A Heroic Dose Of Mushrooms

Tales From My First Psychedelic Experiences

Photo by Pretty Drugthings on Unsplash

In the summer of 2020, during a time that was a trip in itself, I decided to embark on an exploratory program of experimentation with Psilocybin Cubensis: Magic Mushrooms. My motivation for studying the effects was more than recreational — I sought to explore potential treatments for mental illnesses, especially depression and schizophrenia. As I am neither a scientist nor a qualified psychiatric practitioner, it would only be fair that my experimentation should be confined to myself as a subject.

Throughout four sessions, I started with a dose of 1.5 grams (considered a “threshold” dose) and incrementally increased the amount to 5 grams (Terence McKenna called this a “heroic dose”). Having read about the “heroic dose,” I set out to reach that level as if it were some egoistic accomplishment. In so doing, I came to learn just how erroneous that line of thinking was.

First of all, setting out with any expectations from these kinds of experiences is potentially a recipe for failure, or in other words, a bad trip. Secondly, treating interactions with the mushrooms as if they are a mountain to climb for any reason will be revealed as a vainglorious lack of respect for their very nature. The experience will humble you to realize that you must approach these substances with respect and with adequate preparatory precautions in place. To act toward mushrooms like they are a substance to be conquered, rather than respectfully consulted, will result in a psychological spanking that will leave you feeling humbled, young, and foolish, yet somehow also very grateful for the lesson.

Artwork by the Author, Words by Terence McKenna. Photo Courtesy of Unsplash.

“I am old, older than thought in your species, which is itself fifty times older than your history. Though I have been on earth for ages I am from the stars. My home is no one planet, for many worlds scattered through the shining disc of the galaxy have conditions which allow my spores an opportunity for life. The mushroom which you see is the part of my body given to sex thrills and sun bathing, my true body is a fine network of fibres growing through the soil. These networks may cover acres and…