Your Psilocybin Mushroom Companion: An Informative, Easy-to-Use Guide to Understanding Magic Mushrooms—From Tips and Trips to Microdosing and Psychedelic Therapy

by Michelle Janikian

Learn. Prepare. Trip. Transform!

With so much misinformation surrounding magic mushrooms out there, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. This is where Your Psilocybin Mushroom Companion comes in to help. In this book, you’ll find a comprehensive yet friendly guide to everything there is to know about magic mushrooms.

Learn how to plan safe, effective trips with easy-to-follow step-by-step advice. Discover how to train a guide to take care of those on psychedelic voyages, as well as how to access the transformative nature of these experiences. Even learn how microdosing can improve your mood, cognitive functioning, creativity, physical stamina, and more.

With the most up-to-date research, Your Psilocybin Mushroom Companion will put magic mushrooms into perspective, dispel myths and urban legends, and open your mind to the benefits of psychedelic tripping.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Science, Psychology, Nature, Biology, Spirituality

232 pages, Paperback

Published September 23, 2021

About the author

Michelle Janikian is a journalist focused on drug policy, trends, and education. She’s the author of the ultimate guide to tripping safely on magic mushrooms, “Your Psilocybin Mushroom Companion: An Informative, Easy-to-Use Guide to Understanding Magic Mushrooms – From Tips and Trips to Microdosing and Psychedelic Therapy”. She writes a column for Playboy on cannabis and psychedelics and her work has also been featured in DoubleBlind Mag, High Times, Rolling Stone, Psychedelics Today, Merry Jane, Teen Vogue, among others. One of her core beliefs is ending the prohibition of drugs can greatly benefit society, as long as we have harm reduction education to accompany it. Originally from New York, she now spends most of the year in Southern Mexico with her pups, Chuy and Boomer.

Reviews

[milo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is exactly what it says: a great introduction to magic shrooms.
I’m sharing the notes I took on trip preparations:

Mindset
* Reflect on why you want to have this trip (curiosity is a right answer), or on what you want to focus. That said, trying to be controlling during the trip might start negative feelings so go for open questions or themes rather than an actual to-do list.
* Reflect on letting go, as it’s the best way to go through a trip. Surrender to the experience will help you to take the most of your trip.
* Large group events aren’t recommended for beginners as it might be too stressful to have a lot of interactions especially with strangers.
* Having a trip with an experienced friend acting as a sitter is a great way to start.
* Having a trip by oneself isn’t recommend for beginners, do it only if you’re sure about it as it can increase loneliness and negative feelings.
* Having a trip with a close friend, partner or family member you’re confortable enough with can be a great experience to deepen your relationship.


Set Day 1: before
* Clean your place. Trips indoor are easier to manage, but going out a bit can be nice, if you have access to a safe outdoor place (like your garden or yard).
* Do groceries with easy and appealing snacks (fruits and vegs are great). Remember to cut or cook everything you want to eat before your trip. Juices, soda and tea are also a good idea.
* Choose long music playlists with different moods for your trip.
* Select a few movies or videos that’ll set the right visual stimulation. Nature documentaries, trippy anime, experimental movies fir example. Select something you already know to avoid bad surprises and triggers.
* If you can, do a bit of sport, like swimming or yoga, or take a walk.
* Select nice objets, comfy clothes, dim lights for your trip. Have some paper and paint, coloring books or musical instruments around to play with. Keep a journal around to write or draw.
* Choose a time for your trip. As it lasts 6-8h, you can take it in the morning to have a full day trip, in the afternoon to have a day and night trip, or at midnight so your trip will end with the sunrise.

Set Day 2: trip day
* Have a light meal before taking your shrooms. Completely full or completely empty stomach might worsen nauseas.
* Get near you a bottle of water. Have ginger (candied, drinks or ale) around in case of nausea.
* Turn off your phone or put it in airplane mode to avoid stressful calls or messages during your trip.
* You can write down some reminders like “it’s ok you’re on drugs”, “trust, let go, be open” for example, or your intentions for the trip.
* If you feel anxious during your trip, remember to change the settings: change the music, go to another room, or start a new activity.

Set Day 3: relax and process
* Plan nothing on the next day.
* Try to sleep a lot and eat healthy food.
* Take some time to journal or reflect on your trip.

[Natalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

good tea

[D. Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I already knew this book would serve its purpose, as I've read several of Michelle's articles on websites such as DoubleBlind; she comes off as sincerely invested in safe and therapeutic use of psilocybin. I appreciate her tone in the book -- equal parts seriousness and honesty. You could spend weeks searching around the vastness of the internet for the same information, or you could spend days reading Michelle's guide.

Scattered throughout, she includes her own personal experiences with varying dosages, which is the part I value the most. She even provides one of her own personal recipes for shroom tea... that I'll leave to the interested reader to discover!

This book is a complete guide covering topics such as what to expect from psilocybin, how to trip sit, microdosing, and a brief history of psychedelic research. The text is well cited and includes a section for further reading.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book before taking psilocybin mushrooms in a therapeutic context for the first time and I found that it helped me become very prepared! I even used one of the playlists she provided and it was such a good recommendation. The only thing I was surprised by after reading this book was the process of coming down.

I also think her discussion on SSRIs is a little sparse/general. For example, she says as a blanket rule that it takes two weeks for an SSRI to completely leave your system but it is incredibly variable depending on the specific medication. For some medications it is 25 hours and for other medications it is 25 days. Regardless, I would follow her advice of speaking to your doctor or psychiatrist about your SSRI and mushrooms!

[:) · Rating 4 out of 5]

provides history, tips and an in-depth guide. very well rounded book, and i really appreciate the extra reading/watching/listening suggestions. a great starting point for those interested in psilocybin.

there was noticeable repetition, but what it was repeating was very important so i can’t quarrel with it too much. it does exactly what it says on the cover and presents scientific study, knowledge and history in a very accessible way to those interested in this subject.

[Julianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Learned alot of good stuff about mushrooms

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was no new information here for me, but for somebody in your life who is curious about mushrooms, this is a great, compact overview of psilocybin: how and why it can be used, ways to approach a psychedelic experience, and ways to treat the plant with the respect it deserves.

[Phillip Worrall · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was a good book!

Wow. Really loved this book! Informative,easy and fun to read.
Definitely recommend it. It was my first psilocybin book ever

[Colin Brownlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview of how to prepare and what to expect in your experimental journey with Magic Mushrooms. A must read for for first timers wanting an intentional experience.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Janikian offers a broad overview of everything psilocybin: how it works, medical testing, personal use, trip sitting, etc. If you are new to reading about psychedelics I would highly recommend this book as it is a great way to learn about a variety of different subjects while getting exposed to other resource for further learning.

This is a much more "hands on" book when compared to other psychonautic literature. For this reason some readers might be more draw to this than the many spiritual thought expressions out there.

Personally, I would want everyone to have this base knowledge of psychedelics for the safety of themselves and those around them. If you are someone who already has a decent amount of personal experience with psilocybin, you might not get that much new knowledge out of this book but you might come across a few things that aren't related to your personal experience; as the book's subject matter is so vast.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book for those who do not have any experience with the psychedelic realm of the powerful fungi. Written in very easy to digest language, this book is a great jump off point for this who would like to try their hand at healing with natures medicine. However, I do advocate similar to Terrence McKenna when saying I do not believe that these substance are for everyone, and while it is touched on in this book, the language can also make these experiences seem desirable. While there are chapters dedicated to the shadow self, and the difficult and enlightening experiences that can be had while encountering ones shadow, it does still feel that more can be explained into just how difficult of an experience that this can be, and the effects of encountering ones shadow when unprepared and the lasting effects that it can have. All in all though, a great, quick, and easy, compared to some of the other texts on this subject matter.

[Ky DeepDiveThis · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW
I have been interested in the Psychedelic movement ever since I started reading and listening to the work of Ram Dass. I find the impact a plant can have on the mind to not only heal, but also connect us to a world we often don't even realize exists so interesting.

I have also followed the work of MAPS for many years and am hopeful that scientists can keep pushing the boundaries of what possible with plants and their ability to have real clinical applications for the betterment of mental health.

Overall, an interesting read, informational but not revolutionary.

RATINGS
7 Writing Style
7 Intrigue
8 Logic
7 Enjoyment
TOTAL= 29/8= 3.63

3.75/5.00 Rounded Rating
𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭: Audio
#DDTreview

[Danielle Brand · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a thoughtful and informative deep dive into best practices for using psilocybin, or "magic mushrooms." Based on research, interviews, and personal experience, the author shares sane and practical advice in a way that empowers users to minimize harm and maximize personal growth. The book is packed with information on safety, intent, and set & setting—as well as on humans' long history with psychedelics. If you want to learn more about psilocybin, this is a both a fascinating and a helpful read!

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read and very informative. I bought this book looking for more information on Microdosing. This book has the best information for ceremonial doses, how to prepare your mindset and setting for big trips. Definitely most of the chapters in the book deal with this. Microdosing and integration sections of the book were short and quick, I didn't gain much of what I was after. The integration section of the book encouraged journaling but I was hoping I'd be left with a little more I could do to integrate experiences and grow from them.

[Rory Tregaskis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the parts about clinical trials interesting, but there wasn't much new information for me. Having said that the act of reading it improved a recent trip because by doing so I told myself I respected what I was doing and took it seriously. Perhaps reading this book helped with what Leary described as the set, as an almost ritual preparation. Like cleaning the house before an honoured guest visits.

[Mathieu Charlebois · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ceux qui parcourent régulièrement les steppes psychédéliques n'apprendront pas des tonnes de choses. L'intérêt est plutôt dans le fait de découvrir que nos instincts étaient bons (ou pas), de vérifier si nos pratiques sont sécuritaires, et de sentir que notre expérience est à la fois unique et assez universelle.
Bien écrit, bien recherché, accessible.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and sweet. The writing wasn’t very strong, but I would still recommend as a helpful reference when needed. Also, I couldn’t help but notice how many times she cautioned against starting with a high dose. Maybe in a short guide it’s better to advise caution than explain complexity but personally I disagree.

[crazipotmom · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very repetitive I even asked the other people that were reading it it felt the same way for them there are a lot of references to other pieces of information so it's worth the read I'm sure there's something in the reference points

[Janice Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend this book for anyone interested in using psilocybin mushrooms safely

This has been the best most informative book I have read on understanding and respecting the teachings of these wonderful fungi.

[Johan Horak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely book, easy to read and educational

From A to Z. What to do and what not. I learned a lot. And the reference opened so many avenues. I have about 4 more interesting books to read.

[Amy Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. I'm glad I picked this up. It gave me lots to think about, and theoretically *if* I already had a mushroom routine, I *might* consider reshaping and spacing out higher doses based on some of the info in this book.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book very informative %100 recommend reading.

[Eryn Sunnolia · Rating 5 out of 5]

so, so helpful!

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look at all the details of what to consider if you are considering taking psilocybin from the reasons, setting, dosages, etc. Also, plenty of precautionary notes.

[Omar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource for anyone interested in learning about this space.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you know nothing about psilocybin this is a great intro book. It also great to find additional resources if you're knowledgable on this subject.

[Mike]

Excellent information about psilocybin. Should be required reading especially for first time users.

[Daniel Diaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative and a good place for anyone to start learning more about psilocybin mushrooms and how to safely use them.

[Finn O'Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

useful literature for any new mycologist

[Sam Dolph · Rating 4 out of 5]

comprehensive, informative, comforting, did just what it should