Psychedelic Insights: Rewinding the Best of 2023

Jimmy’s Introduction

Jimmy Nguyen (00:06.114)

Welcome to the Psychedelic Passage podcast. My name is Jimmy Nguyen. Alongside Nick Levich, we are your hosts here today. Big hello to everybody as we wrap up the year and what a year it’s been. 

We started this podcast back in, I think the summer of 2022 and 70 some odd episodes later, 52 incredible episodes that we’ve recorded this year. We really, really can’t thank you enough for being a part of this journey with us. 

When we set out to start this podcast, we wanted to have an opportunity to create dialogue, to have conversations about psychedelics that are honest, that are truthful, that are relevant. And so we hope that all of our listeners, all of the downloads, subscriptions, support, it means so, so much to us.

And we really hope that everybody has taken away something meaningful, whether it’s been a curiosity, a question, a piece of information, a meaningful conversation. 

That’s really our goal here to increase a really important factor of psychedelic use, which is community, which is dialogue and conversation. And we really, really thank you all for being here with us over the past year and a half.

Also, as a point of celebrating milestones at the end of the year, just wanna give a big shout out to our team at Psychedelic Passage, specifically our concierge team who has conducted over 5,200 consultation calls–

–and also our referral facilitator network who has completed over 1,200 microdose and macrodose programs in service to the psychedelic curious. 

And though I acknowledge that it’s not all rainbows and butterflies in that work, we know that we work with folks across a wide range of stages and progressions in their own healing process, in their own exploration of psychedelics–

–but it really just warms my heart to think about those 1,200 folks that we’ve served and that potential ripple effect that it has on their own livelihood, their own wellbeing. 

Maybe perhaps they can show up better in their own lives, with their family, with their work, with their careers, with their passions. And so thank you for your trust with us here in Psychedelic Passage. We take that in such a serious manner. We take that in such a high regard. 

And I hope that you feel that through our podcasts and our website and all the different ways that we serve our community. 

So to all the fantastic individuals in our network, to all the folks who have trusted us to be in service to you, thank you, your commitment to service and integrity fuels our mission on both sides, both the journey or side, the facilitator side, our support network side. 

And we couldn’t do this without each and every one of you. So we thought it’d be fun this episode to rewind and relive some of our favorite moments from our top three most played episodes of the year.

And so, what we’ll be doing is we’ll be playing some clips and segments from our most meaningful or most popular conversations. So first up, our most played episode of this year is how to microdose psilocybin mushrooms step-by-step. 

And I think it’s pretty interesting with microdosing that though it does have this kind of effect of, you’re taking small amounts of a psychedelic substance so, so small that it’s called sub perceptual. 

And a lot of folks, you know, leave it akin to, you know, almost like taking a supplement or, you know, a vitamin every day. And what we found over, you know, serving so many microdose programs through the years is that it is dynamic and different for each individual. 

You know, most folks, because of the paradigm and how we deal with medicine and medication in our society, kind of expect, okay, well, I’m gonna take this pill, it’s gonna have this effect, and then I’m gonna go about my day and relieve my symptoms. 

And what we find with microdosing, especially with this concept that we call psychedelics being a non-specific amplifier, boy, I find microdose processes being very, very different for individuals from you know, having the ability to bring up trauma and, you know, regress things from our unconsciousness–

–to folks who experience stress resilience to more focused energy and concentration to folks who have engaged in more like somatic releases and processes with microdosing. 

So because microdosing is so powerful, we were receiving so much input from folks on trying to find actual tangible guidance. And so in addition to this podcast episode, we now have our new and updated microdose guide that can be found in our e-commerce store. 

But this podcast episode was, I think, a good step in trying to provide that tangible information to folks. So let’s listen in to a segment or a couple of clips from that episode, how to microdose psilocybin mushrooms step-by-step.

How to Microdose Psilocybin Mushrooms: Step-by-Step Guide

Nick Levich (05:34:00)

My ideal dose for quote unquote productivity might be 100 milligrams, but my ideal dose to get access to something that I’ve been working through that I feel like I’ve had a hard time accessing might be 200 milligrams. 

Jimmy Nguyen

Right, and that might be different than you microdosing and communing with nature. That might be different than you microdosing and having a lot of family and work responsibilities for the day. 

And so when we talk about how to find your sweet spot dosage, it’s contextual. 

I also hear other things based on the standard protocol. Some folks do like the work days, Monday through Friday. Then they take Saturday, Sunday off. 

Some folks do every other day. I’ve also heard folks who will microdose for a month straight and then take a week off. That’s I think a little bit further out there as far as maybe that works for a specific set of people. 

Nick Levich

My rule of thumb is for any seven day period. There should be two days off. Two days off. Yeah. I like that freedom because this is an intuitive process. 

Jimmy Nguyen

This is also important depending on your goals. Like if you were, let’s say Monday through Friday, but you’re wanting to increase creativity and your creative days are on Saturday and Sunday, then that’s just not gonna work. 

And so just be a little cognizant of what your goals are, what’s going on in your life. But I hope that this discussion has given enough context. And if we missed something, send us an email at support at psychedelicpassage.com and we will address it.

Nick’s Comments

I think that was our most streamed episode of the year because there are simply so many variables and decision points when embarking on an at-home microdosing journey. 

It just requires a certain amount of trial and error and really experimentation and listening to your body. 

And these clips touched on some really important themes that include the importance of dialing in the dosage sweet spot based on your intention, balancing strict protocols versus intuitive microdosing, i.e. listening to your body, and how to align your protocol with your lifestyle and goals. 

And so that is episode number 41 for anyone that wants to go back and listen to the full episode. Next up, we have episode 59 with one of our past clients, Michael Wally, about inner transformation, psychedelics, identity, and equanimity.

Inner Transformation: Psychedelics, Identity, & Equanimity.

Red Herring Happiness vs True Integration

Michael Wally (08:11.086)

Because we do experience feelings of happiness and feelings of joy occasionally. And it seems to be through external validation, through things that happen externally. But I think that’s where we really misunderstand, right? 

Because when I got the raise, when I bought a house, I felt really good about myself for a while, right? And so that was, in a sense, it was sort of a red herring, right? Like okay, this didn’t make me feel good. What’s the next thing? 

And eventually, a fool who persists in their folly, hopefully eventually becomes wise and you realize, okay, it wasn’t getting those things that made me happy and I’m always gonna be stuck in this perpetual grass is greener on the other side.

Discovering Your Whole Self

Michael Wally (09:00:00)

Even after the journey had ended, for days after I’d find myself being so much more capable of socializing, I’d find myself even describing myself as extroverted, right? 

And thinking that previously I thought I was stuck that way. I thought that that’s just who I was and how I was. And then to go out into life and have the energy, have the curiosity, even have the the mental capacity to engage with people on a much deeper social level– 

–it was just such a drastic shift. It showed me that, okay, something else is going on here. I can change in ways that I don’t yet understand. I don’t know how to do that, but I’ve been shown this other side of myself. 

I’ve been shown this very loving, deeply compassionate other side of myself that I know that that’s sort of my actual self, right? But I don’t know how to be that way.

What You Resist Persists

Michael Wally (09:59:00)

I mean, it gets back to this idea of what you resist persists, right? And what you cling to and what you don’t want to experience, you know, almost for better or for worse, it sticks around, right? And that’s one of the sources of perpetual, you know, just endless rumination.

Changing Your Relationship With The External

Michael Wally (10:19:00)

I am constantly in relationship with the external. So on a very practical level, and Michael Singer, who I mentioned, uses this example a lot of relating to traffic or relating to the weather. 

When you’re getting upset by these things that you really can’t change, that’s an opportunity to be like, okay, I’ve sat in meditation before and I’ve been able to sort of detach from these things and develop a little bit of equanimity towards them.

Now that I’m out in the world and I’m getting upset by these things that I can’t change, now is where the rubber hits the road. Now is when I actually have to do the integration.

Jimmy’s Thoughts

Jimmy Nguyen (11:00.934)

A huge, huge thank you to Michael for your courage and coming on to our podcast to talk about a really, really important topic.

We’re just so appreciative of your vulnerability and your honesty and all the different elements that you brought to the conversation. So thank you and a big deep bow to you. 

And last but not least, we delve into a really critical topic surrounding therapeutic psilocybin dosages. And this is a conversation that has a lot of nuances and layers. 

I mean, if folks have been listening to my shares throughout the podcast, it really ranges as far as dosage. I’ve had experiences that were fully deep and meaningful at 1.5 grams of dried psilocybin mushrooms all the way up to 5, 6, 7+ grams. 

And so I think that it’s one thing to talk about the physiology and set and setting and all of those different factors. But we also in this conversation really do try to emphasize that you as a journeyer have full, full autonomy in what’s right for you.

Now for me as a part of my own process, I’m like checking in with the mushroom, you know, not only around dosages, but very recently, I had an opportunity to sit in a group experience with individuals–

–and you know, checking in with myself and checking in with the mushroom, it was a huge no. I was being told not to participate, not to join. And so I think that autonomy, that big sovereignty that you have as a journey are so, so important to highlight.

And then also just talking about, you know, how these dosages affect your overall process with psychedelics and we talk a little bit about, you know, the hero’s journey and some other factors–

–or some other frameworks that may be helpful and relevant to the conversation here. So let’s dive into the segment on how to determine therapeutic psilocybin dosages 

How to Determine Therapeutic Psilocybin Dosages

Psychological Factors Overriding Dosage

Nick Levich (13:13:00)

Somebody who has the ability to fully surrender may have a full blown journey with ego death and all of that on two grams. 

And another person that’s never journeyed before is very rigid in their thinking, attempts to maintain a high sense of control, they may eat 10 grams and never break through to that journey threshold. 

And so you can see here that that’s a large spread and dosage, and the journeyer is the variable. 

Jimmy Nguyen

What I’m hearing you say is that the psychological factors, the mental state, the emotional state, all of those things that would be described as the set in common terms, likely outweighs physical factors.

Chemical Factors

Nick Levich

We’re going to kind of speak to some averages here. Yeah. 

Jimmy Nguyen

And worth noting that because of the 60+ years of prohibition, in the United States, we’re really behind on our research. And so there’s a lot of potential that there are things beyond just psilocybin and psilocin that plays into your experience. 

We’re talking about alkaloid profiles, we’re talking about different ways that your body metabolizes these different compounds and things. We’re kind of working with our hands tied behind our backs and hopefully the science will then be able to support and identify markers.

The same way with cannabis, where people thought it was just about THC and then they learned that there’s terpene profiles that modulate the high and the therapeutic effect and things like THCV helping folks with PTSD, stuff like that.

And so that’s where you start to get into this concept of heroes journey, because we start to mimic this death and rebirth process. You basically go through what a lot of people experience very clearly as some form of death and rebirth. 

Nick Levich

And it’s not particularly comfortable, but it is incredibly empowering. And it, that’s where this like whole notion of getting unstuck and the, the shifts and the profoundness comes from.

The Right of Full Autonomy

Nick Levich (15:30.614)

The first thing that I always tell a journeyer is that you have full autonomy over what you put inside of your body. It is not the facilitator’s job to tell you or to force anything upon you. 

It’s our job to give you this explanation and these benchmarks and these parameters, but you as a journeyer always have full autonomy over what you put inside of your body. I never tell a client, hey, you should do 3.75 grams. 

I provide my clients a range, and it’s after we go through vetting, screening, preparation, they’ve clarified their intentions. We talked about framework skills, tools to navigate the experience. 

We’ve uncovered as much potential salient content. And then given that, I’ll tell them, hey, this might be the range of what you think that you might wanna work on. 

And it’s somewhere between 3 and 4.5 grams or something like that. And then I always invite my clients to really sit with that and really think about that.

Nick’s Outro

Nick Levich (16:36:00)

Those were some really great insights on dosage. And if you’re wanting to delve into this topic further, we encourage you to listen to the full episode, which is number 9. And once again, we’d like to extend so much gratitude to you. 

Your support has made this podcasting journey unforgettable and truly a success up to this point. We will be taking a break over the next two weeks and we will be back on January 16th with our next episode.

If there are any pressing topics that you’d like us to dive into, please share your thoughts on our feedback forum linked in the show notes below. 

We wish you and your family a spectacular start to the new year, filled with joy and good vibes, and we can’t wait to bring you more incredible content in 2024. We’ll see you all soon.

More Psychedelic Passage

• Listen to our podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and iHeartRadio
• Subscribe to our Youtube Channel
• Follow us on Instagram, Reddit, Twitter, and Linked in for bite-sized updates and content.

Connect With The Psychedelic Therapy Provider That’s Right for You

Hi there! We sincerely hope that you’ve found valuable takeaways that resonate with your current intentions. To explore research-based education, stay updated with psychedelic news, and benefit from practical how-to articles, we encourage you to head over to our resources page.

If you’re seeking personalized advice and are prepared to take the first step toward a therapeutic psychedelic experience, we invite you to book a consultation with our team of experienced psychedelic concierges.

This consultation is more than just a conversation; it’s an opportunity to be matched with a trustworthy local facilitator. You’ll be seamlessly connected to our rigorously vetted network of psychedelic guides, ensuring potential matches align with your needs.

Psychedelic Passage offers confidence and peace of mind by alleviating the burden of having to guess who’s right for you. If you want to discover how Psychedelic Passage can help you, we empower you to learn more about our services and check out client testimonials from those who’ve gone before you.

Your healing path is uniquely yours, and our commitment is to serve you at every juncture. Psychedelic Passage: Your Psychedelic Concierge — The easy, legal way to find trustworthy psilocybin guides, facilitators and psychedelic-assisted therapy near you in the United States.

Learn More About Our Network

• Book a Consultation Call
• Meet Our Referral Network
• Explore Frequently Asked Questions
• Watch Client Testimonials
• Is Psychedelic Passage Safe & Legit?

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the main goal of the Psychedelic Passage podcast?

The main goal of the Psychedelic Passage podcast is to facilitate honest and meaningful dialogue about psychedelics. 

Hosted by Jimmy Nguyen and Nick Levych, the podcast aims to provide a platform for conversations that are truthful, relevant, and contribute to building a supportive community around psychedelic use.

2. How has the podcast contributed to the psychedelic community over the past year and a half?

The podcast has recorded 70 episodes, with a focus on creating awareness and understanding of psychedelics. It has played a significant role in building a community by fostering dialogue and providing valuable information.

Additionally, the Psychedelic Passage team has conducted over 5,200 consultation calls and completed over 1,200 microdose and macrodose programs to support those exploring psychedelics.

3. What was the most played episode of the year, and why was it popular?

The most played episode of the year was “How to Microdose Psilocybin Mushrooms: Step-by-Step Guide.” 

It gained popularity due to its detailed exploration of microdosing, addressing variables like dosage, frequency, and the contextual nature of microdosing experiences. The episode offered practical guidance and insights into the diverse effects of microdosing on individuals.

4. What insights were shared in the episode featuring Michael Wally about inner transformation and psychedelics?

Michael Wally’s episode delved into topics such as inner transformation, identity, and equanimity. He shared insights into the illusion of external validation for happiness and the transformative impact of psychedelics on self-perception. 

The episode highlighted the potential for profound shifts in social interactions and self-discovery through psychedelic experiences.

5. What key factors were discussed in the episode on determining therapeutic psilocybin dosages?

The episode on therapeutic psilocybin dosages explored various factors influencing the psychedelic experience. It emphasized the importance of psychological factors, such as the individual’s mindset and emotional state, potentially outweighing physical factors. 

The conversation also touched on the challenges posed by limited research due to historical prohibition and the autonomy of the journeyer in determining suitable dosages.