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My first experience with mushrooms

|| a trip to my deepest wishes and fears ||

I was travelling alone in Indonesia in 2019 when I had my first encounter with those special mushrooms. There I was, on this small island called Gili Trawangan, when I saw a lot of “smoothie” places along the beachside, all of them with colourful and geometrical drawings on the outside, and all of them with the same icon, a mushroom. When I stepped closer, one of the locals asked me to come and try his milk shakes, which according to this guy, made you travel along the different dimensions of the universe.

mushrooms, have been used for thousands of years for their healing and spiritual properties

Banana, pineapple, chocolate, and more. You could choose any flavour and even intensity. Luckily, that day the rational side of my mind stopped me from trying those shakes. The idea of being under the influence of mushies on an unknown island, on my own just didn’t sound safe, so I said no. However, the thought of trying them remained in my head, since I have to admit that I am usually pretty reckless and open to try new things.

These mushrooms, have been used for thousands of years for their healing and spiritual properties. The key ingredient is a naturally occurring psychoactive compound found in many species of mushrooms. When ingested, it can cause profound changes in consciousness, including altered perceptions, emotions, and thought processes.

Thanks to recent fundings towards research on how these mushrooms could potentially be of long-term help (with little to zero side effects) for people with mental difficulties and trauma; as well as Netflix releasing some interesting documentaries on it, mushrooms are experiencing a strong wave of interest across different demographic groups.

My deepest wishes and fears came to the surface and presented themselves to me without any distortion from my ego.

But back to my story:

A year later, mushrooms came back into my life. The context was very different; it was part of a ceremony with a guiding and supporting expert in the field. I had approximately 2 grams of psilocybin mushroom. 40 minutes later, I found myself experiencing reality in a completely different way. My deepest wishes and fears came to the surface and presented themselves to me without any distortion from my ego. It was an encounter with my truest truth. Yes, it was definitely scary, but at the same time, it was like dropping a backpack full of rocks onto the floor. I felt light and relieved. I knew that I had opened a door, and there was no turning back. I was aware of myself and could no longer maintain certain lies I was telling myself due to fear. The experience lasted approximately 4 hours, and I remember laying down on the floor, surrendering and having the sensation of being on a horse without any reins. When the illusion of control and being in charge appeared, I faced a lot of resistance and discomfort, which forced me to let go again and surrender deeper and deeper. It was a trip into my soul, playful and sunny at times, and scary and dark at other times. It was the first time I realised and experienced the depth of this sacred and ancestral medicine, and I knew it wasn’t going to be the last one.

A friend once told me that we as humans are genetically designed to experience reality inside a three-dimensional box and most of the time never beyond it. However, with the help of these agents provided by nature, we can take a peek at other dimensions by creating a thin crack into the cosmic egg. Of course, I know that psychedelics are not the only way to experience this deepness. There are many tools, disciplines, and resources that allow us to access our soul’s wisdom. All I can say is that in my experience, they were a great gift to get to that sacred place that lives among ourselves. 

here are my top 3 pieces of advice to share

It was great having a guiding human during the ceremony, who had experience facilitating these ancestral medicines, knew how to contain the space energetically, helped me navigate my journey and the most important, supported the integration of the experience once it was finished. Many times the information we receive goes beyond what our mind can understand, so having a guiding voice after the experience can be extremely soothing.

I guess the man from the milkshake place in Gili would have been able to be of much help here 🙂

these magnificent compounds were placed here with the explicit purpose for us to find them when ready, and help us discover and embrace our divine nature.

My journey with mushrooms started two years ago and I’ve experienced a massive change in the way I perceive my overall existence, in the way I relate to myself, to others and the world itself. I believe the biggest gift they have given me, was to learn how to navigate through places of my subconscious and bring back information to the surface so I can experience life lighter and freer.

I truly believe that these magnificent compounds were placed here with the explicit purpose for us to find them when ready, and help us discover and embrace our divine nature. 

So there’s only one thing left to say, I guess. Good luck and have a nice trip 😉