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How did I get here again? Oh right, the mushrooms. Magic Mushrooms. Psilocybin. The Mind Expander… Let me tell you about my first magic mushroom trip and what you can expect when, or if, you decide to unlock your mind with psilocybin.
From the ideal dose to the visuals and the comedown, I’m going to give you the inside scoop on this profound, mystical psychedelic journey. Just be warned: tripping is not for everyone. You’ll need an open yet cautious mindset to handle the euphoric highs and challenging lows.
But if you approach it responsibly, mushrooms can be a life-changing catalyst for creativity, spirituality, and personal growth. I know true atheists who have become spiritual. Not to the point of believing in the Christian God concept but understanding that there is a whole lot more to life and death than what we think. Be aware that your enlightenment with mushrooms can challenge your worldview concepts.
Interested in what the mushroom realm has in store for you? Let’s take a trip then…
Choosing the Right Magic Mushrooms for Your Psilocybin Trip
When it comes to psilocybin mushrooms, you have a few good options to choose from. I prefer Psilocybe cubensis, commonly known as the “gold cap” mushroom. These tend to produce a mellow, euphoric trip with visual hallucinations. These are my personal favorites. The trip usually lasts 4 to 6 hours, long enough to explore my consciousness, but short enough not to worry about losing myself.
Azurescens and cyanescens also provide an intense experience, but the trip can last up to 12 hours, so I only recommend those for experienced psychonauts.
Finding a Trusted Source
The most important thing is finding a trusted source for your shrooms. Growing your own is extremely risky if you’re inexperienced. I buy mine from a reputable dispensary that lab tests their products to ensure potency and safety.
Some people forage for wild mushrooms, but that can be dangerous if you accidentally pick a poisonous variety. It’s best to start with a known, cultivated strain. Please understand that accidentally consuming poisonous mushrooms when you forage in the wild is NOT rare. It will happen to you, at least once.
Dosage and Consumption
For your first trip, I advise that you start with 1 to 2 grams of dried mushrooms. You can eat them whole, add them to food like chocolate or honey, grind them up and mix them into peanut butter, or brew them into tea. My favorite way to consume mushrooms is the grinding method, toasting some bread, and making a great PB & J.
The effects usually start within 30 to 60 minutes. As you get more experienced, you can increase the dose to 3.5 grams, but higher doses often lead to a more intense, nearly uncontrollable trip, so increase slowly and be very careful.
As a side note, during my high school years, I was informed that experiencing a ‘bad trip’ on mushrooms was impossible. Being young and naive, I believed it. However, after three mushroom trips, I encountered a horrific bad trip, which left me completely shaken and with no fingernails at the end of the experience.
Set the Date
Set aside at least one full day for your experience. Although some people rush ahead whenever mushrooms appear, it’s almost always a bad idea. Have a trusted friend with you, avoid responsibilities, turn off your phone, and make sure you’re in a comfortable setting.
The psilocybin journey can be profoundly life-changing, but you must go into it with the right mindset and take the necessary precautions. Not everyone is ready for such a powerful inner transformation. But if you prepare properly, magic mushrooms can open you up to insight and bliss you never imagined possible.
A word of caution – When you read that tripping on mushrooms is life-changing, enlightening, and spiritual, don’t misunderstand. Your mind isn’t lost, your personality doesn’t change, and you don’t become another person any more than getting drunk on a Friday night turns you into a different person the next morning. You know what I mean? Unlike dumb drugs like alcohol and marijuana, psilocybin simply opens your mind to the point of looking deeper into the human condition.
Recap: Consuming Magic Mushrooms: Methods and Dosage
As I briefly stated above, when it comes to ingesting magic mushrooms, you have a few options. The most common way is to simply eat the dried mushrooms, usually called “shrooms”. I prefer to grind them up and make a PB&J, others prefer to make tea, as it reduces possible nausea and the come-up happens faster. You can also add the ground-up shrooms to other foods like yogurt or a smoothie. No matter the method, start with a low dose, around 1-2 grams by weight for your first time. You can always take more, but you can’t take less! Remember this.
Finding the Right Dose
The potency of shrooms can vary, so start low. For a mild trip with slight visuals and body high, 1-2 grams is good. 2-3 grams will produce an immersive trip with vivid visuals.
Anything over 3.5 grams is a “gallant dose” – intense visuals and a complete distortion of senses. I don’t recommend going that high for your first, second, or even third time.
What to Expect
Shrooms typically take 30-60 minutes to kick in but try to avoid staring at your phone for a countdown. You’ll start to feel giggly and light, colors may seem to suddenly seem brighter.
As you peak, around 2 hours in, visuals become more intense. Don’t panic. You may see geometric patterns, trails of light, or enhanced details. Your thoughts and senses will be intensely heightened. Time may feel distorted.
Your mind begins to process information with less effort, like solving a math problem without going through the steps. I call it “stealth thinking”, thinking about something without being conscious of the process.
As for time distortion, this is also a very real thing. However, I’m sure you’ve experienced time distortion in other ways; getting involved in a good book, a great movie, or music.
You’ve been involved to the point that you lose your sense of time and you’re startled that X amount of time just vanished. Tripping on mushrooms is similar, but not really. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain.
There is no need to panic – remind yourself you’re under the influence of shrooms and the effects are temporary. Change your environment or music and drink some water. The peak will pass after a few hours, and you’ll start to come down, feeling relaxed and reflective. I always feel a sense of calm. My mind, which was deep diving hours before, becomes quiet, and more appreciative of the day ahead.
Shrooms can be a fun recreational experience, but they also have the power to positively impact your life. A single trip has the potential to shift your perspectives and habits for the better. However, shrooms are not for everyone and could be dangerous if you have a history of psychosis or aren’t prepared for the intensity of the experience. Do plenty of research, understand the risks, and make sure the set and setting are ideal before embarking on your first mushroom voyage. And for God’s sake, don’t do it alone until you’re sure you can maintain your sense of calm.
The Psilocybin Trip: My Personal Experience
When I take magic mushrooms, I make sure to start with around 1 to 2 grams of dried mushrooms, even after more than a dozen trips. The effects start to kick in for me after 30 minutes or so.
At first, I noticed colors becoming more vibrant, and sounds seeming intensified. I always play music by David Gilmour, or Pink Floyd after Roger Waters. The Division Bell is extraordinary on mushrooms, and Rattle that Lock by Gilmour is super intense.
My thoughts start to wander, and I find new connections between ideas. This is when the trip really starts.
The peak of the trip for me is usually 2 to 3 hours in. This is when I experience the visual and mental effects the strongest. Closed-eye visuals are common, where I see geometric patterns, objects morphing, and breathing.
My mind makes unusual connections between thoughts that often feel profound or meaningful, and sometimes actually are. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed, so I try to remind myself to go with the flow. Focusing on my breathing helps ground me in the present moment.
Coming down from the peak, the effects gradually subside over the next few hours. I still feel uplifted and gain new insights, but visuals fade and my mind feels clearer. The entire experience typically lasts 6 to 8 hours for me. The day after, I usually feel an afterglow – colors seem brighter, and I have an optimistic outlook.
While tripping can be fun and eye-opening, you must go into it with intention and caution. Make sure you understand how to navigate challenging experiences. Have a trusted guide with you and do plenty of research beforehand.
Magic mushrooms are illegal in most US states, so take proper precautions. But when done right, psilocybin can unlock new ways of thinking that stay with you long after the trip ends.
Integrating the Magic Mushroom Experience
While the effects of psilocybin can last up to 6 hours after ingesting the mushrooms, the real work begins once your trip ends. Integrating the experience is key to gaining insight and wisdom from your journey.
Looking Inward
As the psilocybin starts to wear off and I come down from the peak of my trip, I find it helpful to reflect on my experience. I like to think about how I felt, what I thought about, and any visions or insights I may have had.
Often there are meaningful symbols or messages hidden within the trip that become clear upon reflection. I may gain a new perspective on relationships, work through past traumas, or come to terms with my mortality.
Psilocybin has a way of stripping away the ego and allowing you to look at yourself with compassion. And believe me, while this article may not be the right forum to bring this up, the ego can be the most harmful part of the human experience. Stripping away your ego can be the best part of the trip, it has been for me.
Expressing Gratitude
I am always filled with a deep sense of gratitude after a mushroom trip. Gratitude for life, nature, loved ones, and simple pleasures. It is a good idea to express that gratitude through creative acts like art, writing, music, or meditation.
I find that putting my feelings into some creative work helps to capture the essence of the experience and further integrate any lessons I may have learned. That’s not to say that “journaling”, a Gen Z phenomenon, is helpful or something you should do. It isn’t. Once you have your ego in check, journaling seems narcissistic.
Instead, I like to write about world affairs or help others understand the damage large egos have on your humanity. I mean, look at Donald Trump. This is a man who is ALL ego, and that makes him a very dangerous potential leader.
Connecting With Others
Sharing details of your experience with close friends or family members can be very rewarding, especially if you’re young. While the psilocybin journey is intensely personal, connecting with others who have also experimented with psychedelics can help provide context and reassurance. However, use discretion in whom you share with, as psychedelics remain controversial and, in many places, illegal. As an older Baby Boomer, I don’t share my experiences with anyone. These trips belong to me, and what I get out of them is mine.
The psilocybin experience often leaves a lasting impression. Taking the time to reflect on your trip and express any insights or gratitude you gained can help unlock the full potential for personal growth that magic mushrooms provide. While the effects of the mushrooms themselves are temporary, the wisdom and clarity they provide can endure. Perhaps next time I’ll give you my insights on micro-dosing mushrooms. The perfect way to gain clarity, cure depression, and more, without tripping.
Psilocybin: The Bad Trip and How to Avoid It
How can I avoid a bad trip?
While most psilocybin trips are positive, “bad trips” can happen. The best way to avoid this is through preparation. Make sure you’re in a safe space with people you trust. The worst thing you can do is trip right after an argument with someone, especially a loved one. If you carry anger into your trip, you will regret it.
Start with a low to moderate dose, especially for your first time. Go into the experience to learn and grow. Stay calm by controlling your breathing and reminding yourself that the effects are very temporary.
If things start to feel scary or unsettling, change your environment or music. Reach out to your trusted companions for reassurance. Bad trips are often the result of fighting the experience rather than embracing it. Like panicking on a roller coaster, you might want to jump off, but you know you can’t.
Psilocybin can be a powerful tool for self-discovery when used carefully and with the proper reverence. For those seeking insight into themselves or the mysteries of existence, magic mushrooms may provide the keys to unlocking the mind.
Conclusion
Psilocybin can be an incredible experience if done safely, but it’s not for everyone. (How many times have I said this?) Mushrooms can unlock parts of your mind, they can also open doors you’re not prepared to handle.
Educate yourself, start small, and don’t trip alone your first time. Have an experienced guide to lessen the risk of a bad trip. Magic mushrooms can be traumatic if you’re not careful.
Meditate on your intentions beforehand. Focus inward. Don’t be afraid of yourself. Psilocybin will amplify whatever’s already inside you, so do the work to prepare your mindset if you plan to trip. Stay safe and happy trails!
