Meeting Entities and the Ethics of Extended DMT | Part 2 of 3

By Dara Lightle, Psychedelic Info Line Supervisor

In Part 2 of our three-part series with Unlimited Sciences, Daniel McQueen of the Center for Medicinal Mindfulness talks about one of the most fascinating aspects of DMTx-meeting entities. Are these beings psychological projections, guides, or something beyond us? Daniel also shares why ethics, consent, and intention matter deeply when approaching extended DMT experiences.

Watch the full interview on YouTube or at the bottom of this page.

Why This Interview Matters

Entity encounters are among the most mysterious aspects of psychedelic research. Strassman’s volunteers reported consistent encounters with “beings” that felt independent and intelligent. More recent theoretical models, like Andrew Gallimore’s extended-state DMT proposal, suggest these realms may be stable and shareable.

Whether seen as archetypes of the psyche or presences beyond us, these meetings can profoundly impact people’s sense of meaning, spirituality, and community. The addition of ethics and consent, something potentially overlooked in underground settings, marks a crucial step toward responsible psychedelic practice.

Q: Many people have heard stories of meeting “entities” in DMT spaces. What do these encounters look like with DMTx?

Daniel McQueen:
“That’s the big question, right? Sometimes what shows up feels like inner psychological structures, parts of ourselves that we need to meet and work with. Other times, it feels like something else entirely.

I’ve had experiences where the same beings showed up again and again, to the point that they felt like family. Other people describe guides who welcome them, show them around, and seem genuinely excited we’re visiting.

One of my first DMTx visions in the second DMTx experience was of an Indigenous longhouse. I saw two women sitting there, one combing the other’s hair, and I realized I was looking through the eyes of a baby lying nearby. It was deeply moving, so simple, yet it made me reflect on how connected we are as humans. Was that a past life, a glimpse into the collective unconscious, or something else? I don’t know. But I know it was real at that moment.”

Q: Do you see these beings as “real,” or are they metaphors of the mind?

Daniel:
“I keep a healthy skepticism. Rick Strassman, who first studied DMT in the 1990s, described these encounters as ‘more real than real’. They feel undeniable. At the same time, I know delusion is possible, so I check myself against what I know about psychosis and grounding.

My personal sense is that these spaces are not only inside us. There’s a transpersonal quality, a sense of other intelligences that we meet. Whether you want to call that spiritual, multidimensional, or archetypal doesn’t matter as much as the impact. These encounters change people, sometimes for life.”

Q: You mentioned that entities even have preferences about how we meet them. Can you explain?

Daniel:
“Yes. In our first DMTx retreat, we started following the research protocols. What we noticed was that entities seemed to prefer meeting us in a middle space, not blasting all the way in at once.

When participants hovered at a low-to-mid infusion, they were greeted and only sometimes invited, by the entities, deeper. That’s very different from smoking DMT at a rave, where you just burst into a realm uninvited. Imagine humans  in their own space suddenly having primates crash through unannounced, it’s chaotic.

In DMTx, the process can become consensual. We meet them gradually, and when the moment is right, we increase the infusion and people are guided further in. It changes everything when consent is part of the equation.”

Q: That brings us to ethics. Why do you emphasize community agreements and consent so strongly in this work?

Daniel:
“Because psychedelics won’t heal the world without strong structures. If it were just about having big visions, we’d already be there. Communities break down without ethical boundaries.

In Indigenous traditions, codes of conduct and lineage are what hold the community together. In the West, we’ve been injured by rules imposed on us, so we push them away but then we risk becoming too individualistic.

DMTx has taught me that big visions require strong structures. Consent agreements, codes of ethics, accountability, all of these are essential if we want this work to be sustainable. Without them, we risk harm, exploitation, or burnout. With them, we have the foundation to do something truly transformative.”

Q: So, are psychedelics enough on their own to change society?

Daniel:
“Not by themselves. Psychedelics give us access to inspiration, creativity, and healing. But unless we integrate those insights into ethical, community-based structures, they fade.

That’s why my message isn’t just about the experiences. It’s about how we bring them back. How do we create agreements so that everyone feels safe? How do we honor the teachers and lineages we come from? How do we build communities where healing isn’t just personal, but collective?

DMTx isn’t just about visiting another realm. It’s about learning how to live better here.”

How we should meet Entities within DMT

DMT entities may be psychological, spiritual, or something in between, but how we meet them matters. By entering gradually, honoring consent, and grounding experiences in ethical community practices, DMTx opens the door to profound exploration that respects both the inner world and the shared human world we return to.

Have Questions? Book a Call with Our Psychedelic Info Line

If you’re looking for personalized guidance and support before or after a psychedelic experience, the Unlimited Sciences Psychedelic Info Line offers free, 1:1 support for answering questions about psychedelic safety, integration and emotional processing. We’re an evidence-based, non-judgemental space to get the answers you’re looking for.