DM Turner- The Esseential psychedelic guide

Ketamine. It seems that people either love it, and think it's the greatest stuff
in the universe, or feel uninspired by it. From speaking with numerous
people who've tried it, it's clear that most have had experiences similar to
what I've described, while others describe much less fascinating results.
After taking Ketamine some 100 times I've noticed that it's fairly easy to
miss the mark, and wind up with an experience that is nothing like what I've
described above.
The main trick to hitting the mark with a Ketamine trip is taking the correct
dose. Too small an amount will not obliterate one's self-awareness, and will
fail to admit one into the realm of pure awareness. Too much will bring one
towards unconsciousness, giving one the vaguest impressions of having
traveled somewhere. Many have had successful journeys by starting with 75
mg., and increasing the dose by 15 mg. on each separate occasion until the
desired experience is reached. If one takes Ketamine while already high on
a psychedelic, such as 2C-B or LSD, the "dosage window" for achieving a
spectacular Ketamine journey is significantly wider.
Another important factor in the quality of the Ketamine experience is one's
"set" or personality. Dr. Igor Kungurtsev, a Russian psychiatrist, was
involved in administering an experiment treating alcoholics with Ketamine.
An article on his work was published in the Fall 1991 issue of The Albert
Hofmann Foundation Bulletin. One of his findings was "the correlation
between the type of personality and the type of experience under the
influence of Ketamine. People who are very controlled and have difficulties
letting go, or who have problems with relationships, often have negative
experiences with Ketamine. For them the dissolving of the individual self is
horrible. For other patients who are more relaxed and able to surrender, who
have a deep capacity to love, the experience is usually blissful, even
ecstatic."
Kungurtsev also found that Ketamine produced spiritual experiences, as
well as long term changes in the spiritual outlook, of most of those who
tried it. "It is interesting that many people who never thought about
spirituality or the meaning of life reported having experiences that one
might read about only in spiritual texts or Eastern teachings... For many
patients it is a profound insight that they can exist without their bodies as
pure consciousness or pure spirit. Many of them said that as a result of their
experience, they understood the Christian notion of the separation of the
soul and the body, and that they now believe some part of them will
continue to exist after death. There were several cases where people
reported contact with God, but this is usually not an anthropomorphic
figure. They describe an ocean of brilliant white light, which is filled with
love, bliss, and energy."