I am truly aphantasic and have been this way throughout my life. I became aware of this when studying meditation and discovered I could not “visualize” prompts that were part of the process. I remembered though that when doing psychedelics recreationally, I was able to visualize or see mental images. Maybe this is why I was drawn to them. I then began pursuing psychedelics for Shamanic or Consciousness Exploration and attended Ayahuasca Ceremonies (100+) and partook in “Heroic Doses” of Magic Mushrooms (100++). Registering and experiencing the energetic and geometric overlays of Reality would occur whether my eyes were open or closed. This access to visual information completely fascinated me and the context that was beyond my imagination allowed me to understand the importance of accessing non-local information. The first time that I was able to “see” the energetic waves of music and how it travelled through people created a deeper appreciation for this process.
I am curious to hear about other people with Aphantasia and their experiences with psychedelics. I am more interested in organic natural forms rather than synthetic or chemical compounds. LSD for example, does open synapses and altered states of consciousness-but there is not a guiding “presence” felt as there is with Ayahuasca or Mushrooms or Cacti.