tripping out is not something one should take lightly. if one is to take lsd, eat shrooms, etc., then it is important they understand and abide by some essential rules. i encourage everyone to node their own rules here.

my rules:

if someone/something upsets you, get the hell away.

don't ever trip on a whim; plan it out first.

don't trip alone unless you're positive you can handle it.

always remain calm. it will all be over soon. you're not going crazy.

don't try to fight the effects. drugs are stronger than you, and they will kick you right in the teeth if you upset them.

never, ever, ever eat spaghetti.

from the lycaeum's lsd archives:

Cars can hurt you.

You cannot fly.

It's never a good time to die.

taking your clothes off will draw attention.

Keep mouth shut at all times in public.

Although you may see things that are not there, you'll still be able to see real things. In other words, cars that are present in the street will not become invisible.

don't forget how to burp

only carry a house-key, some loose change, and your address in your shoe

nobody can tell you are tripping till you tell them "I'm tripping".

no matter how fucked you think you are, you'll eventually come down.

Another few points:

• Sex with somebody you are not in a relationship with is a bad idea at this time.
• Always make sure you have a 'safe' place to return to - somewhere you feel comfortable and private, and do not feel at all worried that somebody unpleasant or unknown will show up.
• Have distractions available. Cartoons are good.
• Have some way of getting food available - eating is pleasant.
• Having downs to take the "edge" off the trip might be a good idea - alcohol or valium supposedly works well. (I have not tried this.)
• Smoking a joint or drinking orange juice will give the trip a small boost - though smoking also cut a bit of the edge off.

I won't go as far as saying that mirrors are evil - but they are definitely something to be careful with.

Above all, have fun, come down safely, and don't do hallucinogenic drugs if you have alcoholism or mental illness in the family (bad odds for latent schitzoid tendencies, which can be triggered by a trip.)

I had a the rules described to me thusly:

Rule Zero: Cars are real.
Rule One: Cars can hurt you.
Rule Two: Giant toasters the size of cars are cars. See rule one.

Have with you at least as many cigarettes as you generally smoke in a day; however, if you are inside, be extra careful about what you do with your cigarette butts.
Have water readily available.
Remember: you are on drugs; everything is supposed to be weird (this can be a lot harder than you might think).
With acid in particular, smoke some pot if you're getting too edgy (I usually avoid very high quality "kind bud", since I don't actually get high while tripping, and the low cost stuff works just as well to mellow me out).
I sometimes like to keep a little piece of paper with "Don't Panic" written on it. This is some good advice (whether tripping or not) I picked up from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Something fun to try next time you trip (that my friend wixard told me about): get a glowstick, poke a hole in one end, and tie a string to the other. Go somewhere dark, and swing it around your head. You will see a glowing stream coming out of the glowstick. When all the liquid is drained, look around: you will be in the middle of what looks like a glowing starfield (This works even better in a small, enclosed area, so the "stars" get on the walls as well as the floor).

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More rules:
Rule of thumb: If you're not sure whether you want to trip or not, don't.

revscat23 and EE briefly mentioned this in their writeups, but I thought I should expand on it slightly.

A trip is strongly influenced by the subconscious. A happy state of mind usually equates to a good trip. If you're sad you're likely to have a bad trip. In the more extreme case of self-loathing you'd be almost guaranteed to have a horrific trip. It's for this reason that I'd advise for people who suffer from depression, and severe self-hatred to be very careful, or stay clear of hallucinogenic drugs altogether. Any trip can be a dangerous ride into the subconscious and can have damaging psychological consequences.

- Just a friendly warning from someone who cares.

I'd like to preface this by saying that I do not advocate the use of drugs. This is simply informational, summing up my reflections on my personal experiences.

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Now after many years have passed since I first consumed a psychedelic - or entheogen as I prefer to call these compounds - I have found these materials to be the most useful tool for the study of the psyche or mind, and for exploring the spiritual realm and interpersonal dimensions. I know my active fellow journeyers and travelers feel the same.

Yet I have wondered why most of the people who have had psychadelic experiences cease those experiences often by their thirtieth birthday. Furthermore, why do so many of those same folds - even those who would define their experiences as good -get freaked out when their kids want to trip? What's going on here?

My own nonscientific examination of this problem has led me to conclude that at some point most of these ex-trippers had psychedelic experiences which violated the ethos of tripping and left them with less-than-desirable experiences and more wary of them. Often these folks begin to condemn the materials (just as the authorities do) instead of coming to terms with the fact that it was their use- their mode of utilizing psychadelics that was problematic. It is difficult if not impossible for our society to have psychedelic teachers and elders as our culture is so condemning of the desire to explore the psychedelic headspace. And without these elders, we haven't deceloped rituals of conduct for psychedelic exploration - a code of tripping. In an effort to create better entheogenic and psychadelic experiences, better integrated in our lives, I suggest the following Trippin' Code:

Always prepare yourself and always trip with the mentally prepared
This is number one and cannot be stressed enough. Reflect on what you want from the experience and make the appropriate plans for achieving the practice. Beginning trippers often experience only fun and joviality, but experienced trippers know that a deeper realm emerges. Psychedelics allow the veil of the mind to be pulled back for a peek underneath. Be prepared.

Always journey in a safe and secure setting -- a legally safe place, a mentally safe place and a physically safe place.
Be careful where you consume psychedelics. Unusual and odd behavior can get a lot of unwanted attention in the wrong setting. Dealing with a cop while high is a MOST unpleasant experience. Trip with those whom you desire interaction with and avoiding those for whom trust is an issue. Trip in a physically safe place - dont decide to go rock climbing!

Use an appropriate dose - no hero doses!
Hero doses must be the most common reason for emergency room visits that could have been avoided. And emergency room visits give psychedelics a bad name.

Give approrpiate time and energy for reintegration
Have the next day off work to fully allow for reintegration. Eat exceptionally well. Pamper yourself with good food and mild excercise. Write about your experience and verbally share with a friend what you have assimilated.

Don't profane the materials!
Don't give materials to people to manipulate them. Don't share XTC just so someone will have sex with you. Be clean.

Respect entheogens and psychedelics
We need more future leaders.

-Inkedinblood

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Btw, if you have a disagreement, please message me. Some people have been attacking me on the grounds that I advocate drug use, which I personally don't feel I do. Please let me know your feelings on the matter.