9 mindful steps for an amazing magic mushroom trip

For many reading this, it could be the first time going for a magic mushroom trip, and so you might be a bit nervous. That is a good thing!  A psychedelic trip is an intense experience, for some even sacred,  so we advise to approach it with respect. We present 9 mindful steps to take into account to ensure you have an unforgettable experience with your magic mushrooms.

1. Be ready to accept anything coming your way

No matter how much you prepare for your trip, the experience will still move you in many ways.  Be prepared to laugh, to feel bliss, to have amazing insights coming in and out your mind, to feel confusion and even to feel discomfort, in short, be ready to take in all that will come your way.  This does not mean to start obsessing about a bad trip because that could insure you actually have one.

Starting a trip with a positive and open mind set will go a long way in contributing to your positive experience, and if you do experience moments that are challenging, tell yourself that it is temporary, sit and let it pass, accept it in your mind, the more you resist, the harder it will be for you.

It is important to know that every person who takes magic mushrooms will react differently, that is why you probably need to start with low dosages at the beginning (we will get to Dosage in just a second).

2. Optimize your mindset and physical environment

Your mental state is important to take into consideration. This includes your thoughts, mood and expectations.  You will experience a more enjoyable trip if you are in a good state of mind the day of the trip but also at least in the previous weeks. If you can, meditate before your trip and calm your self.

One of the most important things to keep in mind is to let go of the desire to make sense of everything that is going on.  Once you take off, just let your mind go wherever it wants to.

Where you trip is also important. You want to make sure you are in a quiet environment with no strangers or danger around you. 

Being outdoors in nature can be an awesome experience, but keep in mind that a non-house environment will increase the chances of unexpected occurrences so make sure you are safe.  If you are hiking in the woods, you could get lost.  Indoors or outdoors, you need to be 100% familiar with the environment, spend a few hours before there on a different day.   Tidy the place up, dim the lights, light some incense, there is nothing worse than tripping in a dirty and chaotic environment.

3. Surround yourself with people you trust and love

A magic mushroom experience is a powerful experience, but at the same time very delicate. You will want to be with people that will not judge you or freak out if you start to enter your subconscious mind.

Never taken magic mushrooms or truffles? It's best not to trip alone! Trip with someone who has more experience, a TripSitter, someone who decides to stay sober and take care of those who are tripping.  Again, make sure this person has previously experienced a few trips, there is nothing worse than someone who has no idea and starts to freak out when you start seeing that plane fly in your living room.

4. Set the right dosage

The typical dose for most magic mushrooms is between 1 and 2.5 grams of dried shrooms.

Many advanced users will say these quantities are too small, but they are safer for a beginner. In order to get the dose right you will need to experiment a couple of times, so start at a low dose that could be 0.8g-1g and slowly work yourself up in various sessions.  It’s all about finding the sweet spot where you can optimize a positive effect of an intense experience and avoid the fear and anxiety of a bad trip.

Looking for a specific psychedelic experience? Read this blog post on the 5 magic mushroom trip levels you should know about!

5. Set your intention

What are you looking for? A bit of fun? Deep conversations? Honest evaluation of your self? Or strong visuals? Once the trip is in motion it's best to go with the flow, but beforehand it's useful to set your intention. What would you like to experience and is there something you would like to gain from a psychedelic trip? 

The intention will guide the experience and can transform an amusing recreational experience into life-changing revelations. 

Always remember your personal reason for embarking on your trip! Coming back to that initial intention, when a trip gets challenging, will help you steer away from negative thoughts back to the pure intentions.

5. Dress for success

There is nothing worse than being cold during a trip.  If you will be tripping outdoors, make sure you are warmly dressed.  Look at the Burning Man pictures every year, it is a desert, so during the day it is scorching hot and people are dressed accordingly, at night, temperatures drop, again, you will see people are protecting themselves from the cold.  The idea is to be ready for anything type of temperature so think ahead.  Wear something that you will be able to roll on the dirt with if that is what your trip requires you, that means if you are afraid of destroying your outfit, it might not be the right one   And lastly, choose comfortable clothing.

6. Don’t over eat and make sure you have enough food and water

For the best trip, we recommend eating your magic mushrooms on a (near) empty stomach because mushrooms can make you feel uneasy and a bit bit nauseous. And empty stomach will make it easier for your body to process the mushrooms. 

 7. Expect the unexpected

Once the magic mushroom starts to take effect your perception of the world will change, particularly what you see. If you close your eyes you will see bright colors and various geometrical patterns. Sometimes the trip can spin your around like the middle of a hurricane. Stay cool! You will just have to keep calm and ride the hurricane.

Other times you will feel in complete control of your trip and this is your opportunity to really go in deep into your inner self, to explore.  This is a good moment to take a look at the pending issues in your life and to remember the intention you set.  

Feeling the need to be on the safe side? Make sure you have some Bad Trip Stoppers by your side!

8. The more you talk the more you will relax

Talking to the mushrooms is a good way to get out of a bad trip, or at least to avoid getting into that dark hole.  For this you must consider the mushrooms as a ‘’teacher’’.

All we need to do is learn from the Indigenous populations who have been using psilocybin mushrooms for centuries. As part of their religious ceremonies, they also use them for divine purposes.  For the Aztecs, it was calle Teonanáctl, meaning God Mushroom.

Relate to the mushroom as a conscious entity instead of a ‘’drug’’, even when not tripping.

9. Magic mushrooms are medicine, treat them as such

Many studies are coming out, indicating the potential of psilocybin to treat various illnesses. One of the most famous studies is the one done at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medecine in 2012. In that study cancer patients were treated and ended up having the most meaningful experiences in their lives.

These studies tell us that magic mushrooms should not only be used for recreational purposes.  Treat the magic mushrooms as a sacred conscious being as the Aztecs and other indigenous people have done for thousands of years. Heal your self and heal the world :-)

Stay informed!

The media, alternative and mainstream, has been catching up and shining a light on the benefits of psilocybin. There's scientific evidence backing up these benefits, and it's increasing by the month. Here are a few articles:

New York Times
How Psychedelic Drugs Can Help Patients Face Death

The Guardian
Magic mushrooms may help with depression, say leading scientists

CNN
Denver becomes the first US city to decriminalize magic mushrooms