjust their natural rhythm to synchronise with that of the input. By softly influencing these rhythms, it is possible to safely guide the brain into a desired state in such a way that once the flashing is removed, the brain almost instantly returns to its normal patterns, halting any effects. It’s what we do here at Lumenate using the flash from your mobile phone, pairing with carefully curated music.
Through our research, We’ve found that our app offers an experience that sits somewhere between deep meditation and psychedelics, with subjective and neurological data to support this. The experience lets you achieve a profound and immersive altered state of consciousness in a matter of seconds, while also being able to halt any effects once the flashing light is turned off, allowing the brain to quickly go back to its normal rhythms.
Our research and the technology we’ve created is now contributing towards consciousness research studies at Imperial College London and Freie Universität Berlin.
You can read more about the history of brainwave entrainment, as well as our deeper research here.
Caitlin's Lumenate Experience
For full disclosure, I work for Lumenate as their Content & Community Manager. However, before applying for the role, I extensively tested out the sessions before joining the team to better understand just exactly what Lumenate was doing to help people become more inspired and explore their minds. While I regularly do Lumenate sessions and for the purpose of this blog did do a few Lumenate sessions to compare to the other types of non-drug induced altered states of consciousness I’ve written about above, I think it’s best to share about the magic I experienced when trying Lumenate out for the first time.
The best thing about the journal feature (which is available for you to reflect on your experience after each session) is that I have notes from some of my very first Lumenate experiences. I tested out a few different sessions and was impressed on hearing Golden Globe winner, Rosamund Pike’s voice guiding many of the sessions. She not only narrates some sessions, but also is our Creative Director who when describing Lumenate has said that, “The tool is both innovative and groundbreaking. I cannot wait for the world to experience it.”
One early session that was immediately impactful for me was Sleep Reflections, a 10 or 15 minute session which helps you to reflect on your day as you unwind and drift off to sleep. For context, I had not experienced brainwave entrainment, nor the Lumenate app before. As per the app’s helpful instructions, I went upstairs, made my room dark with my blackout curtains, got into bed and put on headphones. I turned the app so that the flashlight was facing me and held it a few centimetres away. Soon, music started playing and through my closed eyelids the light sequence started flashing.
Within seconds I started seeing a shifting kaleidoscope of colours and patterns. It was unlike anything I had experienced before, and I was completely immersed. The music combined with the flashing lights made for a very profound experience that took me deep within myself. As I reflected on my day, I intensely started visualising the events that took place and started seeing them from a shifted perspective. What would have been considered an ordinary day suddenly became one of living poetry, by the end of which made me cry appreciative tears.
Here’s what I wrote within my journal:
Sleeping in, crusty eyes, a cat’s tail flicking across my chest, dancing with headphones, workout weights and my partner smiling, his yellow beanie, mine black, the gloves, a smile and Clapham, closed charity shops, New York pizza, au revoir to The Dairy and Counter Culture, backwards into Sainsburys, a smile, vinegar chip spray, two strawberries, two more smiles, runny yolk, the sizzle of a steak, the view of a plant. I cried with tears of absolute joy reflecting on today. I feel calm and beautiful. This moment was gorgeous and reflective.
I remember ending the session feeling profoundly different, as if I had unearthed layers of myself. I couldn’t believe 15 minutes had passed and I realised that my body which wasn’t very present during my experience suddenly felt incredibly relaxed. My brain felt different; I was calmer and more in tune with myself than I had been all day (all month, in fact). It was a phenomenally powerful experience that I wasn’t expecting. I was incredibly moved by it.
You can also try out the Lumenate experience by downloading it for free here. I’d love to know your experience with it.
The Ganzfeld Effect
‘Ganzfeld’ literally translates to “whole field” in German. The concept of the ganzfeld effect was first invented in the 1930’s by a German psychologist named Wolfgang Metzger. As healthline.com nicely explains, the effect refers to an ‘unstructured, uniform space covering your entire visual field.’
Participants cover their eyes with something such as ping pong ball halves, though you can also make a DIY version with a paper mask with cotton balls. Then, they wear noise cancelling headphones and listen to white noise to reduce outside sounds. By blocking out the visual and audio input, they start depriving the brain of the sensory cues. The effect is sensory deprivation, which can lead to hallucinations.
This effect has led to the creation of float tanks which take sensory deprivation a step further. Float tanks are pods that minimise light and sound while allowing a person to float, reducing the sensation of weight or touch.
Caitlin’s Ganzfeld Effect Experience
In order to create my own at-home Ganzfeld Effect, I bought ping pongs and cut them up. In my house, we actually have a homemade dark room setup, however, this also would have worked with blackout curtains and a room with fully dispersed light. Some studies historically have used red-gel lamps dispersing light evenly, though other people just used regular light but in an area with reduced shadows.
For full disclosure, the ping pong balls may feel strange when on your eyes. You need to ensure they are fitted tightly and there are no holes and can tape them down if you’re worried about them falling. After securing those, I found a white noise playlist on Spotify. While there are conflicting studies about the length of time you should do this, I set my alarm for 10 minutes.
At first, I saw a muted red. After a few moments, the reds turned to purples and the static white noise became a symphony of tide meeting the mind. I actually started visualising the shoreline of a black sand beach. My eyes felt very strange, as although they were open I kept feeling like they were shut. I would blink to confirm I had them open. It felt as if I was lucid dreaming. The ping pong shields suddenly became my eyes. Eyes which now felt larger, almost like an ant’s gazing out into the galaxies of time. Where was I? Sleeping or awake? Bordering on the precipice of dream and reality. Was this a type of transcendence?
When the alarm sounded, I was surprised at how quickly time had gone. I immediately did another 10 minutes, feeling comfortable with the experience. I’d certainly try this again for a bit longer to see what happens.
Gazing Exercise
As noted in the Ganzfeld Effect section, our brain relies on sensory cues in order to accurately process information. However, while sensory deprivation is a powerful tool that can be used to change your perception, a similar altered state of consciousness can happen when you intentionally increase sensory input.
For many, the idea of staring at someone for a prolonged period of time might sound uncomfortable. As humans, we’re very good at picking up on social cues and detecting another’s gaze with some even claiming this intuition as a 6th sense.
While it’s uncertain who originally wrote, ‘Eyes are the windows to the soul’, the power of the saying still holds true; we gain a lot of information from looking at someone.
To further this, a 2013 study concluded that direct gazing increased activity in the amygdala (a key brain region for face perception). Famously, a series of 1980’s studies concluded that when two strangers stared into each other’s eyes for 2 minutes, both parties reported increased feelings of passionate love for each other. All participants in the studies also reported greater liking of the other (with one exception).
When you practise direct eye gazing, the effects can be profound, increasing your ability to recognise emotions, building trust, fostering intimacy and building a unique sense of connection.
Caitlin's Gazing Exercise
I’ve heard about Gazing Exercises before as a meaningful way to relate to another human being, but also as a way to understand deeper things about yourself. My partner, Rob is an actor and had long since practised this as a warm up as it’s a powerful way to bond with another person quickly.
We set a timer for 5 minutes. The results were pretty fantastic. At first, when you stare into someone’s eyes you feel incredibly exposed and vulnerable. You might have defence mechanisms (such as wanting to look away) to try and cope with the strange sensation of awkwardness you feel when doing something people normally don’t do – stare.
During the experience we both laughed, experimented with blinking, and both got overwhelmed with emotions and teared up. At some point, my vision blurred and his face started morphing into different distorted shapes. We were tuned into each other and when the timer sounded, it felt like 5 seconds had passed, not 5 minutes. It truly felt like a different state of consciousness (or level of emotional connection) and I highly recommend people try it out.
Holotropic Breathing Exercises
Holotropic breathwork is a therapeutic breathing practice that is intended to help with emotional healing and personal growth. It uses rapid breathing and other elements such as music to put individuals in altered states of consciousness.
The breathing was invented by Stanislav Groff, a scientist famed for his early studies of LSD and its effects on the psyche. His book, Realms of the Human Unconscious: Observations from LSD Research, lays the foundation for a radical new psychology, based on an expanded cartography of the human unconsciousness.
When legal LSD use was suppressed in the late 1960s, Grof went on to develop a theory that many states of mind could be explored without drugs by using certain breathing techniques. These techniques would lead the participant into an altered state of consciousness without the use of drugs.
Caitlin’s Holotropic Breathwork:
I was guided into this experience by Neurodynamic Breathwork Online via a worldwide Zoom conference. There were around 70 of us who joined the session, which was led by a licensed breathwork practitioner. The session was 2 hours long, with the first hour including very helpful information about what holotropic breathing is, how you can safely practise it, and what to expect during your sessions. It was very clear that there would be two core principles that underlie the entire process: TRUST and SURRENDER. You would have to trust the process and let your intuition speak for you, letting go of your thinking mind. Then, when different feelings and emotions come to the surface, one should surrender to the inner flow of energetic dynamics.
I lay on the floor on a yoga mat, two pillows, a blanket and a sleep mask to make the experience dark. It quickly became apparent that I’d need an additional hat and cardigan to be even warmer. The specialised music started and I’d be in this experience for the next hour.
I breathed in through my mouth and out through my mouth at a quicker pace than I normally would breathe, ensuring the breath was diaphragmatic. Breathing was initially hard through my mouth until I covered my face with my hat and blanket making the air warmer. During the experience, my fingers started tingling. My leg was twitching and kicking and I also found that I was rocking back and forth with the breathing, almost in a dance-like trance. As the session progressed, I started making noises to release the breath and go deeper. I noticed my hands a lot and when the music crescendoed and felt that I was one with the sound. I could feel the music in my lungs, as if it were part of my being. While I didn’t get any visuals, I did feel my body go into a different place. It was also wonderful to spend an hour with myself. Afterwards I had a slight dazed headache but felt energised.
With practice, I do believe that breathing in this way could access a deeper altered state of consciousness.
Shamanic Journeying
There has been a long history of different cultures mainly through Asia and parts of North America turning to shamans to help them with rituals, divination and healing. One of the leading figures that brought Shamanism to the West was Michael Harner, who has done extensive anthropological work studying these practices. With his efforts he founded The Foundation for Shamanic Studies introducing Core Shamanism as a path of personal development for those who practise neoshamanism.
Although, some shamans have historically used certain drugs such as ayahuasca (a plant based psychedelic) to enhance their healing abilities, in his book, The Way of the Shaman, Harner also lays down the foundations for reaching a shamantic state, or an altered state of consciousness, without drugs.
He describes the practise as such:
“Shamanic methods require a relaxed discipline, with concentration and purpose. Contemporary shamanism, like that in most tribal cultures, typically utilises monotonous percussion sound to enter an altered state of consciousness. This classic drug-free method is remarkably safe.”
Harner argues that with focus and discipline, a person could enter into an altered state of consciousness that would not require any additional substances. If this focus wasn’t maintained, one would simply return back to their regular state of consciousness. He also argued that unlike the long lasting effects of psychedelic drugs, the experience could be ended almost immediately.
Caitlin’s Shamanic Experience:
For the sake of this blog post, I tried out the instructions Harner writes in Chapter 2: The Shamanic Journey: Introduction of The Way of the Shaman. This chapter gives the initial instructions on how to start your shamanic journeying. While it’s important that you read the book before actually practising, the reader is instructed to lie on the floor on a mat (with no blanket or pillow) and visualise an opening to the earth that you’ve remembered at some point in your life. From there, you either have a companion beat a continuous drum, or play a recording of shamanic drumming for around 10 minutes while you go on your journey into a Tunnel (into what’s called the Lowerworld, one of the places a shaman may travel to in a shamanic journey).
Having just finished the Holotropic Breathwork session highlighted above, I felt in the perfect headspace for this journey. I already picked the hole in the ground that I’d try to journey through; a man-made shell grotto in Margate that I had visited last summer. I remember being quite moved by its eerie presence.
I lay down on my yoga mat in the centre of my living room, put a sleep mask on and meditated for a few minutes about the shell grotto. Then I set a 10 minute timer and started the shamanic trance with headphones. At this point I can actually see the shell grotto very clearly and I start walking slowly through the shell corridors, my fingers brushing against the shell walls (Note: if you do visit the shell grotto, please don’t actually touch the shell walls!). Here’s what I visualised:
I walk slowly, so slowly and carefully through the hallways until I meet the altar room at the back. There is a candle burning on the carved shelf in the wall. I turn my head left and see a wall and part of the floor that’s become loose. I somehow know I must pull it back, revealing a different room. If I wanted, I knew I could find endless rooms this way. But I know that I’m not here for rooms. Instead I must journey out of this place. I started digging and travelling through the porous dirt, slowly, slowly until the dirt started meeting sand. It’s the water I’m looking for. Suddenly, I break the sand open and a glorious kind of sunlight pours in. I see the ocean. I grab a handful of the sand, seeing every fleck of shell, relating to every organism it took to make this. I start wiping the sand all over my body, arms and legs. It’s gritty and it hurts my skin. I get the feeling that I shouldn’t be here (Note: At this point in the vision my whole body, lying on the mat in my living room, physically shuddered at this feeling I had and I felt wrong, as if I needed to return.) I slowly walked backwards down the sand tunnel back into the dirt to the rooms of shells, my fingers dragging along the walls with me.
Due to my intense visceral reaction to the sand, I actually end my session 2 minutes early. My head feels as if energy is leaving it from the crown. I am woozy. It was an intense, but extraordinary experience and I would try venturing into the Lowerground again.
Conclusion
There are many ways to reach a non-drug induced altered state of consciousness. This blog only touches the surface on different methods people have tried to reach within and find deeper meaning within themselves. We hope this has been helpful for you and would love to hear your own experiences on reaching an altered state of consciousness at home. Are there other methods you swear by? What would you like to see us discuss next?
If you do try out one of these methods, please get in touch and send us an email at [email protected] describing your experience.
Also, if you’re interested in giving Lumenate a try, we invite you to download our app and get started – it’s free to download. Happy exploring.
