Need Help With Mushroom Therapy

[MiracleMan]

I'm looking for some advice on what I should do for a shroom therapy session I'll be undertaking soon.  I've heard that it can help with anxiety/depression.  I'll be doing them alone, and really the only plans I have are to do a safety check around the house, lock the doors and close the blinds, and just sit down as if I'm going to meditate.  I've done them a few times before but its been a while.  I'm not looking for or expecting a spiritual breakthrough.  I try not to form any hardcore expectations either way.  Any suggestions or advice would be lovely.  Thanks.

[Sean Johnson]

Micro-dosing, like half gram or gram, then building up to larger doses will do better re-framing your mind. Remember that the real "tripping" happens with your eyes closed, so if you are doing this for therapeutic reasons it's best to keep your eyes open as much as possible. More then 2 grams is not necessary for inner work.

[pluto]

https://thethirdwave.co/microdosing-mushrooms/

[5driedgrams]

      I am in no way an expert on this subject, I am a deep deep enthusiast, however. I believe that mushrooms have given me a glimpse of the true nature of things, of what's really important in (my) life, and what I need to change about myself in order to live a life of Truth. 

     I micro dose at around .4-.6 on work days, and 1-1.5g on days off. I am very quiet on micro dose days. I am an observer on those days. I feel like people wonder what's wrong with me on work days where I micro dose. I find I don't pleasure-seek like I normally do on days I micro dose, which is fucking huge for me. I'm more content with just being. I don't suffer from anxiety or depression chronically so I can't speak from experience on its efficacy on relieving either, but I do know that people do have success with it.

     I only micro dose every 3-4 days or so because of tolerance build up.

     I also am an advocate of the "heroic" dose for some real "mental rinsing". 

     Again, I am not an expert, I am just really interested in the subject. I am happy to see you and others seeking help from the Mushroom Gods! I will be following this post for an update! I am happy for you and good luck!

[MiracleMan]

On 7/19/2017 at 11:18 AM, 5driedgrams said:

      I am in no way an expert on this subject, I am a deep deep enthusiast, however. I believe that mushrooms have given me a glimpse of the true nature of things, of what's really important in (my) life, and what I need to change about myself in order to live a life of Truth. 

     I micro dose at around .4-.6 on work days, and 1-1.5g on days off. I am very quiet on micro dose days. I am an observer on those days. I feel like people wonder what's wrong with me on work days where I micro dose. I find I don't pleasure-seek like I normally do on days I micro dose, which is fucking huge for me. I'm more content with just being. I don't suffer from anxiety or depression chronically so I can't speak from experience on its efficacy on relieving either, but I do know that people do have success with it.

     I only micro dose every 3-4 days or so because of tolerance build up.

     I also am an advocate of the "heroic" dose for some real "mental rinsing". 

     Again, I am not an expert, I am just really interested in the subject. I am happy to see you and others seeking help from the Mushroom Gods! I will be following this post for an update! I am happy for you and good luck!

Thank you for the insight.  I've done some thinking about this, and what is bothering me lately is I still have this feeling I'm too attached to ego to gain the benefits, I feel fear and resistance, if I'm alone and the fear takes me, I'm in trouble.  I'm either clinging to the ego or it's clinging desperately to me, so great is the fear.  Lately I've been recognizing the behaviors that contribute to my anxiety and fear, and my resistance to relaxation, but the awareness of it doesn't ease my discomfort.  Case and point:  when I become relaxed I get bored, boredom seems to stimulate my habit energy and then I'm manifesting all the negative behaviors I don't want in my life like addiction, porn, video games, nicotine, thc, etc.  My vipasanna meditation seems like labor to my ego, but when I finally relax I just become tired and I fall asleep constantly during my practice.  It's like if my brain isn't bombarded by stimulation then it freaks out, like being close to emptiness is such terrifying thing.  What is really going on here?  Am I getting close to some real acceptance, or am I just creating more distractions to entertain my ego?  

[Vladimir]

@5driedgrams That seems like a lot for micro dosing or maybe the strain I got is pretty strong. I only use .1g for micro dosing, anything beyond that gives me minor visuals which we shouldn't be having when micro dosing.

[Pav]

Psychedelics will increase communication from the unconscious mind, because of this they can be exceptional tools for spiritual or psychological growth when used correctly. Mushrooms can be quiet confrontational teachers in that they tend to force upon you what you need to see, though not necessarily what your ego wants to see.

If this happens it is important to approach whatever comes up with complete non-resistance, accept the experience as it is. When the ego is shown something it does not want to see or if it feels like it's threatened or even dying it will create great resistance to the experience and try to change it or make it go away, it is this resistance which can cause a bad trip. 

[AlwaysBeNice]

Allow emotions, put your attention on feeling/being the self, the witness rather than onto fearful thought streams as best as you can while being compassionate towards yourself

[5driedgrams]

On ‎7‎/‎20‎/‎2017 at 2:35 PM, Vladimir said:

@5driedgrams That seems like a lot for micro dosing or maybe the strain I got is pretty strong. I only use .1g for micro dosing, anything beyond that gives me minor visuals which we shouldn't be having when micro dosing.

You're absolutely right brother. .1g or .2g is correct microdosing dosage. The mushrooms I use are your garden variety psilocybe cubensis (B+ "strain" or Ecuadorian) grown myself. Maybe I'm microdosing untraditionally, and maybe I should be dosing at .1 or .2g, but when I take .1 or .2, The effects are nonexistent, or maybe unperceivable, which is the point I suppose. .4-.6g produces no visual distortion/augmentation (FOR ME), yet I am still subtlely affected mentally, being more present, more calm, slower to speak and quicker to listen, more authentic, and can vocally convey my thoughts more accurately.

     On days off from work where I take 1-1.5g I may have slight visuals, and am certainly affected mentally. I'm more focused doing household chores, I'm not content with my outside environment being cluttered or messy, I savor the present moment with my friends or loved ones (making days off feel more wisely utilized) and I spend more free time making art and/or music (rather than watching tv playing video games etc).

    IT NEEDS TO BE SAID THAT ALL OF THESE DESIRED EFFECTS CAN BE ACQUIRED WITHOUT THE MUSHROOM AND SHOULD BE SOUGHT WITHOUT! THE MUSHROOM IS JUST  A TOOL! NOT A CURE! (I'm telling myself this as well)

     Part of me feels bad about possibly microdosing improperly (out of respect for the mushroom), but another part of me says "hey, this works for me, so I'm gonna keep doing it." I believe I will try to microdose properly moving forward.

@MiracleMan I want to give a well thought-out response so I may be a bit. The best advice for this may be simpler than I'm allowing it to be, like @AlwaysBeNice 's advice.

[5driedgrams]

6 hours ago, Mathew Pav said:

approach whatever comes up with complete non-resistance, accept the experience as it is. When the ego is shown something it does not want to see or if it feels like it's threatened or even dying it will create great resistance to the experience and try to change it or make it go away, it is this resistance which can cause a bad trip. 

Great insight that can be applied to regular life as well! just replace "a bad trip" with "suffering" lol. love it!

[5driedgrams]

On ‎7‎/‎20‎/‎2017 at 2:06 PM, MiracleMan said:

Thank you for the insight.  I've done some thinking about this, and what is bothering me lately is I still have this feeling I'm too attached to ego to gain the benefits, I feel fear and resistance, if I'm alone and the fear takes me, I'm in trouble.  I'm either clinging to the ego or it's clinging desperately to me, so great is the fear.  Lately I've been recognizing the behaviors that contribute to my anxiety and fear, and my resistance to relaxation, but the awareness of it doesn't ease my discomfort.  Case and point:  when I become relaxed I get bored, boredom seems to stimulate my habit energy and then I'm manifesting all the negative behaviors I don't want in my life like addiction, porn, video games, nicotine, thc, etc.  My vipasanna meditation seems like labor to my ego, but when I finally relax I just become tired and I fall asleep constantly during my practice.  It's like if my brain isn't bombarded by stimulation then it freaks out, like being close to emptiness is such terrifying thing.  What is really going on here?  Am I getting close to some real acceptance, or am I just creating more distractions to entertain my ego?  

     Man, thank you for YOUR insight! what you said gave me incredible insight into my own life. I constantly bombard myself with stimuli via chores, working out, video games, making music, tending to my mushrooms, and I chalk it up to just having a lot going on in my life, but I'm realizing that  it's because boredom is really uncomfortable for me. I also smoke weed on my way to work to combat boredom and again when I get off work and all through the evening. You have helped me by sharing this about yourself.

     I think that you really are on the cusp of a breakthrough. I take that thing Leo said, "awareness alone can be curative" very seriously, although I can't rely on awareness alone! I don't have any practical advice for overcoming this, otherwise I might not be suffering from it! I will definitely let you know if I figure something out, and please do the same for me. I'm also very impatient with my progress regarding my personal development and beat myself up about it ALL. THE. TIME. So I wanted to share a quote from Aldous Huxley's book "Island" in case you or anyone else does the same.

     "It's dark because you are trying too hard. Lightly child, lightly. Learn to do everything lightly. Yes, feel lightly even though you're feeling deeply. Just lightly let things happen and lightly cope with them. I was so preposterously serious in those days... Lightly, lightly- it's the best advice ever given to me... to throw away your baggage and go forward. There are quicksands all about you, sucking at your feet, trying to suck you down into fear and self-pity and despair. That's why you must walk so lightly. Lightly my darling..."

 

     Have you had a chance to take them yet? I'm, going to send you a PM about my micro dose this past Sunday.

  

 

[MiracleMan]

@5driedgrams my method of acquiring them fell through, so it's up in the air now, I might get lucky here soon though.  I really like that quote, good advice, might have to check out that book.  I am trying too hard, I've realized, my spiritual path has quickly tapped into my "all or nothing" thinking and ran with it pretty hardcore.  I've discounted all my positive benefits and been stuck in a negative reinforcement loop.  It's like always looking to find something negative to work on, I'm sure I could do this for an eternity, I'm sure I even inherit more problems because of this attitude.  There's a parable you might know, about a guy who asks Buddha for advice for his many problems.  Buddha responds "everyone has 83 problems, but you seem to have 84 problems. " "What is the 84th problem?" the man asks.  Buddha replies, "you wish not to have anymore problems."

I think on the spiritual path we feel the need to resolve our emotional baggage and a plethora of perceived things "wrong" with us.  I've been trying radical acceptance as a counter to this type of thinking.  There is a lot I can change, but I could spend a lifetime and then some pointing out everything I dont like about myself like some sort of dictator or overbearing parent.

The quote you mentioned about stepping lightly resonates with my current path, I'm finding ways to just relax, slow down.  Some good advice I heard was if you aren't aware of your breath during an activity, you are going to fast.  I've only tried this for the past week or so, slowing down my walking speed, and general trying to relax my body whenever possible, trying to find my in and out breath whenever I realize I'm not with my breath.