I guess we agree Xaqaria.

My personal stepping stones (in chronological order)were:
Marijuana, Mushrooms (over abt. 15 experiences), 3 Hawaiian Baby WoodRose seeds(containing LSA), LSD( abt. 10 experiences) then DMT, then Ayahuasca.

What the psychedelics I did before I did DMT and Ayahuasca have taught me was a sort of "framework" in which to manage and interpret such experiences. Most valuable lessons were:

-Let whatever is, be. Don't resist. Don't seek to control the experience Ride it out. Accept everything; both negative and positive.
-Have faith in the healing & teaching nature of whatever it is you're ingesting. Otherwise you shouldn't be taking it.
- If negative thoughts, feelings, perceptions..etc arise, don't freak out. Remain calm and regard them as teachers and pay close attention.
- Detatch yourself from a 1st person perspective where it seems that everything is happening to "You". Instead see yourself in 3d person, like just another human being having just another human experience. This detatchment(from the ego) makes for a far calmer, clearer and observant perspective.