Fungi-Fuelled Family Bonding 101

For tight-knit families or those striving to be, summertime can be an absolute minefield of backyard BBQs and events spent with relatives. Though as much as you might pretend to love Aunt Barb’s world-famous potato salad, getting in the mood for these gatherings can at times demand a bit of…effort.  

 

Beyond the backyard BBQs, summer emerges as a true season of celebration, with many seizing the opportunity to host special events like weddings, baby showers, graduation parties, and more, as the sun takes reign. So, for those with a plethora of occasions to attend this season, we want to let you in on a little hack that can quickly make all the difference in family gatherings, allowing you to genuinely enjoy yourself throughout, no matter how politically incorrect your uncle really is.

 

When it comes to psilocybin, we like to remind people that it doesn’t always have to be about spiritual revelations or monumental trips; it can also be an all-natural, light-hearted way to shed inhibitions and just have a little fun. While this shedding of ego lets us let loose and enjoy the moment, mushrooms also encourage us to open up and form deeper connections, making them particularly special in the context of family functions and occasions of the sorts.

 

Picture this: you’re at a family dinner celebrating your cousin’s engagement, and perhaps the conversation is a bit awkward. You find yourself wondering how to break through the mundane chatter and bring something worth talking about to the table—that’s where mushrooms come in.

 

Depending on your family’s preferences, it might not be possible to get everyone at the table to try some mushroom gummies, but sometimes, the energy in the room can be uplifted by just one person, and you can definitely count on the person on mushrooms to bring the vibes up rather quickly.

 

All to say, even though Grandpa is still going to repeat that same story you’ve been hearing for years, mushrooms might offer us the chance to hear the story differently for once, which is why we’re touching on this topic today.  

 

Sure, family functions can be monotonous, yet the abundant love in the room, often overlooked, is undeniable. Consider the possibilities if we embraced the love rather than the tedium during these moments–envision the joy and depth these gatherings could truly hold.

 

But what is it about mushrooms that allows us to be so open, patient, and enthusiastic in these settings? There may be a few reasons behind it. 

 

 

 

• Enhanced Empathy and Openness

 

We know that psilocybin affects the brain’s DMN (Default Mode Network) by increasing activity in this region. The DMN is associated with introspection and self-referential thinking, and intriguingly, it also correlates with emotional connectedness and empathy toward others. When our emotional availability and empathy levels rise, we become more receptive and compassionate toward others, even when our opinions or interests differ from theirs. 

 

By enhancing our sense of understanding and patience toward those around us, we set the stage for both parties to feel heard and appreciated, leading to more profound and meaningful conversations overall.

 

 

 

• Positive Mood

 

As with anything in life, everything is more enjoyable when we are in a good mood. Excitingly, psilocybin has been known to induce positive mood states, which are often accompanied by feelings of euphoria, amusement, and gratitude. Even in the most mundane family settings, psilocybin can create an uplifting experience for everyone to bask in. If your family is on board with trying some mushrooms with you, shared joy can be an expected result of psilocybin’s mood-boosting powers. You can anticipate loads of laughter and banter in the presence of magic mushrooms, adding an air of vibrancy to the board games that long to be played on family night.

 

 

 

• Dissolution of Ego and Inhibitions

 

Elements of our innate selves, such as our egos and inhibitions, can significantly impact our ability to connect with others, especially family members. The ego, fuelled by our need to assert ourselves and maintain personal identity, can create emotional barriers that limit our ability to express vulnerability or connection within family dynamics. Combined with our inhibitions, often fuelled by societal norms and a relentless fear of judgment, we become reluctant to share our thoughts and feelings openly, resulting in dull, surface-level interactions as our walls stay up.

 

Psilocybin can induce altered states of consciousness that temporarily dissolve these ego-fuelled boundaries, resulting in a state of openness and unity with others as our inhibitions become lowered. Breaking down these barriers increases the value of our connections with others, as we are prompted to speak more from the heart and less from our ego, making us easier to be around as well. 

 

 

 

• Be Mindful

 

Now that we know a little more about what exactly psilocybin might be doing behind the scenes, let’s explore how you can safely incorporate mushrooms into your family functions in a way that is comfortable and manageable for everyone.

 

As fun and special as mushrooms are, it’s essential to be both cautious and aware of their effects to avoid any unexpected outcomes.

 

If your family has an open level of communication, try telling them about mushrooms and what they can do! For any relative who might have been alive in the 60s or 70s, their idea of mushrooms might be very different from what they are today. Therefore, educating yourself so that you may, in turn, educate your loved ones is the best way to open them up to the idea of potentially dabbling in alternative substances.

 

In terms of dosage, this will, of course, depend on personal preference and experience levels. For most, starting low and moving slow is the best approach. Begin with a microdose and gradually increase depending on your level of comfort to ensure the most manageable experience for everyone involved. If you are offering some of your mushroom goodies to someone else in the family, you DEFINITELY want to make sure you are giving them a relatively small dose to avoid blindsiding them with any effects they weren’t made aware of.

 

 

•  Lifestyle Integration

 

Aside from the positive adjustments that mushrooms create in these special settings, the same positive effects could very well be applied to regular life as well.

 

Let’s go back to the Grandpa analogy, where he’s been telling the same story for years, and you can hardly bear to hear it one more time. The idea that psilocybin could lend Grandpa a listening ear and a friendly smile, regardless of how many times you’ve heard the story, speaks volumes about the difference a little empathy and compassion can make in life when we welcome them in.

 

Similar stories emerge with moms who feel like they struggle at times to connect fully with their children due to stress and other spirit dampeners. More and more mothers in these positions have witnessed significant changes in their patience levels through microdosing alone, with many saying it has changed their home life for the better.

 

This generates a fascinating conversation about psilocybin gaining popularity in the modern world and how its ability to create these positive adjustments could make a profound impact on how we communicate and form bonds with those around us. Just think about what life could be like in workplaces, shops, and at home if everyone was willing to shed their ego boundaries and simply allow love and connection to be a part of everyday life. It truly would be something magical. No pun intended.

 

Undoubtedly, walking around in a full-trip mode all the time is less than feasible, but that’s precisely what makes the world of microdosing so thrilling. The concept of enhancing our emotional availability and empathy in our everyday lives, without disrupting our regular routines, presents a beautiful prospect. And perhaps, family gatherings provide the perfect setting to experience the wonders of mushroom-induced world peace for the first time.

 

So pop a mushroom capsule and tell Aunt Barb how much you love her potato dish, compliment your Grandma’s sundress, tell your Grandpa you love his stories, and offer your presence to the beautiful moment as if there’s nowhere else you’d rather be. Really, it’s all the mushrooms want you to do anyways.