Robito, forgive me but, if you really want to follow the Buddha’s advice, would you not have to become a monk? What are your main sources for the dhamma? The Suttas/Sutras of different traditions can be surprisingly different. For example, I am surprised that someone who takes the teachings of the Buddha seriously would refer to the “Self”, capital S and everything. What self is this? Where did you find it? 🙂 But maybe the tradition you’re reading in doesn’t teach not-self as an important concept.

I think, if your experiment revolves around doing exactly what the Buddha advised to see if it ‘works’, then I guess you’d at least have to take the precepts very seriously, and undertake abstaining from alcohol, even if it makes you seem weird to your friends and you feel like you’re giving up something rather nice (the occasional pint). If you want to be a renunciate, giving up things that are actually rather nice is going to have to become a habit.

But perhaps I misunderstand your mission. I’d love to hear more about what you’re planning.