Can a "Smart Drug" Affect your Spiritual Practice? Read the Results of my 3 Month Experiment Neurohacking with Qualia – Kamala Devi

There is no such thing as a magic pill that will make us reach enlightenment overnight. But here’s an interesting little story about how I stumbled into what I believe to be the most radical “smart drug” on the market today, and how after 3 months of experimenting with Neurohacking, it has had the most astounding effect on my spiritual practice, of all things!

(Go to: Neurohacker.com for detailed information.)

I often think of life as a laboratory. Which is ironic since I don’t consider myself a scientist. (The only time you’d catch me in a white lab coat is for some kinky role play.)  I am an artist. And my mission is to guide myself and others enjoy the individual yet indivisible nature of the soul.

I also consider myself a Tantrika, which as dogmatic as it may sound, simply means that I am awake to the non-dual nature of reality.  I have a whole handful of other identities which I can take on and off  (like lab coats) in different circumstances: Mother, wife, author, speaker, activist, goddess… You get the idea.

In recent years, because of several acute health symptoms, my experimentation led me to the wonderful world of Neurohacking, which eventually led me even deeper into an astounding new relationship with Qualia. What is that, you ask?  

Neurohacking: A colloquial term for ‘do it yourself’ neuroengineering or biohacking that focuses on the brain. Strictly speaking it is any method of manipulating or interfering with the structure and/or function of neurons for improvement or repair. (Source: Wiki) 

It’s common knowledge that our mental function is affected by adjustments in diet, sleep, exercise, meditation and supplementation– this is neurohacking in it’s simplest form.  Most people agree that it is important to take our health matters into our own hands, but as soon as we start experimenting with specific kinds of supplements, (namely “smart drugs” performance or cognitive enhancers) the conversation gets clouded with judgement, fear and ignorance. We’ve been strictly taught that our brain chemistry should be left in the hands of professionals.

However, most cognitive enhancers are not FDA approved, and the more research I did on what is involved in government regulations, the more I learned about the politics of commercially motivated corruption. After reflecting on my own physical and psychiatric consultations throughout my adult life, I realized there is no doctor that knows what is best for my body, better than I do. And that is even more true of my mind.

I have friends who were deep into applied neurochemistry and they encouraged me to “learn the science, do the research…and to take empowered responsibility for your own neurology.” These same friends started Neurohacker Collective, and subsequently introduced me to a new cognitive enhancer called “Qualia.”
At first I the resistance was high: I told myself, Neurohacking is a new field, I am sensitive (and slim) and am committed to natural health. But the more I read about how comprehensively they considered the field and how diligently they vetted ingredients for negative side effects, the more I opened to the experiment.  

Are you ready to read my results!?

DAY 1: I’m a woman on fire! Focus, clarity, productivity and most importantly my creativity was through the roof. I was putting the final touches on the final draft of the new book I was about to publish and wishing I started had started this experiment earlier!

WEEK 1: My mental sharpness continued (especially verbal/linguistic skills) and I noticed a significant elevation in my mood. I started waking up every morning feeling grateful! 

Downside: Throughout the week I noticed several side effects: 1) At night I felt too high and had a difficult time settling in for sleep, which was easily remedied with herbal non-pharmaceutical sleep aid. 2) On my 2 days off, I felt lethargic and a sort of brain fog. I wondered: was this the early signs of neurotransmitter depletion, dependency, or just the contrast of my normal brain function when I had gotten used to my enhanced new capacities…? I decided to stay curious.

A note about Dosage: Since this was my experience at the lowest possible dosage, I listened to my body and did not see any reason to increase. The instructions on the bottle also suggested I take 5 days on and cycle off for 2 days, so I didn’t take them on Fridays and Sundays, (because those are play days, no need for productivity.)

MONTH 1: I dominated my daily to-do list with glee! Resistance to even the hardest tasks seemed to dissolve. I had the energy to exercise, and make meals for my family. And the damndest thing happened: I actually started doing dishes and other domestic duties that I normally loath. By far, the biggest benefit was the overall sense of resilience. The drama of my once complicated love life now felt manageable. This was not just because of my newfound emotional stability, I actually had a dramatic increase in decision-making and problem solving skills.  

Downside: If I didn’t eat a big enough breakfast I would get the jitters. If I didn’t get enough sleep, Qualia would not have much effect on me. I eventually learned to add 5HTP, Calcium-Magnesium and GABA to my evening routine so that I could get a full 7 hours nightly.

MONTH 2: People around me started to notice, “Are you doing something different?” Yes, I would tell them I’ve been meditating in the morning, working out, planning my day, eating well and spending several hours a day as a brilliant and prolific author, sleeping 7 hours a night…and Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I’m taking this new cognitive enhancer called Qualia. Maybe I should have mentioned that the reason I was able to keep up with most of these healthy habits is BECAUSE of Qualia!? Throughout the years, I have consistently been attempting to balance my spiritual practices, but I often don’t have the energy to do them all…Now, I have a routine. I wake up from the great mystery of dreamtime and drink a glass of water with “Step 1” of Qualia, (on an empty stomach) and since I have to wait a half hour before taking “Step 2” (on a full stomach) I made a habit of meditating for 20 minutes, then blending a nutritious smoothie to wash down my 2 pills, then  plan my day and confidently tackle the rest of my list.  

Downside: My brain fog on Fridays and Sundays seemed to disappear, I catch myself feeling guilty, like I’ve stumbled on a secret weapon, that I now had an “unfair advantage” or that all my awesomeness was somehow not “real.”

MONTH 3: Now, this is where the experiment gets really, really interesting. I am now flooded with new insights and revelations on a daily basis, the depth of which are previously only accessible during deep retreat. And the epiphany is embodied deep into my cells, it’s coming from the bottom up, as opposed to the top down.  How do I explain this? The mission of Qualia is to upgrade the hardware that consciousness runs on. For me that means my brain’s capacity is being upgraded to keep up with my soul.  I’ve come to realize that all the movement, breath, sound and consciousness raising exercises are meaningless if my hardware can’t handle the high frequency of my consciousness. I’ve devoted my life to the study of where spirit meets flesh and in over 2 decades of non-conventional practices, I have never encountered a supplement (or stack) that has personified my non-dual values better than this one.

Downside? This month I noticed I now feel brighter and clearer than ever, even on my days off. On the rare occasion that I accidentally skip or miss a day of Qualia, I hardly notice. No more hangovers. What’s more, my memory and creativity seem to be sustainably growing. Is it possible that these supplements support long term benefit to the brain, indeed several of the ingredients claim to Support neuroplasticity through increasing dendrite membranes. After only a 3 month trial, I am hopeful.

Should you try it? Obviously your mileage will vary. Every individual’s brain chemistry and tolerance is different (even at different times in their lives.) This specific formulation is not going to yield the same results for any two people. And it’s up to the user to adjust the dosage to their own body and lifestyle. I have friends who use Qualia in high doses to work out or stay up late at dance parties or writing deadlines. I have others who are too sensitive and it makes them feel anxious. This product is clearly NOT for everyone, but  if you are an extraordinary soul who’s eager to realize your conscious potential, I recommend you conduct your own experiment.

And keep me posted about your results in the comments below. Personally, I will be continuing to take Qualia through the fall, perhaps I’ll adjust my dosage…I’ll let you know how it goes!