Marijuana, medication and OBEs

[missym]

So I have recently started using marijuana (medicinally) for pain relief as I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and seeing as everything the doctors prescribe me cause severe stomach pain, smoking weed seems to be the lesser of two evils. I was wondering, does frequent/constant marijuana use affect whether or not you can consciously project and remember your projections? I haven't been able to project much at all, only about once every 3 months (I used to have a projection at least every two-three weeks). Regarding medication, I am on an SSRI, citalopram 30 mg daily and amitriptyline 10 mg daily. Both are to try to manage my chronic pain but right now it's unknown how effective they are going to be. Do either of these meds affect OBE'S? I have been having crazy dreams lately but having a very difficult time remembering them (just sort of a feeling - faint memory)

[Stillwater]

If you are like most moderate-heavy users, you will probably face a mild level of general memory-formation impairment- that is probably the most serious symptom I am aware of which there is data to support. Like you say though, it may well be your best option if pharmaceuticals are the competitors. In a way, I am imagining you will find certain kinds of projections easier, and others more difficult. You will find fully-conscious cross-over type experiences near impossible, because you won't be able to maintain gentle focus for long enough. You may also find projections of the sort long-period meditators sometimes experience much easier to achieve- these sorts of experiences begin as a sort of reality-dissociation where you become progressively more separated from what is going on around you, and end up in a sort of "Alice in Wonderland" trip.

If you have no better options, and force of will, or lifestyle changes can't create a positive change, it is a viable option.

Many Doctors believe Fibromyalgia may be caused by spinal misalignments, principally in the neck, and chiropractors may offer a lot of help in that regard. Also, strangely vigorous exercise will help many sufferers. I have close relatives for whom this is the case; they have a clinical diagnosis of Fibromyalgia, and they find as long as they go to workout once every day or two, their pain ends up being much more managable.

We can't really give medically sound advice here, for obvious reasons, but those are my thoughts!

[Astralzombie]

Definitely listen to your doctors advice. Since you are already an accomplished projector you may be able to tweak your method in order to get you back on track.

Many cannabis users report that using the drug has had no real effects on their ability. As for the other medications, I haven't a clue.

Good luck.

[Lookedynamixhales]

It relaxes me more, sometimes it makes it fairly easy other times it doesn't depends how much of the effects you feel. The come down after normally provides the best results.

Looke (:

[seapony]

I agree with Astralzombie.....stick to your meds if they are helping with your issues. You can tweak your methods
of APing around them.

I know...I have MS.

When it was remitant/remissive , I used to go out all the time, except during flare ups. Had some wonderful experiances, and learned a lot too.
Then it went "progressive" and I am in pain pretty much all the time,(this is "progress" ?), And pain can really get in the way.
Plus, some meds or herbs can get in the way by making you to sleepy or muzzy. So I stopped trying for a while. I don't use regular 'meds',
only herbs, diet , meditation and the like to manage my issues. And there is nothing like an OBE, however brief, to make one feel
good !  Cannabis just makes me sleepy, so I don't use that unless I'm having stomach issues, as it settles things there. So not much.
I use a vaporizor, and use herbs like Wild Lettuce for muscle spasms and Sutherlandia Frutescens  for nerve pain. I also take Synaptolepsis
Kirkii  as studies show it to rebuild nerve tissue. All these herbs are legal, and they are all also known to
be used as dream enhancers. The Hopi used to smoke the resin of Wild Lettuce for "realistic dreams". I use the leaf myself, and grow it.
I have had OBE's while using these herbs. I can't really say if they help or not in that aspect, as I take them in small doses for
other reasons, but I have read about people having very strong dreams while using these. But I do have to constantly tweak my
doses and adjust them to the amount of pain I am having, as it varies a lot. My OBE"s tend to be shorter than they were, but I do have them.
And I must say that being on this forum has helped a lot too ! I've been reminded of lots of ideas and methods, and that has helped a lot.
The "Mind awake-body asleep" has help as a meditation to ease some pain as well as ease me out of body. I use some hemi-sync titles too.
Things are different for every one... But tweak, take notes and keep trying !

[Who Am I]

I used MJ before and had OBEs the same night of smoking it. I only smoked 2-3 x per week, though. not sure about your meds...

weed wont effect your OBEs unless you abuse the heck out of it imo.

[desert-rat]

Some general advice to any one using any drug , know what you are doing . weed is not that bad , but some drugs can hurt or kill you . You can never trust your experence while using drugs . One would not want that trip out of body a one way trip .   

[ThaomasOfGrey]

You should be able to use Marijuana multiple times daily without it affecting your ability to astral project. I have heard rumours that Marijuana prevents you from having dreams. This is simply not true, I have high awareness dreams every night.

Marijuana can actually be quite helpful for entering a trance I find. It increases your ability to focus on the non physical by amplifying your thoughts and reducing normal physical sensation. Using self hypnosis videos on youtube I have found that a 20 second hypnosis session with Marijuana will put you into a trance that would normally take 10-20 minutes to achieve with regular meditation for me.

I have also heard of people combining edibles with isolation tanks to have astral projections. This is coming from people who have never heard of astral projection and are not actually trying to induce it. It is spoken about often on the Joe Rogan podcast.

[Who Am I]

You should be able to use Marijuana multiple times daily without it affecting your ability to astral project. I have heard rumours that Marijuana prevents you from having dreams. This is simply not true, I have high awareness dreams every night.

Marijuana can actually be quite helpful for entering a trance I find. It increases your ability to focus on the non physical by amplifying your thoughts and reducing normal physical sensation. Using self hypnosis videos on youtube I have found that a 20 second hypnosis session with Marijuana will put you into a trance that would normally take 10-20 minutes to achieve with regular meditation for me.

I have also heard of people combining edibles with isolation tanks to have astral projections. This is coming from people who have never heard of astral projection and are not actually trying to induce it. It is spoken about often on the Joe Rogan podcast.

first of all... bonk JOE ROGAN!

second, while MJ may work for you, doesn't interfere with APs, and helps people concentrate, it also hinders your Dream Recall enormously. plus, it's really difficult to meditate after smoking for me, and lots of other people.

and remember, in order to achieve AP, you must have excellent Dream Recall. if you don't have that, I'd highly recommend staying away from MJ.

[OOBE717]

I would be more concerned about the SSRIs affecting your dream memory and consistency than MJ. some say that it affects your dream recollection, but I am skeptical. Marijuana affects everyone differently and varies by stands. I'm sure that some strains impare your memory while others may enhance it. More research needs to be done before making these claims of psychic "soot". Then come your experience with the substance...

[Who Am I]

I would be more concerned about the SSRIs affecting your dream memory and consistency than MJ. some say that it affects your dream recollection, but I am skeptical. Marijuana affects everyone differently and varies by stands. I'm sure that some strains impare your memory while others may enhance it. More research needs to be done before making these claims of psychic "soot". Then come your experience with the substance...

which strands exactly "enhance" your memory? or are you jus speculating? I only lose Dream Recall the more I smoke. if I don't smoke for long periods of time, I could remember almost all my dreams, or at least in the 70-80% range. on MJ, it's more like 20-30%. I still have OBEs though, or even LDs...

[Bluefirephoenix]

All medication has side effects and you have to balance the side effects to the desired effect. The marijuana prescription needs to be taken just like any other prescription. No more no less and follow up visits to the physician to see if it's doing what you want.

In using medications you may have to let the idea of doing conscious astral projections go. Psychoactive medications, especially sedatives  tend to interfere with perception and memory. Both are subtle in astral projection.  I had a friend who had to make the same decision. Pain also interferes so it's difficult.

On the other hand you may not be aware that there are other ways of handling Fibromyalgia. Now this is something that YOU need to look into and decide for yourself.  I was looking into medical hypnosis mainly for esoteric purposes but then I found it was within my professional scope of practice.  One of the primary uses is pain control.  I've done a couple experimental sessions myself and am pleased with the result and I think it's worth looking into.

If you can use that to control your pain you will also be able to enhance your astral projection ability. You can possibly kill two birds with one stone.

Because this is new to me and I'm not familiar with what makes it work or not work, I would ask if you do look into it and try that therapy that you come back and let us know.