On /r/trees, there’s a “highness scale” that people use to indicate how high they are. I love all the Ents at /r/trees, and Im’a let you finish, but that scale is not quite the most useful scale of all time, because it’s relative. I realize none of this is completely scientific, and that everything is relative, and all that kind of stuff, but “10 is the highest you’ve ever been in your life” doesn’t quite cut it for me, because I’ve seen a lot of ups and downs and everyone else will too. So I prefer to use a scale with known points on it, as far as is possible.

For levels 0 through 10, you should use this chart, which is as good as anything else I’ve found. It was originally created by Talisman, whoever s/he is, and I’ve actually searched to give better credit. I typed it in from this image, which I consider to be the actual source (or a copy, anyway) and much more artistic than my mere words.

0 Sober: completely normal, you feel nothing out of the ordinary.

1-2 Buzzed: you can tell you are slightly high, things are more interesting, everything seems “thicker”.

3-4 High: you are high, slight craving for food, you tend to stare at objects and into space often, you feel relaxed but somewhat in a daze.

5-6 Really High: you are fully high, there is a slight vibration in your body, focusing is hard, you’re having very random thoughts. Putting together sentences is a challenge. Few if any audial hallucinations.

7-8 Blazed/Stoned: very high, vibrations and waves of euphoria rush through your body every 5 to 9 seconds. Expeiencing mild CEVs, everything dark has a sparkling texture, everything is brighter. Some audial hallucinations.

9-10 In Space: completely lost in thought, amazing pleasure, you feel like a god, you see strong CEVs, sparkling textures everywhere, everything is brightened, mild/strong audial hallucinations.

My scale merges with and attempts to extend Talisman’s scale even further into the cosmic realm. I do not attempt to catalog the exact physical/mental effects, the way Talisman did, because it’s not necessary or even possible from this point on. If you’ve reached these levels, you will understand, and if you haven’t…you will understand when you do reach them. It’s based on a lot of experience (almost 45 years), not to mention the unexpected trip I took yesterday, in which all the following information was dumped into my brain like Buckaroo Banzai in the phone booth.

10. This is the top level high you should expect from smoking marijuana. If you can move at all, it is not very fast. If you’re not standing up…don’t even try.

11. You have found the “secret level”! You didn’t think you could get this high by smoking marijuana, and you’re right, because…you cannot generally get here without edibles. You are totally on the verge of tripping, but aren’t. It is intense as fuck but still light and happy. This is the same level as an “acid high”, which you experience on an LSD trip both on the way up and on the way down.

12. You are now tripping. Congratulations and try to hold it together.

13. You are tripping and losing control. If you don’t manage to keep control at this level (or above), you may well lose your mind temporarily or even permanently, and/or find yourself in an emergency room or mental institution. If you are on LSD (or similar), this is the part usually called “peaking”.

14. You have made it past the danger zone, mostly. But you can re-enter it at any time, literally with a single thought. You can also become totally enlightened with a single thought. This level and the next three are otherwise indescribable, and they (and your experiences) differ mainly based on the dosage you have taken…each level is essentially a doubling of the previous dosage.

15. This is the farthest/highest I have ever been, and it took 1,000 micrograms of LSD to get me there. Once is plenty, thank you!

16. Dude…

17. I can’t even…

18. You have now merged your consciousness with the universe. You no longer need the Internet to share thoughts with others. You are also stone cold dead, completely alive, a bumblebee, a flower, a cat, Buddha, Jesus Christ, an alien, and God…simultaneously.

Notes:

None of these levels actually require drugs, but a lot depends on your actual body, blood, and brain chemistry (some people were just not born to be the Buddha…and some were).

Most experiences have a general “cruising altitude” with some parts at a somewhat higher level (generally one or two levels higher). Most people cite the “cruising altitude” but it’s the highest level on their experience that they will remember, because it’s the part that scared them the most, generally 🙂

Why 11 for the secret level? Do you really have to ask?

Why 13 for bad trips? I guess it goes with all the other 13-phobia 🙂

Why 18 for the top of the scale? Probably from all the meanings of 18.

If you’re into psychedelic philosophy, 12 and 13 are theoretically the same level…as is 14. Just remember that once you’re actually tripping, it’s like running on a spinning soccer ball glowing from the inside…any disturbance or loss of control will likely cause you grief, and you don’t want to find out how bad it can be.

Very few people make it to Level 18. If you are reasonably well educated, at least in terms of world cultures, then you already know most of their names…