What are Penis Envy Mushrooms?
Questions about which strains of Psilocybe cubensis (magic mushrooms) are strongest have been around for as long as underground enthusiasts have been breeding new forms. For many years magic mushroom aficionados used to respond by saying “a cube is a cube.” Why? Because the variations within this species were relatively minor. Penis Envy mushrooms have dramatically changed that, with reports and analysis suggesting they are considerably stronger than earlier strains. Whether you’re a shroom consumer or run a business getting ready for legalization, this is just one of the strains you should know about.
This post will discuss what Penis Envy mushooms are, how they are different, and why they’ve become so important to psychedelic SEO in the past year.
Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash
What are Penis Envy Mushrooms?
Penis Envy mushrooms are a strain of Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms. Like all P. cubensis (often known as “cubes”) they contain the psychoactive substances, psilocybin and psilocin. Unlike other cubes, they are generally more potent per gram. They have a distinctive shape, with the cap being smaller and more rounded and the stipe (stem) being far longer and thicker than you'd find on other P.cubensis varieties. It’s from this phallic shape and outsized growth that the strain gets its name. Other distinctive features are the lack of a veil and a tendency to bruise dark blue (a supposed indicator of high potency.)
The origins of Penis Envy mushrooms are somewhat shrouded in mystery. As far as I know, there are at least two histories for the inception of this strain, all connecting to Terrence Mckenna, the famous American ethnobotanist and psychonaut who is best known for his research on the use of psychedelic plants and substances for spiritual purposes. In one version the strain was developed by Dr. Stephen Pollock. In another, it was Rich Gee (Richard Guitierrez). In both cases the spores that the strain was developed from are said to have come from one of McKenna’s Amazon expeditions.
Why Are Penis Envy Mushrooms Important?
In one sense the importance of this strain comes from its potency, with multiple reports indicating that they can be 50-100% stronger than conventional P.cubensis. So, while individual mushrooms and batches will vary, all things considered, Penis Envy mushrooms will be stronger per gram than other magic mushrooms. Having to ingest less mushroom material may reduce the likelihood of nausea, particularly when used as tea or lemon tek, where the solid material is discarded.
Penis Envy Mushrooms and Psychedelic Marketing
The other factor that makes them important is that it’s relatively easy to rank on page one of Google search results for “Penis Envy Mushrooms.” I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but some (though not all) informative and interesting psychedelic blog content exists to attract traffic, boost where pages appear in search results, and funnel potential clients or customers towards the part of the business where they actually hand over some cash. Even where writers and website owners strive for accuracy and engagement, SEO considerations are rarely far from their minds.
This can sound a bit mercenary, but even nonprofits and activists are mindful of the 4 (or 5) P’s of psychedelic marketing. Whether you’re selling functional mushroom supplements or psychedelic-assisted therapy courses, campaigning for drug-law reform, or trying to improve ethical practice in psychedelic, people need to see your content for it to make a difference.
Part of the relative ease of ranking well for Penis Envy mushrooms may be the reluctance of some people to write “penis.” (If that’s you, relax! I’ve been writing it for years and nothing bad has happened due to me using this medically correct term.)
The other possibly relevant factor is that many common AI writing tools will flag “penis” as being obscene, and will not generate content for Penis Envy mushrooms. So there is just less competition for a term that still has relatively high search rates. If you look at the publishing history for articles on Penis Envy Mushrooms, you can date when everyone figured this out - my estimate is around mid-2022, though some clearly wised up to it much earlier.
It’s also worth noting that there are virtually no free use or creative commons licensed pictures of Penis Envy Mushrooms, hence my somewhat tongue-in-cheek selection of headline image. This means that growers have the chance to generate additional passive income from licensing their images (where legal, obviously) or get good backlink deals from high-traffic sites who want authentic pictures for their Penis Envy articles and blog posts.
Penis Envy Mushroom Effects
The effects are exactly the same as other Psilocybe cubensis effects. You will probably just need to take less. That’s literally everything relevant about how they differ from other cubensis mushrooms. This is not to diminish the importance of calibrating your dosage. If you get some PE mushrooms that are 50% stronger than the average cube, and use them for microdosing without factoring this in, you’re in for an interesting, though probably not very productive time.
5 Tips and Reminders for Penis Envy Mushrooms
Be Sure of Your Source
Legally, I can’t recommend you do anything that’s illegal. But if you are determined to experience psilocybin, Penis Envy mushrooms are not a terrible choice. Even when dried, they are reasonably visually distinct, and when they are fresh, you are unlikely to mistake them for anything else. All that said, you should always try to be sure that what you are putting in your body is what you think it is. So if they are processed in any way, e.g. in supposedly psilocybin-infused chocolate, you don’t really know what you are getting.
Start Low, go slow
Penis Envy mushroom strains are generally stronger than other P.cubensis strains. So, the standard advice of starting low and slow is doubly important. If you're used to stronger species such as Psilocybe subaeruginosa or P. azurescens, this won’t be so much of a problem. But if you’re coming from more gentle sources of psilocybin such as Golden teachers or psilocybe truffles, please exercise some restraint. PE mushrooms have kicked the butts of even experienced psychonauts - you’ve been warned!
Choose the right environment & people
Penis Envy varieties, like all psilocybin mushrooms, especially stronger doses, are best utilized in an environment where you are comfortable and safe, with people that you trust. This might be at home, with blankets, eye masks and a playlist of your favorite calm music. If outdoors, take appropriate precautions and choose your setting carefully. Having a sober companion is always a good idea, and is especially essential for mushroom newbies.
Know your mindset & set your intention
It’s a good idea to know where you are at, psychologically, when you use any form of psilocybin. If you’re in a tough place mentally and emotionally, this can change the nature of your experience. This isn’t to say challenging experiences are inherently bad. Just don’t be surprised if that happens when you’re depressed or anxious. If you have a family history of psychosis or schizophrenia, it’s best if you avoid psychedelics altogether.
It’s also helpful to be clear on what you want to get out of the experience. Are you taking Penis Envy mushrooms for fun? Or are you hoping to have a healing experience? Having a clear and honest understanding about your intentions is a great way to manage expectations and stay grounded in the experience.
Seek integration advice or therapy if you need it
Sometimes psilocybin experiences can be profound, like any psychedelic experience. Even if it’s not challenging, how you see the world or yourself can be totally flipped. Often, we can make sense of this by ourselves or by talking with friends or family. But sometimes, we can’t. Luckily, it's becoming increasingly common for psychologists, psychotherapists, and other counseling professionals to offer integration services. If you’ve had a challenging or confusing journey, they can help you make sense of it and integrate the lessons and themes of that experience back into your life. Integration services can be found via Psychedelic.support or the MAPS Psychedelic integration List. Your local psychedelic society may also be able to offer helpful advice or referrals to appropriate therapists.
Are you keen to find out more about psychedelics? If you are, check out my blog for more interesting articles. If you’d like to talk about hiring me to write some content for your organization, please email us via the button below.
