Alcohol is good for socializing. Cannabis is good for eating. And exercising. And introspection.
Ever wonder what ‘shrooms are good for? If so, you’re not alone. The newness of magic mushrooms means that you might be unsure quite what to do with them.
That’s where our experience comes in. We’re fungi lovers at heart, and we have more than enough real-world experience to make some recommendations. Overall, we’d say ‘shrooms are perfect for inner work, nature adventures, and social situations. But then again, it all depends on your dose! Here’s a closer look at the practical side of magic mushrooms.
- Psilocybin = introspection?
- Take ‘shrooms, enjoy nature
- How psilocybin improves sociability
- Micro dosing, macro mood benefits
- Other activities
Psilocybin = introspection?
Do you feel mentally complacent or “stuck”?
Do you find yourself revisiting past mistakes or past relationships a little too often?
Maybe you’ve gone through so much stress that you now have PTS/PTSD.
Either way, you’re not alone. “1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness in any given year,” says the Canadian Mental Health Association. Anxiety is another leading problem among Canadians, and even suicide is tragically common.
And while it’s true that many of these issues have a biochemical basis, mental complacency and turmoil can also be caused by a lack of insight. Once a person learns a little more about themselves, they almost inevitably find a little more peace.
The good news is that this type of inner insight is one of the things psilocybin does best. As anyone who’s been on a solid trip can attest, the experience often entails falling down the rabbit hole into new inner dimensions. You might work through several forgotten personal issues…before realizing that the self is an illusion entirely! It’s almost like psilocybin can bring out your inner therapist. Indeed, Terence McKenna always said that his first trip had the same value as a decade of therapy.
And even if a person’s mental health challenges are caused by a chemical problem, magic shrooms may be able to help. Even if the issue is that your brain could use an extra boost of serotonin, serotonin-mimicking compounds like psilocybin could be a great choice for you. Why? Because psilocybin could powerfully rewire your brain on the most basic levels.
Brain chemistry aside, magic mushrooms are a worthy companion of anyone who wants to reach new levels of insight and introspection. They’re instrumental in personal evolution and genetic evolution alike.
Take ‘shrooms, enjoy nature
“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”
– John Muir
Attention nature lovers: ‘shrooms can amplify your next nature experience. Brightening the senses and vivifying colours, psilocybin ‘shrooms are literally perfect if getting out in the great outdoors is what you’re after. They might make your favourite hiking route even more enjoyable…they might make your favourite bike ride that much more relaxing.
Just imagine: you take a pleasantly low dose of Golden Teacher mushrooms and embark on a familiar trail. As you walk the Golden’s begin to slowly kick in; you notice the rustling leaves above start to glimmer. It’s like an almost heavenly dimension begins to unfold. Throughout the course of the hike your trip progresses, and as your body begins to tire if fades, leaving your ready to head contentedly back home.
Then there are all the health benefits associated with this whole combo. For a more complete list of those, just click here.
* One word of caution: if you’re intent on taking a heroic dose of shrooms before your next outing, bring a close friend or two along. Things can get out of hand (or out of this dimension!) pretty quickly.
How psilocybin improves sociability
Would you like to become a little less anxious and a little more outgoing?
It’s possible — though it might take a little bit of inner work. Maybe the right approach is two-fold, something that calls for taking a large dose for personal breakthroughs and a moderate dose for thriving in social situations.
After all, dosing is everything. Take a very small dose and expect cognitive benefits (more on those later); take a huge dose and expect a whole lot of introspection. If you want to use psilocybin to improve your social life, your optimal dose will probably be somewhere in the middle!
Believe it or not, psilocybin may even help you relate better to others. “In [shroom-fueled] transcendental states of consciousness, people […] get to levels of consciousness that seem universal,” explains psychologist Richard Williams of John Hopkins University. Several people who take ‘shrooms together will more often than not realize they have a whole lot in common.
Even religious-minded folks tend to “get a greater appreciation for other world religions,” Richards says, having been enabled to recognizing these other belief systems as “other ways up the mountain, if you will.”
Magic mushrooms can benefit your social life in other ways, too. Many users have reported becoming more fluent, almost like their brain has an easier time converting thoughts into words. Mycologist Paul Stamets’ experience has been even more extreme; for him, a single high-dose of psilocybin erased a lifetime of speech problems like stuttering. Even fearful experiences (Paul’s took place mid-lightning-storm while suspended atop a tree) can actually reduce one’s baseline level of fearfulness later on. Take psilocybin, lose that underlying fear, and begin to feel comfortable with the real you!
If you’ve been trying to improve your social life in other ways — say with an alcoholic drink or two — then we’d love to encourage you to switch things up a little. You might find yourself pleasantly surprised at the subtle-but-strong inner confidence ‘shrooms provide.
Micro dosing, macro mood benefits
If you’re still somewhat new to things here, you might be tempted to think that psilocybin mushrooms just aren’t for you. Maybe you think they’re just too strong or too unpredictable.
Hey, we’ll all been there. Thankfully, however, new users have an easy solution. They can microdose! Microdosing with magic mushrooms is one of the best ways to induce mental breakthroughs and reach new levels of mental performance.
How’s it done? Well, it’s as simple as taking small amounts of ‘shrooms several times a week. Some people opt for a 5 days on / 2 days off schedule; others vary their dose daily. As long as you have an off day now and then to keep your serotonin receptors sensitive, you should be good to go!
Ready to infuse some fungi-fueled goodness into your daily life? If so, get started here.
Other activities
If you’ve already tried all of the above and still feel adventurous, why not mix things up a little? The following extra activities should help.
Journaling | Okay, your grammar might not be the best and your syntax may not be perfect — but we’d bet that anything you write down during your next trip will more than make up for these errors with its conceptual insight.
You can depict your thoughts through other types of journals, too. If you can’t describe a certain concept with mere words, you can always draw it. Documentation is the important part. So feel free to document your next session is whatever way works for you. Some realizations are so transient that you might forget them post-trip otherwise.
Another thing: did you know that journaling about yourself in the 3rd person is one of the best ways to view your life objectively? It’s true. Famed physicist Richard Feynman once said that the easiest person to fool was yourself; avoid this sort of self-sabotage by journaling objectively about how you’re living life.
Drawing | We kind of mentioned drawing above, but that was in a different context. After all, one can also make artwork solely for the sake of making artwork! The visuals that result may not be your most polished, but they’re guaranteed to be your most soulful. Even seasoned artists may find their breakthrough while drawing under the influence of psychedelics.
And if you do find yourself developing this sort of golden touch, there’s actually plenty of demand for psychedelic-style artwork. What started with countercultural artists like Wes Wilson has now blossomed into something much more mainstream, and as of today, there are 51,000 search results for “psychedelic art” on Etsy — and counting.
Make music | Music is a type of art, of course, but bear with us here. One of Psilocybin’s most intriguing qualities is its ability to heighten our perception of sound. It’s pretty common for users to begin hearing beautiful, almost otherworldly tunes; if you’re a seasoned musician yourself, you might feel inspired to connect new notes and develop new frameworks for your music.
You might even experience a phenomenon called synesthesia (blended sensation) where you hear colours or feel sounds. Hey, rap pioneer MF DOOM reportedly does.
And even if platinum albums aren’t your primary goal, don’t discount how ‘shrooms might improve your musical abilities. If nothing else, they should make listening to some of your fav’s that much more enjoyable!