Psychedelics
The use of psychedelics dates back a long time. In various cultures, natural mushrooms containing psilocybin and psilocin were used, as well as other substances with hallucinogenic effects such as ayahuasca or mescaline.
In recent history, the synthetic substance LSD was added to the list of psychedelics.
Many users describe the effect of taking psychedelics as if the cognitive filters of our brain are being removed. It is a highly conscious experience that leads to insights and a confrontation with who we are and the world in which we live. One experiences a stronger connection with ourselves, others, and nature.
It is not a medicine, but it is a means to gain insights that you can work with.
The history
There are theories suggesting that psychedelic mushrooms played a significant role in human evolution. In particular, R. Gordon Wasson and Terence McKenna were among the first to publish and popularize these ideas. Rock art from Tassili n'Ajjer in the Sahara depicts figures interpreted as “mushroom shamans.” Additionally, 6,000-year-old images found in Villar del Humo may represent mushrooms, possibly belonging to the species Psilocybe hispanica.
Among indigenous peoples of Central and South America, the hallucinogenic properties of Psilocybe mexicana have been known for thousands of years.
These mushrooms are valued for their supposed ability to allow users to connect with the afterlife, foresee the future, or access a higher reality. The Sami of Siberia also have ancient shamanistic rituals involving the use of the Amanita muscaria.
It has even been suggested that in ancient Egypt, entheogenic mushrooms were of such importance that cultivation techniques were developed for Psilocybe cubensis.
Psychedelic substances were also known in ancient Greece. Much speculation surrounds the composition of kykeon, a drink believed to have had hallucinogenic properties and used during the Mysteriën van Eleusis.
In Europe, psychedelic mushrooms were likely used for many centuries, but this knowledge was largely lost or suppressed several hundred years ago.
Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in certain species of mushrooms, often referred to as “magic mushrooms.” After ingestion, psilocybin is rapidly converted by the body into psilocin, the active substance responsible for its psychological effects. Psilocin interacts primarily with serotonin receptors in the brain, especially the 5-HT2A receptor, which plays an important role in mood, perception, and cognition.
These interactions can lead to altered sensory perception, enhanced emotional awareness, and changes in thought patterns. Users may experience intensified colors, shifting visual patterns, altered sense of time, and deeper introspection. The effects typically begin within 20 to 60 minutes after consumption and usually last between 3 and 8 hours, though the subjective experience may feel longer due to time distortion.
Psilocin is the active psychedelic compound that results when psilocybin is metabolized in the body. After ingestion of psilocybin-containing mushrooms or truffles, enzymes quickly remove a phosphate group from psilocybin, converting it into psilocin. This transformation allows the compound to more easily cross the blood–brain barrier and interact directly with the brain.
Psilocin primarily acts on serotonin receptors, especially the 5-HT2A receptor. By influencing this system, psilocin can alter perception, mood, cognition, and sensory processing. People may experience enhanced colors, visual distortions, changes in thought patterns, and a heightened sense of introspection. Emotional responses can also become more pronounced, ranging from feelings of calm and connectedness to moments of confusion or sensitivity.
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