In 2022, Australian researchers will travel to the Netherlands for a so-called Psychedelic Retreat to recruit participants for a VR study. In these retreats, interested participants take part in ceremonies in which they legally take hallucinogenic substances under controlled conditions. Many of the guests participate in the scientists’ experiment, consuming the psilocybin contained in magic mushrooms and, when the intoxicating effect wears off, put on VR headsets. This immerses them in a soothing virtual environment with glowing stars and giant fireflies.
In this VR world, they can grab a star and use it as an audio recording device. Have them talk about what happened inside them in the last few hours at the height of their intoxication. The audio recordings then form a sparkling constellation of stars in the VR environment. The next day, the subjects return to this VR world and listen to their recordings. The goal is to remember the experience. Within the virtual world, participants can then expand and add to certain stars and the thoughts and emotions associated with them while symbolically burning others in a virtual fire.
More information:
https://mixed-news.com/en/high-in-vr-how-vr-headsets-might-positively-influence-the-psyche/