GUIDE ON THE THERAPEUTIC PSYCHEDELIC USAGE
This guide, authored by Kent Love, focuses on the therapeutic use of psychedelics. For additional teachings or support packages, visit https://thefungiant.com.
Included in this guide are two links to guided meditations:
The first meditation aids in preparing for a psychedelic experience, promoting a beneficial and insightful journey – https://youtu.be/0Q78g1ThoD0.
The second meditation facilitates the integration process, helping to access the deeper layer of consciousness where beliefs, judgments, values, and desires reside, which I refer to as the mind-body state – https://youtu.be/qiCKLfl8_L4.
The guide is divided into three sections: before, during, and after. Intention/motivation pertains to the ‘before’ phase, setting and immersion to the ‘during’ phase, and integration to the ‘after’ phase.
GUIDE ON THE THERAPEUTIC PSYCHEDELIC USAGE
The classic psychedelics cause a temporary reduction in activity of the Default Mode Network (DMN) in the brain, which is responsible for regulating communication between different brain areas and is closely linked to our sense of self (or ego). By decreasing DMN activity, other areas of the brain are allowed to communicate more freely, particularly between the emotional and prefrontal cortex regions. This enhanced communication facilitates the formation of new pathways and perspectives, enabling greater emotional connection to the self. These drugs are powerful because they disrupt the routine functioning of the ego, which can hinder growth and healing by preventing the processing of past traumas and negative behaviors.
Dosage
It’s crucial to do your research when it comes to dosage. The amount you take should align with your intention. For therapeutic purposes, the ideal dosage falls between microdose (0.1-0.3g) and heroic dose (5g and above) of magic mushrooms. You want to fully immerse yourself in the experience, but not to the point where you completely lose touch with reality. This serves as a helpful guide for therapeutic usage, with a recommended dose range of 1.5g to 3g for magic mushrooms.
Unlocking Success: The Powerful Connection Between Intention and Motivation”
Intention and motivation are the key ingredients for a successful experience. Your intention sets the stage for what you hope to achieve or gain from the experience. The more specific and well-defined your intention, the more likely you are to achieve your desired results. On the other hand, motivation is a bit more complex and requires exploration from within.
Your intention should be aligned with the potential benefits of the therapeutic experience. Psychedelic therapy can help break psychological patterns and enhance your connection to yourself and the world around you. You can set your intention at any time before the experience, but timing is crucial when it comes to motivation.
Before the experience, try to sense the significance of what’s to come. If you feel anxious or uncertain, embrace it as a sign of transition and growth. The ego may fear change, but this energy can help you transition and evolve into a better version of yourself.
To connect more deeply with your intention, ask yourself questions about your desires and feelings. This exploration primes your mind to make connections during the experience. It’s best to do this just prior to the experience, ideally within the same day but not directly leading into the effects. Before the effects kick in, consider doing a guided meditation to further enhance your mindset and prepare for the journey ahead.
Setting And Immersion
Setting
The environment in which you have your experience plays a significant role. It’s essential to choose a comfortable, safe setting where you can relax and fully immerse yourself in the journey. I recommend finding a cozy spot, such as lying down with some soothing music playing in the background. A blindfold can help encourage an introspective experience guided by the melodies.
Having a trip sitter, or someone present to provide support, can be beneficial, especially for those new to the experience. While some individuals may prefer to be alone, it’s generally a good idea to have someone you trust on standby, who you can reach out to if needed. Before the experience, let them know their role is to provide reassurance and remind you that you are safe, rather than interfering in the process.
Music can be a powerful guiding force during an inward journey, so choose uplifting, healing tunes without lyrics that may distract you. Using headphones can minimize external distractions and enhance your focus on the music. As a precaution, prepare a playlist of positive, soothing music that can help redirect your thoughts if the experience takes a darker turn. Having this preselected music available serves as a safety net against potentially challenging moments.
Immersion
Personal growth often occurs in the growth zone, which is situated between the comfort zone and the destructive zone. This principle is particularly applicable to psychological growth. In psychedelic experiences, the growth zone is broader, but it’s crucial not to push too far and enter the destructive zone where harm can occur.
To avoid venturing into the destructive zone, I recommend two primary precautions. First, have a trip sitter who can offer kind and comforting words or gestures, like a shoulder rub or a hug, if you become distressed. Second, prepare a playlist of positive, calming, and soothing music that can guide you to a more relaxed state if needed. Your trip sitter should be ready to play the music if necessary.
During the experience, practicing acceptance can help lower stress levels and prevent the journey from entering the destructive zone. While it may be easier said than done, focusing on your body and breath can aid in accepting your feelings. When we accept our emotions, they can pass through us; resisting them can cause them to become stuck and intensify.
Before the experience, meditation can be helpful. After taking the substance, spend 10 to 20 minutes meditating until the effects start to emerge. A guided meditation tailored for entering a psychedelic experience, like this one: https://youtu.be/0Q78g1ThoD0, can be beneficial. Listen to it 20 minutes before the effects begin, and if needed, during the experience to help navigate darker moments.
As the experience winds down, try to recall the events without analyzing their meaning. This practice will help improve your memory of the experience. In the days that follow, journaling and discussing the experience can further solidify your recollection and allow you to make the most of the insights gained.
INTEGRATION
Integration is the process of assimilating and applying insights gained from an experience. The experience opens up new connections within us, and the integration process helps us utilize these connections. This process is highly individual and depends on the nature of the experience, but there are some general guidelines to follow.
First and foremost, recognize that the substances or external stimuli were not the cause of the experience, but rather, you encountered aspects of yourself. This understanding may require redefining your self-concept.
Next, accept that the experience revealed facets of your true self, and use this information for growth and evolution. If you encountered negative aspects, use the awareness to heal those areas. If you experienced positive aspects, use that knowledge to strengthen those connections in your life.
It’s important to relate the experience to your everyday life. The amplified views provided by the experience enable you to see your life more clearly, unobscured by typical ego processing.
Remember that there are no bad trips, only wasted ones. Even challenging experiences can offer profound healing if properly integrated and supported. However, keep in mind that more difficult experiences may take longer to integrate, possibly years.
To facilitate integration, maintain a positive outlook and be compassionate towards yourself. Practicing mindful meditation can be highly beneficial, both alone and in conjunction with psychedelic experiences.
Here’s a guided meditation technique for the integration process: https://youtu.be/qiCKLfl8_L4
This meditation focuses on the mind-body state, a blend of thoughts and emotions that inform our beliefs, judgments, values, and desires. By bringing awareness to this state, you can gain a clearer understanding of yourself and facilitate significant shifts in your perception.
Microdosing can also be useful during the integration process and can work synergistically with meditation and awareness techniques.
The timeline for integration is unique to each individual and depends on the healing and growth process. It’s crucial to reach a stable state before embarking on another experience. Assess your emotional state to determine your progress in the integration process. If you still feel unstable, continue integrating before pursuing another experience, as further destabilization can lead to entering the destructive zone.
Microdosing during integration
Utilizing microdosing during the integration process can be highly beneficial, as it helps prevent the ego from reasserting itself too quickly after the experience. Our defenses may return in response to the vulnerability exposed during the experience, which can hinder growth and healing. Higher-end microdoses (0.2g – 0.3g for magic mushrooms) can help maintain a more open state, enabling growth and healing.
When microdosing, avoid taking doses too consistently to prevent building a tolerance. Some suggested regimens include one day on, one day off; one day on, two days off; or four days on, three days off.
Combining lion’s mane with your magic mushroom microdose can be advantageous, as it promotes the formation of new neural pathways and connections while eliminating old ones. A recommended stack created by Paul Stamets consists of 0.2-0.3g magic mushrooms, 1g lion’s mane, and 100mg niacin.
Keep in mind that after the experience, you might experience a period of instability, which can be heightened by microdosing. While this can also increase the potential benefits, it might make certain tasks more challenging. During this time, you may find yourself more emotional and aware. To ensure you can still perform necessary duties, consider starting with lower doses initially. Creative tasks may be enhanced during this period of instability.
For those embarking on this journey, know that you are loved and supported. Carry that knowledge and feeling with you throughout your experience.
