Cannabis and trying to AP.

[Landshark]

Drugs are bad, don't do them... Seriously You can last longer with many things ................ Pervs i know what you were thinking, but whatever floats your boat n_n honestly though, don't do drugs. and especially don't do them when you are doing any spiritual work

~astraladdict

its just pot. Really not a big deal. Should't even be classified as "drugs"

[Xanth]

its just pot. Really not a big deal. Should't even be classified as "drugs"

I agree... however, the fact remains that it's a consciousness altering substance, regardless of the legality of it.
That altering isn't always controllable by the user.

Personalreality, a dude who posts here, uses a nice metaphor for describing the problems with using drugs (or other consciousness altering substances).
I'll just paste it here, cause it rocks and is 100% accurate:

I've referenced this analogy before.

Achieving OBE/AP is like climbing a mountain.

When you do it through dedicated practice, you learn the topography of the path like the back of your hand and could navigate the way "with your eyes closed", to the peak and back down the mountain.

Using hallucinogens is like strapping on a jet pack and shooting to the top.  You get there, but you have no idea how you got there or how to get back down.  You didn't learn anything along the way so the context of the experience is completely different.  That's not to say that this experience is bad or wrong, it will just be different.  However, there is also the chance of completely over-shooting the summit and winding up on the other side of the mountain (which could refer to you being in a completely different mental context after the experience, i.e. psychologically pathological....crazy).

Either way is valid because you're still getting there.  However, hiking up the mountain provides you with more details and contextualizes the experience so that you have a better understanding of what it is to be on the top of the mountain.  It also provides you with a "map" so that you might return to the summit anytime you choose to do so, not just when your jet pack has been refueled and tuned-up.  In addition, the map you gained from hiking allows you to retain what you gathered at the summit and again, it puts it in proper context because "the journey back down" provides you with the means to assimilate the new knowledge.

http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_out_of_body_experiences/have_anyone_tried_obe_with_dmt-t34527.0.html;msg286941#msg286941

[thatguy]

I used to smoke pot everyday often heavily for around 5 years. At least I can talk about the effect on dreaming. When I used to smoke I only had a few dreams per month and I could barely remember them.

I quit smoking about 6 month ago for several reasons and since I quit, I dream almost every night and sometimes more than one dream per night. Though pot help me relax and meditate better than being clean.

BTW, pot is not physically addictive but it can be psychologically addictive. It was very hard for me to quit, and often I crave it so bad but I plan on not smoking at least for a year.

[apsinvo]

It really does affect everyone differently. Personal experience is that it hinders progress. It seems to be possible to get more relaxed and slightly deeper into trance, but then that's about it. In terms of dreaming practices in general, THC also suppresses REM sleep which I personally believe is tied with AP.

[the8reader]

i dont think it can really help you if you are high at the time.. but i notice when i smoke, the next day i am able to do it quite easly.. maby because i am relaxed and my mind is not clouded but at ease with the world. maby im the only one that feels like this the next day.. i am not an avid smoker eather... also when i am high i feel like i can collecet enerygy easier and move it around. but again could all be in my head. but whatever helps right.. so i would say a yes to this but dont try while on it but after, like a day. also a no if you are a very avid smoker, its just going to take time out of you day to practice right and to get any sort of rythem down to do it sucsessfully. just my two cents.

[light487]

Also, if you're trying to do OBEs at night, try doing OBEs in the morning after you awaken.  And, don't try to control the process.  Make a clear request to OBE, and tell yourself that you will try to remember to OBE when the time comes.  Then, just relax and allow your body to fall asleep ... if you get into a mode of falling asleep and waking up without OBEs, that is good since you can go right back to sleep and try again.  After a while, you will get it.... 

Hrmm.. yes.. I see what you mean, I think. Just let it happen.

I think I have been trying to force it too much. I lay there and then when I finally get to a hypnogogic state, I snap out of it because I don't want to fall asleep.. but what you're saying is to basically keep focused on that one "suggestion" to yourself that you want to OBE; even ask yourself to help achieve an OBE.. and then just allow yourself to drift off.. with the intent of OBE'ing, rather than the intent of sleeping. If you do sleep, fine.. just wakeup and do it again.. is that right?

[ayearhasgone]

I recommend 24 hours of being drug-free before attempting a projection (this includes caffeine!)  At least as far as occasional use goes.  Chronic use is much more complicated because your brain has been rewired and the psychoactive chemicals could be in your body for months after quitting. 

At your current rate of cannabis intake, you will not have a verifiable conscious exit projection, ever.  People don't like to hear that but it's the truth.  You may have drug-induced projections that are hard to verify because you don't know if it's the drug or an actual projection, if that makes sense.

I have no issue with drug use and believe all psychoactive substances should be decriminalized.  But I do have an issue with chronic use and dependence of anything, whether it be crystal meth or coffee.  You need to seriously consider cutting back on the cannabis.

[light487]

Hrmm.. I've not seen anyone mention the use of coffee inhibiting projections or awareness in projections, I've actually seen where people use a morning coffee to snap themselves awake just prior to making OBE attempts. Not having a go at you or anything, I'm just wondering where you got that from?

[Landshark]

All i know is being stoned has to effect your abilities to project. it makes you alot more tired, as you know. Idk about if it's just in your system. but if you smoked that day, speaking from experience, you're usually just a little groggier and more tired throughout the day. 24 hours or so sober is a good idea. To quit smoking pot in general might be a little too much effort with no helpful results, so I wouldn't try that.

[HiRes]

It has NO benefit to consciously aware projections.
Will it take you into the non-physical?  Sure...
Will you be able to have a controlled experience?  Probably NOT?

What kind of growth can you have in an uncontrolled non-physical experience?
Well, how spiritually growing are your normal dreams?  Not so much...

That's only one aspect of why using drugs to achieve an altered state is unadvised.

Marijuana.. is A TOOL used to achieve a higher state of awareness.
It is a manifestation of consciousness, that decided to become a plant that would allow for access to this state of being.
It has different states it puts you in.. but if you learn to control this, you can achieve whatever state of consciousness you wish.

You are not a slave to a tool.. the tool is your slave to do with as you please

As for using it to shoot to a certain point, and possibly over shooting it?
I do not allow this 'shooting' process to occur. I force it to slow down, and teach me to do it itself.
If I get shot out though, and cannot control it.. When I start coming down, I try to reach the point of the summit again.. Eventually, it will allow me to master things that would normally take much longer :]

[Stookie_]

Some would argue that marijuana and hallucinogens original purpose was to spur on the expansion of consciousness in early man... it could be that religion and creativity and scientific thinking arose out of early human experimentation. But you could also argue that we've advanced to where we don't need them anymore, that normal human consciousness has expanded as far as we can go with them, and that from here on out we need to do it on our own and take charge and responsibility for our own growth. Going back to the ancient ways will only take us to where we've already been.

(I don't know, I'm just throwing a different perspective out there)

[HiRes]

I see what you mean. And yes, it is our job to expand our own consciousness.. The tools are just that.. tools.. if you over use them, you get lost.. if you dont use them at all, your all on your own..
I believe that our consciousness will naturally expand more when a certain day comes.. around Dec 21 2012 ;p

[Landshark]

as in we'll become aware of the fact that it's like any other day? The malls will be crowded and christmas cheer will be in the are. I'll be smoking a bowl and enjoying watching the clock strike 12:01 marking Dec. 22

[spacecat]

chronically, it depends on your tolerance, yif your obsessed with the plant, you need some work.

It really doesn't matter how much you use, I think it helps because it helps you let go of unwanted brain garbage that doesn't matter one bit to me although its in your mind, stuff like your awareness and cautions. safer and cheaper than skydiving.
So I would say its how and when you use it , i have had an OOBE while awake and walking while under a light smoke unintentional. it just happened.
When you have too much on the mind you lose you sense of time, but i really want to figure out how the clock goes fast and then slow.

your Desires are more natural and effective. tapering of the frequency (once every 2 weeks, then three, then a month, etc ) of plant use i have had countless OOBEs , if you just stop smoking it all together it messes up your sleep patterns and get wired as an insombie.

[Lexy]

My old guru said something like each drug keeps you in it's collective consciousness, you won't be able to outside of that. You are being tricked into keep using it. You cannot evolve with the use of drugs, you are just having an experience. That is all some people want. Its up to you.