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Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

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Re: Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

#91

Post by dmos62 »

dkersten wrote: post #14
dmos62 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nice to have such a steady access to psilocybin. Why not LSD, by the way? > I've been microdosing psilocybin daily for the past six months, [...] I didn't get COVID. Made me laugh.

> Why not LSD At least this [1] suggests that LSD microdosing doesn’t do anything, while there have been a few studies that suggested psilocybin micrososing does. Dunno how strong the evidence is in either direction but that would make me more inclined to start with psilocybin if I were to experiment myself. [1] https://www.gwern.net/LSD-microdosing#conclusion

I can testify that LSD microdosing does something.

Re: Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

#92

Post by sibeliuss »

michalf6 wrote: post #68

It can't save the environment from cultures that will bulldoze over incapacitated and non-competing westerners who buy this hippie nonsense. Is there any good data on the effects of taking psychedelics on aggression / ambition / aggreableness / conscientiousness? The "becoming one with Nature" theme seems to be pretty common among enthusiasts, although I personally didn't notice a lasting effect after eating shrooms.…

In the article Stamets very clearly uses the term "heroic dose" -- meaning, he's differentiating from the experience one has when casually dabbling.

(Note I am not recommending that one takes a heroic dose -- experience and a guide is absolutely required here -- only that transformative experiences tend to happen during high dose experiences and that lower dose experiences are mostly just topical, relaxing and fun.)

Re: Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

#93

Post by chillacy »

jatgoodwin wrote: post #41

The problem with psychedelics is they only make you "more" of what you are. It's the spotlighting effect multiplied. Especially when "bad" people take them they just become even more of an asshole, or dare I say when stupid people take them they just revel in the intoxication. You just have to read the old research literature on LSD like stuff from James Fadiman to understand that these are extremely dangerous substa…

> old research literature on LSD like stuff from James Fadiman

True, much of the research before we knew about set and setting approached the substances as psycho-mimetic, or substances that induce psychosis.

Aldous Huxley described them as the "gates to heaven and hell".

> The problem with psychedelics is they only make you "more" of what you are.

I think that's oversimplifying, the drug is a serotonin agonist, it tends to have some pretty predictable results. For example a large number of trips go in the general direction of "love is all we need"(Sam Harris, Waking Up).

> nobody talks about the very real possibility of having PTSD flashbacks

There are risks of bad experiences for sure, yet there are benefits for many people too. At the end of the day, "controlled substance which can be used under supervision" is not a bad place to be. Michael Pollan points out that psilocybin was highly ritualized in the cultures which used them, they were sacred and non-recreational.

Re: Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

#94

Post by voisin »

jatgoodwin wrote: post #41

The problem with psychedelics is they only make you "more" of what you are. It's the spotlighting effect multiplied. Especially when "bad" people take them they just become even more of an asshole, or dare I say when stupid people take them they just revel in the intoxication. You just have to read the old research literature on LSD like stuff from James Fadiman to understand that these are extremely dangerous substa…

> Especially when "bad" people take them they just become even more of an asshole

Is this true? I have not partaken, but everything I have read is that people see the interconnection and interrelatedness of all things, which would seem to cause a “bad person” to become less of an asshole. Am I wrong on this?

Re: Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

#95

Post by WalterSear »

currymj wrote: post #78
michalf6 wrote: post #68

It can't save the environment from cultures that will bulldoze over incapacitated and non-competing westerners who buy this hippie nonsense. Is there any good data on the effects of taking psychedelics on aggression / ambition / aggreableness / conscientiousness? The "becoming one with Nature" theme seems to be pretty common among enthusiasts, although I personally didn't notice a lasting effect after eating shrooms.…

Stamets himself is quite a successful entrepreneur, as one data point. He funds much of his research out of the proceeds from his business selling mushroom-based products.

His mushroom-based products are well known for containing only trace amounts of the active ingredients. They are a scam and beg question of Stamet's claims and motives.

Re: Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

#96

Post by WalterSear »

teataster wrote: post #64
emteycz wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't the tolerance to LSD built way too fast for daily (micro)usage over half a year?

Yes, same as psilocybin. When you microdose you are not supposed to get psychedelic effects. The supposed benefits come from prolonged presence of the molecule in the body. Similar how antidepressants work, the point is not to take one tablet once.

The effects of microdosing begin on consumption and end on discontinuation. They do not build up and fade slowly. Tolerance and breaks are frequently discussed.

So, it's not about the effect of a prolonged presence.

Re: Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

#97

Post by WalterSear »

BrianOnHN wrote: post #17
quantumwoke wrote: post #2

I've been microdosing psilocybin daily for the past six months during quarantine as a bit of a cognitive experiment. I feel a lot more switched on and focused in my work. Reading these posts I wonder what other diseases such as Parkinson's, seizures, PTSD, depression, anxiety have yet to be studied and require more research. Can anyone speak to this? Anything else I should add to my stack?

What size micro dose? Personally, I've concluded I cannot be productive with even as little as 100-200mg of cubes.

5-7 mg. 10mg verges on a perceptual dose for me.

Re: Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

#98

Post by WalterSear »

chrisweekly wrote: post #38
quantumwoke wrote: post #2

I've been microdosing psilocybin daily for the past six months during quarantine as a bit of a cognitive experiment. I feel a lot more switched on and focused in my work. Reading these posts I wonder what other diseases such as Parkinson's, seizures, PTSD, depression, anxiety have yet to be studied and require more research. Can anyone speak to this? Anything else I should add to my stack?

Lots of questions; top 2: How did you get started? Is there a reasonably safe (both medically and legally) way to source it?

There are many places online that will ship spores where it is legal to have spores. Many places discussing it, too.

Re: Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

#99

Post by nicoburns »

throw51319 wrote: post #61
mStreamTeam wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most of the suicides I know of happened because of booze. And the drug is available for mass purchase at the store down the block...

I think one of the biggest fallacies is that alcohol "shows who the person really is". It definitely loosens you up, to a point. Maybe 3-8 drinks in it is definitely closer to "the true self". But in large amounts it definitely creates an over-emotional person. In it's own way it creates emotional reaction spirals that could cause suicide, or lashing out at people, irrational love or hatred of self, etc. Like i said,…

> Maybe 3-8 drinks in it is definitely closer to "the true self".

3-8? 8 drinks in and I'd be passed out on the floor.

Re: Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

#100

Post by mordechai9000 »

sibeliuss wrote: post #90
jatgoodwin wrote: post #41

The problem with psychedelics is they only make you "more" of what you are. It's the spotlighting effect multiplied. Especially when "bad" people take them they just become even more of an asshole, or dare I say when stupid people take them they just revel in the intoxication. You just have to read the old research literature on LSD like stuff from James Fadiman to understand that these are extremely dangerous substa…

> Especially when "bad" people take them they just become even more of an asshole, or dare I say when stupid people take them they just revel in the intoxication How terribly narrow minded this statement is when faced with the complexity of the experience. And to state the obvious -- "bad" people are often victims of trauma, and working with these substances in a directed way can get to the root of these traumas in a…

> working with these substances in a directed way can get to the root of these traumas in a way that frees the person from said trauma

I believe this to be true, but op has a valid point. Many people take these drugs for purely recreational reasons, in uncontrolled settings, with no intention of seeking a transformative experience. They are "reveling in the intoxication", although I don't think that necessarily makes them stupid.

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