The red-and-white toadstool from Lewis Carroll’s fairy tales seems to be able to make you grow or shrink. But is it really so hallucinogenic? Let’s make a fantastical fungal foray into exploring if Amanita muscaria makes you trip.
This is your friendly guide to the mind-bending impact of fly agaric. Reading it requires an open mind and a bit of wonder.
Fly agaric for travelling over time
For millennia, spiritual guides have turned to A. muscaria fungi to connect with the gods. The earliest known partakes date back to the Bronze Age when ancient tribes consumed the mushroom to commune with the deities. The Vikings were also said to ingest Amanita muscaria before battles to seethe with trance-like rage and numb their pain sensitivity.
Now, A. muscaria frequently appears in popular culture, most notably as the power-up mushroom in the Super Mario Bros. video games. Mario’s growth in size and power after eating the fungus is an allegory for the distorted sense of size and ability often reported by those who consume fly agaric.
The shroom may still seem a mystery, as it blends both opportunities and perils. Though its psychedelic properties have survived for centuries, the future of A. muscaria in medicine or culture is yet to be written.
Does Amanita muscaria make you trip?
There’s no denying that A. muscaria has the appearance of a magical fungus. But does it actually produce a psychedelic trip?
In fact, fly agaric produces an experience unlike anything else. While it does not contain psilocybin like its alternatives, it can transport you to fantastical places and help you find meanings and powerful insights (if you know how to commune with it).
After you settle on a consumption method and go where your mind takes you, you can leave the everyday world behind and dive headfirst into the conversation with the cosmos. Your senses will grow more acute, attuned to the symphony of sights, feelings, and sounds as if the universe starts serenading you.
For happy tripping, be sure to do thorough research on the dosage, effects, and safety before beginning your ‘shroomy’ escapade.
Amanita muscaria makes you trip when used right
The most straightforward technique is to consume the raw or dried mushroom. However, its harsh taste and nausea-inducing chemicals make this fairly unpleasant. Overall, we do not advocate this method unless you prefer projectile vomiting.
You can try other ways that will take you along the path of self-knowledge without nasty effects.
Tea
Consider a far tastier option than the one described above. Made from a few grams of ground and simmered dried mushrooms, red tea contains Amanita muscaria’s psychoactive compounds that act without stomach disorders. The effects tend to come within around an hour. Still, red tea will also have chemical agents causing drowsiness, so you should have a comfy place to lie down.
Edibles
Do Amanita muscaria gummies make you trip, too? Yes – and with multiple benefits. While other ways may leave a bitter taste, fly agaric gummies tantalize your palate. Unlike their raw or dried counterparts, which can vary in potency, edibles offer a consistent experience. They give no sudden plunge into the abyss of the unknown but gently immerse you into the depths of your consciousness.
Smoking
Are you trying to reach the finish line as quickly as possible? The effects of smoking dried Amanita muscaria caps can appear in a matter of minutes. But this approach is hard on the lungs, and you may feel disorganized or chaotic. Before moving on to smoking, we advise trying other forms like tea or gummies.
Impacts and phases of a hallucinogenic journey
When exactly will Amanita muscaria make you trip? What phases will you go through to acquire the knowledge of the centuries or connect with the spirits of the past?
Well, after you’ve treated yourself to the fungus, you’ll soon feel:
- How things get weird. About an hour after consuming the mushroom, you start feeling a bit strange. Colors and sounds may become more pronounced, and you can experience a floating sensation. This is normal and means that fly agaric is taking effect. Find a comfy spot to lay back and enjoy the show.
- On the brink of enlightenment. The effects intensify over the next several hours (2-3). You may lose the sense of time and feel disoriented. Closed-eye patterns are common, with noises representing colors and textures. Surreal fantasies and dreamlike experiences may also occur.
- A return to reality. In 4-5 hours, the effects will fade. You gradually begin to return to reality after your trip. Your thinking abilities become more coherent, and visuals go away. While you are likely to be tired, people will say you have a glow that lasts for days.
Tripping with A. muscaria opens the wildest doors in your mind. The major thing to remember is that you should never overdo it with fly agaric.
Potential dangers
Like with any psychedelic, you should use these mushrooms sparingly and carefully. Excessive dosages can cause inner turbulence, impair your cognition and motor skills, and leave you in a stupor for an uncomfortable amount of time. That’s when it may be hard to fall asleep and almost impossible to stay awake and act normally. If you want to explore the far reaches of your consciousness, start with a microdose and take your tripping seriously.
The mushrooms of Amanita muscaria do make you trip in a next-level way, so you should know the risks:
- Hallucinations. Significant doses of muscimol can induce bizarre hallucinations and delusional thinking.
- Nausea. Even at lower recreational doses, some users may experience gastrointestinal distress.
- Poisoning. In addition to muscimol, A. muscaria contains other chemicals. At higher doses, they can lead to dangerous poisoning.
But fear not – as long as you follow your dosage, you will be safe in the embrace of A. muscaria despite the surreal nature of your trip. The easiest way to follow it is to consume gummies as you unlock more and more mysteries of the universe.
