November 2024 AOM: Creating a Taxonomy of the DMT Entities

We warmly welcome David Jay Brown, author of The Illustrated Field Guide to DMT Entities: Machine Elves, Tricksters, Teachers, and Interdimensional Beings, as our featured author this month. In this full-colour illustrated handbook, psychedelic explorer David Jay Brown and visionary artist Sara Phinn Huntley explore 25 of the most commonly encountered DMT entities, from machine elves and fairies to insectoids, Reptilians, and divine beings such as Grandmother Ayahuasca. David’s book discusses each entity in-depth, including people’s encounters with them from trip reports and scientific studies, descriptions of how the entities appear and behave, and communications or teachings they impart, carefully recording and enhancing our understanding of the intelligent alien species of hyperspace.

In his article below, David introduces the reader to these mysteriously curious yet familiar beings experienced in psychedelic worlds and provides an insight into the road that led him to document the interdimensional realm beyond.

Interact with David on our AoM Forum here.

When I was a child I used to collect the Golden Guide nature books. I had the complete set: Reptiles and Amphibians, Fishes, Insects, Birds, Mammals, etc. I even had A Golden Guide to Hallucinogenic Plants. My love for those wonderfully illustrated field guides to different species of wildlife came to mind when my beloved friend Sara Phinn Huntley and I were sharing a psychedelic experience together one day in the Santa Cruz Mountains around fifteen years ago. We thought it would be fun to create a similar guidebook for classifying the different species of alien beings that people report encountering on DMT and other psychedelics, with pictures and descriptions for identifying them.

That was the genesis for our new book, The Illustrated Field Guide to DMT Entities, which we talked about doing for years. At the time, DMT was a rather obscure drug that was only known to psychedelic aficionados, but DMT has now become so popular, and the entity encounters it engenders have become so common, that we felt the time was right to finally complete this project. Our book was recently published by Inner Traditions.

DMT (N,N-Dimethyltryptamine) is a mysterious chemical that is naturally found in the human body, and in many species of animals and plants, although no biochemist knows exactly what biological function it serves in any of these places. DMT is endogenous to the human body, and it’s been speculated that it might be produced in the pineal gland of the human brain, but so far, it’s only been found in the blood and lungs. DMT has been found in the brains of rats, and interestingly, it is produced in rat brains during cardiac arrest, which leads credence to the notion that it may be produced in human brains when people are near death and could be at least partially responsible for what has been called “the near-death experience.”

DMT is also a powerful psychedelic substance. When pure DMT is vaporized, insufflated, or injected in sufficient quantities, it becomes one of the most potent psychedelic substances known to human beings— generally an order of magnitude more psychologically intense than a strong LSD or psilocybin experience. The incredible experience completely overwhelms one’s perceptions, separating one’s conscious awareness from the body and the material world, making one unaware of their physical environment, and transporting one to an enchanted realm beyond belief.

This extraordinary realm, often called “hyperspace” by DMT voyagers, appears to exist with a similar consistency as physical reality, or a lucid dream, and most amazingly, it is seemingly populated with autonomous entities— swarms of elves, sentient alien bio-machines, and a whole ecosystem of strange otherworldly beings. Hyperspace is defined as a space with more than our normal three or four dimensions that can be accessed without a body or sometimes with a body— but not your physical body. Controlled and repeatable experiments in clinical settings with DMT, as well as a bounty of reports on the Internet with self-experimentation by psychonauts, demonstrate how DMT allows for repeatable and reliable contact experiences with what appear to be highly evolved entities.

In our book, we describe and illustrate 25 of the most commonly encountered entities in DMT hyperspace, as well as from experiences with related psychedelics, such as LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, ketamine, Salvia divinorum, and ayahuasca. These entity categorizations were gathered from scientific reports, online anecdotes, surveys, interviews, friends, and my own personal experience, as well as from alien abduction and UFO contactee reports, fairy sightings, and science fiction, where there are uncanny parallels. I wrote the entity entries for this volume and Sara did the illustrations. Additionally, a number of talented artists— such as Alex Grey, Luke Brown, Andrew Android Jones, Salvia Droid, and Harry Pack— have contributed artwork to this book.

For this article, I’ll provide a brief outline of these entities and share some of Sara’s illustrations.

Let’s meet the Entities.

Self-Transforming Machine Elves, The Tykes, Clockwork Elves

Perhaps the most well-known of all DMT entities are the “self-transforming machine elves.” The late ethnobotanist Terence McKenna originally coined the term for these unusually creative beings to describe the mischievous entities that he regularly encountered on his breakthrough DMT voyages, who competed with one another to present him with magical, Fabergé egg-like super-toys. McKenna described the machine elves as looking like “jeweled, self-dribbling basketballs,” and others have said that they look like fairy tale elves from children’s books, with ever-shifting biomechanical bodies.

Many DMT users consider them to be an advanced species that permanently inhabits the realms of hyperspace. They are often reported as being similar to the elves of Irish and Celtic folklore in both appearance and behavior. In reports from DMT users, they are described as impish, mischievous, and have mysterious superhuman powers. They are often reported as being extremely playful, colorful, and sparkling or radiating light. They’re ever-changing and seem to be able to transform their visual appearance at will. They appear to be part biological and part robotic or mechanical, and sometimes move together in synchronized patterns. They’re usually very active, bouncing themselves in and out of objects, as well as inside and outside of people’s bodies.

By the book’s illustrator, Sara Phinn Huntley

Mantis Entities, Mantids, & Other Insectoid Aliens

Encounters with the mantis entities are described in both the DMT reports and the alien abduction literature. They are commonly reported as intimidating beings, physically resembling human-sized praying mantises, or as large beings that are insectoid in appearance. They are commonly described as having a humanoid body with insectoid features, such as antennae, insect eyes, and multi-jointed limbs. Mantis beings generally have multiple appendages that they can operate with great dexterity, and large, penetrating, multifaceted, oval eyes. They are often experienced as cold-hearted scientists or medical researchers who perform complex experiments or surgical procedures on people’s brains or bodies, although other times, they are seen as wise, ancient beings with a deep understanding of the universe and its secrets.

By the book’s illustrator, Sara Phinn Huntley

Reptilians

Reptilians are a species of entity that appear in the DMT, psilocybin, and ayahuasca trip reports, the alien abduction literature, and the writings of British author David Ike. Reptilians are often described as being somewhat larger than humans, and although they often appear with seemingly nefarious or manipulative intentions, they sometimes seem to offer wisdom or healing. They’re generally described as having green, scaly, hairless skin, with snout-like faces and large oval eyes.

By the book’s illustrator, Sara Phinn Huntley

Grey Aliens

Greys (or Grays) are the quintessential aliens, appearing in both the alien abduction and the DMT journey reports. They are the classic archetypal icons of extraterrestrial life, the most commonly portrayed extraterrestrials in science fiction movies, comics, and toys. They are described as having large, pear-shaped heads that protrude in the back, long arms with three or four long fingers, a thin torso, spindly feet, and huge black eyes, which curve upward and are more rounded toward the center of the head and pointed at the outer edge. They are often reported to lack emotional sensibilities, communicate telepathically, and seem to be particularly interested in carrying out medical exams and procedures on us.

By the book’s illustrator, Sara Phinn Huntley

Blue & Purple Hued Beings

Encounters with interdimensional purple beings have been reported throughout history in various ways, and a number of shamanic voyagers, alien abductees, and UFO contactees have reported encounters with blue and purple colored people and beings. They are often seen as guides and teachers, and are said to provide wisdom, offer insight into the mysteries of life, and help to facilitate spiritual growth, but they are not always predictable.

Clowns, Jesters, Tricksters, Harlequins, Imps, & Jack-in-the-Box Entities

The late ethnobotanist Terence McKenna said that “the archetype of DMT is the circus,” and clown entities were commonly reported in Rick Strassman’s original DMT study. To this day, a considerable number of people continue to report seeing clowns, jesters, or similar trickster beings in their trip reports. Many people report them as having a somewhat sinister quality, while others describe them as being more mischievous with a sense of humor that is different from that of human beings.

By the book’s illustrator, Sara Phinn Huntley

Gatekeepers or Threshold Guardians

Many people have reported shamanic encounters with entities that appear to stand guard over the entrance to extracorporeal or spirit realms, and only allow entry to those who they deem worthy, or who can pass certain tests— such as demonstrating bravery or pure heartedness. These beings are often referred to as “gatekeepers” or “threshold guardians,” and they are described in many shamanic cultures and psychedelic experiences. The archetype of these entities occurs in various forms, such as a serpent or a dragon watching over the entrance to the spirit world. However, depending on one’s cultural background, it seems that the form of the gatekeepers can vary quite considerably.

Spirit Guides

It’s not uncommon for people on psychedelic journeys to encounter entities that they describe as spirit guides, who act as teachers that show them around the dimensions of hyperspace and teach them various life lessons. Psychedelic spirit guides are reported to come in numerous forms, and in addition to being teachers, are also reported to serve a protective function.

Eastern, Middle Eastern, Native American Deities & Demigods

Many people have reported shamanic encounters with beings that appear to be deities and demigods from different religious backgrounds and cultural traditions. These commonly include encounters with Egyptian gods and goddesses, as well as with the djinn from the Middle East, Hindu and Tibetan deities from the Far East, and South American deities. Deity encounters from different religions and mythologies around the world have been reported on psychedelic experiences, suggesting that there is a deeper reality to these beings than anthropological theories of culturally bound traditions might imply. Although encounters with them tend to be extremely powerful, they are usually experienced as positive and beneficial.

Jesus

Encounters with Jesus Christ, the Messiah of the New Testament, and sometimes other Biblical characters, are not uncommon during profound psychedelic experiences, especially among people who adhere to one of the Christian faiths. Encounters with Jesus in hyperspace are generally described as positive and comforting.

The Virgin Mary

Many people have reported healings by, and sightings and visions of, the Virgin Mary throughout history. So common are these visions of the divine female figure that there is even a term for this phenomenon— “Marian apparition.” Like encounters with Jesus and other Biblical characters, sometimes people also report contact with this powerful female entity on psychedelic journeys as well. Encounters with this particular entity are often reported to have a powerful transformative or healing effect, and leave one with a great sense of peacefulness.

The Devil & Demons

Terrifying encounters with the Devil or demons from various religious systems are not uncommon during profound psychedelic experiences, especially among people who adhere to one of the Christian faiths, and they can be extremely frightening. Encounters with entities described as demonic are among the most frightening of psychedelic journeys, although they can often be part of more positive transformations. Many shamanic traditions describe beings who appear as demons, tearing and shredding us apart, as preparation for a rebirth. Similarly, psychiatrist Stanislav Grof has described how, during what he calls “spiritual emergencies”, it’s not uncommon for people to experience frightening alien abductions and demonic encounters that, over time, transform into encounters with angelic beings as the person heals. So, what people experience as the Devil, or as demonic entities, seem likely to not only be influenced by psychological projections of fear onto beings that are too complex for us to currently understand, but that also hold the potential to help us to heal, by eventually leading our minds and spirits into a greater sense of wholeness.

Angels

As with Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and the Devil, in which the encounters with these beings are largely associated with Christian or religious backgrounds, angel visitations are not uncommon during psychedelic experiences, and, like demons, they can also be associated with a variety of different cultural belief systems. Seeing angels as beings of radiant light is frequently reported on psychedelic journeys, and they are almost always described as positive, beneficial, comforting, and sometimes healing.

Therianthropes & Animal/Human Hybrids

Many people have reported visions of, or encounters with, entities that appeared to be part human and part animal during their psychedelic experiences. The term “therianthropes” comes from combining the Greek words therion, which means “wild beast,” with anthropes, which means “man.” Therianthropy is described as the capacity of individuals to metamorphose into animals or hybrids by means of shapeshifting, the ability to physically transform— an idea that’s found in the oldest forms of shamanism. This includes the phenomenon known as lycanthropy, where people believe that they transform into werewolves, and it’s not uncommon for people to feel like they sometimes become different animals on their psychedelic journeys. Numerous South American shamans are said to have the ability to transform into jaguars and other jungle animals while under the influence of ayahuasca. Human-animal hybrids also often appear in ayahuasca visions, as well as other psychedelic or visionary states of consciousness, and they appear in some of the oldest known examples of ancient cave art.

Ancestors, Dead Relatives and Friends, or Unknown Deceased People

Many people have claimed to have experienced contact with loved ones who have passed on during shamanic voyages with DMT and ayahuasca, and a scientific study has shown similarities between the DMT experience and the near-death experience. Some people believe that the DMT experience models the near-death experience and, as such, allows us to communicate with those who have crossed over. Others say that they were able to resolve conflicts with relatives or friends after they died, or get some type of reassurance that they were okay in the next realm.

By the book’s illustrator, Sara Phinn Huntley

Fairies

Fairies encountered in psychedelic experiences are usually reported as being young, female and winged, like butterflies or flying insects, and they are able to fly like hummingbirds— but like the self-transforming machine elves, are shapeshifters, able to change their form or appearance at will, and sometimes can appear beautiful and other times hideous. It’s not uncommon for people to report seeing fairies flying around in their garden or frolicking in the forest— that look like they stepped off the page of a fairy tale— while having a psychedelic experience in nature, especially with magic mushrooms and DMT. Like the elves and gnomes, fairies seem to visually resemble their characteristic representations in traditional folklore, and tend to treat us in unpredictable ways, ranging from seemingly altruistic to mischievous to nefarious.

Gnomes, Kobolds, & Goblins

Like fairies and elves, according to European folklore, gnomes are also a type of nature spirit. They are usually portrayed as small humanoid creatures with pointed hats that look like impish old men, roughly around the size of a human child. Many people report encounters with them while under the influence of DMT and other psychedelic substances. They are often reported as being mischievous and unpredictable, tending to treat us in ways that are hard to foresee and not always to be trusted.

Grandmother Ayahuasca

The ayahuasca vine and brew— which contains DMT and harmaline— is said to also contain a living spirit that teaches us and helps us to heal. The spirit is generally invisible but speaks to us during shamanic ceremonies; she manifests in feelings of presence and sensation, and takes various forms in our ayahuasca visions. The spirit of ayahuasca is usually described as being female and matronly, and although she takes many forms, she is most commonly described as having a motherly or, more commonly, a grandmotherly presence. She is described as a voice and a presence who guides and communicates with us during ayahuasca encounters in our own native language and through meaningful visions.

Nature Spirits, Plant, Fungi Spirits

Many people under the influence of magic mushrooms report encounters with a spirit that they believe resides within the enchanted fungus. They report an intelligent, living spirit that resides inside the flesh of the sacred mushrooms— which contain the potent psychedelic substance psilocybin— and that under the enchantment of the mushroom, this multilingual spirit speaks to them in their native tongue, often sharing wisdom, encouragement, and insights.

By the book’s illustrator, Sara Phinn Huntley

Animal Spirits, Snakes, Jaguars

Animal spirit entities are routinely reported during psychedelic experiences. When I put up an online query for experiences about psychedelic animal spirits, I received one of the largest responses to any of my entity queries for this book.

Many people under the influence of ayahuasca report encounters with animal spirit entities, particularly in the form of snakes and jaguars. Jaguars and serpents are also commonly portrayed in paintings of ayahuasca experiences, such as in the artwork of Pablo Amaringo and Felix Pinchi Aguirre. In Jeremy Narby’s classic book The Cosmic Serpent, he describes how encounters with serpents on ayahuasca may be representative of the double helix DNA molecule that resides within the nucleus of our cells, and that this may help to explain why serpents appear so frequently in shamanic traditions around the world.

Octopus and Octopoid Beings

People have been reporting Octopus and Octopoid entities on ayahuasca and South American psychedelic plant snuffs for centuries, and they are commonly encountered in the recent DMT trip reports as well. They are often described as having multiple tentacles that seem to operate somewhat independently from one another, just as wild octopuses move, and are said to have many eyes. Some people report them as being benevolent, and others describe them as malicious, but they seem to respond and change according to human thoughts, feelings, and intentions.

Chemical Spirits

Some people believe that, like plants and fungi, psychedelic chemicals such as LSD, MDMA, or 2-CB have a spirit within them that people can dialogue and commune with when they take the drug. Chemists Alexander Shulgin and Albert Hoffman told me this with regard to how they first formulated chemical discoveries in their labs. Some people report exchanges with these entities as being similar to encounters with nature spirits.

Mother Gaia

The Gaia Hypothesis is a bio-geological theory developed by environmental scientist James Lovelock and biochemist Lynn Margulis that proposes that the biosphere of the earth functions like a single, self-regulating organism or system, such that the oceans and atmosphere are maintained in a proper biochemical balance and temperature to sustain life on the planet. Many people believe that this self-regulating biosphere has an intelligence and a female spirit that one can commune and interact with. This is especially common on magic mushrooms and ayahuasca. Although related to the Mother Ayahuasca entity described in another section, this is a distinct planetary spirit that is also sometimes described as Mother Nature, the Gaian Mind, or the Planetary Matrix. Many people describe how this feminine entity communicates a deep sense of urgency and pain regarding the ecological crisis on Earth.

By the book’s illustrator, Sara Phinn Huntley

Beings of Light, Pure Energy, & Bodiless Beings

Some of the entities that people report encountering on DMT and other psychedelics are reported to be composed of light or pure energy, and are without defined bodily structures. Many religious, spiritual, and mystical experiences also report contact with “beings of light” that are often angelic in presence. Light beings are also reported during near-death experiences and ayahuasca experiences, as well as in UFO contact experiences.

God

Reports of encounters with this being describe God as an independent entity, distinguished from a mystical or religious experience of divine union— as is commonly reported in involvements with 5MeO-DMT, psilocybin, LSD, and other psychedelics— and distinct from encounters with Jesus or other deities. God is sometimes seen as an independent being who is perceived as the creator of us, all life, the entire cosmos, and all of our reality. The pop culture image of God as a wise old man in the clouds or sitting on a throne is sometimes encountered as a living entity in hyperspace, but there are other manifestations of this archetypal encounter.

Extended State DMT Studies, Artificial Intelligence, UFOs, & the Future

The DMT entity contact phenomenon is now being taken seriously by a number of reputable scientists and is being systematically explored with scientific studies being done at the Imperial College in London and elsewhere— using extended–state DMT in brave subjects. In these studies, people are kept in the DMT state for longer periods of time— to, first of all, see if these extended states are safe and tolerable—but also to see if more valuable information can be obtained this way.

To study these mysterious beings further, Andrew Gallimore and Rick Strassman have collaborated to develop a pharmacokinetic model of DMT as the basis of “a target-controlled intravenous infusion protocol” for extended journeys in the DMT space. They and others have begun working with a technology that allows people to stay in the high-dose DMT state— which normally only peaks for a few minutes— for extended periods of time, such as hours, or even longer. Since DMT isn’t known to create any tolerance in the brain, theoretically, this will allow people to have lengthier periods of contact with beings that may reside in this realm, and for real progress with communication to take place.

This extended-state DMT research— “DMTx,” as it’s called— is currently in progress at a number of different institutions, and I interviewed two of the first subjects in the Imperial College DMTx study— Carl Hayden Smith and Alexander Beiner— who told me about numerous entity encounters that they had on extended-state DMT excursions. At least three separate groups are currently working on a DMTx project at some stage of development.

The Medicinal Mindfulness DMTx project in Colorado is the least academic of the three but is most interested in entity contact. Imperial College’s Centre for Psychedelic Research in London completed its first 30-minute DMTx study, led by Chris Timmermann, in human volunteers in 2022. Then there is Matthias Liechti’s group in Basel, Switzerland, who are performing infusions of up to 90 minutes, for both clinical and exploratory purposes. I interviewed two of the subjects in the initial Imperial College study, Alexander Beiner and Carl Hayden Smith, and they both shared incredible entity encounter experiences with me that I discuss in my book.

I think this is some of the most exciting scientific research in human history, as the implications of these studies reach far beyond the realm of psychedelics. We stand at the threshold of unprecedented advancements in communication with non-human intelligences. Through extended-state DMT research, we may be glimpsing the beginnings of a sustained dialogue with entities residing in hyperspace. Could they share the secrets of a new science or godlike technologies with us, such as designs for warp-drive starships, matter transporters, or time machines? This type of exchange echoes the long-anticipated contact with alien species depicted in countless science fiction narratives, with striking parallels to recent revelations surrounding UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) and claims of secret government programs aimed at reverse-engineering alien technology.

These potential breakthroughs come at a time when society is grappling with another form of alien intelligence: artificial intelligence (A.I.). Advanced A.I. programs, like GPT and Bing, are raising profound questions about the nature of sentience, self-awareness, and what it truly means to be conscious. As these technologies become increasingly sophisticated and indistinguishable from human thought, the boundaries between organic and synthetic intelligence blur. Just as in our DMT journeys, we find ourselves questioning what is real and sentient versus what is an artificial simulation. This parallel between psychedelic experiences and the rise of A.I. highlights a growing challenge in human understanding— are we truly prepared to encounter intelligences that operate on entirely different planes of existence?

As we advance in both our exploration of the DMT realms and the development of A.I., the veil between dimensions grows ever thinner. The entities we encounter, whether in hyperspace or in digital spaces, may not be as far removed from us as we once believed. With each passing year, the lines between interstellar and interdimensional, between organic and artificial intelligence, continue to blur. Perhaps the contact we seek with extraterrestrial civilizations has been awaiting us all along— not in the distant cosmos, but just beyond the edges of our current perception. The question remains: will we be ready to engage with these entities— be they DMT entities, A.I. intelligences, or something else entirely— as equals, collaborators, mentors, or symbiotes in this next great evolutionary step?