Macro or Ceremonial dosing:
We have provided detailed information below that is intended to help you prepare for the journey. The likelihood of having an uncomfortable experience or a bad trip will be less likely if you properly prepare for your therapeutic ritual or ceremony.
For first-timers, we recommend these guidelines to ensure you have a good experience and you can continue to go deeper with the medicine. We recommend starting off with a low dose of 1-2 capsules to gauge your sensitivity. Sensitivities vary largely from one person to another. Testing your sensitivity helps you get a feel for the mushrooms, and you can always increase your dose. Going too fast too soon may result in an unwelcome experience and put you off from future healing.
We don’t recommend using sacred mushrooms for partying or entertainment. Taking mushrooms in a party environment exposes you to dangerous situations and increases your likelihood of having a bad trip. It is not wise to use magic mushrooms in combination with alcohol or other drugs. Alcohol is a depressant which dulls your senses while mushrooms enhance your senses, so combining the two would likely result in a bad experience and could be potentially dangerous as they both affect your normal thinking.
Set & Setting:
Location: The first and most important consideration for your journey is to decide on a beautiful and safe place. If you choose to be outdoors, make sure you won’t be disturbed by strangers and that you have shelter in case the weather changes. We recommend making an altar and a small fire to anchor the ceremony. Fire has been a central part of ceremonies for thousands of years as it is a grounding force which helps to move you through the experience, especially during more difficult moments.
Properly preparing mentally before the ceremony through meditation and having a clear intention is crucial. Being in a good state of mind and preparing to face any difficulties or obstacles the mushrooms bring forth will help immensely. If you are journeying with a group, trust and familiarity with the people around you is important in case anyone has a challenging trip. It is important to have one or two experienced people to care for the group in case of an emergency and to hold space for those who are less experienced. If you are journeying on your own for the first time, begin with the lowest recommended dose and work your way up.
Because this is a sacred medicine, we recommend opening and closing the ceremony with a prayer to provide a beginning and an end to the experience. If your group is comfortable with this, you can each have a turn to share your intentions for the ceremony. You can expect the effects to last between 4-8 hours, depending on how quickly your body metabolizes the medicine.
Music is another very important element of the ceremony. There are plenty of playlists available online to accompany a mushroom journey. It is important to select high quality music to help heighten the experience. In a lucid state, mainstream music may be enjoyable, but while on the psychedelic journey it can often be distracting and therapeutic benefits can be lost. Take some time before the experience to create a beautiful playlist. If you need inspiration, we have included a suggested playlist with ceremonial and instrumental music. You can also journey without music, but this can be a little more difficult if you are a beginner since music is an important guide for the experience. If you are in nature, it can be very peaceful to listen to the sounds of birds & the trees.
Physical preparation: Magic mushrooms will open you up to higher states of consciousness and to the divine. Your senses will be heightened; touch, smell, sound – everything will be more acute. You may experience noticeable fluctuations in body temperature. For these reasons, we recommend choosing something beautiful and special to wear to honor both the sacred experience and the spirits that will be present. Above all, make sure you are comfortable and have layers or blankets to keep yourself from getting too hot or cold.
Fasting for at least 4 hours before ingesting the medicine is key to avoiding stomach upset or heartburn, and to properly assimilate the medicine. You can have water & tea during your journey and fresh fruit towards the comedown. Having a good meal already prepared for the end of the experience is highly recommended.
If you are worried about experiencing nausea as a result of taking mushrooms, you can try the lemon tek method. First, empty out the capsules into fresh lemon juice and let the mushrooms sit for no longer than 25 minutes. Add water to dilute the lemon juice, and drink. This process helps break down the psilocybin into the psychoactive compound psilocin. Our stomach acid would usually do this naturally, but in some people it can be the cause of stomach upsets.
Integration:
How you proceed with the knowledge you gained during your experience in the weeks to months after the ceremony is important. In this time, pay close attention to your thoughts and emotions and take good care to act in alignment with what feels good for you now that you have opened up to new possibilities.
