@newton_john Great post! I experienced a number of recurring visions as a young child, this to the point I acted out on at least one. Music has also long induced ASC for me, I have very clear memories of specific events and/or feelings I had when hearing certain songs from back in the day, this goes beyond mere nostalgia.
My experimentation with using various substances was very much an attempt to replicate the spontaneous and natural ASC. I was very ritualistic and intentional in my use of peyote, LSD (very likely the real Owsley stuff), shrooms, hashish, honey/hash oil. Mostly I used these substances only in natural surroundings, being out in nature is inherent ASC inducer, these substances further heightened ASC. All the stereotypes of feeling as one with the universe are not wrong! The only other time I enjoyed trips was attending certain musical concerts, repeatedly with Frank Zappa, Chick Corea, Weather Report, well remember a laserium presentation of Pink Floyd's "Live at Pompeii" .
In any case, haven't done mind altering psychedelics in decades, but listening to my present system, this after decades of building it to this level, probably most replicates those 'highs' from back in the day.
I'm also easily hypnotized, had some friends into Earhard Seminars Training back in the day, they'd bring home tapes, have to say they were mind altering to some extent. Also had friends into Wicca, met some very powerful, charismatic people through them. Also knew people in the 'Children of God' movement. I can understand the lure of cults in that they can often induce ASC in certain susceptible people. Although I dabbled in the above I always kept my distance more an observer rather than a participant, I've always liked to think of myself as something like Argus, the all seeing creature from Greek mythology. Maintaining a certain objectivity while at the same time participating can bring about it's own sense of mind alteration and wonder. As an aside, love 'Argus' release from Wishbone Ash.