Having some experience being a newbie, and hearing some stories from other newbies on the site, I came up with some things that I think people in that situation should hear before they start growing. So without further ado,
The "So You Want To Grow Shrooms" Quiz
1. Where do you live?
You really should only be doing this in your own apartment/home. Growing in a college dorm is a felony conviction waiting to happen, and if you love your parents, growing in their house sets them up for a legal liability that they probably don't want, and if you don't love them, you are essentially growing right under the noses of two narcs.
2. Do you want to be the mushroom guru?
People may argue with me on this one, but I think that despite the joy/notoriety of turning lots of people on, this is REALLY dangerous. In a legal sense, lots of people know you and and your activities, which ups the likelihood of getting narced. And also, you are giving people a chemical which may very well disagree with them in a serious manner. Shrooms are probably the safest true psychedelic, and god knows they have potential to make your life better, but nevertheless, any endorsement must be prefaced with "YOUR MILEAGE WILL VARY" I don't think I could ever live with myself if a friend of mine had a latent psychosis surface after I tripped them. (again, the chances of this happening with acid are less than 1/1,000 , and shrooms are widely thought to be safer, but think how much it would SUCK to find that thousandth person)
3. Where is your sitter?
You need one for your first couple trips, and having one around any time you enter uncharted territory dosage-wise is probably good. This works in reverse, too, if you are giving shrooms to somebody for the first time, it's a friendly (and ethical) gesture to stick around and chill. Who you are with shapes the experience immensely. keep that in mind.
4. What does it all mean?
Perhaps fortunately, it is impossible to spend the rest of your life in a psilocybin induced nirvana. Call me sentimental, but shrooms are much more than a roller coaster with flashing lights, and the most important thing with this, as with all other religious/ mystical/ transcendental experiences is to integrate it into your non-dreaming life. What purpose does all of this madness serve? I suppose there are some for whom shrooms are just good, clean fun, and I don't disrespect that. I, personally, can't ignore the other, more "serious" side of the experience.
ok, i might be talking out my ass, but I thought I'd share
-balthazaar
PS and definitely, if you're going to try hoasca, try two hits (whatever that is for you) of shrooms first, because that shit is another level entirely