Psychedelics aren’t a monolith. They’re a spectrum—a map of molecules, plants, and portals—each unlocking different dimensions of perception, healing, and insight.
From ancient cacti and sacred fungi to lab-born compounds that split open the psyche, these substances are more than tools. They’re teachers.
The classic psychedelics: serotonergic compounds
These substances primarily activate the 5-HT2A serotonin receptors, altering mood, cognition, and sensory experience.
1. Psilocybin (Magic Mushrooms)
- Found in 200+ mushroom species
- Induces visual distortions, emotional release, and ego dissolution
- Used in Indigenous rituals for millennia; now studied for depression and PTSD
2. LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide)
- Discovered by Albert Hofmann in 1938
- Known for 8–12 hour journeys, fractals, time loops, and expanded cognition
- A cornerstone of counterculture—now resurging in psychotherapeutic research
3. DMT & Ayahuasca
- DMT is found in plants, animals, and the human body
- Smoked DMT: A 5–15 minute rocket into hyperspace (entities, geometry, otherworldly insights)
- Ayahuasca: A DMT-containing brew from the Amazon, paired with MAOIs for extended journeys (2–6 hours)
- Used in healing, divination, and ancestral reconnection by Indigenous cultures
4. Mescaline (Peyote & San Pedro)
- Found in sacred cacti like Peyote (North America) and San Pedro (Andes)
- Gentle, heart-opening, visionary—with emphasis on emotional clarity and nature connection
- Used ceremonially for thousands of years
Empathogens: psychedelics that open the heart
Unlike the classics, these work through serotonin + dopamine to enhance empathy, bonding, and emotional insight.
5. MDMA (Ecstasy, Molly)
- Technically an entactogen—not a classic psychedelic
- Promotes emotional openness, trust, and connection
- Used in MAPS trials for PTSD with significant success
- Often used in relational healing, couples therapy, and trauma release
Dissociatives: the break from reality
These psychedelics produce a sense of detachment from the body, self, or external world.
6. Ketamine
- Originally an anesthetic—now a breakthrough treatment for depression and suicidality
- Induces out-of-body states, ego loosening, and emotional reset
- Fast-acting and widely used in clinical ketamine therapy
7. Salvia divinorum
- A potent dissociative herb from the Mazatec people of Mexico
- Often smoked for short, disorienting, and surreal visions
- Not euphoric—can be challenging, bizarre, and deeply symbolic
Other notable compounds
- 2C-B: Synthetic psychedelic with both visual and empathic effects (sometimes called “psychedelic ecstasy”)
- Ibogaine: Derived from African Tabernanthe iboga root—used for addiction treatment and soul retrieval
- 5-MeO-DMT: Found in toad venom and plants—known as the "God Molecule" for inducing nondual, ego-erasing states
Choosing your medicine
Every compound is a different teacher.
Substance Duration Primary Effect Typical Use Case Psilocybin 4–6 hrs Insight, emotion, unity Depression, spiritual growth LSD 8–12 hrs Visuals, time distortion, cognition Creativity, therapy, consciousness study DMT 5–15 mins Intense visions, hyperspace Mystical experience, entity contact Ayahuasca 2–6 hrs Healing, purge, ancestral reconnection Trauma, spiritual clearing Mescaline 8–12 hrs Heart-opening, nature communion Emotional clarity, ceremonial use MDMA 3–6 hrs Empathy, openness, connection PTSD therapy, relationship repair Ketamine 45 min–1 hr Detachment, reset, reflection Depression, suicidality, pattern reset Salvia 5–10 mins Surreal, dissociative, nonlinear Vision work, shamanic symbolism
Real talk
These aren’t party tricks. They’re portals. Psychedelics can expand you—but they can also dismantle you.
Set, setting, dosage, and integration determine whether the journey becomes medicine or mayhem.
Respect the compound. Know the source. Know yourself.
Final thoughts
There’s no “best psychedelic.” Only the right one for the moment, the question, the soul stage you’re in.
This map isn’t just about chemicals. It’s about choosing the key that fits your door.
Where you go is up to you. What you bring back—that’s the work.
📚 Resources
