The folklore and terminology that have arisen around these substances give one a good indication of the basic nature of the experience. "Ecstasy" as a name points to the striking qualities of emotional warmth, well being, euphoria, pleasure, joy, and sensuality almost universally reported. The empathy so often reported has a distinctly different feel to it than "sympathy"; the latter is seen as an unconsciousness reaction of feeling the same as someone else. Empathy is sympathy with understanding, with consciousness; you do not forget who you are, even though you can "feel within" (em-patheia) the other. People feel they have true compassion, forgiveness, and understanding for those with whom they have important relationships. Most importantly, in terms of the therapeutic implications, they have empathy and compassion for themselves, for their ordinary, neurotic, childish, struggling persona or ego. The relative absence or attenuation of normal anxiety and fear in these states is perhaps the single most important feature in regard to their therapeutic value. People report being able to think about, talk about, and deal with inner or outer issues that are otherwise avoided because of the anxiety levels normally associated with those issues.
Ralph Metzner "The Nature of the MDMA Experience and Its Role in Healing, Psychotherapy, and Spiritual Practice"
