The possibility of a wealth tax was much discussed here in New Zealand in 2023 as we headed for a general election in October. Magic mushrooms, not so much (although I noticed the occasional story elsewhere regarding its use in treating serious depression, especially with individuals who have not responded to conventional drugs). In other news, the leader of our Labour Party (much like the Liberals in Canada) made a captain's call to not pursue a wealth tax, a capital gains tax (we’re the only country in the OECD without one, I believe), or an excessive profits tax. (That was before they lost the election in October to the National Party (like your Conservatives), which promised to cut taxes — except for the poorest quarter of the population). We also don't have an inheritance tax. The lack of a Capital Gains Tax has encouraged New Zealanders to invest in property (which can be flipped for a quick, untaxed, profit to fund your retirement), rather than in productive sectors of the economy. So we have the most expensive houses and rents in the world, as a proportion of the average disposable income. It's been enough to give us a collective migraine, which I suppose, takes our mind off our collective depression and our less-than-excited sense of what the future will bring (and, of course, there's absolutely no connection between poverty, hopelessness, racism, and poor mental health, which, incidentally is growing faster than mushrooms here). We don't even have the energy to throw stones as the Google bus anymore. That's how bad it is. But I'm getting off topic.
I am writing to say that I have heard from reputable sources (including offspring smarter than their parents) that there really is something to this magic mushroom thing, including, but not limited to, treating depression. I intend to investigate this and I thank you for providing a recipe for the way forward.
Yes, you should do it with a friend of family member you trust and feel comfortable being vulnerable around, or a trained mental health professional, or in a ceremony setting run by people who know what they're doing. If you have any health conditions that might interact with psilocybin, or are on any medications (e.g. SSRIs) that interact with it, you should consult a health professional first.
Read it. That is remarkable. Sam was your lucky guy after all... a bag of mushrooms on the way out! :-)
I would love more details on what actually happened within the trips. Like... "and the third time, when I took 6 grams, a mushroom fairy clad in pink pajamas told me not to eat sugar. Well, I kinda saw her out of the corner of my eye. Or... first, I threw up, then I saw southwestern indian blanket patterns on the ceiling, and felt the urge to go to Ojo Caliente to soak in the healing springs." Hah. Too much to ask?
And... did you ever go into the no-ego place?
Your story reminds me of Stamets recounting how he lost his stutter during a crazy trip in a storm...
Oh, it's too hard to put into words. Visiting what looked like ancient Egyptian temples and ruins, the Sphinx. Watching metaphors unfold visually and waking up understanding a scientific concept I couldn't put into words. Being told information I couldn't possibly have known and looking it up later and finding out it was true. Talking to what felt like God. Spirits descending from trees. Go above 7-8 grams and things can get pretty wild. Especially if you stop using fluoride, which blocks up the pineal gland. I didn't start seeing spirits until after I changed my toothpaste ... !
I really appreciate your self-disclosing style of writing.
Ok, let me take a stab at this one more time. I am trying to get a sense of what about the experience heals. To give an example, seeing Egyptian temples in a dream would generally not be thought of as healing. Or any imagery, no matter how outlandish.
How do magic mushrooms heal?
And thank you for the note about pineal gland and fluoride. Hadn't been aware of that connection. I have been brushing with real salt for quite some time. Wish I had discovered it sooner. Sometimes, I add baking soda. If I have a sore gum I apply propolis.
I'm not sure exactly HOW they heal, I just know they do. One of the mechanisms is that they increase neuroplasticity so you can use the "high" to unlearn toxic old behaviours and make new connections that are healthier. But it does more than that. Like it heals at a cellular level. Combining psilocybin with fasting also seems to speed up the gut biome repair that regular fasting does.
I tried to comment on your psychosomatic spiral article - these are GREAT articles, and I know you're a keen mushroom practitioner, but - much of your information is so excellent, I would love to have a psychosomatic spiral article - the one about deficiencies, and their contributions to physical distress - without the mushroom info, so that I can share it with those who need it.
Not everyone is ready to blow their mind. And in my professional role as a teacher, I cannot recommend it. I know that the Medicine will find those who are ready for it. But anyone can benefit from linking their nutrition to their emotional and mental stability.
Sorry, I just realized I misread your comment and you want a psychosomatic hell spiral post *without* the mushroom stuff ... that makes sense, I just don't know if I'm the right person to write that when mushrooms were a such a huge part of my own healing. I honestly don't know if I COULD have healed to the extent I did without mushrooms. When I was sick, I intellectually knew I needed to eat healthier, get outside more (I actually did as much as I could), spend more time with friends etc ... but I had no energy, I was depressed and didn't care enough, I didn't have the willpower to challenge my addictive behaviours. I needed a big jolt. So I don't think I can give advice on how to heal without mushrooms, because I wasn't able to do that myself.
I think the original could be used by people who don't want to try mushrooms to develop some healing strategies. The mushroom tea recipe would still improve health if made with a non-psychedelic mushroom like Lion's Mane (or a mushroom blend!!), just at a much slower rate and not to the same extent. I think the spoonful of raw honey to curb sugar cravings would work without mushrooms, especially if combined with intermittent fasting.
But your other info about the spiral - the deficiencies - is incredibly valuable, thorough & well laid out. I just can't share it (with the people who need it most) when it's psychedelic.
SO MANY people walk around, "it's genetic," "my life sucks," "what can you do?" and (brutally), "It is what it is," or even, "whatever." I know, I've been there, too. Their solution is to complain to docs and get sicker with the drugs, which, as you clearly laid out - are further depleting!
So - thank you for your writing - I just wish I could take better advantage of it with my peeps (who - maybe ONE is POSSIBLY maybe someday a candidate for the full blown Medicine?).
And natural remedies are slower healing ... plus if people have really bad gut dysbiosis I'm not sure any of the advice is practical without magic mushrooms :-( a lot of people have food aversions that you can't just power through, addictions to refined sugar that aren't easily overcome (it's similarly addictive to cocaine). Dependences on drugs they can't just drop. Mushrooms are a rough ride (sooooo much puking) but it's like if you're lost in the woods instead of trying to hack through the brambles to find a better route, mushrooms fling you into a fork and point you down a healthier path.
Hmm. It definitely wouldn't be difficult for me to remove the psychedelic stuff and publish it, I'd just feel dishonest not disclosing that I used mushrooms to reset my gut microbiome and rewire my brain, which is a much, much faster approach (albeit reckless). I've found a lot of people in the psychosomatic hell spiral are not very open to changing the behaviours/addictions causing it, some even get hostile if you suggest it's not "genetic". So many people turn the various diagnoses into identities and revolve their (mostly online) social lives around these labels. I think a part of it is that the various remedies I'm suggesting are all *natural*, an act of reconnecting to nature (healthy food is part of nature), to one's body, to other people, and with the mushrooms, to spirituality as well (healing the right hemisphere). In the psychosomatic hell spiral, you're disconnected from these things. And when you're disconnected from Nature/Spirit, you look to technology for answers. There's a block in accepting that maybe standing barefoot in the grass, letting the sun hit your skin without any sunscreen on, your eyes take in the light without sunglasses might do more good than popping a sleeping pill at night. Etc.
Thank you! I think this comment and some of the feedback from the Midwestern Doctor are the prompts I need to tweak/update the Psychosomatic Hell Spiral article and move it over here (not sure if you have but subscribe or follow and you'll see it -- I don't post that frequently!). I was worried it was a bit dark and overboard, but I originally wrote it with the intention of it being more useful than the first so it's nice to hear it actually is.
I've gotten very positive feedback from people who've tried the recipe.
I didn't move this one over to substack because it's way too long and not as strong, but for people who are considering trying mushrooms for specific medical conditions and want a ton more research, there's this as well: https://meghanbell.com/2023/08/20/escaping-the-psychosomatic-hell-spiral/
I do like the recipe! A little labour intensive for me (I, too, suffer chronic problems, and the simpler, the better), but I love the synergy of what you have created here.
The possibility of a wealth tax was much discussed here in New Zealand in 2023 as we headed for a general election in October. Magic mushrooms, not so much (although I noticed the occasional story elsewhere regarding its use in treating serious depression, especially with individuals who have not responded to conventional drugs). In other news, the leader of our Labour Party (much like the Liberals in Canada) made a captain's call to not pursue a wealth tax, a capital gains tax (we’re the only country in the OECD without one, I believe), or an excessive profits tax. (That was before they lost the election in October to the National Party (like your Conservatives), which promised to cut taxes — except for the poorest quarter of the population). We also don't have an inheritance tax. The lack of a Capital Gains Tax has encouraged New Zealanders to invest in property (which can be flipped for a quick, untaxed, profit to fund your retirement), rather than in productive sectors of the economy. So we have the most expensive houses and rents in the world, as a proportion of the average disposable income. It's been enough to give us a collective migraine, which I suppose, takes our mind off our collective depression and our less-than-excited sense of what the future will bring (and, of course, there's absolutely no connection between poverty, hopelessness, racism, and poor mental health, which, incidentally is growing faster than mushrooms here). We don't even have the energy to throw stones as the Google bus anymore. That's how bad it is. But I'm getting off topic.
I am writing to say that I have heard from reputable sources (including offspring smarter than their parents) that there really is something to this magic mushroom thing, including, but not limited to, treating depression. I intend to investigate this and I thank you for providing a recipe for the way forward.
You cannot fathom the power of mushrooms until after you take them. And even then, you cannot fully understand them.
I believe you. I assume it’s best not to be alone at the time.
Yes, you should do it with a friend of family member you trust and feel comfortable being vulnerable around, or a trained mental health professional, or in a ceremony setting run by people who know what they're doing. If you have any health conditions that might interact with psilocybin, or are on any medications (e.g. SSRIs) that interact with it, you should consult a health professional first.
Well whadayaknow.... things have gotten fancy while I was not looking thisaway. In my day, we just chewed the cud. Haha. Pretty nasty.
A very interesting account. I would love more details on how the healing happened, if you are ever so inclined. This is so awesome.
More details here! https://meghanbell.com/2023/08/20/escaping-the-psychosomatic-hell-spiral/
Read it. That is remarkable. Sam was your lucky guy after all... a bag of mushrooms on the way out! :-)
I would love more details on what actually happened within the trips. Like... "and the third time, when I took 6 grams, a mushroom fairy clad in pink pajamas told me not to eat sugar. Well, I kinda saw her out of the corner of my eye. Or... first, I threw up, then I saw southwestern indian blanket patterns on the ceiling, and felt the urge to go to Ojo Caliente to soak in the healing springs." Hah. Too much to ask?
And... did you ever go into the no-ego place?
Your story reminds me of Stamets recounting how he lost his stutter during a crazy trip in a storm...
Oh, it's too hard to put into words. Visiting what looked like ancient Egyptian temples and ruins, the Sphinx. Watching metaphors unfold visually and waking up understanding a scientific concept I couldn't put into words. Being told information I couldn't possibly have known and looking it up later and finding out it was true. Talking to what felt like God. Spirits descending from trees. Go above 7-8 grams and things can get pretty wild. Especially if you stop using fluoride, which blocks up the pineal gland. I didn't start seeing spirits until after I changed my toothpaste ... !
Meghan, you keep amazing me! :-)
I am struggling at the moment to write a reply. But I will.
Blessings.
I really appreciate your self-disclosing style of writing.
Ok, let me take a stab at this one more time. I am trying to get a sense of what about the experience heals. To give an example, seeing Egyptian temples in a dream would generally not be thought of as healing. Or any imagery, no matter how outlandish.
How do magic mushrooms heal?
And thank you for the note about pineal gland and fluoride. Hadn't been aware of that connection. I have been brushing with real salt for quite some time. Wish I had discovered it sooner. Sometimes, I add baking soda. If I have a sore gum I apply propolis.
I'm not sure exactly HOW they heal, I just know they do. One of the mechanisms is that they increase neuroplasticity so you can use the "high" to unlearn toxic old behaviours and make new connections that are healthier. But it does more than that. Like it heals at a cellular level. Combining psilocybin with fasting also seems to speed up the gut biome repair that regular fasting does.
I tried to comment on your psychosomatic spiral article - these are GREAT articles, and I know you're a keen mushroom practitioner, but - much of your information is so excellent, I would love to have a psychosomatic spiral article - the one about deficiencies, and their contributions to physical distress - without the mushroom info, so that I can share it with those who need it.
Not everyone is ready to blow their mind. And in my professional role as a teacher, I cannot recommend it. I know that the Medicine will find those who are ready for it. But anyone can benefit from linking their nutrition to their emotional and mental stability.
I found you from comments on A Midwestern Doctor.
Sorry, I just realized I misread your comment and you want a psychosomatic hell spiral post *without* the mushroom stuff ... that makes sense, I just don't know if I'm the right person to write that when mushrooms were a such a huge part of my own healing. I honestly don't know if I COULD have healed to the extent I did without mushrooms. When I was sick, I intellectually knew I needed to eat healthier, get outside more (I actually did as much as I could), spend more time with friends etc ... but I had no energy, I was depressed and didn't care enough, I didn't have the willpower to challenge my addictive behaviours. I needed a big jolt. So I don't think I can give advice on how to heal without mushrooms, because I wasn't able to do that myself.
I think the original could be used by people who don't want to try mushrooms to develop some healing strategies. The mushroom tea recipe would still improve health if made with a non-psychedelic mushroom like Lion's Mane (or a mushroom blend!!), just at a much slower rate and not to the same extent. I think the spoonful of raw honey to curb sugar cravings would work without mushrooms, especially if combined with intermittent fasting.
Thank you. I understand. The Medicine teaches.
But your other info about the spiral - the deficiencies - is incredibly valuable, thorough & well laid out. I just can't share it (with the people who need it most) when it's psychedelic.
SO MANY people walk around, "it's genetic," "my life sucks," "what can you do?" and (brutally), "It is what it is," or even, "whatever." I know, I've been there, too. Their solution is to complain to docs and get sicker with the drugs, which, as you clearly laid out - are further depleting!
So - thank you for your writing - I just wish I could take better advantage of it with my peeps (who - maybe ONE is POSSIBLY maybe someday a candidate for the full blown Medicine?).
And natural remedies are slower healing ... plus if people have really bad gut dysbiosis I'm not sure any of the advice is practical without magic mushrooms :-( a lot of people have food aversions that you can't just power through, addictions to refined sugar that aren't easily overcome (it's similarly addictive to cocaine). Dependences on drugs they can't just drop. Mushrooms are a rough ride (sooooo much puking) but it's like if you're lost in the woods instead of trying to hack through the brambles to find a better route, mushrooms fling you into a fork and point you down a healthier path.
Hmm. It definitely wouldn't be difficult for me to remove the psychedelic stuff and publish it, I'd just feel dishonest not disclosing that I used mushrooms to reset my gut microbiome and rewire my brain, which is a much, much faster approach (albeit reckless). I've found a lot of people in the psychosomatic hell spiral are not very open to changing the behaviours/addictions causing it, some even get hostile if you suggest it's not "genetic". So many people turn the various diagnoses into identities and revolve their (mostly online) social lives around these labels. I think a part of it is that the various remedies I'm suggesting are all *natural*, an act of reconnecting to nature (healthy food is part of nature), to one's body, to other people, and with the mushrooms, to spirituality as well (healing the right hemisphere). In the psychosomatic hell spiral, you're disconnected from these things. And when you're disconnected from Nature/Spirit, you look to technology for answers. There's a block in accepting that maybe standing barefoot in the grass, letting the sun hit your skin without any sunscreen on, your eyes take in the light without sunglasses might do more good than popping a sleeping pill at night. Etc.
Don't I know it!!!! Thank you (from one who stands barefoot on grass daily - gazing at the horizon, soaking up the sun).
AND - I'm hoping that there is at least ONE peep out there (maybe not one of "my" peeps) who reads your article and says, "YES! THIS is what I NEED!"
(like myself, except for the criminal shortage of said Medicine)
Thank you! I think this comment and some of the feedback from the Midwestern Doctor are the prompts I need to tweak/update the Psychosomatic Hell Spiral article and move it over here (not sure if you have but subscribe or follow and you'll see it -- I don't post that frequently!). I was worried it was a bit dark and overboard, but I originally wrote it with the intention of it being more useful than the first so it's nice to hear it actually is.
An excellent piece, thank you.
I've gotten very positive feedback from people who've tried the recipe.
I didn't move this one over to substack because it's way too long and not as strong, but for people who are considering trying mushrooms for specific medical conditions and want a ton more research, there's this as well: https://meghanbell.com/2023/08/20/escaping-the-psychosomatic-hell-spiral/
I do like the recipe! A little labour intensive for me (I, too, suffer chronic problems, and the simpler, the better), but I love the synergy of what you have created here.
Many thanks!!