Liberty Cap

How many do you need?

INTRO | A 1983 monograph called the Liberty Cap “the world's most widespread psilocybin mushroom.” It has been identified in 18 different countries around the globe. Their long, thin stems and golden, pointed caps are among the most familiar psychoactive mushrooms. As a potent shroom, it's important to ask questions like, how many liberty caps do you need? Or how many grams of liberty caps are appropriate for a beginner? Don't worry. We've got you covered.

SPECIES | Psilocybe semilanceata

ORIGIN | Thought to be the first psilocybe to be identified in Europe, initial Liberty Caps identification took place in the early 1960s. Psychedelic grandfather Albert Hoffman made the original identification; however, the earliest recorded document of this strain comes from 1799! A British family who had picked mushrooms for their evening meal exhibited “pupil dilation, spontaneous laughter, and delirium,” all common signs of psychoactive mushroom ingestion.

POTENCY | The P. semilanceata species is considered to be a potent psychedelic mushroom. If you're just starting to trip with shrooms, important questions to ask are, How many Liberty Caps are in a gram? How many Liberty Caps is a gram? Knowing how much of this very potent fungus you've got makes it easier to tell how much you should take. Dried Liberty Caps contain about 1.0 – 1.7 percent psilocybin, in contrast to the “usual” P. cubensis content of 0.3 – 1.3 percent.

INTENTION | When considering how many Liberty Caps do you need, remember that the potency of this strain means that you'll need less than you might with another strain. Lower dose recreational and social situations will require less than other lower-potency strains, while the Heroic doses can also be achieved with less than the usual amount. As always, make sure you're in a good headspace and a comfortable setting before setting out on a Heroic trip.

EFFECTS | As the late-1800s trip mentioned above demonstrates, Liberty Caps affect similar sensations as many other psilocybin-containing fungi: Euphoria, heightened sensations, and visual distortions are all common with this strain, though at much lower dosages. It's best not to compare how many dried Liberty Caps are in a gram of shrooms to other strains, as a gram of Liberty Caps is much more potent than a gram of Golden Teacher, for example.

APPEARANCE | Unlike many of its psychoactive and mundane cousins, Liberty Caps do not grow directly on dung. They are a “saprobic” species, relying on decaying grassroots for sustenance. Liberty Caps identification can be tough – they have a similar appearance to many other psychedelic and non-psychedelic mushrooms, with their thin stems and golden, pointed caps. Some similar species are quite toxic - it's best to either get these from a trusted source, or make sure your shroom identification skills are very sharp.

DURATION | Liberty Caps have a similar duration and uptake as other magic mushrooms. Effects should become apparent within 30 to 40 minutes of ingestion, and the trip can last between 5 – 7 hours.

DOSE | As we've repeated a few times through this review, the answer to the question of how many Liberty Caps do you need is somewhat lower than it might be for other strains. Liberty Caps aren't recommended for beginning trippers, and even experienced psychonauts may want to exercise caution with the Liberty Cap. Start lower than you might usually, and get a feel for what a potent mushroom feels like.

TRIP TIPS

Psilocybin-containing mushrooms are not recommended for pregnant or lactating women or children. Antidepressants appear to reduce the effect of psilocybin in some people. Note: potency of individual mushrooms can vary remarkably, even within members of the same species. No dose is going to be exactly the same, even when the amounts are measured very carefully.
Should you experience stomach pain during a psychedelic experience, questions to ask yourself during the integration process include: 1. Relative to Self: Who am I? Do I know who I am regardless of what other people think?2. Relative to Others: Can I stand up for myself? Do I feel supported by others?3. Relative to Safety: Do I feel powerful and in control? Do I feel safe and secure in my life?

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