I used to be that dude… the one who’d down a whole bag of boomers like it was an Olympic sport.

No intention. No preparation. Just vibes.

And here’s the truth nobody told me back then: psychedelics will humble you fast.

I tried to play the hero, but the psilocybin gods don’t entertain heroes. And that “heroic dose”? It absolutely vaporized my ego — which, sure, is technically the point…

But I was young. Too young. I barely had an ego or identity to dismantle in the first place. I walked away intact, but everyone around me could tell something in me had shifted.

All I knew was this: I died (the ego kind), met God, and came back.

These days, I hear so many people flexing massive doses like badges of honor.

But psychedelics aren’t a competition. There’s no trophy for taking the most grams.

And when you go that high without preparation — or with a fragile psyche — the experience can go from transformative to traumatic real quick. This work deserves reverence, not recklessness.

So with that in mind, let me introduce you to the "heroic dose."

The Heroic Mushroom Dose

The heroic dose, made famous by the late philosopher and ethnobotanist Terence McKenna, is 5 grams or more of dried psilocybin mushrooms.

At this level, you’re diving into the deep end of consciousness; the realm of ego death, cosmic dissolution, and full-body mystical immersion.

And let me be clear, this is not a “fun” dose.

It’s not a party dose.

And it’s definitely not a beginner dose.

This should only be approached with a qualified tripsitter or therapist. No exceptions.

The Heroic Dose Experience

While 5 grams is the classic benchmark for a heroic dose, not all mushrooms play by the same rules. Potency varies wildly.

You might need the full 5 grams of Golden Teachers to hit that threshold… but a heavy-hitting, psilocybin-oozing Penis Envy can launch you into the same territory at 3.5 grams or less.

Moral of the story? Always know what mushroom you’re communing with.

That said, here’s what people typically experience on a heroic dose:

Every effect from a standard psychedelic trip dialed up to maximum…

• intense visual hallucinations
• emotional breakthroughs
• time distortion
• synesthesia
• overwhelming waves of insight or release

But with the heroic dose, things get even more intense.

Key Characteristics of a Heroic Dose

Vivid open- and closed-eye hallucinations — Patterns, entities, fractals, environments (often more real than reality).

Working memory disruption — You may forget what you were doing mid-thought, or you may forget who you are. This is normal at this level.

Thought loops —Repetitive thinking patterns that can be confusing or overwhelming without support. There are times when you can’t get out of the loop…

Deep resurfacing of stored memories —Childhood events, unresolved emotions, forgotten moments. Everything comes up for review (to the point that you may RELIVE these experiences).

Ego death —That moment where “you” cease to exist… and only awareness/consciousness remains. Terrifying for some, liberating for others.

Total transcendence of time and space —Minutes can feel like lifetimes. Lifetimes can feel like a single breath.

Profound spiritual or religious revelation —The kind of experience people describe as “meeting God,” “the void,” or “infinite consciousness.”

A sense of “waking up” for the first time — A sudden clarity where your old life feels like a long fog, and this new awareness feels like the real, natural state you’d been missing all along.

A powerful sense of unity —People often describe merging with the universe, nature, or the fabric of existence itself.

Heroic Dose Complications and Side Effects

As profound and revelatory as a heroic dose can be, the difficulties scale up just as dramatically.

When you push into this territory, you’re opening the door to the full spectrum of psilocybin’s intensity, light and shadow alike.

Here are some of the more common complications people encounter:

• Waves of overwhelming fear or dread (often tied to ego dissolution)
• Mild to intense anxiety
• Confusion or temporary delirium
• Triggering or worsening latent mental health conditions, especially in individuals predisposed to psychosis or bipolar disorder
• Severe nausea, bloating, or GI discomfort—especially when eating raw or dried mushrooms
• Dizziness or vertigo
• Lightheadedness or fainting, sometimes linked to psilocybin-induced drops in blood pressure

Why Take a Heroic Dose?

There are many motivations for taking a heroic dose of psilocybin mushrooms, but these are the ones that show up most often:

Deep Spiritual Inquiry

To seek a direct, immersive encounter with the divine, the void, higher consciousness, or the fundamental nature of reality. [1] A quest for existential truth.

Ego Dissolution & Self-Transcendence

To fully dismantle rigid identity structures, dissolve limiting narratives, and experience oneself beyond the ego. [2] A reset of the inner operating system.

Radical Emotional Release

To access and purge long-suppressed grief [3], trauma [4], shame, or psychic weight that hasn’t been reachable in lower-dose work. A cathartic “cleaning out” of the psyche.

Breaking Psychological Stagnation

For those stuck in cycles of depression [5], addiction [6], nihilism, or numbness — seeking a powerful pattern interrupt. [7] A shockwave that disrupts deep grooves.

Major Life Crossroads

People on the edge of divorce, loss, existential crisis, major transitions, or terminal illness [8] may seek a profound reset or clarity. A search for direction when life feels unlivable.

Curiosity About the Outer Limits of Consciousness

A minority pursue it as a form of consciousness exploration, seeking to know what lies beyond the known thresholds. A frontier mindset.

Mythic or Initiatory Quest

Some feel called to face a symbolic death and rebirth — a rite of passage that marks a before and after. An initiation into a new version of self.

The bottom line

The heroic dose can be life-changing—or terribly destabilizing.

It’s not something you casually toss back like I did when I was younger, trying to be the kid who could “handle anything.”

That version of me learned the hard way: psychedelics don’t reward bravado. They reward respect, intention, and readiness.

A 5-gram dose isn’t a weekend stunt. It’s a profound experience, one that requires you to be prepared.

That means dialing in everything:

• Substance: Know your mushroom and its potency.
• Set: Your mindset, emotional state, and internal weather.
• Setting: The environment you’re journeying in.
• Support: A sitter, therapist, guide, or friend you trust.
• Synthesis: Meaning-making and weaving insights into daily life.

I broke down how to prepare these pillars in a previous newsletter. Give it a read before you even think about going big.

Now I’m curious…

Have you ever taken a heroic dose? What happened?

I want the full trip report. ;)

—Onjae