Magic Mushrooms, what makes them magic?
When people think of magic mushrooms (aka psilocybin mushrooms), they usually think of a hallucinogenic “trip”. Although psilocybin mushrooms may induce effects that could be described as hallucinogenic, we prefer the term psychedelic.
"Psychedelics are to the study of the mind what the microscope is to biology and the telescope is to astronomy"
The word psychedelic comes from the Greek words psyche (mind/soul) & delos (to reveal).It translates to; a revealing of the soul, or the illumination of the mind.
Colorful visions and feelings of intense euphoria are one of the reasons for many people to consume psilocybin, but what really makes these mushrooms magic is their capacity to remove certain barriers that hold us from understanding ourselves and perhaps the world we live in.
The psychedelic experience that mushrooms provoke, can reveal to us not only the immense depth and wonders that life holds, it can also enable us to heal from wrong interpretations about ourselves or others caused by traumatic experience. Mushrooms should be viewed as a spiritual medicine that can show us hidden layers within our (sub)consciousness and can help us connect with our true nature.
Psilocybin connects your brain!
Psilocybin increases connectivity among different regions of the brain. It makes the brain “hyper-connected,” allowing parts that don’t normally communicate with each other to do so. Think of it as a o
It’s as if under the effect of psilocybin, the brain learns how to communicate with itself better. Besides increasing connectivity some experiments have also shown a reduction in certain parts of the brain that are responsible for stress.
Magic mushrooms, a plant medicine?
When we talk about plant medicine, we’re referring to plants and mushrooms like cannabis, psilocybin mushrooms (magic mushrooms), and B. cappi and chacruna (common constituent plants of the Amazonian brew Ayahuasca).
When smoked or ingested, these botanics have psychedelic properties that take their users on transformational inner journeys of self-reflection and profound consciousness expansion.
Indigenous cultures integrated the use of plant medicines such as Ayahuasca and Psilocybin a long time ago (in some cases over 3.5 thousand years ago). Many pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures used them for magical, therapeutic and religious purposes.
Interestingly, plant medicine such a psilocybin mushrooms have shown tremendous promise in treating certain mental health problems in the modern world of today. For example post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), addiction, and especially depression and anxiety.
Why do we need plant medicine?
More people suffer from depression, anxiety, and stress today than ever before, and even though our standard of living has risen, our general happiness and mental wellbeing seem to decline.
We believe a big part of this dis-ease comes from our disbalance with nature. Our materialistic and capitalistic views caused us to become separated from our own essence. The story the mushroom is trying to tell us, is one of co-creation, of togetherness and of interspecie-symbiosis. Humans are the result of millions of years of natural evolution, plants and mushrooms are our elders. And in order for us to keep evolving side by side, we need to recognize that we didn’t come out of nature, we are nature!
The profound effects that plant medicine can have on our minds can offer us much needed perspectives. They can assist us in re-establishing our connection with nature while improving our mental health, so we can build a more interconnected, emphatic and soulful society.
Microdosing
What is microdosing?
Microdosing is the act of taking small amounts of a psychedelic substance on a regular basis.
There has been quite some hype around microdosing over the last few years. Brought into the mainstream by silicon valley. The effects would supposedly give the user super focus, making you hyper-productive, all whilst being in the best mood you could ever be. Seems a bit too good to be true, right?
The thought alone, that a sacred medicine found its way to the heart of capitalist society, makes us chuckle. There’s a sense of irony in the idea that the Google’s and Apple’s of this world are using this medicine to maximize profits.
Although we might not agree with the capitalistic motives that gave micro-dosing their grand stage, we recognize the ability of psilocybin to assist in complex problem-solving. There are many reasons for why specifically silicon valley became a stage for experimenting with psychedelics, but imagine the transforming effects it can have on education, psychiatry, politics, and other branches within the public domain.
Why microdose with psilocybin?
Microdosing is a method to improve brain function and can assist us in self-discovery and self-improvement. It can help us to relate better to our emotions and thoughts. We like to see it as a spiritual supplement.
Many individuals who have integrated the usage of psilocybin mushrooms into their weekly routine report:
- Increased energy and stamina
- Higher Levels of creativity
- A decrease in anxiety and depression
- More focus
- Better relational skills
- Increased spiritual awareness
- Increased intuition
Eminent psychedelic researchers have also found positive effects of psilocybin on mood disorders and anxiety. It can do wonders for people that overthink; it helps to quiet the busy mind, especially combined with meditation and breathing exercises.
Even addictions, such as smoking, can potentially be overcome with psilocybin. Researchers at Johns Hopkins reported an 80 percent abstinence among a group of longtime smokers who took psilocybin as part of their cognitive-behavioral therapy.
For a lot of people the psychedelic experience is a frightening thought, the idea of hallucinations or losing control scares people off. But opposed to the full-on psychedelic experience of a large dose, microdosing offers a more slow, and subtle approach without the disruptive psychedelic effects.
If you don’t have much experience with psychedelic substances, microdosing is a great way to ease into the positive and mind expanding effects of mushrooms in a safe and controllable way.
Does it work?
The lack of scientific research on a large scale means it’s just a bit too early to answer that question with a wholehearted ‘YES’!
However, smaller scale research done so far is very promising. The mycologist Paul Stamets and his team just published a paper that concluded:
“Adults who microdose psychedelics report health related motivations and lower levels of anxiety and depression compared to non-microdosers.”
Check out the the paper here!
Integration
Too many people expect microdosing to be some kind of magic pill, but its really more like a tool that we can use to become better functioning humans.
We believe microdosing is a method to increase and shift awareness. An increase in awareness will often translate to, higher levels of creativity, more energy and greater social skills.
The most-reported effects in our circle are a reduction in feelings of depression and anxiety, an increase in spiritual and creative awareness, and an enhanced mood.
Integrating psychedelic medicine is not a “one size, fits all” type of method. Therefore it takes some experimenting before you find out what works for you.
We wrote a little guide called “the integration of psilocybin in your daily life”. In this guide, we explain you all you need to know about microdosing with magic mushrooms!
