[dreen]

Right, maybe I worded that too strongly, it doesn't make the experience useless.

I wanted to emphasise that even if you experience something that feels profound in an altered state, you should still reflect on it and examine it when sober, and only then you can truly learn something useful.

[vladvasiliu]

I think this answer is quite different from your original post in that it doesn't deny the value of the experiences lived under the influence.

I think it's very important for those experiences to be examined while sober, just like experiences lived under any other kind of altered state, even "natural" ones - say while extremely angry.

As SuoDuanDao said in his response, I think there's a question of "barriers" going down while under MDMA. Sure, there are things you do under its influence that you wouldn't have done sober. Maybe things that you would never have done. But isn't that the point? It allows you to try things you wouldn't have tried otherwise and see the effects. Of course, sober reflexion is required. But this allows you to have a different perspective on what is possible.

Something I see often mentioned in discussions around MDMA is its effects on social anxiety. Some people find it difficult to be open. I for one am fairly taciturn, don't talk much. For such people seeing what is possible may allow them to rethink why they do or don't do certain things in their day to day lives and maybe adapt their actions.

[dreen]

Yeah I agree with what you're saying, and I never meant that what you say in altered state is stripped of meaning completely, just that the further you go and the more barriers you loose the more meaning is lost, because you are being overwhelmed by those emotions.