🫠 Ask a Guide Anything

Welcome to Tricycle Day. We’re the psychedelics newsletter that knows simple math: happiness = expectations - reality. Good thing no one expects an email newsletter to solve all their problems, huh. (If you are happy with Tricycle Day, why not share it with a friend?) 🫠

We’ve all heard the trip reports. Someone takes a heroic dose and, like clockwork, they turn into a drop in the ocean of the universe. Or they meet a spirit guide face to face who blesses them with a pearl of wisdom that changes their outlook forever.

These stories set a high bar. So it can be pretty deflating when you take what should be an effective dose of psilocybin and feel... nada.

Is it you? Is it the mushrooms? Did you do something wrong?

For this issue of "Ask a Guide Anything," we asked our network of experienced psychedelic practitioners what to do when the medicine doesn’t seem to be working.

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Check the variables

Many guides point out the many factors that can influence your psilocybin experience. Before assuming you need more, Michelle Harrell offers a short list to consider: "mushroom quality and age, your method and timing, pharmaceuticals, other substances, and hormonal fluctuations." John Moos advises checking "how old is your psilocybin? After about 6 months, the psilocybin concentration starts to degrade."

Your body chemistry plays a role, too. "It is also important to know if there are antagonists preventing the psychedelic experience, such as SSRIs, benzodiazepines, and antipsychotic medications," says John. Even your dining habits matter. Joanne DeGarimore asks, "Did I eat too close to dosing?"

When you're ready to try again, Karl Christopher suggests, "Work your way up. Re-dosing in the same session could be surprising." And if you do choose to take more, Carla Detchon warns, "Make it small. It's incredibly common for people to boost and then have the first dose hit, so make sure your booster won't overwhelm you if that happens."

Embrace the subtlety

Sometimes a "non-experience" can still be meaningful if you shift your perspective. Several guides suggested that subtle effects are effects nonetheless. Chi Psilocybin challenges the premise: "You're always feeling something. Many of us have been disconnected from the body and emotions so it's a practice of being curious, paying attention, and noticing whatever arises in your body, mind, and heart."

This sentiment is echoed by Wallace Murray, who encourages you to "approach it as an invitation to slow down and deepen into subtle layers of awareness." Rather than dismissing a quiet experience, he suggests you "gently explore your embodied sensations, focusing closely on what is present rather than what you expected but don't feel."

Ben Askins has maybe the most poetic take: "Feeling nothing is an important lesson: expectations are the problem. Sit down, be silent, listen harder. The medicine already responded—you just didn't like the answer. No fireworks? Good. You're being invited to burn quietly from the inside out. Accept the invitation. Today, stillness is the ceremony."

Activate your awareness

Short of dosing up, our guides recommend certain practices that can awaken the medicine you’ve already taken. Oxana Kirsanova says, "Breathwork can be very supportive during this time. It helps move energy, calm the nervous system, and deepen your connection to the medicine, even if the effects aren't obvious yet."

Meditation and movement can also help. Falcon Stephan suggests, "If you are still in the 1 hour of ingestion window, sit down, close your eyes and breathe. Take long deep breaths and invite in the experience." Gv Freeman recommends "gentle physical movement/yoga, breathwork, somatic exploration, or even a casual conversation with your facilitator."

Even if these techniques don't intensify your journey, they offer an opportunity for mindfulness. As Eliza Collins points out, "Whether or not you're feeling an effect, there can be value in still honoring the process of slowing down and observing your experience, being present with whatever comes up (disappointment, confusion, even relief), and integrating that experience like you would any other."

Our take

We get it. It’s frustrating when reality doesn’t match your expectations. It’s okay to be disappointed!

But sometimes the medicine works on subtle levels we can't immediately perceive. Other times, our protective mechanisms might be keeping the full experience at bay until we're ready.

And look, we agree there's value in a subtler experience, especially if it brings up discomfort, since that’s what ultimately leads to self-inquiry and growth. But it's not wrong to want to have a powerful, intense psychedelic experience. There are very real biological and pharmacological factors that could be preventing you from launching. Check out our interview with Dr. Erica Zelfand if you suspect that could be your issue.

Thanks to Evie S. for submitting this week’s question. 🫠

Got a question for our guides?

Reply to this email to shoot your shot. If it’s a juicy one, we may select it for a future issue.

Seeking more personalized guidance?

Our directory of vetted psychedelic professionals is a great place to start your search. Find a facilitator on Maria’s List.

UNTIL NEXT TIME

That’s all for today, Cyclists! Whenever you’re ready, here’s how we can help.

ONE CYCLIST’S REVIEW

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DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. The use, possession, and distribution of psychedelic drugs are illegal in most countries and may result in criminal prosecution.