Intention

Thanks for the post! I am by no means an expert on psychedelic. From personal experience and studies I found the intention behind taking the psychedelic can greatly affect the experience itself.

Psychedelics required for the spiritual path?

I would not say no and to be honest would not recommend it, but some might be curious and feel like playing around with psychedelic and give it a shot. For those I would say set a pure intention what you want to get out of the experience and take it in a controlled safe environment. For example pray, meditate before hand, smudge the place and set an powerful intention, for example set an intention to experience infinite peace.

The Psychedelics Experience

The actual experience can be very widely. From the lower levels of the human psyche to the highest. If one experiences the higher states (infinite joy, ecstasy, bliss, peace) the main spiritual benefit would be to realize these states can be reaches without psychedelic as an inner permanent state.

Through inner spiritual work these higher states can be reached as a permanent innter state of being. The true great mystics (across various religions) have written that these high states are where they live.

Visiting different realms

Also keep in mind that in the experience once might visit different realms than the physical one we live in. Some realms might be higher than others and one might also meet beings from these realms.

The lower realms are not going to be fun.

The Downside

The downside of taking psychedelics is that psychedelics can create an opening in one's aura where unwanted entities can slip it. So be cautious.