If you don’t have anything planned for tonight, you might want to grab a chair and sit out on your balcony or in your garden, and just take a moment to gaze up at the stars. Today—July 2—is World UFO Day! This day commemorates the alleged UFO crash of the 1947 Roswell UFO incident. The original purpose of this day is to raise awareness of the “indisputable existence of UFOs” and to encourage governments to declassify their files on UFO sightings.
But Dutch-Smart wouldn’t be Dutch-Smart if we didn’t put a much more fun spin on it. Today, we’re not necessarily focusing on a possible UFO sighting, but rather telling you about a natural substance that’s so psychedelic and hallucinogenic that there’s a chance you might start seeing “extraterrestrial beings” yourself—or even communicate with them. There are remarkable reports of people coming into contact with strange entities while using this psychedelic. Are you curious about which substance we’re talking about? Then read on!
“One of the most remarkable features of the DMT experience is the frequency with which users encounter non-human ‘entities,’ which often resemble aliens.”
DMT - Extraterrestrial Psychedelic
Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a naturally occurring psychedelic substance found in many plants and animals. In fact, DMT is even present to some extent in our brains. Although the substance is less well-known than other psychedelics such as psilocybin (magic mushrooms or magic truffles) or LSD, the effects of DMT are quite intense and unique. When DMT is smoked, most people experience intense and colorful hallucinations for about 15 to 30 minutes.
When a DMT-containing substance (such as Mimosa Hostilis or Chacruna) is mixed into Ayahuasca with a so-called MAO inhibitor (such as Banisteriopsis Caapi), these effects are prolonged and can last up to 7 hours. One of the most remarkable features of the DMT experience is the frequency with which users encounter non-human “entities,” which often resemble aliens. And it’s even more intense than that: a significant number of these individuals remain convinced after their trip that these entities are real.
In the 1990s, psychiatrist Rick Strassman conducted groundbreaking research on the effects of DMT. He described the results in his now extremely popular book DMT: The Spirit Molecule. Volunteers tested various doses of DMT and experienced diverse effects, such as visual and auditory distortions, kaleidoscopic patterns, and a shift in perception.
Strange beings and entities
But one thing in particular was “remarkable.” About half of all volunteers described how, during their trip, they became immersed in so-called “separate, independent planes of existence.” These places were inhabited by what they themselves called “beings,” “aliens,” “entities,” “guides,” or “helpers.”
Terrence McKenna, another famous researcher and figure in the world of psychedelics, experienced exactly the same thing. He described these beings as “self-transforming machine-elves.” The man dedicated his life to exploring the many realms of psychedelic experiences. McKenna also described his experiences with DMT as otherworldly, positing that if aliens existed, they might be hiding within these experiences. He views them as extraterrestrial entities that regard humans as “stubborn,” who only open themselves up to mystical experiences by taking psychedelic substances.
Although many find the DMT trip too bizarre to attach any depth to, McKenna himself found it very meaningful. He believed it could be a glimpse of reality after death, a parallel spirit not too far removed from our own.
“McKenna also described his experiences with DMT as extraterrestrial, positing that if aliens existed, they might be hiding within these experiences.”
Mother Ayahuasca
In addition to Strassman and McKenna, the world, of course, has many more advocates of psychedelic substances. One of them is Graham Hancock, a British writer and journalist who specializes in pseudoscientific theories. During a TEDx Talk titled “The War on Consciousness,” he described his use of ayahuasca, an Amazonian brew that also contains the active ingredient DMT. He says he participates in shamanic ceremonies involving ayahuasca several times a year and has had quite a few extraordinary experiences himself. When he speaks about his experiences with DMT-containing ayahuasca, he says he encounters a recurring entity that is always concerned with his well-being. He refers to this DMT entity as Mother Ayahuasca.
Yet, according to Hancock, these entities are not always “positive.” He claims there are also beings among them who do not have our best interests at heart. He mentions negative entities that seek to deceive us, much like an archetypal demon. He says he encountered many of these entities when he was shown his own death, and described them as something out of a painting by the Dutch artist Hieronymus Bosch.
Do we really see aliens during a DMT trip?
But what is the deal with these beings, really? Are they “real”? Or are they simply figments of our imagination? What is remarkable about these studies is that many experiences are consistent. In other words: many people who use DMT-containing substances see the same kind of entities. Sometimes, however, the entities were loving and caring; other times, they were emotionless. Strassman noted the striking parallels between these “encounters” with “extraterrestrial beings” and reports of alien abductions.
The psychologist was so astonished by the frequency of these encounters with these entities that in his book he even suggests that these beings might actually be real inhabitants of some sort of normally invisible alternative reality, perhaps even a parallel universe.
Scientifically, all of the above is difficult to explain. In fact, there is absolutely no evidence that such “entities” that are seen are even remotely real. Yet many thousands of people swear by them. Will we ever find out what it really is? We certainly hope so!
