Why You Should Combine Microdosing Psilocybin and Yoga

Yoga Takes the World by Storm

Yoga was first introduced to the West in the late 19th century. However, it didn’t become lodged in the wider public consciousness until the 70s when it suddenly occurred to people to care about their physical and spiritual health. This is also the time jogging became normalized (before people would have assumed you were running to catch a bus.) 

Today, yoga is everywhere. Your grandma does it, small children do it, and people even do it in rooms heated to over 40°C by choice! However, ‘yoga’ is actually a catch-all term for a varied and ancient practice that extends far beyond physical exercises. The physical movements commonly associated with yoga are known as Asanas, and they are just one of the limbs on the tree of yoga.

More than just a workout

The eight limbs of yoga, as outlined in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, provide a comprehensive framework for spiritual growth and self-discipline:

1. Yamas (Abstinences): Ethical guidelines for interacting with others and the world, including non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, chastity, and non-possessiveness.
2. Niyamas (Observances): Personal practices related to self-discipline and spiritual observances, including purity, contentment, self-discipline, self-study, and surrender to a higher power.
3. Asana (Posture): The physical postures designed to promote physical health and prepare the body for meditation.
4. Pranayama (Breathing): Breath control exercises aimed at enhancing vital energy and preparing the mind for meditation.
5. Pratyahara (Withdrawal): The practice of withdrawing the senses from external objects to achieve higher self-awareness and control.
6. Dharana (Concentration): Intense focus on a single point or object, helping to quiet the mind.
7. Dhyana (Meditation): Continuous, unbroken flow of concentration leading to meditation.
8. Samadhi (Absorption): Deep absorption or union with the object of meditation, achieving a sense of oneness and transcendence.

While the exact origins of yoga remain obscure, research suggests it began in India over 5,000 years ago. The word ‘yoga’ has its root in the Sanskrit word for ‘unity’ or ‘union,’ reflecting its goal of uniting the mind and body. Over millennia, yoga has developed many styles and traditions, practiced by Hindus, Buddhists, Sufis, and followers of other religions. Regardless of type, yoga’s purpose has always been to foster a deeper connection between body and soul.

The Bhagavad Gita states;

“Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.”

Combining Yoga with Microdosing

However, despite being over 5,000 years old, yoga is still ripe for remixing. And, appropriately, the old wellness zeitgeist is being combined with the new — microdosing. Microdosing, as you may be aware, is the practice of taking a sub-perceptual dose of a psychedelic — usually psilocybin from magic mushrooms or truffles. It is known to improve mood, creativity, focus and can also help those with depression, anxiety and ADHD. 

In other words, its effects are pretty kindred to the spiritual and psychological effects of yoga. Could combining the two enhance the positive effects of each other?

The Benefits of Microdosing Psilocybin

Research has already shown that microdosing can improve performance in athletic activities. Reportedly increasing focus on the task at hand, as well as stamina and endurance. Yoga is an ideal candidate to be enhanced by the effects of microdosing. It is an exercise in which focus, dedication, and getting into the ‘flow’ are essential. 

Important Things to Consider

But before you jump right in, there are a few things to consider before you combine microdosing with your yoga routine. Or yoga with your microdosing routine. Firstly, it is better if you have experience with both practices before separately. You don’t necessarily want to throw yourself into yoga on your first microdose experience, or to try the downward dog for the first time while microdosing. When you know your preferred microdose amount (usually between 0.5-1g of fresh magic truffles) and your physical capabilities (and limits) when it comes to yoga. 

Once you’re sure you feel confident, then you can start your journey. (Note: remember that it will be a short amount of time before your microdose begins to take effect. Leave at least 30 mins to 2 hours before you start doing yoga so your dosage syncs with your routine.)

3 Ways Microdosing Can Enhance Your Yoga Practice

Improved Focus

Microdosing is shown to improve focus, clarity of thought, and self-awareness. It is thought to help people to get into the ‘flow state’, inwhich one can become immersed in an activity for several hours. 

This is a gift when practicing yoga — you can become one with the movement of your body, your breathing, the feeling in your muscles. You are less likely to be influenced by audio or visual distractions.

Deeper Meditation

Many practitioners report that microdosing can deepen their meditation practices (dhyana), improve their ability to concentrate (dharana), and facilitate a greater sense of self-awareness and introspection (pratyahara).

By gently altering consciousness on a sub-perceptual level, microdosing psilocybin can help quiet the mental chatter and distractions that often impede deeper states of meditation. It can enhance the practitioner’s sense of interconnectedness, aligning with the ultimate goal of yoga: the union of mind, body, and spirit (samadhi). Additionally, microdosing can foster emotional resilience and awareness, aiding in the observance of ethical guidelines (yamas) and personal disciplines (niyamas), further integrating the holistic practice of yoga beyond the physical asanas.

The achievement of this state is also aided by the ego-quietening abilities of psilocybin. Psychedelics reduce the self-doubt that can sometimes take over our minds and stop us from fully immersing ourselves in activities — and more broadly — our lives in general.

Increased Energy

Those who microdose before an exercise session credit it with increasing their energy level and therefore, their stamina. This energy is key for completing longer yoga sessions. Especially the more advanced yoga types such as the Vinyasa or Bhakti yoga. Microdosing is also thought to pep up various supporting cognitive functions such as balance, reflexes, and coordination. This is ideal for those tricky balance-based yoga exercises — such as tree pose, or anything hand-stand based. 

However, it is important to remember that even if you do get a spurt of energy — yoga is about mindfulness. You don’t want to over-do it and end up sore! Listen to your body and it will tell you how far to go. 

Enhanced Creativity

What’s creativity got to do with exercise, you might say? Well, one of the great things about yoga is that you can tailor it to your own needs. You can create an individual style. New styles of yoga are invented all the time — Jivamukti was developed as recently as 1984. Not bad for a practice spanning 5,000 years! Once you know different poses and techniques you can piece together your own routine using the added creativity provided by your microdose. With this out-of-the-box mentality, the enhanced awareness of your body, and increased energy you are sure to thrive on your yoga journey. 

Listen to Your Body

So there you have it! Will you try the yoga-microdosing combo? Perhaps, in a future where microdosing is as integrated into society as yoga is today we will laugh at the question. Microdosing and yoga? Is there any other way to do it?! 

So, why not get ahead of the game now and have a go yourself? Just remember to always listen to your body and let it guide you. 

Namaste!