🍄 Your ears are a portal

Hi Reader,

Have you ever considered that one of the keys to unlocking deeper psychedelic experiences might simply be… listening?

Listening goes beyond just hearing.

It's an intentional, mindful act that can transform your psychedelic journeys. It can bring you back to the present moment and amplify the depth of your experiences.

When we truly tune in, we can can change the level of our awareness. This can result in making emotions clearer, insights sharper, and experiences richer. And yes, this is even true without psychedelics!

At Imperial College London's groundbreaking psilocybin studies, participants were taught mindful listening as part of their preparation. Results were remarkable, participants had profound, long-lasting benefits. It turns out that "just listening" might not be so simple after all.

French experimental composer Michel Chion breaks listening down into three modes:

• Causal Listening: Identifying the source ("Ah, that's a violin!").
• Semantic Listening: Understanding literal meanings (lyrics or spoken words).
• Reductive Listening: Letting go of specifics, immersing fully into how music makes you feel.

For psychedelic explorers, reductive listening is particularly powerful. It's about letting music guide your emotional and psychological journey without getting stuck on details.

Want to give it a try? Here’s a simplified guide for Deep Listening:

1. Focus: Direct your attention fully on the music, letting go of distractions.
2. Accept: Embrace every emotion and nuance without judgment.
3. Experience: Let go, surrender control, and allow the music and your experience to unfold naturally.

Put on a track, close your eyes, and give it a go!

Happy listening.

P.S. Thanks to those of you who shared your entrance music last week, I enjoyed imagining your entrance :)

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🎵Psychedelic Supplements

A meditative sonic journey seems well suited for inward explorations...

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And some neo-psych-rock...

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📚 Microdose of Wisdom

“Use them with care, use them with respect as to the transformations they can achieve, and you have an extraordinary research tool.”

— Alexander Shulgin

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🎧 Psychedelic Playlist Tool – Help Me Help You!

I’m giving my psychedelic playlist database a serious upgrade. Soon it’ll be an intuitive tool, fully searchable by mood, substance, genre, and more, designed to take your journeys deeper. But first, I want your input to make sure it’s exactly what you need.

Could you take 2 mins to fill out this quick survey? You’ll be entered into a prize draw for free or discounted access to the upgraded version.

👉 Take the quick survey (and enter the draw for free access!)

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❤️ Love and mettā,

John

John Robertson​
​Psychedelic Facilitator & Educator​
​Maps of the Mind​

Webdelics' Top 100 Psychedelic Thought Leaders and Content Creators​ 2025
Buzzfeed Top 20 Psychedelic Blogs and Websites 2025

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