Non-Physical Time Travel.
We’ve all dreamed about traveling in time, into the past to change something or into the future to see how it all ends. It’s part of being a human, it’s part of our existence. There’s always been dreams that wanted to take it further, either by creating stories — books, movies etc, that shows us that good and the bad with these journeys, and from time to time rebels who worked hard in their barns, in labs or in theory to solve this enigma. Most of them have been laughed at, scorned and ridiculed. But as we progress as humans with technology, maybe one day there will be a solution? I’m not a scientist myself, more of a five penny philosopher — a proud one I might add. What’s in my mind is more of a philosophical journey than anything else, but looking at it with those eyes (please try) I know it works from my own experience.
As I (and many others) see it, time is subjective. Everyone perceives time different, which also — to simplify it to the extreme — means time is intention. Remember when we were kids and a summer could seem like an eternity? Or when we grow up and the same period flies by like nothing. As kids we expected the summer to be a long adventure, and our lack of. responsibility made it so much more detailed and vivid. We decided, through the help of our situation, that this period would last — and the only thing we looked at was the color of the trees — that was our clock, our time measuring tool. Nature connected to us and allowed us to experience life and time to the fullest.
We can as easy experience the future and the past through use of our (sub)consciousness, as we did in our childhood. Imagination is a part of our consciousness, and imagination was also a huge part of our life before adulthood, something that gradually disappears for most of us as we grow older and more cynical. All the information we stored through our lifetime can be recalled. If that future/past is correct, that’s something else, but as our perception of reality is subjective I can’t say our non-physical time travel is incorrect. If you experienced something traumatic or emotionally strong, constructive or destructive, you can think back — using your memory — and analyse it, work on it and use it for what will happen in the present or in the future. Something from a long time back can be recovered, maybe modified, and affect the future — it’s a journey to say the least. Actions in the past will affect what’s coming up ahead. on your personal timeline, and actions such as those can be deliberately doctored to end up in a certain way. Once again, both in a constructive and destructive form.
Time travel comes in many shapes, billions of them actually, in the form of every living being on this planet. We all have different time perception, from the snail on the moss to us humans. The snail maybe sense us as a mist, like we perceived. water, air, fire and earth. And we can’t understand how a fellow human can’t see time as we do, ON time — to the grudge of many planned meetings. I can’t say I perceive time as my husband, on the contrary — I’m surprised how many time we sense it differently. It’s fascinating indeed. This is something we should cherish, as it brings us closer to a vital. existence.
Psychedelics can boost this gift; how we travel along our timeline (or is the timeline that’s static and we who stand still? That’s a subject for another day…) and it’s also possible to sync with a fellow psychonaut so the experience can be shared. There is something with, for example, psilocybin, that drastically slows time. A three hour trip can be like a long life of adventure, a short walk through a forest can suddenly become hours of exploring, even if it’s our collective reality just lasts five minutes. This is something everyone who ever tried it can confirm, it’s there. But why? I believe it’s the sudden rise of extreme awareness of everything around us that creates the time dilation. I’ve always toyed with the idea that it would be nice if someone could take out the visuals and the high from mushrooms and only saved the time part, which could make our life more fulfilled and enjoyable.
One can dream I guess.
During the last ten years or so I’ve gradually turned more interest in archeology and history, especially since we live in an area with a huge amount of ancient remains, from rune stones, medieval ruins to graves from the iron- and bronze age. In the areas I visit there’s always something that reminds me. of what once was there, hundreds or thousands of years ago. During periods this occupies my mind extra much, and maybe that was so when I entered the path to Psilocybia one day, out in the nature, close to a field. As I was laying there I suddenly felt I was on the same spot but 3000 years ago. I was the prehistoric human, the hunter, the caregiver and in front of me was endless of untouched wilderness. The air went quiet and I could only sense the village far behind us, with fires and murmur. It was just me, my husband and deafening silence, free from airplanes and traffic. Even the light turned more warm, more pure and unpolluted.
It’s all about set and setting (an eternal thank to Timothy Leary for that definition), where it’s how we plan and prepare for a trip also affects its outcome. You see, a “drug”, even medicine like psilocybin, will always be neutral. It’s the circumstances that makes it work for you in one way or another. A mind that’s moody might transform the experience to something darker and nastier, our shadow person. It can also bring out our brighter sides, whatever is needed. If you want to experience an adventure you will do so, and do you want to travel in time… that will happen, even if you physically won’t do the journey. This counts for most drugs, from cannabis to cocaine, LSD to DMT. We, the mankind, might no always be mature enough to handle that responsibility, but we sure try.
What we experience as time is in our mind, something we’ve been conditioned to enough to be a part of the collective reality. What’s in our mind can be changed, if it’s thought-processes or emotions, but also time. It’s an illusion, accepted by everyone, but an illusion is also a mirage, something that’s not real.
We can crack the mirror that reveals the rabbit, we can see the silverspoon hidden in the conjuror’s sleeve, we can put water on Plato’s fire… and we can travel in time.
Fred Andersson is a Swedish author and television freelancer. He lives in Märsta, together with husband, two cats and thousands of movies and books. His latest essay collections Homo Satanis and Homo Satanis 2 are available on Amazon. Follow him on Twitter.
