Miscellaneous Questions

Where can I find out more about Psychic Questing?

Check out the Psychic Questing Library section of this site for the “core texts” of Psychic Questing. Many are out of print but keep an eye on eBay where they are often auctioned.
More importantly go along to the annual Psychic Questing conference (QuestCon). Full details are on the Andrew Collins website (see the Web Links section of this site).

Is Psychic Questing Dangerous

Although much of this site takes a light-hearted tone, it should always be remembered that no psyche-intensive activity is free of danger. My personal belief is that Psychic Questing should be approached with caution, preferably with the assistance of an experienced guide and is not recommended for those of a nervous disposition.

However, this view is not universally shared and for a different slant I reproduce an excerpt from an interview with Daniel Pinchbeck by Greg Taylor of The Daily Grail (see Web Links section of this site for links to both).

GT: But what about the ‘dangers’ of the Astral Plane – as Dion Fortune says, just because a voice speaks from another plane of existence doesn’t mean that it is good-natured and omnipotent. How does the ‘novice’ approach neo-shamanism? Is it essential to have experienced guides?

DP: The only thing you can do is use your intelligence and intuition to separate good information from bad – not just in regard to Astral entities but in politics and life. All the occult writers strongly caution against giving up your will to any “Other,” no matter how glamorous or seemingly wise. I am not sure, however, that anyone could do worse than George Bush, and the directives of any Astral Entity are likely to be an improvement over CNN or Hollywood.

It can be good to have guides but they are not always available and life is short. Some psychonauts are proponents of the “heroic dose,” but I am not really one of them. I think there are advantages to starting with smaller amounts and getting used to the space before diving in to some massive experience of ego-explosion. I think that most people will know when or if they need guides. It has also become a problem in modern society that we always feel we need “professionals” before we can do anything for ourselves. I know people who run all over the world chasing shamans and lamas and that seems a bit ridiculous to me – a form of spiritual consumerism.