Here are some frequently asked questions about magic mushrooms, what happens during a mushroom trip, and how to make the best use of psilocybin as a tool for personal growth.

Before you read this, I recommend listening or watching the following guides:

The Essentials:

Additional material:

Ok, now on to the frequently asked questions:

Psilocybin FAQ

Before a Trip
During a Trip
After a Trip

Before a Trip

Your goal pre-trip is to create an environment and mood that is perfect for your trip. The actual trip itself may be blissful or challenging, as you navigate your inner world, but the key with the preparation is to make the outer world as comfortable and ideal for the trip as possible. This includes having a good clean space, not eating heavy foods, setting intentions, preparing music in advance, and generally grounding yourself before the trip.

Should I eat before a mushroom trip?

It actually helps to fast for a few hours before a trip. During the trip, you won’t feel any appetite. You may want to have a light breakfast in the morning (something like fruit) but try to stay away from heavy and processed foods. The more clean your system is before a trip, the deeper you can go. (imo)

Should I set an intention before a mushroom trip?

Absolutely. Get clear on your intentions: why are you doing this trip? Why now? What do you want to learn? Write down some of your intentions in a notebook or speak them out loud – this will help solidify what you’d like to learn during the trip and it’ll help those intentions come up in the trip naturally.

What environment should I trip in?

You should only trip in an environment where you feel safe and comfortable. Make sure you’re undisturbed during the trip. Generally, I like to trip at home as that is where I can truly let go and surrender. Some people like to trip in nature, which can be beautiful as well. What I would advise for nature trips is to make sure there’s not too many people around you – something like a quiet campground. And always make sure you’re in a safe spot (don’t trip on the edge of a mountain cliff…)

If you’re tripping in a house or apartment, make sure that you’re alone, with a trip sitter, or with friends. Do not trip in a place where there are other people that don’t know you’re tripping (for example, parents or roommates that don’t know you’re doing a trip). Always make sure everyone in your space is aware there’s a trip happening.

Keep your environment clean and tidy; if you’re tripping in your room, do a little clean up before you trip, as a messy environment can affect your perceptions on the mushroom trip.

What kind of music should I listen to during the trip

I got you covered! Check out The Mushroom Trip Playlist.

Should I use my phone during the trip?

I recommend setting your phone on silent / Do Not Disturb, and only using it to control the music. Don’t check messages or emails during the trip. The mushroom trip is a time to go inward.

Do I need water nearby?

Yes! Definitely recommend having some water nearby, as you do get a bit dehydrated by the end of the trip.

Should I have a notebook or journal during the trip?

Yes, I love to have a notebook nearby to write down any downloads or insights that come through. You might not actually be able to write during the trip itself, but at the tail end of it is the perfect time to jot down all the memories, insights, and ideas you got during the trip.

Can I trip alone?

I often do solo trips, but if this is your first time or you feel nervous, I definitely recommend having a trip sitter. Ideally, a close friend or someone you trust unconditionally to be there with you during the trip, or to be close by in case you need help. Note: I don’t recommend tripping with anyone who you have a complicated relationship with (an ex-partner, for example), as those complications can definitely come up during the trip.

Should I trip in the morning or at night?

I like to start my trips around sunset, and then go into the night. It’s a typically a time of the day where things get quieter and more peaceful, and I love that transition from day to night during the trip.

There’s no wrong time to do it, though. If you feel called to start in the morning or during the day, feel free to do so. Just make sure you’re undisturbed for a 6-8 hour window during that time.

Should I sit or lie down?

Typically I’m sitting in bed, propped up by a bunch of pillows, or sitting on a sofa. Sometimes I’ll lie down if a trip is getting quite intense.

Wherever you choose to trip, you want to make sure you’re comfortable and can lie down if you need to. Use pillows, blankets, or anything else that makes you feel cozy and comfortable 🙂 You may move around during the trip, or you may have no desire to move at all during the trip. Both are normal.

How much mushrooms should I take? What’s the right psilocybin dose?

If you’re not sure how much to take and/or this is your first trip, start small. I recommend 1 gram. If you’re on the taller/bigger side, you may need more grams to feel an effect.

One technique you can use is to re-dose after 1 hour. Set a timer for one hour after taking the first dose, and if within the first hour you’re not feeling much, that’s a good time to up the dose. After the 1-hour mark, your body has already built up tolerance and it’s not worth redosing.

During the Trip

Your main goal during the trip is to surrender to the experience and allow the mushrooms to work with you and through you. You may have challenging moments during the trip, or it may be a very blissful experience. Either way, the key is to not resist the mushrooms; trust and surrender and give in to the experience. Get curious about what shows up for you in the trip; pay attention to the lessons that the mushrooms are teaching you.

What is the relationship between intention and surrender?

You want to go into the trip with intention, but no attachments or expectations to how that intention will be answered by the mushrooms. Anything could happen or nothing could happen. Your work is to surf the waves of energy that come up.

If you’re doing mushrooms for personal growth, treat the trip almost like a 6-hour meditation. You’re surrendering to the emotions that come up, you’re processing memories, you’re downloading ideas, and you’re zooming out and looking at the broader picture of your life.

What if nothing happens for me during the trip?

It’s unlikely that literally ‘nothing’ will happen during the trip. If you feel no effects are 1-2 hours, it’s likely that the dose you took was not enough or the mushroom strain you took is not strong. It could also be that something else in your system, like an SSRI, is preventing you from feeling the effects of psilocybin. I advise you to not take any psychedelics while you’re on SSRI’s or any mood-altering medication.

If you feel very subtle effects during the trip but nothing else ‘happens’ — again, this is most likely a dosage issue, and you can try increasing the dose by 1 or 2 grams the next time. Remember, you can still use this time to meditate and reflect on your life, so don’t be disappointed if you don’t get a ‘trip’ trip. Every trip can be useful, if you go into it with no expectations and the ability to flow with where the trip takes you.

What should I actually ‘do’ during the trip?

You don’t really have to try to make anything happen during the trip. The trip will happen to you 🙂

The first hour, you may not feel much. Slowly you will start feeling the effects of psilocybin. It’s likely that whatever’s been on your mind the last week or so will float up to the surface – especially any unresolved challenges or stressors.

The way I see it is the mushrooms are scanning your life and your energy field, and they bring up any blocks or challenges that you need to work through. And during the trip, that is ‘the work’. Processing emotions, understanding where you feel blocked and why, getting the energy flowing again, tapping back into your love and your joy…

The first half of the trip is usually the most challenging – it’s where you bump up against your own resistance, limiting beliefs, blocks, and your own ego. The last half of the trip is where I usually receive a lot of insights, downloads, feelings of bliss and love, and feelings of resolution.

So if you start the trip and you feel a bit ‘rocky’ in the beginning, don’t worry. Stay the course and you will find your balance within the trip. It may not happen within the first few hours, but stay calm, process what is happening, remain in your center, and just get curious about anything that’s come up.

Don’t label anything in your trip as ‘not part of the trip’ or ‘not supposed to happen’. If it’s happening, it’s part of your trip and has something to teach you.

What happens if a particulary difficult emotion or memory comes up in the trip?

The key it not to resist the emotion. Sit with it, get curious about it, try to process it, but don’t deny it or resist it or turn away from it.

Surrender to it. Flow with it. Work with it. Sit with it. Get curious about what the deeper message behind the emotion is.

Trust that the mushrooms will help you here, too. So if you feel stuck, it’s ok. Just continue to be present to everything that’s coming up, and the mushrooms will help provide you with insights, images, downloads, and knowledge that will help you unblock wherever you feel stuck, and get the energy moving again.

What are the different stages of a mushroom trip?

Every psychonaut has their own definition of the ‘levels’ in a mushroom trip. For me, personally, there’s usually 3 stages to my mushrooms trips: the ascent, the trip, and the afterglow.

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Do you have a question I haven’t addressed? Reach out to me and I’ll add it to this page.