MARIA SABINA & GORDON WASSON VIA ALBERT HOFFMAN
Maria Sabina, a Mazatec medicine woman, who is best known for introducing the sacred mushroom ceremonies of her lineage to westerners. Sabina became famous after introducing ethnomycologist Gordon Wasson to traditional Mazatec psilocybin rituals in 1955. In these ceremonies, whole mushrooms were administered to Wasson and he underwent an intense spiritual experience. Sabina expressed to Wasson that he had experienced an encounter with “the spirit of the mushroom”.

An additional piece of information was discovered in a story about Maria Sabina. In Albert Hoffman’s book, “LSD, My Problem Child”, Hoffman describes Wasson’s return to the Village of Hualta to introduce Sabina to synthetic psilocybin capsules. Gordon Wasson explained to Sabina that he had managed to contain the “spirit of the mushroom” in capsule form. Sabina was administered 5,000 mcg capsules of pure synthetic psilocybin. Maria Sabina initially consumed two pairs of the capsules (20,000 mcg pure psilocybin). After some time had passed, Sabina expressed that the “spirit of the mushrooms” was absent. Wasson concluded that Sabina’s dose was likely too low to induce a full spiritual experience. Sabina was administered two additional capsules bringing her total dose of pure synthetic psilocybin up to 30,000 mcg. Shortly after, Sabina expressed to Wasson that the “Spirit of the mushroom” was indeed present. Though it is impossible to know Maria Sabina’s weight or tolerance at the time, it is reasonable to assume that she experienced a full spiritual “breakthrough” dose after consuming 30,000 mcg of pure psilocybin.

JOHNS HOPKINS CENTER FOR PSYCHEDELIC AND CONSCIOUSNESS RESEARCH
Research pioneered by Dr. Roland Griffiths and his team at Johns Hopkins revealed important data about psilocybin dosage in the context of spiritual and mystical experiences. Their publication titled, “Psilocybin Can Occasion Mystical Type Experiences Having Substantial and Sustained Personal Meaning and Spiritual Significance”, was pivotal in this process. A high dose of 30 mg per 70 kg of bodyweight (30,000 mcg per 154 lbs) was given to study participants. As evident in the title of this study, the administered doses were aimed at inducing mystical and spiritually significant experiences. Based on this data, the Church was able to determine its body weight dosing ratios for psilocybin.

WEIGHT ADJUSTED VS. FIXED DOSING PROTOCOLS
The Church of Ambrosia believes that weight adjusted dosing is advantageous over fixed dosing protocols. High dose mushroom work opens new levels of experience in a dose dependent manner based on body weight and potency of psilocybin. The Church has found that as breakthrough doses are experienced, new depths of the work are revealed. A fixed 25,000 mcg psilocybin dose would not bring a 250 lb individual to the breakthrough point. It’s impossible to gauge the effects of a breakthrough dose, or any other level of dose, unless you have experienced it. Studies conducted on individuals without the experience to gauge the level of effects from psilocybin should not be used to determine the importance of a weight-adjusted dose. Weight-adjusted dosing is the method preferred by the Church to calculate doses accurately. “The fact is, a 100 pound person will feel double the effects from 25,000 mcg, that a 200 lb person would experience. In what we have seen, someone weighing 100-125 lb will reach a breakthrough dose at 25,000 mcg.”  -Dave Hodges

GOD’S SITTERS PROJECT
Over the last three years, The Church of Ambrosia has been advancing their knowledge and understanding of “high dose” psilocybin mushrooms in spiritual contexts via a program called God’s Sitters. The Maria Sabina story and the data from Johns Hopkins both provided fundamental insight for the Church in establishing the God’s Sitters religious dosing protocols. Through its work, God’s Sitters has validated the relevance of these dosing protocols and also gained key insights into the signs of psilocybin overdose.

DOES BODY WEIGHT MATTER?
YES,  body weight matters! Just as your weight impacts the amount of medication you need to treat an ailment, it also affects the quantity of psilocybin needed for the desired effects.

WHAT ABOUT STUDIES THAT SHOW BODY WEIGHT DOES NOT MATTER?
Yes, but the information is misleading. The clinical trials using a fixed dose mainly focused on using psilocybin for treating depression. The fact is, with a large range of doses, psilocybin can treat depression. That does not mean the ceremony using 10,000 mcg will be the same one using 20,000 mcg. Nor does it mean a 100 lb person and a 200 lb person will experience the same thing at a fixed dose.

PSILOCYBIN DOES NOT GO STRAIGHT TO THE BRAIN!
Similar to other substances, psilocybin is carried through the body via the bloodstream. Its distribution throughout the body, including the brain, depends on its concentration in the blood. One of the factors influencing the appropriate dose of psilocybin for an individual is their body weight.

THE CHURCH OF AMBROSIA’S MUSHROOM DOSING LEVELS
In the context of our mushroom ceremonies, the Church uses body weight dosing to tailor the psilocybin ceremony for individuals, ensuring a safer and more personalized experience. By incorporating new standards based on pure psilocybin dosage per 100 lb of body weight, the Church aims to provide more accurate and consistent dose intensity for each participant.