People who took an illegal drug made from mushrooms reported profound mystical experiences that led to behavior changes lasting for weeks — all part of an experiment that recalls the psychedelic ’60s.
Many of the 36 volunteers rated their reaction to a single dose of the drug, called psilocybin, as one of the most meaningful or spiritually significant experiences of their lives.
Funded in part by the federal government, the research was published online Tuesday by the journal Psychopharma- cology.
Psilocybin has been used for centuries in religious practices, and its ability to produce a mystical experience is no surprise.
Twenty-two of the 36 volunteers reported having a “complete” mystical experience, compared with four of those getting methylphenidate.
That experience included such things as a sense of pure awareness and a merging with ultimate reality, a transcendence of time and space, a feeling of sacredness or awe, and deeply felt positive mood like joy, peace and love.
“Funded in part by the federal government” — that sounds like the 60’s, too.
How many doses of LSD did the CIA eventually wind up buying back then, anyway?
I had two experiences with psilocybin mushrooms back in the 83, only a week apart from each other.
The first time was a very mystical, wonderful experience that was everything that I had read about. The second time was one of the worse times in my entire life as it was a very VERY “bad trip”. I never touched it or any other hallucinogenic drug ever again. Talk about being scared straight, that was it for me!
Johnny-Cakes,
One thing I found about shrooms is that you really need to be in the right state of mind before you take it. I’ve dropped shrooms about 4 times, and they were about 1 – 2 years apart… I could just never find the optimal conditions to risk it. For me, it was always a beautiful warm day, at the cottage or on the Toronto Island, only very close, trustworthy friends, no work the day of or the day after and lot’s and lot’s and lot’s of beer! Damn, you can really drink a tanker truck on shrooms! Never had a bad experience…
I have heard of people having “profound mystical experiences” in certain buildings, apparently designed for the purpose, usually in the company of others, and often on the first day of the week. These places should be banned!
Even more powerful than mushrooms is the little known and completely legal herb salvia divinorum. Its high is reported to be as powerful as 5 grams of mushrooms, only lasting 20 minutes with no hangover or burnout effects.
You could literally get totally messed up in the morning before work, and lead a normal, functioning day.
If the article is about mushrooms, why does the topic pic have a pot leaf on it?
Maybe its the official public domain clip art for copping a buzz?
I couldn’t remember what I was looking for, man.
I have too many allergies to have fun… *sob*
“LSD is technology throwing up its own antidote” – said Allen Ginsberg back in 1968. A hopeful zany Leary-ish statement to be sure, and some of us laughed and probably agreed.
But mushrooms and peyote were more mellow, didn’t kick your ass so much. Natural. Fun to hike around in the desert and camp in the mountains. Those experiences are now just a kind of long ago kid’s carnival memory to me, but I’m glad I was there. I don’t know if it changed me in any philosophical way or anything really, I might have turned out the same as I am today without it. Still…
Kid save your liver for beer. these are about the worst things for your liver you can do. damage can occur in only one or two doses and last a lifetime.
stew you have no idea what your are talking about. drugs are bad, alcohol is bad; leave it to others to make their own decisions. i dont think you understand the physiology, please dont dont post incorrect information
Dave? Dave’s not here, man.
I wouldnt touch that crap with a 10 ft pole not only for the health reasons but im scared of what Ill see when I get all mystical and stuff I have fears of many things, Other Johnny, of the Cake variety please elaborate on your “bad trip”
Look at the snakes on the MJ symbol! Its Snakes on aplane!
Im tired of these Motherfuckin Tweaked snakes!
Sorry i couldnt resist
Knock knock knock…who is it?Its Dave man I got the stuff.WWhhat?IT’S Dave….Open up…I got the stuff!Who? Thanks for the Ceech and Chong memories.The summer of “72” was a long time ago.I think Robin Williams said it first.”If you really remember the “70’s” you weren’t there”.I dropped many times and had my share of “mystical”experience’s these turned me from an atheist into a non-religious believer.I doubt whether “god really cares about this little mess that has evolved on earth.
Thanks for finally writing about >Mushrooms produce divine experiences – once again.
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