MAGIC MUSHROOMS

Magic Mushrooms - the story

Indigenous peoples in Central and South America have been using magic mushrooms in shamanic rituals for thousands of years. By expanding consciousness, the mushrooms are said to support the connection with the forces of nature and higher powers. Magic mushrooms played no part in white societies well into the 1950s. Until then, most Europeans and Americans did not even believe that the legendary mushrooms existed.

The turning point came through the US author and investment banker Gordon Wasson, who was interested in the scientific research of fungi and their importance in different cultures. Wasson was mainly on the road in Mexico for his research. The indigenous people of the country spoke of the magic mushrooms with reverence - for them the mushrooms had never lost their meaning. In southern Mexico he finally met the traditional healer María Sabina, who combined Christian prayers with ancient rituals of the Mazatec people in her healing ceremonies. Traditionally, these treatments lasted an entire night - psychoactive mushrooms were an integral part of the ceremonies. María Sabina and her community allowed Wasson and a partner to be the first whites to participate in one of these rituals. They were deeply impressed by the visions they experienced while eating the mushrooms. Wasson published a report in 1957 in the US magazine "Life" about his experiences with magic mushrooms. This also made Magics Mushrooms popular in the West - the name was coined by Wasson.

A year later, the Swiss chemist Albert Hoffmann succeeded in isolating the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms and called it psilocybin, referring to the genus name "psilocybe" (Greek: the bald-headed). Hoffmann had previously discovered LSD and dealt with the effects of psychedelic drugs in his research and in over 100 books. Shortly thereafter, in a ritual at Wasson's request, María Sabina ingested chemically isolated psilocybin instead of natural magic mushrooms. She confirmed the identical effect and thus also that psilocybin is the main psychoactive substance in the mushrooms. In the 1960s and 1970s, thanks in no small part to magic mushrooms, Mexico became a mecca for hippies and other soul seekers who desired the psychedelic experience induced by the mushrooms. This is how magic mushrooms found their way into pop culture.

What are magic mushrooms?

Most types of Magic Mushrooms belong to the Psilocybe genus, which includes over 200 different species of mushrooms. There are also other mushrooms that produce psychedelic effects. An example of this is Amanita muscaria - the well-known fly agaric whose active ingredient muscarine leads to a strong, but also completely unpredictable psychedelic effect. The substances baeocystin and norbaeocystin, which support the effects of the main active ingredient in psilocybin mushrooms, are also psychoactive. All of the psychoactive substances in Magic Mushrooms are tryptamine-type hallucinogens. They are formed as metabolic products of plant organisms. However, tryptamines also occur in the human body - for example, the neurotransmitters serotonin and melatonin belong to this class of active ingredients.

What types of magic mushrooms are recommended?

If you want to use or grow magic mushrooms, you have a wide range of choices. Varieties such as the pointed conical bald head (Psilobe semilanceata) are well-known and popular, but there are many other variants. Here we present a few selected magic mushrooms - but we make no claim to completeness:

• Mexican Magics Mushrooms - the so-called meat of the gods - is one of the most popular varieties worldwide. They were the first magic mushrooms to become popular in the modern world. Her effects are gentle and lead to very pictorial psychedelic visions.
• B+ are Magics Mushrooms, appreciated by many mushroom lovers for their fruit size and powerful effects. In addition, this strain grows very quickly - some B+ magic mushroom grow kits produce a first harvest after just 14 days. If you have little or no experience growing magic mushrooms, B+ is a great place to start.
• As the name suggests, magic mushrooms of the Ecuador variety come from the Andean country of the same name, where they also grow at higher altitudes. A plus for growers is their hardiness. In terms of their effects, these Magics Mushrooms are predictable and therefore very easy to use.
• Golden Teacher Magic Mushrooms are among the classic magic mushrooms. It has been on the market since the 1980s. Their trademark are large, gold-colored mushrooms. They have a reputation for causing particularly intense, visionary and insightful trips.
• The Psilocybe cubensis Hawaiian variety is characterized by particularly large fruit bodies and harvest spurts. However, it does not come from Hawaii - at least it is not yet known that magic mushrooms grow in a natural environment on these Pacific islands. It is believed that the Hawaiian Magics Mushrooms were initially offered by a Hawaii-based company.
• Terence McKenna was an American ethnobotanist and mystic who has studied the psychedelic effects of plants and related rituals and spiritual phenomena extensively since the 1960s. He gave the McKennaii variety its name. These Magics Mushrooms are extremely intense, so they should be used primarily by experienced users.

Most magic mushrooms still come from the Americas, where they are common in the warmer regions of North America and Central and South America. However, some varieties are much more widespread. For example, Hawaiian Magic Mushrooms are also found in England, Australia and various Asian countries as part of the natural flora.

How do magic mushrooms work?

The psilocybin produced by magic mushrooms is what is known as a prodrug. In its original form, it has little or no hallucinogenic effects. The hallucinogenic effects of Magics Mushrooms are caused by psilocin, which is formed by the metabolism of psilocybin in the human body. Psilocin is closely related to serotonin (5-hydroxytripamine) in its chemical structure, allowing it to bind to the serotonin receptors in the human brain. The body's own serotonin is also a psychoactive substance. It is considered a happiness hormone that has a calming effect and has a positive effect on mood. Temporarily replacing it with psilocin at its receptor sites allows magic mushrooms to exert their psychedelic potency.

From a scientific perspective, psilocybin/psilocin are referred to as enthogens or psychedelics, just like cannabis or LSD. By influencing the balance of serotonin and other neurotransmitters, they have a psychomimetic effect - people expand their consciousness and thereby open up new spaces of experience. The state they reach is also known as a trip. The effect of magic mushrooms lasts between four and twelve hours, depending on the variety and dosage. During this time you will feel both physical and psychological effects.

The physical effects of psilocybin mushrooms include:

• Dilated pupils
• Drowsiness
• Tactile changes/tingling
• Changes in body image
• Increase in heart rate and blood pressure
• Intensification and change in the perception of colors and patterns
• Imaginary olfactory perceptions.

The psychological effects of Magics Mushrooms consist of the following effects, for example: Euphoria

• Hallucinations and visions
• Increased mindfulness
• The feeling of connectedness and oneness.

How do I feel after consuming Magics Mushrooms?

How you feel after ingesting magic mushrooms also depends on the variety, the dosage, and your tolerance to the magic mushrooms' active ingredients. When using small and medium doses, the sensory perception of the real world changes first. Colors become stronger and clearer. You feel happy, euphoric and maybe a little silly - even trivial things are a good reason to laugh. Noises also become more intense. You may not be sure if the sounds you are hearing actually exist. If you eat and drink something during your trip, you can expect very lively and sometimes exotic taste experiences.

With higher, so-called spiritual doses, you dive into psychedelic worlds. You experience more or less intense hallucinations that can range from the perception of extraordinary, complex and fluid patterns to lifelike dreams. Among other things, by consuming magic mushrooms you gain access to your subconscious, the contents of which are transferred to thoughts and feelings. Users describe this state as a feeling of freedom. Some of them experience ego dissolution or find themselves communicating with otherworldly entities.

However, Magics Mushrooms have a mood-enhancing effect - in a positive but also in a negative sense. In order to avoid unpleasant experiences or a real horror trip with magic mushrooms, it makes sense to follow a few rules. The following points are particularly important:

• Correct dosage

Before consuming magic mushrooms for the first time, it is important to know the right dosage that is right for you (we will come back to the topics of dosage and overdose in more detail later). In general, Magics Mushrooms can be dosed very well, so you can influence how intense your trip should be.

• Quiet, safe environment

Especially if you are new to magic mushrooms, you should create a quiet environment where you feel comfortable and safe. It is best if you have a so-called trip sitter who will take care of you if you need something or if the trip does not go as you would like.

• Positive frame of mind

Before taking the mushrooms, you should definitely be in a good and positive state of mind. Tension, stress, and anger can lead to unpleasant effects when using magic mushrooms.

• Refrain from mixed consumption

Under no circumstances should you use the Magics Mushrooms together with other drugs - this includes alcohol, which can increase or alter the effects of the psilocybin mushrooms.

Consume magic mushrooms

You can consume Magics Mushrooms in different ways. The effect does not occur immediately, but takes about an hour. The body needs this time to digest the mushrooms and convert the psilocybin into the psychoactive psilocin in the process. So you should definitely not increase the dose of magic mushrooms unless you feel an initial effect shortly after ingestion.You can eat magic mushrooms fresh or dried. What is different is the total amount that you have to take in order to achieve the desired effect.

Fresh Magics Mushrooms contain larger amounts of water - so you need to eat larger amounts of them. Many users do not find fresh magic mushrooms particularly enjoyable to consume due to the larger portions. The taste of the mushrooms is earthy with a metallic note. In some cases, nausea occurs immediately after consumption, since the body has to do intensive digestion work to digest them. When using dried Magics Mushrooms, the amount required is significantly smaller depending on the desired effect.

There are different ways to consume magic mushrooms: you can eat them whole, blend them into a smoothie, boil them in tea (don't overcook it, as cooking times longer than an hour would destroy the psilocybin), or combine them with other foods use. It is also possible to powder dried magic mushrooms and mix them with lemon juice. Before you drink it, the mixture should steep for about half an hour. Users who prefer this method state that the psilocybin takes effect particularly quickly.

How do I dose the magic mushrooms?

For the dosage of magic mushrooms, indicate the desired effect on the one hand, but also on the type used and its potency on the other. Moderate doses are usually broken down in the body within four to five hours. If you ingest very large amounts of magic mushrooms, you should expect a corresponding prolongation of your trip, which can last up to 12 hours at high doses. A good dosage is therefore important to ensure that consumption and the duration of the trip are as desired.

Erowid - a Californian non-profit organization that publishes information on psychoactive substances - provides the following dosage recommendations for magic mushrooms:

• The threshold dose is therefore a quarter gram of dried magic mushrooms. The effects of the mushrooms are very small at this dose. You may notice a slight increase in your perception of light and color or changes in your temperature perception - a slight feeling of cold is typical. Stronger effects are not associated with taking the threshold dose.
• Amounts up to one gram are classified by Erowid as a light dose. You may feel a bit nauseous after taking it. The main effect of such dosages consists in slight optical hallucinations, which have the character of fleeting distortions. Colors and intense light may be perceived as a starry sky. In general, the effect of the mushrooms can already be felt with a small dose.
• According to Erowid, the average dosage ranges from one to 2.5 grams of magic mushrooms. However, the actual effect depends very much on the personal requirements of the consumer. Some users experience effects after using 2.5 grams of the shrooms for the first time that are largely identical to the effects of a light dose - others already have an intense psilocybin experience with this amount. If you are unsure how to dose magic mushrooms or already know that you are sensitive to psychoactive substances, you should start with a dose of between 1 and 1.5 grams.
• At a medium dosage, the physical effects of psilocybin are already fully visible: the pupils dilate significantly, heart rate and blood pressure increase to a harmless extent. Fungal nausea and often a more pronounced feeling of cold also make themselves felt. The extent to which you experience hallucinations, dreams, and visions depends on how your psyche reacts to magic mushrooms. At least when using a higher medium dose, most users report that their thoughts change significantly. At the same time, their emotions are intense and very dynamic, which can lead to greater mood swings.
• Heavy doses range from 2.5 to 5 grams of dried magic mushrooms - Amounts over 5 grams are defined as a heavy dose. New users who want a real and very intense experience with magic mushrooms often choose dosages of up to 3.5 grams, thereby experiencing the effects of psilocybin in full strength, but must also expect negative experiences, which may include a more pronounced nausea can also include unpleasant, disturbing or upsetting visions. Such effects of the mushrooms are usually not dangerous - if you are not prepared for them, you may experience a hard time. It is also possible that high doses will profoundly change your life through the visionary experiences that you have as a result, since you will later remember them in "real life". This includes experiences of ego loss that may allow you to access other facets of your personality, feelings of deep connection with the universe, or even experiencing that desire, conflict, and control no longer matter under the influence of magic mushrooms.

If you are new to magic mushrooms or have only used them a handful of times, you should generally start with a low to moderate dose and don't hit the upper limit even with medium doses. It is best if you also choose a mild variety to start with. If you buy your magic mushrooms from a good shroom shop, you will usually also find information on the potency and dosage instructions for the individual varieties.

Micro dosing - for a particularly gentle use

Microdosing - the so-called microdosing - enables a particularly gentle use of Magics Mushrooms. You are moving in the area of the threshold dose and thus below the limit of a real trip. For this you consume amounts between 0.2 and 0.5 grams of dried magic mushrooms. In principle, all psilocybin mushrooms are suitable for microdosing. The low dose is enough to affect your perception, but the psychedelic effect is so small that there are no functional limitations associated with it. You feel stimulated and can become noticeably more productive with the magic mushroom.

Buy or grow magic mushrooms?

The best way to buy magic mushrooms is online in a so-called shroom shop. The shops offer magic mushrooms, magic truffles and other magic mushroom products. If you plan to use the mushrooms only a few times and in moderate doses, an amount of 3.5 to five grams is enough to get you started - depending on the variety, you have to expect costs of up to ten euros per gram.

If you use Magics Mushrooms regularly, it makes sense to set up your own magic mushroom cultivation. In our Shroomshop we offer you high-quality magic mushroom cultivation kits. This gives you consistent and reliable harvests every few weeks, so you can embark on a psychedelic journey with your own Magics Mushrooms at any time.

Worth knowing about magic mushroom cultivation

Magic mushroom grow kits consist of a tub and a natural substrate - such as rye - infused with the spores of the mushrooms. Harvesting takes place in several batches. Depending on the strain and the environmental conditions you are providing your magic mushrooms, at least between four and seven harvest bursts are possible. The prices for the sets are between around 33 and 50 euros, depending on the variety. The descriptions for these magic mushroom products will tell you everything you need to know about growing and the effects of the chosen strain. Magic mushroom grow kits are ideal for indoor magic mushroom cultivation.

An alternative to the growing kits are so-called spore prints, which you get from a ripe mushroom. To do this, cut off the cap of the mushroom with a sharp and sterile knife without touching the spores. In general, an environment that is as sterile as possible is required for the production of spore prints, so that the prints do not become unusable due to contamination. Place the mushroom cap with the spore-containing lamellae on the underside on a piece of paper and put a clean glass over it, as the spores should not come into contact with the ambient air if possible. After about two hours you change the paper and create another imprint. The entire procedure is completed after about 24 hours when all the spores have fallen off. Store the spore prints in an airtight plastic bag or container in a cool, dark place. For the actual cultivation, you need a substrate for the magic mushrooms to grow in. You can make it yourself - for example from rye flour, vermiculite and water - or buy it in a shroom shop. The mushrooms first form a dense mycelium network there, from which the fruiting bodies later develop. Constant temperatures in the range of 18 to 28 degrees Celsius, daylight and high humidity, which should be 95 to 100 percent, are important for successful indoor magic mushroom cultivation. Contamination is the number one enemy of indoor grows. Until harvest, your mushrooms should come into contact with your hands, other plants or objects as little as possible.

You can also grow magic mushrooms outdoors. Which method you choose depends on your preferences - differences in the result are not associated with it. A moist location where the mushrooms receive plenty of indirect sunlight is ideal for outdoor mushroom beds.

How much light do magic mushrooms need?

Regardless of whether you grow magic mushrooms indoors or outdoors, they require a lot of light throughout the fruiting phase. Three to four hours of light per day is the minimum - however, twelve hours of daylight and twelve hours of darkness are ideal. Whether it is natural daylight or artificial light is irrelevant for breeding success. However, it is important for optimal growth that all mushrooms receive the same amount of light. When using magic mushroom grow kits indoors under artificial lights, you should gradually increase the light intensity. In the so-called pinning phase - the first phase of fruit formation - lamps with lower light intensities (5,500 to 6,500 K) are sufficient, later the light intensity should be 6,000 to 7,000 K.

What about fresh air and humidity?

In terms of fresh air supply, magic mushrooms are undemanding. A constant supply of fresh air is not required. Even so, they need an air exchange from time to time to replace the carbon dioxide produced by the mushrooms with fresh oxygen. Increasing the airflow will not affect the growth of the mushrooms, but it may lose moisture from the area around them. When growing indoors, you have to make sure that the high humidity required for a good result is maintained. The substrate must be moist, but not over-moistened, and regular fresh air makes a significant contribution to this. If the substrate is wet, you can remove moisture with a fan if necessary. In addition, the need for surface moisture decreases during the fruit formation phase, so that the mushrooms can then tolerate more fresh air.

With a magic mushroom grow outdoors, you don't have to worry about the fresh air supply. During dry periods, water the mushroom bed with a garden hose early in the morning or late in the evening. A windbreak can be useful to prevent excessive dehydration.

How and for how long can I store Magics Mushrooms?

Fresh magic mushrooms will only last a few days in the refrigerator - it's best to store them in a paper bag or wrapped in kitchen paper during this time. You can extend the shelf life of your magic mushrooms by vacuum sealing - fresh mushrooms can then be stored in the refrigerator for up to 30 days and magic truffles even up to two months.

You can keep dried magic mushrooms much longer because the absence of moisture prevents them from decomposing. They will keep for two to three years or even longer in a cool, dry and dark place. Magic mushrooms are dried in the air without additional exposure to heat in order not to destroy their active ingredients.

Under no circumstances should fresh magic mushrooms or magic truffles be frozen. This destroys the structures of their cell membranes, which significantly reduces their potency. On the other hand, you can safely store dried mushrooms in a plastic bag in the freezer - they can remain there for an almost indefinite period of time.

How safe are magic mushrooms?

According to various studies, psilocybin mushrooms are considered a very safe recreational drug - criteria for this are the addiction potential of a substance and its potentially harmful or toxic effects on the body. The 2017 Global Drug Survey describes magic mushrooms as the safest drug out there. Their toxicity and addiction potential are very low. Physical dependence cannot arise from the consumption of Magic Mushrooms. A special mechanism ensures this: after use, the body blocks its effect for a few days by preventing the ability of the serotonin receptors to interact with psilocybin. After a trip, it therefore takes a few days before you can embark on the next trip with Magics Mushrooms. Psychological dependence is possible - you most likely wish to repeat the positive experiences associated with consumption. With a moderate, responsible use of magic mushrooms, however, you are largely on the safe side.

Are Magic Mushrooms Legal?

Whether or not magic mushrooms are legal depends on each country's legislation. In Germany, the active ingredients psilocybin and psilocin fall under the Narcotics Act. Possession, import, trade and transport of magic mushrooms are therefore prohibited. Possessing larger quantities of active ingredients of 1.7 grams or more of pure psilocybin is particularly problematic. In other countries - for example in the Netherlands - magic mushrooms are a legal drug.

In drug tests, psilocybin is detectable in the blood for three to six hours and in the urine for three to four days. Detection by means of a hair test is possible within a period of around three months. However, standard drug screening tests do not identify the active ingredients in magic mushrooms, so a special test request would have to be made, which is very rare in practice.