I’ve probably tripped around 20 times throughout my life. I did it mostly because I bought into the idea that psychedelics would improve my life and habits in some way. I don’t believe that anymore, and I don’t think psychs really changed my life at all except it gave me lots of cool memories. I kind of feel some level of nostalgia for that reality-bending feeling of being on psychs, even though the last time I took it was only a couple months ago. It’s just so different from everyday experience.
Magic mushrooms saved my life and my sanity. They are the reason I didn’t kill myself and the reason I am so much more open minded. They taught me to look at everything from different angles and probably were the cause of me opening up to real communism and not like the liberal “well I support socialism but communism, USSR, CCP 300 billion dead.”
I have tripped heavily only 3 times. As in to the full " ego death" stages where you loose your sense of self. I have guided friend through trips on two of those occasions. The first 2 trips were much more meaningful to me than the 3rd. I kind of realized there was a diminishing returns to it. It’s definitely a very mind opening, spiritual experience the first few times if you do it right but once you’ve " woke up" to understanding it, it stops being as magical. It’s still an awesome experience but just looses the initial “wow factor.”
It’s something I think every adult should experience, if but only once.
On the topic of it losing the magical experience, I personally feel like it’s all about how often you do it and at what point in your life. It’s not a very scientific way of looking at it but I feel like the shrooms have to “call to you” in a way. I guess what I mean by that is you should have the want to do it not just because but because you feel like it’ll help you in your life. I haven’t had the want to trip in about 3 years but that has recently changed.
That’s also fair actually. My most recent trip I wasn’t fully wanting to do it. Honestly I just wants ready but my buddy I trip sat with a year prior was pushing to do it with a few of our other friends. They all got a lot out of it, being their first time and wanting to feel it. I, while enjoyed it, didn’t get as much out of it.
The other big issues are setting, company, and method. I have figured out the best method (so far) is to take them a certain way by soaking a powder in lemon juice for about 30 minutes then straining the solids out and then rinsing the solids with some soda or something then mixing the filtrate with the soda and chugging it. The solids are typically what cause stomach upset and also variations in the type of trip. Remove those and it’s a much cleaner trip and hits harder and faster with less.
Next is setting. You want to be comfortable and outside in a peaceful setting. The key is to experience the trip itself not try to do shit or party. It’s for meditation and reflection and being out in nature makes this so much better.
Then company. Want to be with people that won’t break you out of your desired experience. When me and my buddy tripped the first time we were of like mind. We sat quietly and enjoyed each other’s company without needing to talk much. Just ridding it through. The second trip was with people that were mich more talkative and “giggly” in general. So I couldn’t really get into the flow of things.
Definitely agree with all your points, set and setting are incredibly important when it comes to psychedelics. Also yeah I’ve read about lemon tek before but have not tried it myself, mostly cuz like I said I haven’t felt the want to trip but also because I saw that lemon tekking increases the strength of the trip and I don’t particularly want a strong trip lol.
Just means you can get more out of less basically. It hits faster and stronger with no stomach issues. The amount of solids I would have to ingest to get these kind of trips without this method would definitely make me throw up. My stomach is sensitive to it I have found. So like, what would take maybe 5+grams takes about 3.5-4 grams and starts hitting in about 15-20 minutes. By 30 you are really getting into it.
And doesn’t last as long in my experience. I had a pretty great first trip, but given the choice initially, I would have chosen something that doesn’t last 10 hours 💀
For setting, it’s nice to have some chill activities to do such as painting or colouring. It’s good to have something to distract you if it starts to become overwhelming.
I honestly prefer a little shorter of a trip yeah. I mean on the stuff I have a 4g dose will do a good 3-4 hours but those 3-4 hours might as well be a lifetime when you are on them. You will go on some journey of thought and emotion and it feels like it’s been a long time and then you look at a clock and 5 minutes have gone by. Knowing it won’t last super long can be a huge comfort if you start to get overwhelmed. The first time I trip sat I took 4g and my buddy took 5g. We both had the ego death and spent a good 2-3 hours in the “I am a formless thought floating through time and space” phase. He got more visuals than me. I still had them but apparently he was seeing himself turn into liquid and I did not experience that. lol. I came down about 45 minutes ahead of him. It’s good to be able to take them in an early afternoon and then come back by the evening and reflect on it all.
If you have something to learn, it will be there to teach you (or at least prepare your comprehension). But you need to touch grass in between because praxis is the key to understanding.