Veil Theory Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

written by B. zaganelli,majesty

Altered States of Consciousness Induced by Psychedelics: A Multidisciplinary Framework

The experiences described—shared psychedelic visions, profound brain changes observed during DMT administration, and perceptions of reality as an energetic field rather than solid matter—span several interrelated fields of study, including psychedelic neuroscience, consciousness research, and transpersonal psychology. Although no single scientific term fully captures all aspects of these phenomena, especially the more controversial claims of shared or externally accessed realities, they can be productively examined through the combined lenses of empirical neuroscience and phenomenological inquiry.

Core Scientific Framework: Psychedelic Neuroscience and Altered States of Consciousness (ASC)

Altered States of Consciousness (ASC) provides the primary conceptual umbrella. ASC refers to temporary but significant shifts in perception, thinking, and self-awareness that can be induced by psychedelics, meditation, breathwork, and other practices. Key features include the dissolution of ordinary perceptual filters, ego dissolution, the perception of vibrating energy fields or light, and the blurring of boundaries between self and environment.

For DMT and related compounds such as psilocybin, advanced brain imaging studies have revealed consistent patterns of neural disruption. Research using simultaneous EEG and fMRI (Timmermann et al., 2023) has shown increased global connectivity across brain networks, breakdown of normal network boundaries (“disintegration and desegregation”), reduced alpha wave power, and greater overall signal diversity (entropy). These changes occur most strongly in higher-order brain regions involved in imagination, self-reflection, and the default mode network (DMN). Such findings support the view that psychedelics temporarily dismantle the brain’s usual control systems, allowing for more immersive and “unfiltered” states of consciousness.

In this light, psychedelics serve as valuable tools for exploring how brain activity shapes conscious experience. As Carhart-Harris and colleagues have noted, these substances primarily work by disrupting higher-level brain systems that normally organize and constrain perception.

Shared Psychedelic Experiences

Accounts of shared hallucinations—in which two or more people report witnessing the same entities, landscapes, or events during a psychedelic session—are well documented in anecdotal reports and ethnographic literature. Scholars often refer to these as “shared psychedelic experiences,” “collective visions,” or “intersubjective hallucinations.” Although common in user communities and traditional entheogenic practices, these phenomena remain scientifically debated and have received limited controlled study.

Conventional neuroscience attributes such overlap to factors like suggestion, similar drug responses, or environmental cues. More speculative interpretations propose collective consciousness or access to external domains. Unlike Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD), shared experiences lack a formal clinical category but are frequently examined in studies of group set and setting or shamanic rituals.

Perceptual and Energetic Dimensions of the “Raw Realm”

Experiences of ego dissolution, non-dual awareness, and mystical states are well established in psychedelic research and are closely linked to DMN disruption and increased brain entropy. Reports of seeing reality as pulsating energy, light fields, interconnected networks, or visible auras (often called the “raw realm”) are common across psychedelics, deep meditation, and spontaneous mystical experiences. These align strongly with the focus of transpersonal psychology on states that extend beyond the individual ego.

Such perceptions resonate with Aldous Huxley’s metaphor of the brain as a “reducing valve” that filters reality, a concept now being updated by modern neuroscientific models. Transpersonal psychology is especially well suited to exploring these transcendent and unitary dimensions.

Relevant Fields of Study

• Psychedelic Neuroscience: Conducted at leading centers such as Imperial College London, Johns Hopkins University, and UCSF, this field uses advanced imaging techniques (fMRI, EEG) to map brain changes and therapeutic applications.
• Transpersonal Psychology: Examines spiritual, mystical, and ego-transcending experiences. Pioneers like Stan Grof have integrated psychedelic states with therapeutic practices such as holotropic breathwork.
• Consciousness Studies and Philosophy of Mind: Addresses fundamental questions about whether psychedelic visions are purely internal brain events or point toward broader realities.
• Ethnobotany and Anthropology: Studies the cultural and ritual use of visionary plants such as ayahuasca and psilocybin mushrooms in traditional societies.

Taken together, these phenomena challenge strictly materialist models that view consciousness as nothing more than a byproduct of individual brain activity. While current scientific consensus interprets them as dramatic reorganizations of neural processing, it is the position of this thesis that continued rigorous, interdisciplinary research will ultimately confirm the deeper ontological significance of these experiences, even where such conclusions conflict with prevailing materialist assumptions. The ongoing renaissance in psychedelic research highlights the importance of approaches that integrate neuroscience, phenomenology, and contemplative traditions.