The Healing Power of Psilocybin
The Healing Power of Psilocybin
Trauma Alchemized into Sovereign Power and Authority
Psychedelics and Healing
Using what we have been through in life to harness newfound authority in our lives is a quintessential Shamanic principle. For tens of thousands of years, Shamans have, with the aid of various Shamanic rituals – many including the use of psychedelic substances such as ayahuasca, peyote, and even psilocybin – to bring emotional, psychological, and even spiritual healing to their communities.
I was 11-12 years old when the depression and anxiety I was suffering first spilled out into my behavior when I began self-harming, self-isolating, and dealing with crippling anxiety and depression that would leave me bedridden. By the time I was in my mid-20’s, I would experience depressive episodes that went on for months and months, unable to get out of bed, shower, or care for myself beyond feeding myself – a diet consisting of ice cream and banana bread.
About 4 years ago, I went on my second* “magic mushroom” trip (psilocybin) and I learned a few vital things about their use – pertaining to all psychedelics!
I would experience depressive episodes that went on for months and months, unable to get out of bed, shower, or care for myself.
*When I was 20 years old, I was homeless, without any money and nowhere to go, I decided to “Gatecrash” a chill house-gathering (party without the music and excessive drinking). This house, I knew, had a reputation for people showing up, smoking weed, and even crashing – it was essentially an unofficial halfway house!
Long story short, it was a terribly exhausting and terrifying experience. I understood only one thing about psychedelics at this stage of my life – they changed your perception of reality. The state of mind I was in was simply, “I don’t want to be here right now, I don’t want to deal with my current reality.” This was my first, and perhaps my biggest mistake!
Andy Paradise/REX
Introspective vs. Consciousness Expanding Psychedelics
Different psychedelics and different psychedelic concoctions serve different purposes in the life of a Shaman – including Neo-Shamans (Shamanic people who, since the ’80s as first recognized by Michael Harner, anthropologist, and Neo-Shaman); people who, in western cultures, have been called by the Divine Source of all things, to become a spiritual healer.
While LSD and 2-CB and other psychedelics are used to achieve enlightenment and existential revelations, wisdom, and truths, brews of ayahuasca, peyote, and even psilocybin by itself can serve the purpose of increasing a person’s reflexivity taking them introspectively into themselves to face what Carl Jung would call, “The Shadow Self.”
Regarding microdosing, it is recommended that one ingest no more than 0.5 grams – 500 milligrams – every 2-3 days ongoing.
Experienced ‘psychonauts’, as well as established and legitimate shamans, will tell you that a sure-fire way to experience a “bad trip” is to resist where the psychedelics are leading your conscious mind, especially with regard to those used for shadow work and general introspection. Why? Because they will continue to try and get you to come face to face either with past traumas or with aspects of the self that you’d rather not acknowledge – The Shadow Self.
Psilocybin trips can last anywhere between 4-6 hours. Imagine that? Six hours of resisting the darkest parts of yourself or resisting revisiting the worst experiences you’ve been through. Of course, this would induce anxiety.
The Healing Power of Psilocybin.
After the utter failure of western pharmacology to help with the symptoms of my C-PTSD – the anxiety attacks, dealing with the anxiety accompanying and flashbacks, the depression – I started looking into eastern therapies and eastern remedial medicines. Not only was psilocybin present in anecdotal evidence regarding the treatment of such ailments, but there were various studies that had been conducted at several major universities, including the trial currently underway at Monash University here in Melbourne for the use of psilocybin in treating depression and anxiety disorders.
Again. Most psychonauts will tell you that the threshold dose for inducing a full psychedelic state is anywhere between 1.5-3 grams depending on the individual and their body type and metabolic rate. Regarding microdosing, it is recommended that one ingest no more than 0.5 grams – 500 milligrams – every 2-3 days ongoing. If you experience even the mildest of psychedelic symptoms – warped perception, colors intensifying – then you have taken too much and need to take less.
Photo of Michael Harner
Microdosing Anecdotal Efficacy.
Since beginning a strict regimen of microdosing psilocybin, with the addition of a couple of other natural herbs/supplements, I have found that my concentration has had a marked increase/improvement, I’m more focused, more emotionally stable, and centered, and have a deepened capacity for emotional control when stressful situations arise. I’ve also found that I am far more motivated and have a general sense of well-being that lasts even between doses!
It has been a real game-changer for me!
I’m more focused, more emotionally stable, and centered, and have a deepened capacity for emotional control when stressful situations arise.
Psilocybin in mainstream psychiatric treatment?
Depending on the outcome of this newest study at Monash University, the implications could be massive for the use of psilocybin in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders such as PTSD.
As a Shaman this excites me greatly! The idea that we could be one step closer to reigniting an ancient symbiosis with nature for the purposes of healing is almost titillating. Granted this does not incorporate the use of psilocybin in rituals that require a full psychedelic state to be induced, either on the part of the patient, practitioner, or both, but, it’s a start, and could even one day lead to legitimizing Shamanic traditions.
Related: Magic n’ Microdosing
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