I’ve been quiet about my use of plant medicine. Yet plants and mushrooms have been changing my life for the past few years.

The first time I tried magic mushrooms, I was unaware of how healing and sacred they could be. My introduction was purely recreational. I had a very creative boyfriend at the time. He asked all of his friends to dress up as characters from Alice in Wonderland. We drove to Joshua Tree and laid out an entire feast in the desert. Our mushroom tea was poured into colorful bottles that said, “Drink me.” Here’s me as the Dormouse about an hour after sipping my dose.

I didn’t realize that the dormouse is famous for being sleepy – so this photo a classic.

Set and Setting

What can make a journey special or less than so is what experts call “set and setting.” The environment and intention of the place and space needs to be carefully considered. 

Candlelight, soft blankets, quiet, an eye cover, chill music. These are elements that can create a calm setting. And journal writing, prayer or quiet reflection are great ideas to mentally or spiritually prepare.

This might explain why I had a regrettable experience in 2010 when I did mushrooms at Burning Man. It was loud and chaotic that night. For hours I suffered the presence of a loud, critical, self-hating inner voice. I became afraid of mushrooms for a long time after that.

Fantastic Fungi

Then I came across the Netflix movie, Fantastic Fungi. 

While watching, I found myself tearing up with longing. I really wanted the support and guidance that mushrooms were providing to so many. I committed this time to approach the mushrooms with respect and in the right kind of setting.

Mushroom Therapy

A friend introduced me to a therapist trained to support people during psilocybin journeys. I asked all of my questions about my safety. I felt her integrity and hired her.

In that journey and the few that have followed, I have always received valuable insights like this:

“I am an exquisite being. I will only be in environments where I am recognized as such.”

Damn.

Sometimes I became aware of actions I needed to take immediately:

“I need to contact ____ right away, and set a boundary.”

Other times, I didn’t have words for what changed – I just start behaving in more satisfying and harmonious ways. My life got better.

I feel lucky to have had these experiences and I’m in awe of how brilliant the mushrooms are. They seem to tailor the experience to be just what a particular person needs. How?

Some Science

Matthew W. Johnson, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychedelics and Consciousness Research at Johns Hopkins. He described mushrooms like this:

Enormous Problems

I am sometimes overwhelmed by the problems we face as a species. Overpopulation, corporate greed, soil degradation – boy, are humans dumb!

But mushroom are so smart. 

My Wish

I wish mushrooms had a chance to work on all of us. 

I wish that every adult human could have the option and resources to try them if they wanted to. The whole planet of us. Maybe we could pull ourselves out of the trouble that we’re in. I imagine the trajectory of our species might change as a result.

For today, I remain grateful for what they do for me in my small part of the world. I’ll continue to try to make sense of it all while doing what I can in the time I have.

And I do believe that what they can do for human beings is nothing short of love.