When Can I Trip Next: Thoughts on how long we should wait between mushroom journeys

During our last integration session, my clients tend to ask the same question—when do you think I should trip again?

It’s a good question, and I don’t necessarily have a good answer. Not only is it subjective to your experience, but it’s also contingent on your long-term integration efforts and, well, life in general. Some folks have one profound experience and are absolutely set for life, while other people are nagged by a visceral desire to peek under the hood of the universe again and again and again. 

One Dazzling Psilocybin Experience & Done

People often rank their psilocybin experiences as one of the most meaningful events in their lives, and sometimes one journey can be that critical turning point which allows them to move forward with a newfound balance and vigor. Whatever they discovered during the journey resonated so organically and deeply, integration seemed less like a complex puzzle and more like an obvious and powerful tonic for their old afflictions. For these folks, it’s a case closed scenario. They had a life-changing experience, and they don’t look back.

The Mushroom Journey as the First Chapter in a Larger Epic

Even when we craft deliberate and measured intentions, our journeys may take us to unexpected places. Mushroom trips will often reveal trauma we didn't know we had or show us deep wounds that really weren’t on our radar at all.

This is where true healing takes place, and it’s not unusual to spend a whole mushroom journey seeing, confronting and reconciling this one relationship or trauma. For folks who fall in this bucket, one mushroom trip almost feels like a preamble. It’s like they had to reckon with this fundamental piece of their identity before they could even begin to consider their other intentions. Consequently, they’re eager to find out more and—like a horse stamping in its tie-dyed stable—chomping at the bit for a more comprehensive psychedelic experience. These folks often need a reminder to slow down and integrate their journeys before scheduling a second psilocybin journey. My default timeline in this scenario is waiting at least 6 months before another trip.

Mushrooms and the Art of Psychedelic Maintenance

As centuries of practice and clinical data tells us, the gifts of a mushroom journey don’t necessarily reverberate with the same magnitude forever. While the magic never disappears and the lessons linger forever, some people consider regular psychedelic experiences as spiritual tune-ups.

Veteran psychonauts often return for perspective and to keep those underused parts of their brains vibrant and alive. Other folks want a visceral reminder of what they’re learned during past journeys or a spiritual jolt that helps them stay on top of their wellness routines.

So When’s Next?

I really don’t know. I suppose when thinking about another mushroom journey, it’s best to remind yourself of the entire process. Ask yourself the difficult questions. Am I still integrating my last experience? Will another journey sabotage my integration or enrich my mental health?

Beyond that, I think it’s best to operate by instinct. If you find yourself thinking about another guided psilocybin experience all the time—like at the dinner table, on the bus or even while brushing your teeth—it’s probably time to dust off your altar, lean into ritual and start preparation for another jaunt through the universe.