Canna Curious

 A Psilocybe cubensis “magic mushroom” in the wild. The psychedelic compound psilocybin (found in such mushrooms) has shown promise as a therapy for mental health conditions. For a substance once dismissed as a hippie hallucination, psychedelics are getting a serious second look from scientists and doctors. In this blog post we’ll explore why serious research is backing psychedelic therapy, share a first-person journey, and discuss how to integrate those mind-bending insights into everyday life.

Why Psychedelics Are Backed by Research

After decades in the shadows, psychedelics like psilocybin (from mushrooms) and LSD are now studied by top universities. The results are remarkably promising. Here are a few standout findings from recent research (with direct links to the studies):

• Psilocybin Eases Cancer Distress (Johns Hopkins & NYU, 2016): In a clinical trial for patients with life-threatening cancer, a single high dose of psilocybin produced rapid and sustained relief from depression and anxiety. Six months after that one session, about 80% of participants still had significantly reduced depression/anxiety, and ~60% were in full remission (hub.jhu.edu) (Yes, one psychedelic experience improved patients’ mood for half a year — mind-blowing, but true!)
• Psilocybin for Major Depression (Johns Hopkins, 2020): In adults with major depressive disorder, two psilocybin sessions (with therapy) led to a sharp drop in depression scores for most participants. Many went from severe depression to mild or near-zero within one week, and improvements were still evident one month later A follow-up found that for a majority, the benefits lasted at least one year with no additional doses. This was done in a controlled, therapeutic setting, but it showed that psilocybin can lead to fast and enduring relief where traditional meds often take weeks.
• Psilocybin vs. SSRI Antidepressant (Imperial College London, 2021): What happens if you directly compare psilocybin to a conventional antidepressant? Imperial College ran a head-to-head study: one group got two sessions of psilocybin therapy, the other got a daily Lexapro (escitalopram) pill for 6 weeks (plus a tiny psilocybin placebo dose). Result: Psychedelic therapy worked at least as well as the SSRI. In fact, 70% of the psilocybin group showed a strong positive response vs 48% in the escitalopram group, and remission rates were about double (57% vs 28%) in the psilocybin group (imperial.ac.uk.) Both treatments helped, but psilocybin’s effects kicked in faster and with fewer day-to-day side effects.

Brain scans suggest LSD causes far greater cross-talk between brain regions than placebo, creating a more “integrated” brain state beckleyfoundation.org. Researchers found this correlates with the mystical or “ego-dissolution” experience that many report, and may explain its therapeutic effects. These kinds of data help demystify psychedelics — it’s not just anecdotal hippie lore anymore, it’s evidence-based. Prestigious institutions and peer-reviewed journals are publishing rigorous studies, and even the FDA has designated psilocybin a “Breakthrough Therapy” for depression (to speed development). While there’s lots still to learn, the research so far paints an exciting picture: under the right conditions, psychedelic medicines can catalyse profound and lasting positive changes in mental health.

My First Journey

I remember my first psychedelic journey like it happened last night. I was equal parts curious and terrified. After doing my homework (and yes, double-checking that my sanity would likely remain intact), I decided to try a moderate dose of magic mushrooms with a close friend as a sober sitter. We set up my living room with comfy pillows, a playlist of soothing music, and a big bottle of water — basically turning the space into a cozy little sanctuary. Still, as the earthy-tasting mushroom tea started to kick in, my heart was pounding. “Oh boy, here we go,” I thought, clutching the couch pillow as if it were a life vest.

The first thing I noticed was the lamp. Yes, my ordinary Ikea lamp suddenly looked fascinating. The light seemed to bend and glow in ways I’d never really seen before. I burst out laughing because I realized I had been staring at a lamp for what felt like ages, utterly mesmerized. “Am I really laughing at a lamp right now?” I joked to my friend, who chuckled and reassured me that everything was okay. That simple assurance felt like a warm blanket.

Soon I was lying on the rug, watching gentle geometric patterns dance on the ceiling. I felt a strange sense of peace mixed with childlike wonder. Each time a wave of anxiety started to rise in my chest, I’d breathe deeply and it would dissolve into a feeling of, “hey, maybe I’m fine… and always have been.” It’s hard to put into words, but I began to see my worries as stories my mind was telling — not necessarily the truth. This insight arrived not as an abstract thought, but as a gut-level feeling of release. And wow, did that realization come with some tears. (Crying and laughing in the same ten minutes – welcome to psychedelics!)

At one point, I wandered to the mirror in my hallway. I normally avoid mirrors if I’m feeling off, but in that moment I was unreasonably intrigued by my own face. I looked in the mirror and started making the goofiest faces.

Then something shifted — I caught my own eye gaze, and suddenly I wasn’t just seeing my face. I was seeing me, the person who had been with me my whole life. It’s going to sound odd, but I felt a surge of compassion for that reflection. I whispered, “I’m sorry I’m so hard on you. I’m going to try to be nicer.” Yes, I talked to myself in the mirror… and it was one of the most genuine apologies I’ve ever given or received. This could have been extremely corny, but at the time it was profound and oddly comforting. And of course, a minute later I made a stupid fish face and started laughing again. (Even enlightenment has its limits — a funny face is a funny face.)

After a few hours, the effects gently subsided. I was back to baseline, but something in me felt rearranged — in a goodway. I was tired, a bit emotionally tender, but also grateful. I remember curling up in bed that night, thinking, “Well, that was different…in the best possible way.” I had faced some of my inner thoughts (and made friends with the person in the mirror). I fell asleep knowing the journey wasn’t over — the next step was figuring out how to bring those insights into my normal life. Which brings us to… integration.

 Integration Tools

A psychedelic experience can be illuminating, but what you do with it afterwards is arguably even more important. Here are a few practical integration tools to help translate those wild insights into positive changes in daily life:

• Breathwork: Engaging in breathwork exercises is a powerful way to process emotions and even re-enter a mini version of the psychedelic state without substances. Techniques like holotropic breathwork (pioneered by LSD researcher Stan Grof) use deep, rhythmic breathing to induce an altered state of consciousness. This can help you release emotions or gain clarity on thoughts that bubbled up during the journey. In fact, consciously controlling your breath can modulate your mood and body state; some retreats include breathwork because it helps anchor you during intense moments and can even evoke gentle “psychedelic-like” sensations on its own. If you’re feeling stuck or overwhelmed in the days after a journey, setting aside 10 minutes for focused breathing — inhaling deeply into your belly, then exhaling slowly — can work wonders in calming the mind and grounding you.
• Journaling: Writing down your experience is one of the best integration moves. Right after the journey (or the next morning), grab a journal and pour out everything you remember – feelings, insights, sketches, even the funny lamp moment. Then, over the following days or weeks, continue to journal about what’s changing in your thoughts or life. Journaling helps in two ways: it externalizes your swirling thoughts onto paper (which is cathartic), and it allows you to unpack the meaning over time. There’s even science behind it – studies have found that journaling about your feelings can decrease anxiety and improve well-being webmd.com. It’s like free therapy: your journal listens without judgment. To get started, you might use prompts like “What did the experience show me about my fears?” or “How can I apply the sense of peace I felt to everyday challenges?” Regular writing can reveal patterns and keep the insights alive long after the psychedelic glow fades.
• Somatic Tracking: Psychedelics often make you more aware of your body, whether it’s a queasy stomach, the tension in your shoulders, or a feeling of energy in your chest. Somatic tracking means paying attention to those bodily sensations in a mindful, curious way. Post-journey, this is super useful: as you reflect on, say, the moment you forgave yourself in the mirror, notice where in your body you feel that forgiveness (warmth in the chest? lightness in the shoulders?). Our bodies store emotions, and somatic techniques help “bridge the gap” between the mind-blowing insights and everyday life by embodying the experience. Practically, somatic tracking could be as simple as a daily 5-minute scan: sit quietly and tune in to each part of your body, observing any sensation without judgment. This kind of practice helps ground the psychedelic insights into your nervous system. It’s especially helpful if your experience brought up past traumas or strong emotions — feeling them in the body and releasing them through movement, deep breaths, or even shaking it out can complete an emotional loop that the journey opened. Over time, somatic work can increase resilience and help you respond to stress with the same sense of centeredness you touched during your trip.

(Other great integration tools include meditation, art, yoga, connecting with supportive friends or a therapist, and nature walks — whatever helps you process and make meaning of the experience.)

 Further Learning

If you’re eager to learn more, here are a few highly respected books and resources on psychedelics:

• True Hallucinations by Terence McKenna – A surreal, entertaining memoir of McKenna’s expedition to the Amazon in the 1970s, where he and his brother embarked on a wild quest involving psilocybin mushrooms (and more). Part adventure story, part philosophical exploration, this classic book gives a firsthand account of psychedelic experiences at the edge of reality. McKenna’s witty, imaginative storytelling makes it a fun ride (you’ll laugh, you’ll scratch your head, and you might end up seeing reality a bit differently). (Find it on Amazon)
• How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan – Journalist Michael Pollan dives into “the new science of psychedelics” in this approachable bestseller. He covers the history of psychedelic research, the latest findings (from treatment of depression/addiction to neuroscience of mystical experiences), and even recounts his own carefully guided LSD and psilocybin sessions as a late-in-life psychonaut. Pollan’s skeptical, thoughtful perspective makes this a perfect intro for the curious-yet-cautious reader. It’s both an evidence-packed exploration and a personal journey, showing how these substances can reshape our understanding of the mind. (More info)
• The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide by James Fadiman – A comprehensive guide by a prominent research psychologist in the field. Fadiman offers practical advice on safe psychedelic use, including how to prepare, what “set and setting” really mean, and ways to integrate experiences. It includes insightful anecdotes from study participants and pioneers. This book is great if you’re looking for a down-to-earth, how-to approach (covering everything from microdoses to high-dose mystical journeys) grounded in decades of observation. (More info)
• MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) – Not a book, but an essential online resource. MAPS is the leading research and advocacy organization that’s been funding psychedelic science since the 1980s (they’re behind much of the PTSD treatment research with MDMA, for example). Their website (maps.org) is a treasure trove of free information: published study results, training guides, integration resources, and updates on legal progress. If you want to geek out on research or get involved in the psychedelic community, MAPS is the hub. (Visit MAPS)

(Also worth a look: “The Doors of Perception” by Aldous Huxley for a literary take on mescaline, and the Psychedelics Today podcast for up-to-date discussions on psychedelic therapy and research.)