27 comments

[ 3.4 ms ] story [ 85.6 ms ] thread
(comment deleted)
Hypothetically, how would I go about trying magic mushrooms for the first time?

I live in a US state where they are illegal and have no idea how I'd even get some. I suppose I could travel to somewhere where they're legal, but wouldn't know where to go or what to do when I got there.

Plenty of info on the web about magic mushrooms. Pick some, dry them, weigh them, eat them. Easy!
Just be careful not to pick amanita which tend to be quite fatal.
Do your research, but I'm fairly confident that buying/ shipping mushroom spores is a legal gray area and not technically illegal in most places. It's only once you've propagated the spores that it becomes illegal. So if you're comfortable with growing a few in a plastic container under your bed and then destroying the evidence (by ingesting it hehe), this might be the best path for you. Much less risky than asking randos at parties or something.
Travel to an area where they are legal, buy them from a store, rent a cabin out in the woods or take sufficient camping gear.

Relax and enjoy the outdoors, ingest them orally or drink them in a tea.

Don’t think too much about it and just use it as a time for reflection and to get out in nature, which is always valuable with or without mushrooms.

Nature without mushrooms would be sick. They are essential for breaking down organic matter.
Yeah thinking too much about what you are doing can lead down weird thought spirals. Whereas just accepting it as another different ~3 hour experience will pay dividends.
Take a friend who has experience and is willing to hold your hand through it. It's almost certainly not necessary, but the piece of mind is priceless.
Step 1: Search "magic mushroom t-shirt" on etsy - buy several to get that psychonaut/burning man deep playa drip. Step 2: Join your local boutique yoga studio (note the Y or big box is sub-optimal, although the silver sneakers programs are a good place to score weed). Extra credit if they emphasize breathwork, meditation, spirituality or ayurveda. Step 3: Wear said t-shirts to said class. <You are fire my man - own it> Step 4: Someone will approach you regarding their overpriced shamanic psycho-ceremonial psilocybin healing retreat (long story short they used to work in the valley and they "exited" and became a lifestyle entrepreneur/coach/womb healer) - this could be for you (its a relatively safe space, although pricey). Else, keep going to class - keep reppin the set - the fungus will find you. Most likely in the form of a texted menu of truffles, teas and capsules that a single mom in the class orders from her friend in Portland.
I managed to get some 15 years ago and I loved how easy it was: googled for a smart shop, bought a kit online with my credit card, a few days later received a plastic box with some dirt from the Netherlands. You had to wrap it in a clear plastic bag, and spray it with water once a day.

After a week, I had 30 cm tall Psilocybe Mexicana mushrooms. Dry them, brew them with some green tea, commune with the Gods.

I miss them so much. Probably my favourite hallucinogen, with a deep affinity for nature. Trees on magic mushrooms have another physical dimensions. It's like seeing them in 4D and they're magnificent. That, and the deep belly laughs that last for seemingly hours.

I went hiking in Costa Rica and took only about 2g. The trees swaying while hiking near a dormant volcano top were just something to look at.
Not sure where you live but here is a current link with states where you might be able to acquire some legally: https://bit.ly/3AlzBoa I would recommend, as others have, the eat-some-shrooms-while-camping scenario. If and when you do find a place to purchase them, just ask the staff about the product. What's the recommended dosage for a first-timer, what can you expect, how long might it last, etc. They may not be able to give you exact advice but ask. Gobbling down a handful could lead to unpredictable results. Back to camping. Make sure you have enough water or wine or whatever and depending on the climate that you can stay warm if you need to. Maybe take some music you love to listen to. Indian ragas would be perfect if you are familiar with them. Anyway, find a place to get the shrooms, find the place you want to camp, and go prepared. Also if the trip gets heavy don't freak out. Try to stay calm and lay out under the stars and enjoy the sky and the air and the smell of the forest or plants around you :) Don't go trudging off into the darkness or desert. And if you think you see people out in the shrubbery spying on you, don't worry. It might be a coyote or wild cat or a skunk :D Good Luck !
Just make sure that you know what you're eating - or you might die, painfully.

If you take a large dose, do so somewhere comfortable and try and stay where you are.

Mushroom spores are legal in most US states because they don't contain psilocybin (in contrast to cannabis seeds being illegal - they contain trace amounts of THC).

You used to need a pressure cooker and a lot of supplies. However, with the advent of the Uncle Ben's method, you just need some bagged rice from the store, a legal spore syringe purchased online, and a bit of curiousity, community reading, and time. There is a subreddit dedicated to it: /r/UncleBens

Many choose to innoculate in the bags and then transfer to a fruiting tub, but it works just as well if you never remove them from the bag - just a smaller yield. Perfect for you and a couple friends.

ETA it probably doesn't need to be said, but if you aren't anti-crypto and are short on time, there are easier and much faster ways to get them.

I would just check facebook marketplace
I’ve recently read multiple reports of people experiencing HPPD after tripping on mushrooms. That would be a bummer.

I had one lsd experience that was so strong I’d imagine if I was gonna get HPPD I would have, but who knows if that’s how these things work.

“Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (HPPD) is a rare clinical condition in which patients who have had previous exposure to a hallucinogenic substance continue to experience perceptual distortions months to years after complete cessation of the initial substance use.”

https://eyewiki.aao.org/Hallucinogen_Persisting_Perception_D...

Under the right circumstances, hallucinogens can permanently change you in a positive way. I think there is clinical evidence of this with MDMA or mushrooms and PTSD, but I'm not sure.
It’s not that rare. I had it for ~18 months after a heavy trip at age 20. It’s dose dependent and can self-resolve. Even if it hadn’t self-resolved it didn’t substantially interfere with my life during that period.
I used to have it bad, now only a little bit. You get used to it like anything else. I did a lot of dumb stuff to get it, just one trip won't cause it most likely.
What’s old is new again.

We’re back to the 1960’s where psychedelics are promoted as “cure alls”.

I think it was more hedonistic/exploratory back then.

Dr. Fadiman is know as the “father of microdosing”. It wasn’t popular back then for medical use, he’s largely responsible for its mainstream adoption.