I took my first hit of weed when I was about 14, thanks to my older brother who was 18 at the time. We were constantly at each other’s throats back then. One day in an effort to bond, he pulled out a dime bag and suggested we get high together.
Being tired of the constant fights, I said what the hell, sparked up with him, and instantly loved the giggly, uplifting buzz. From that day forward, cannabis became our sacred plant of brotherly bonding.
My brother taught me how to inhale properly, dose edibles, zone out on psychedelic jams – he guided me into the world of weed. Eventually we became equals, passing joints back and forth and hotboxing in our room/apartment. But I’ll always remember him as my first weed mentor.
In the years since, I’ve learned that having an experienced marijuana mentor is hugely helpful whenever trying any new substance for the first time. They can teach proper precautions, create a safe set and setting, and guide your mindset for maximum insight. Bad trips often happen when people dive in unprepared.
Psychedelics especially require care around dosage, environment, activities and mental state. An experienced tripper knows how to select music, art and activities to channel the experience positively. They can calm anxiety, interpret confusing thoughts, and remind you it’s just the drug.
With weed, a mentor passes on wisdom about strains, delivery methods, etiquette, munchies, and more. Most importantly, they model responsible, mindful use so you absorb good habits. None of us are born knowing how to get high – quality mentors show us the righteous path.
In this article, we’ll explore why every novice should learn from veterans, and what traits make a great substance mentor. There’s so much practical knowledge that only comes from direct experience. A good mentor generously imparts those teachings to give us the best, most insightful journeys possible.
The benefits of having a weed mentor
Having an experienced stoner take you under their wing provides huge benefits for novice tokers. Here’s some of what a wise weed mentor can offer:
They explain what’s happening in real time so you don’t freak out. With calming guidance, the disorienting effects of new strains feel exciting rather than terrifying. Don’t know if heart’s racing from sativa or panic attack? Your mentor’s got you.
They teach proper etiquette around sharing, puff puff pass, cornering bowls, etc. You’ll avoid being “that guy” who kills the vibe by hogging the joint or wasting bud. It’s a smoke circle, not every person for themselves.
You’ll learn reasonable price points so novice eagerness doesn’t get you ripped off. $60 for an eighth is outrageous – your mentor schools you on fair deals. Too good to be true? They can spot the regs and seeds.
With edibles, they warn you “start low, go slow” guiding your dosing up safely to avoid scary green outs. Nobody enjoys cold sweats and the fear dimension – a good mentor prevents that.
Generous mentors will slide you some free nugs when you’re dry, building trust and goodwill. Once you know your stuff, you return the favor for the next rookie.
They create playlists, suggest movies, and pick activities optimized for stoned enjoyment. Music sounds better, jokes hit harder, and bonds strengthen.
Over many smoke sessions, they become a close friend. You gain not just a teacher, but a partner in mischief and expanding perspectives. The mentee becomes mentor completing the cycle.
When it comes to having a weed mentor, you’ll realize that the “learners curve” is significantly reduced. You’ll be able to enjoy cannabis, find the right strains for you, and be confident that what you’re doing is “right”.
When newbies first start smoking, they often don’t know what to do – freak out, run to the ER, when a glass of milk and cookies would have been a far more effective remedy.
What to Look for in a Weed Mentor
The most crucial trait in a weed mentor is experience. They should have years of partaking under their belt to understand the plant’s nuances and pass on hard-won knowledge. Novices teach bad habits.
But it takes more than just time spent stoned. You also want someone passionate to share cannabis culture respectfully. Not the guy who rips dab after dab just trying to get wrecked. Find a connoisseur who understands cannabis’ nuances.
Patience counts too. The best mentors explain calmly and clearly, never belittling you for ignorance. Ego has no place in the circle. They’ve been the overwhelmed newbie before too.
Your ideal weed mentor connects with you personally. They get to know your personality and preferences. Then they customize suggestions for strains, dosing, activities etc tailored just for you. It’s a partnership, not lectures.
A top mentor’s goal is ensuring you have positive, insightful experiences. They caution against overdoing it trying to seem “cool.” No good teacher pushes you past your comfort zone without consent.
You want someone who makes you feel safe, not pressured. They won’t let friends intimidate or mess with you when you’re out of it. You can be vulnerable knowing they have your back.
The bottom line is you want a weed mentor who cares about you as a person, not just getting you high. They generously share their wisdom so you can avoid mistakes they made.
Together you’ll safely explore cannabis’ benefits. They’ll walk you through each new step at your own pace. When you find a mentor like that, you know you’ve found a friend for life.
So be picky when choosing your spirit guide. Don’t just take whoever offers to smoke you up first. Seek out experienced ents who uplift others. Then you’ll have an incredible cannabis adventure you can someday pass on.
Choosing the Right Psychedelic Mentor
Psychedelics are far more intense and disorienting than cannabis, especially your first time. Having an experienced trip guide is critical to ensure insightful journeys instead of fearful bad trips. So your psychedelic mentor must meet higher standards.
While the basic principles of patience, passion and care apply, psychedelic mentors need additional skills. They must deeply understand set, setting, dosing and their impact on subjective effects.
Your guide should have experience safely talking people down from confusion, anxiety or panic. With calm direction, they divert focus away from paranoid thought loops. Their reassuring voice returns you to the beauty of letting go.
They also design environments and activities conducive to spiritual awakenings. Music, art, nature settings become tools for guiding consciousness. An artfully timed change in stimulus shifts stuck energy.
Your psychedelic mentor knows how thought loops build and when to gently intervene. Yet they balance active guidance with allowing your inner process to unfold organically.
For your first trips, it’s ideal if your guide is microdosing while you macrodose. Sober mentors mean well but can’t fully relate. Someone speaking your language with clarity helps exponentially.
You want a guide who has visited the planes you’re exploring many times before. Experience conquers fear. Seek out veteran trippers well-versed in supporting new psychonauts.
While mentoring, they focus entirely on your needs, not getting equally fried. There will be chances later to journey together. Initial guidance requires presence and wisdom.
Be wary of potential guides who treat psychedelics casually. These tools demand respect. Choose mentors who understand that power and use it responsibly.
Vet guides to ensure alignment with your intentions. Do they see psychedelics as fun recreation or self-improvement? Set shared expectations beforehand.
Ultimately your safety and growth comes first. Trust intuition if a guide seems off. With the right one, you’ll feel comfortable surrendering to vulnerability and awe.
With preparation, wisdom and love, your mentor can reveal psychedelics’ beauty. Their guidance transforms each trip into an unforgettable lesson expanding consciousness to new vistas of understanding. Bon voyage!
The Sticky Bottom Line
Expanding your consciousness with cannabis and psychedelics can be incredibly healing, eye-opening experiences. But diving in without guidance risks confusion, anxiety, and wasted potential.
Having an experienced mentor makes journeys smooth and insightful. Their wisdom prevents rookie mistakes while deepening the magic.
So don’t just say yes to the first person offering to get you high. Seek out patient mentors who uplift others. Their passion will ignite your own while keeping you safe.
If you feel ready to explore non-ordinary states, take it seriously. Do your research, create intentions, pick optimal settings. And bring mentors along you trust implicitly.
The connections forged while traversing inner landscapes together bond you for life. Each new flight goes higher when built upon past lessons.
Eventually, you become the wise, benevolent guide passing torches. The cycle continues as humanity awakens.
Consciousness expansion takes courage, but the horizons revealed make any struggle worthwhile. With the proper guides shining light, avoid pitfalls and soar to peaks unimaginable straight.
You have within you every answer, if you dare ask the questions. So spread your wings and find your flock. The mysteries await, for those bold enough to seek.