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Akki
Strangest


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How to hold a Mushroom Ceremony?
#26487002 - 02/15/20 12:14 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Hi, I've done shrooms a handful of times before, but I want this next time to be more of a sacred/ceremonial experience and to be able to meditate during it. I'm really intending to make this trip about connecting more to spirituality. So I was just wondering if anybody here has any tips on how to conduct a ceremony and get more into the ceremony mindset before the trip or during the come up. Also any suggestions on meditations for the trip would be rad!
I've been trying to meditate as often as I can, I have a shamanic music playlist for the trip, and I plan on doing a cleansing of myself and my space before my trip, but I was curious if there are any other pointers anybody can give. I've never been to an official psychedelic ceremony hosted by shamans so if anybody here has, what are some aspects of those ceremonies that makes them feel safer and deeper?
Thanks
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Socrateshroom
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Re: How to hold a Mushroom Ceremony? [Re: Akki]
#26487018 - 02/15/20 12:25 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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A personal ceremony or one with a group?
If you mean personal, some of the things I do before an experience:
- Limit technology 3-7 days before the experience.
- Do more reading the days leading up to the trip.
- Go out into nature the day of.
- Meditate and/or do a prayer before ingestion (Focusing on being thankful and setting intention for my trip).
Ultimately, the rituals are good to get me in a more relaxed headspace but the trip is going to take whatever direction the mushrooms want to go irregardless of what I did before hand.
So long as you have a good set and setting, just find whatever rituals help you connect with yourself the most beforehand.
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DJ Ed
Mushroom Engineer


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Re: How to hold a Mushroom Ceremony? [Re: Akki]
#26487855 - 02/16/20 02:43 AM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Hi Akko,
Basically what Socrateshroom said, but also consider the following. Recently finished reading Michael Pollan’s book, How To Change Your Life. He discusses in very easy to read language the various stages of psychedelic research, and especially those studies which “effect a mystical experience”. The whole ceremony is geared towards the mystical. The preparation, the pre-trip agenda of what to expect (mystical...), the guide during the trip steeringnyou down the mystical path, the music playlist (William A Richards, Johns Hopkins, Psilocybin Research on Spotify), and the post trip integration with an experienced guide.
With psilocybin (or most psychedelics for that Matter), you are very vulnerable and very suggestible. If all your intentions are geared towards effecting a mystical experience, you will have a mystical trip. But you have to be disciplined; without the experienced guides, I have found it so easy to just go with the flow of a trip, and not focus on my intentions.......must try harder!
Good luck, DJ Ed
-------------------- “It’s like when you see a mountain lion,” he suggested. “If you run, it will chase you. So you must stand your ground.” Michael Pollan: How To Change Your Mind “The problem is not to find the answer, it’s to face the answer.” Terence McKenna

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Socrateshroom
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Re: How to hold a Mushroom Ceremony? [Re: DJ Ed]
#26491416 - 02/18/20 09:27 AM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
DJ Ed said: Hi Akko,
Basically what Socrateshroom said, but also consider the following. Recently finished reading Michael Pollan’s book, How To Change Your Life. He discusses in very easy to read language the various stages of psychedelic research, and especially those studies which “effect a mystical experience”. The whole ceremony is geared towards the mystical. The preparation, the pre-trip agenda of what to expect (mystical...), the guide during the trip steeringnyou down the mystical path, the music playlist (William A Richards, Johns Hopkins, Psilocybin Research on Spotify), and the post trip integration with an experienced guide.
With psilocybin (or most psychedelics for that Matter), you are very vulnerable and very suggestible. If all your intentions are geared towards effecting a mystical experience, you will have a mystical trip. But you have to be disciplined; without the experienced guides, I have found it so easy to just go with the flow of a trip, and not focus on my intentions.......must try harder!
Good luck, DJ Ed
I agree with it all.
But isn't going with the flow the whole point of it? No matter how we much we try to constrain the trip, or anything in life in general, we always end up differently than we expected?
I mean I remember Jordan Peterson talking about psychedelics (he's never used them as far as I know but he's interested in the research) and he said something along the lines of what you stated. That the profound changes were mainly indicative in the group who took a dose and had a subsequent mystical experience but not as much in those who did not have that mystical experience. So you're on to something there but I still believe we quantify "mystical" too rigidly. A feeling of oneness and love with the universe (but no underlying mystical CEV's, OEV's etc) still seems mystical to me (even though the whole trip might just be the tripper "feeling good").
I don't know yet, I haven't dabbled enough! Truly fascinating stuff.
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DJ Ed
Mushroom Engineer


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Re: How to hold a Mushroom Ceremony? [Re: Socrateshroom]
#26491438 - 02/18/20 09:38 AM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Hi Socrateshroom,
Good points. Regarding “mystical”, check out the Johns Hopkins questionnaire that is used to determine the extent of a person’s “mystical experience”, it is fascinating: search Google for “MEQ30”. I get fairly high scores from 3.8g dry! But in my mind, mystical has meant some / all of the following features:
- Transcending time and space
- Feeling of connection
- Seeing the cobwebs in the air, i.e. everywhere!
Loads of others, but for me they’re the main ones. Although music sounds sublime under the influence of mushrooms, I wouldn’t describe it as mystical.
Regarding “going with the Flow”, I never fight it! But in the studies (check out the LSD videos from the 60s on YouTube, where they follow a woman and a man through therapy). Basically people are steered down the mystical path, and are encouraged when facing their demons. I don’t have that (I would love to ask my wife, but with the greatest of respect to her, since she has never had psychedelics , she really wouldn’t have a clue how to guide me!). So that’s where I’m coming from with that comment; I believe if ‘ when I find a psychedelic therapist in the UK, then the trip would be much more rigid. And beneficial??/
Mush love, DJ Ed
-------------------- “It’s like when you see a mountain lion,” he suggested. “If you run, it will chase you. So you must stand your ground.” Michael Pollan: How To Change Your Mind “The problem is not to find the answer, it’s to face the answer.” Terence McKenna

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Socrateshroom
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Re: How to hold a Mushroom Ceremony? [Re: DJ Ed]
#26491451 - 02/18/20 09:43 AM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
DJ Ed said: Hi Socrateshroom,
Good points. Regarding “mystical”, check out the Johns Hopkins questionnaire that is used to determine the extent of a person’s “mystical experience”, it is fascinating: search Google for “MEQ30”. I get fairly high scores from 3.8g dry! But in my mind, mystical has meant some / all of the following features:
- Transcending time and space
- Feeling of connection
- Seeing the cobwebs in the air, i.e. everywhere!
Loads of others, but for me they’re the main ones. Although music sounds sublime under the influence of mushrooms, I wouldn’t describe it as mystical.
Regarding “going with the Flow”, I never fight it! But in the studies (check out the LSD videos from the 60s on YouTube, where they follow a woman and a man through therapy). Basically people are steered down the mystical path, and are encouraged when facing their demons. I don’t have that (I would love to ask my wife, but with the greatest of respect to her, since she has never had psychedelics , she really wouldn’t have a clue how to guide me!). So that’s where I’m coming from with that comment; I believe if ‘ when I find a psychedelic therapist in the UK, then the trip would be much more rigid. And beneficial??/
Mush love, DJ Ed
Awesome thanks for that, googling it now!
I see what you mean. An experienced guide can probably take one much further in a specific direction. I guess I'm just not convinced by the power of talk therapy, guides, etc. But I have very little experience with them so that's pretty ignorant on my part.
Maybe one day there will be legal and safe ways to access these guides and we can all compare experiences.
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DJ Ed
Mushroom Engineer


Registered: 09/04/16
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Re: How to hold a Mushroom Ceremony? [Re: Socrateshroom]
#26491481 - 02/18/20 09:56 AM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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I’m sure that if we mentioned mushrooms to an existing counsellor, they could probably recommend “a friend of a friend”. I’m not in therapy though!
But regarding the power of talk therapy, a few things to consider:
I think you’ll agree that on mushrooms, you are very vulnerable. Add to this that you are also very suggestible. That is why, if you do have a sitter, a guide, a therapist, then you must be able to trust them unreservedly. Imagine the damage that could be done to your mental well-being, given a few throw away comments from the guide that touch a nerve....... But then, with a trusted guide, imagine the immense benefits from someone “suggesting” concepts to you while you’re tripping. I imagine the benefits could be huge and long-lasting.
I’ll finish off with a touch of humour, to “demonstrate” the suggestibility on mushrooms. When someone is tripping, were you to suggest that “they are on elastic”, they wouldn’t be able to move anywhere until you tell them otherwise.....because they’re tied to elastic lol! Don’t try this at home kids! Grown-ups, I challenge you to try it lol
❤️ DJ Ed
-------------------- “It’s like when you see a mountain lion,” he suggested. “If you run, it will chase you. So you must stand your ground.” Michael Pollan: How To Change Your Mind “The problem is not to find the answer, it’s to face the answer.” Terence McKenna

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openmind
curious


Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 13,866
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Re: How to hold a Mushroom Ceremony? [Re: DJ Ed] 1
#26491984 - 02/18/20 03:36 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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Quote:
DJ Ed said: ....If all your intentions are geared towards effecting a mystical experience, you will have a mystical trip. But you have to be disciplined; without the experienced guides, I have found it so easy to just go with the flow of a trip, and not focus on my intentions.......must try harder!
I have never once set any intentions at all at any point during any of my 150+ mushroom trips over the past 12 years.
I feel like trying to focus on some sort of "intention" during the trip instead of going with the flow of a trip is a waste of time/energy and going against the "flow" of the trip/experience itself. I can't imagine trying to focus on some sort of specific thing like that during a trip.....I just let my thoughts flow and let the mushrooms do their work.
I also feel if one sets an "intention" or something very specific that they want to get out of a trip...if the trip doesn't end up revolving around that intention (and it's probably not going to) then they might be left wondering what they did wrong or why they didn't get what they wanted out of the experience.
I almost feel like setting an intention and trying to focus on that during the trip is "getting in the way" of what ever experience the mushrooms would catalyze if the person just let the experience blossom and flow as it should.
I've reaped many benefits from mushrooms, lots of healing/cleansing, sorting myself out, showing me things I need to work on, giving me a deep connection to my self/spirit, to our fellow brothers & sisters, to nature, to our planet, to the cosmos...showing me various systems and dynamics within nature/the cosmos...lots of aspects that I can't convey in words...all with out any ever having any intentions and all with out any sort of "guides". I feel if I was setting an intention before every trip and tried focusing on that I would have never had the experiences that I've had. Like I feel it would have totally got in the way of letting the experience naturally unfold and flow.
I really do not feel a person has to set an intention before tripping or focus on that intention during the trip to get something from the experience. At all.
Simply making a comfortable setting with as little distraction as possible and letting oneself be receptive to and become immersed in the flow of the experience is all one really needs to do IMO/IME.
Any aspects in one's life/about one's self that one needs to work on or think about deeply will certainly rise to the surface with out any intention needed. Mushrooms will work their magic with out any need for intention or others "guiding" the experience.
I'm not saying people should just eat mushrooms and kick back and stare into a screen watching some silly cartoons/movie, some effort should be made to creating an ideal setting if one wants to get something out of the experience.....
....I suppose that's where my "intention" comes from, from the setting I create. But I never choose or think about some sort of specific intention/thing that I want the trip to focus on/revolve around.
I eat my dose and just simply let the mushrooms do their thing .
I clean up my room or the space I'm going to trip the day of.
I make a comfortable space or "nest" of sorts out of blankets/pillows to lay in. Sometime hanging up tapestries or doing something to create a different space than usual.
I eat lightly through out the day (my diet is pretty light as it is)
I shower before dosing.
I use dim lighting or candles
Silence...or singing bowls....or constant tones/frequencies....or chill music with no lyrics.
During the later portion of the trip I almost always end up chanting and/or dancing, which is like a meditation for me, sharpens connection between body/mind/spirit.
That's really all I do....Mushrooms have provided me with a lot over the years with out ever focusing on any sort of intention.
Intention...guides...shamans...none of that is needed IMO.
A comfortable space that is conducive to going inward/introspection is all that one needs IMO.
-OM
.
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DJ Ed
Mushroom Engineer


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Re: How to hold a Mushroom Ceremony? [Re: openmind] 1
#26493285 - 02/19/20 11:46 AM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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I really appreciate your post, openmind. Thank you. I am meticulous with my setting, always. But particulalrly these last few years, I’ve almost felt phoney setting intentions. In my trips I always go with the trip. And they have helped me so much.
I’m coming to the realisation that my intention is my setting. Your words literally have switched on a lightbulb in me! I’ve read some posts tonight where somebody wrote that there’s “too many checklists”, “too many must have these”, “too many shouldn’t have that”. I’ve fallen prey to all these checklists and protocol. I am grateful for “set” and “setting” and “dose”. And with “set” I now realise this doesn’t necessarily mean making an intention. That’s all that’s really important, as you say.
Mush love DJ Ed
-------------------- “It’s like when you see a mountain lion,” he suggested. “If you run, it will chase you. So you must stand your ground.” Michael Pollan: How To Change Your Mind “The problem is not to find the answer, it’s to face the answer.” Terence McKenna

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Blabble40
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Re: How to hold a Mushroom Ceremony? [Re: DJ Ed] 1
#26493656 - 02/19/20 04:09 PM (3 years, 11 months ago) |
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I've seen the three Terence McKenna youtube movies a ton of times since they first came out (True Hallucinations, Transcendental Object at the End of Time, and the Meme Movie) and he usually says try it in a shamanic context. Group ceremonies are one thing, but it's just to share the experiences faster to feel special, particularly "among strangers" who participants try to feel closer to since they're accompanying one another there, and utilizing principles of "living in the now," it makes them feel destined to be there, since it was basically a "synchronicity" with a lot of meaning that they are there in one another's vicinity in the first place.
I wouldn't hand psychoactive substances out, in any case. Even if people ask or you think it will work out and they'll like you more or be nicer, it usually never works out in the favor anyway. Sometimes you have to be an asshole and let people learn the hard way.
I tried mushrooms recently, as recently as last night. I could barely feel it until I finally smoked weed. I took one hit out the bowl, then it fully kicked in. It maybe wouldn't have worked if I didn't smoke the weed.
It was exactly akin to DMT, except drawn out longer. Mushrooms are kind of more healing than LSD. I can't really comment on what it's like being watched, then having a psychedelic experience with them still watching you the whole time... That's literally all they do, they do nothing else, but apparently trying to wait to see what you're doing, wondering why you don't interact with them much.
But, it was a good dose, and it made the elves come out, which was alien like. That's why I like DMT. Mushrooms last a little longer and while it doesn't get much better than them, I recall DMT being slightly more "in your face" or traditionally psychedelic.
It had the whole "salvia" feel at first, when you witness the dimensions becoming open. There were dancing men, and the rest of it.
It seemed intensely cartoon like. It reminded me of DMT. It did the whole "candyland/wizard of oz" thing, but was over in an hour or two. If you smoke DMT but don't breakthrough, it feels like that stage of mushrooms.
It basically made me think about the time I turned some mushrooms down in college because I wasn't done reading about them yet. I could have used them. I also turned down mushrooms the first time because of my employment, but now, and even then to an extent, employers behave as if they could benefit from having workers who did drugs.
I've been trying to avoid mushrooms so I can grow my own, similar to extracting your own DMT. I used to just find cyanescens that would grow here. I've just been trying different doses and that's the sweet spot, but I know more is possible. Microdosing is good to lighten up a bit but deeper journeys are dependent on circumstances. It's like smoking DMT.
I think we all enjoy the "Area 51" feel that comes with them. I've had it on LSD too before.
I did LSD this one time then smoked weed and a mushroom looking character ran up to me and stared creepily for a few seconds, and when I did mushrooms this time, it seemed like similar "spirits" were talking to me.
I did talk to the mushroom alien/spirit this time, and they were talking to me back. I could hear their voice. It had the "creepy" Egyptian sounding voice. I think it's just everything it promises to be.
The main lesson this time is that my life, and reality, would probably be different if I didn't turn down the mushrooms the first time years ago. I didn't turn down the DMT though.
While I'm still happy and satisfied with my life, while still striving for improvement, it made me think about that. It could have helped.
The extra dimensions are slightly more than distorted edge detection from the molecules binding to the brain. Since they're similar to serotonin, it binds to the same receptors but in a different way. It's no coincidence they work on the "reward system" of the nervous system.
I don't really do drugs to appease other people's expectations of me, I use them as tools for, mostly, creativity. However, they don't really assist in writing. The art you see from them is beyond fantastic. The word psychedelic also refers to thoughts and feelings, not just what you see.
It's ultimately those experiences that make me reluctant to try a high dose of LSD. The last time I used LSD it was under the impression it would motivate me to write more.
I took a break from mushrooms and LSD to get my life together so I can be in a better headspace. If you grow there's less motivation to stop. I ultimately kind of like mushrooms more than DMT. I just get a sense of wonder out of most of it. Incorporating LSD is tricky since people just bring up mushrooms. Yet, when I consider mushrooms, I also become interest in LSD as well. I'm familiar with smoking pot so I understand how tolerance works. It's different for everyone but I do like taking long tolerance breaks. DMT is different since it doesn't really have a tolerance.
Edited by Blabble40 (02/19/20 04:43 PM)
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Akki
Strangest


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Re: How to hold a Mushroom Ceremony? [Re: openmind]
#26626757 - 04/25/20 10:07 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Thanks for such a thoughtful reply openmind.  I usually write down certain intentions or questions before a trip to look back on during it. This can be especially helpful if I start getting too caught up on a certain thought during a trip and need to change it up. Usually I don't even end up looking at the list and forget about what I wrote altogether. But it has been beneficial for me to consider certain questions or problems I've been dealing with during a trip. It's given me a lot of clarity. I generally am a bit indecisive and have trouble following my intuition without worry, but when I look for answers during a trip they seem very clear and I've always been happy with the decisions I've made.
But I also have had experiences where I went in with specific expectations that didn't happen and probably held my trip back.
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SonicTitan


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Re: How to hold a Mushroom Ceremony? [Re: openmind]
#26627645 - 04/25/20 04:42 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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I agree with intention hindering the experience. It has happened to me going in with a specific intent and end up going south due to trying to focus. It caused a fair amount of anxiety. If I let it flow it becomes a far more natural in depth experience. It will come when you're ready, you may not feel ready but most if not all times it's always that way. Most of us are not ready to see what we really are I guess.
Sorry I'm rambling
-------------------- "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."
 
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Enkidu
"No-Such-Person"


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Re: How to hold a Mushroom Ceremony? [Re: SonicTitan]
#26627709 - 04/25/20 05:09 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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I get my setting how i like it. Night time. Lights low. Salt lamps and shades. Incense. Prep my body. Spend some time fasting and relaxing before hand.
Dose, sit in meditation, let the show unfold with my ceremonial music
-------------------- Within You , Without You
      
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MethodicalMystical
Just a normal living being



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Posts: 247
Loc: PNW
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Re: How to hold a Mushroom Ceremony? [Re: SonicTitan]
#26627751 - 04/25/20 05:30 PM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
SonicTitan said: I agree with intention hindering the experience. It has happened to me going in with a specific intent and end up going south due to trying to focus. It caused a fair amount of anxiety. If I let it flow it becomes a far more natural in depth experience. It will come when you're ready, you may not feel ready but most if not all times it's always that way. Most of us are not ready to see what we really are I guess.
Sorry I'm rambling
This is what seems to ring most true IME. I'd go in with a certain question or personal issue in mind, but the direction the trip ends up going was far more in-depth and reaching than what I originally had in mind. Writing things down before and during doesn't seem to hurt, though.
They say a lot of people today struggle to just sit down and be alone with their thoughts (even preferring electric shocks to it!) and this seems like a way many people could explore that in a new light. Often seems the best way to deal with what ails you is to make room for it and have it come to you.
-------------------- I know I'm a fool, but that's why I keep trying to learn.
 
I also have some 3-year Cambodian prints to get rid of. DM me if interested
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InnerWisdom



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Let me just link here some music that really helped my mind relax. Not suggesting to listen to this during the ceremony, but maybe this is useful for you 
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The Blind Ass
Bodhi



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Re: How to hold a Mushroom Ceremony? [Re: InnerWisdom]
#26628689 - 04/26/20 02:39 AM (3 years, 8 months ago) |
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Naturally relax into the nature of mind. Abide in pure magical illusion. And then do what you are and be.
You can spruce it up with whatever rituals or ceremony you want, but the above is the basics.
-------------------- Give me Liberty caps -or- give me Death caps
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