Altered states of consciousness don’t have only one access method, in fact, you can access altered states of consciousness through a lot of different modalities and practices that don’t require the use of substances at all.

To understand altered states, we must first understand what is happening fundamentally on a neurological and physiological level, then we can see what other modalities evoke the same type of reaction in the brain and body.

Let’s dive in.

What is An Altered State of Consciousness?

When most of us think of altered states of consciousness, we tend to think of the psychedelic substance-induced hallucinogenic state. This is only one altered state out of many which we’ll touch on shortly.

An altered state of consciousness, or non-ordinary state, is a change in one’s normal state in which the mind is aware yet not in the usual wakefulness that we experience in our daily lives.

In altered states of consciousness, one’s subjective experience is changed through new ways of understanding and processing information. In some of these states, there are measurable changes in brain waves which ultimately changes the way the brain is processing.

How to Access Altered States of Consciousness?

Accessing altered states of consciousness is not as unusual as you might think, in fact, you might access non-ordinary states daily depending on the structure of your life and your daily habits.

Psychedelic Substances

The most familiar altered-state inducers are none other than psychedelic compounds and substance such as LSD and psilocybin.

Depending on the mode of activation, these substances act on different receptors and brain functionality, altering the way the brain is receiving and processing information. 

Traditional psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin mushrooms activate the serotonin receptor 5HT2A. When these receptors are stimulated in the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain most responsible for personality expression, decision-making, and processing information, it leads to the production of a chemical that helps nurture brain pathways and promote the growth of new ones called BDNF or Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor. 

This opens up a window of opportunity for the brain to not only observe and think in new non-ordinary ways, but also maintain these changes through the growth of new neural pathways.

Meditation

Meditation is a unique way to alter your brain’s state. By focusing attention on a singular point, it’s possible to control the amount of sensory information that is coming into the frontal cortex. 

Mindfulness and meditation practices are unique in that they have a direct impact on the parasympathetic nervous system. When the parasympathetic nervous system is activated, the body and the mind ease and relax as deep as one can go in their practice.

This deep, relaxed state is prime for accessing deeper consciousness, gaining new perspective, and finding more compassion for self and others.

Dreaming

Though not everyone remembers the dreams they have, dreaming is a very regular occurrence in humans. Dreaming occurs during REM (rapid-eye-movement) sleep. Most people tend to categorize dreaming as an out-of-body experience where they take flight to a far away place.

When we dream, the brain regions responsible for basic sensory perception are deactivated, yet we have full access to our past memories on a subconscious level. 

If you can recall your dreams upon waking, you can then analyze your dreams from a different perspective. These hallucinations can hold important messages and takeaways depending on how much information we can extract from them.

Driving to and From Work on the Freeway

Have you ever gotten to work or a destination you drive to rather frequently and don’t remember how you got there? Then odds are you were in an altered state of consciousness.

When our brain is conditioned to know exactly what actions to take without much thought, then it can operate in a different way, often tapping into the theta wave brain state. In this state you might have revolutionary thoughts or even solve a problem you’ve been trying to solve for quite some time. That’s because in theta brain wave activity multiple areas of the brain become connected.

Imagine all these different parts of the brain going online and talking to each other when they normally don’t. New neural pathways are going to connect which can help with complex problem solving and overall flow and creativity. 

Your drive to work just became an asset to tapping into your brain’s creativity center.

Holotropic Breathwork

Breathwork is a practice that has been used for thousands of years in several different practices globally. Holotropic breathing, or circular breathing, is when you don’t take any breaks between breaths and link inhales and exhales one after another repeatedly. 

The results can be very psychedelic and can have profound effects on consciousness as the breath quickens, the oxygen content increases and carbon dioxide content decreases. This process alongside conscious breathing increases neuronal activity and can even help process trauma, anxiety or depression. 

This state when done intentionally can be profound and highly healing, and most resembles the state induced by psychedelic substances, causing visuals, involuntary body movements and perception changes.

Altered States of Consciousness for Healing

Familiarizing yourself with these modalities to tap into altered states of consciousness can give you greater access to the tools that can help inspire change and healing. 

Altered states can help you see things from a different perspective in a way you haven’t before. When combined with the benefits of the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system and increased neuronal function, these new thoughts and ideas have a much better chance of sticking.

As with psychedelic altered states, whatever you gain from these experiences requires integration into your day to day life to reap the rewards. When you use these methods in practice on a regular basis you’ll surely start to see changes in your cognitive function that can improve the quality of your life. 

All without ever touching a psychedelic substance, unless of course you want to!