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As a rich carpet of emerald grass emerged from my hotel room floor and vines from the ceiling, I glanced at my best friend, Olga, with a sense of awe, wondering if she saw the same. This sense of complete euphoria washed over me and emerged through burning tears of joy that I couldn’t have concealed if I tried. They were right. It was magical. Both literally and figuratively, but everyone else's stories or experiences could never have prepared me for the intense spiritual awakening and sudden clarity I experienced in a cosy hotel room in central Amsterdam. We landed in Amsterdam and went and bought ourselves some magic truffles but my fear of the unknown left them untouched on the shelf of our room. With their presence in the back of our minds, we set forth to experience the most this city had to offer. Amsterdam oozes culture and history, supported by the highest concentration of museums per square meter of all the cities in the world. But it’s not a case of quantity over quality: the Van Gogh, Rijksmuseum and Moco Museums are homes to some of the most superlative pieces in the world, while the Anne Frank House sheds light on one of the most tragic and moving events in human history.Amsterdam also features many smaller, more eccentric museums, which shed light on all aspects of the human experience, no matter how “unsavoury” or controversial; including torture, prostitution, and drug use. Amsterdam is a city dedicated to learning, self improvement, societal progression and acceptance. With these things in mind, we finally plucked up the courage to delve into a new realm and take a 'trip' to our subconscious. As we chewed the foul tasting plant my mind was swarmed with doubts and anxieties. Other people's nightmares were projected onto me and I became incredibly nervous about the sorts of things I was about to see. We sat in our hotel room with a pack of cards hoping an intense game of "Uno" would distract us from all our uncertainty. Uno didn't do the trick, but a few Ted talks later we were feeling confident. We learned the neurotransmitter, Psilocin, found naturally in these truffles, was actually supported by thousands of scientists as an effective treatment for depression, anxiety, OCD and even PTSD. Psilocin binds with the serotonin receptors and connects all areas of the brain, forging new neurological pathways and creating a sense of holistic fulfilment and overwhelming clarity and content. After the thirty-minute mark, everything began to vibrate and lag ever so slightly. Patterns and lines I had never noticed before suddenly came to the forefront, making this comfortable hotel room seem completely different and exotic. I found myself unconsciously letting go of everything that had worried me and I felt the negative thoughts seeping out of my pores. It's as if I was a child again, perfectly content as the smallest things sent me into roaring fits of laughter and my utter awe of the world took over. In everyday life, my thoughts were filled with confusion and uncertainty, but here in this hotel room, I was alleviated from a harsh reality. My perspective was completely altered and I found myself thinking in ways I had never explored before. The impermanence of human life no longer struck fear into my soul and it became clear the future is not something to dread. Life is a beautiful thing and its fleeting nature is what makes it so special. I am now celebrating the moments I have been lucky enough to have. The pure love and camaraderie Olga and I shared, letting go of ego and negativity to produce a raw human connection; that is the catalyst to consciousness. This overall was a deeply emotional and connected experience in which I was able to explore the complexity of the human mind and its holistic approach to all that surrounds it. DISCLAIMER: I would like to highlight that I don't condone the usage of any illegal substance and recommend that even in a legal setting, individuals proceed with caution and are advised by a professional as we were.