Clinician & Research Scientist
Christopher Hobbs, PhD, LAc
Deepen your journey toward emotional wellness, psychological freedom, and lightness of spirit by understanding the history, state-of-the-art research, and best practices for wise use and holistic integration of psychedelic experiences with mushrooms.
Have you been curious about the benefits of working consciously with psilocybin mushrooms (a.k.a. “magic mushrooms”), and you want to explore a wise, grounded, and safe path toward a relationship with them?
Perhaps you had mixed experiences in the past in a recreational setting and now would like to explore them in a safe, intentional, and therapeutic way.
Or perhaps you’ve never experienced them but are ready because of the extensive new research affirming their clinical and therapeutic benefits.
To explore this transformational (and potentially challenging) tool for healing, it’s ideal to have a trustworthy expert take you by the hand and guide you step by step through the entire process — so you understand the history, science, and legalities... and ultimately feel the confidence to have safe and supportive experiences with them.
Our mission at Shift is facilitating long-lasting transformation in body, mind, and spirit — especially when new science and practices become available. We’re committed to helping you connect with the knowledge, insights, and resources necessary to elevate your consciousness, cultivate wellbeing, and liberate your spirit.
A significant cultural backlash to recreational use of psychedelics led to fearful attitudes and suppressive laws for more than 60 years. But that’s now changing quickly as the focus switches to healing.
A new wave of interest in psychoactive compounds is firmly grounded in solid scientific research, psychological sophistication, and sober caution about ensuring safety, so that these compounds can truly help better people’s lives.
Common effects of working with psychedelic mushrooms can include euphoric feelings of wellbeing and fulfillment, a different perception of life, higher energy levels, and an altered sense of time — among many other inward stimulations of the imagination and emotional body. Psychedelics are also known to open us up to an expanded sense of selfhood, typically accompanied by the spiritual feeling of the supreme unity of everything we can conceive of... and beyond.
But, working intentionally with mushrooms is not about getting high, per se — even under the guise of spiritual experiences. These mushrooms have shown themselves to be practical and effective agents of mental and physical health, with benefits that include addressing the impacts of anxiety, depression, PTSD, end-of-life fears, and addictions. And as research suggests they’re nootropics and neurotrophics, they can also have neural longevity and plasticity benefits.
So, what does a healthy and safe way to work with these sacred medicinal plants look like?
In this 7-module video course with highly respected clinical herbalist, scientist, and researcher Christopher Hobbs, PhD, LAc, you’ll explore in depth the opportunities, promise, and potential pitfalls of psilocybin mushrooms.
Christopher is uniquely qualified — as a clinician and a trained herbalist — to be your guide along this path, which will look more like a series of cycles than a straight line...
How you’ll experience this course is how you might experience a course preparing you to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, build an electric scooter, or create your own set of dishes with a potter’s wheel... it’s practical, there are clear-cut steps along the way... but there’s also challenge and risk to understand and prepare for... with an ultimately satisfying, artful, and exhilaratingly mysterious experience as the result.
Christopher has taken special care to lay this class out like you might prepare for journeying with a properly licensed facilitator:
He’ll even cover the steps to choose your own facilitator if you decide you’d prefer to work with someone in that way.
Please note that The Shift Network does not advocate or support the breaking of any laws. We are aware that there are various levels of experimentation and legalization efforts underway, and our goal is to provide you with the best information to enable you to make your own decisions about when and how to engage with this new field of transformation.
Psilocybin Since the 1950s
The Oracle of Delphi & Psilocybin
Was the Ancient Drink Soma One of the First Uses of Psilocybin?
During this quick-start guide for psychedelic healing, you’ll:
- Explore how to step onto the path with intention — discussing the promises (and cautions) of psychedelic medicine, cultivating a more expansive attitude toward psychedelics, and deepening your understanding of their value to our individual and collective wellbeing
- Explore a detailed history of psilocybin mushrooms — where they were found, how they became popular (and then illegal), and what the current landscape looks like
- Take important steps on your own inner hero’s journey to restore emotional, psychological, and physical wellness — as well as establish a profound connection with your own higher wisdom
- See the value of reliable facilitators and mentors on this path — and discover how to find one for yourself
- Have a detailed understanding of how to prepare for a psychedelic journey if you choose to undertake one — including set, setting, support, and dosages
- Understand the importance of integrating your experience — for a complete cycle of healing and inner renewal
What You’ll Discover in These 7 Modules
In this 7-part transformational intensive, Christopher will guide you through the fundamental skills and competencies you’ll need to work with psilocybin mushrooms in the most conscious way.
This course will feature step-by-step teachings and experiential practices with Christopher. Each 90-minute session will build harmoniously upon the previous ones, so you’ll feel the confidence to experience the benefits of psilocybin mushrooms — being taken carefully by the hand and guided step by step through the entire process... understanding the history, science, and legalities (including how to safely acquire them).
NOTE: We’ll be skipping August 15 and September 5 for holidays
Module 1: Stepping on the Path With Intention — The Promises (and Cautions) of Psychedelic Medicine
This opening session begins the way you want to begin any experience with psychedelic medicine... with intention. Christopher will lead you through a meditation exercise to visualize your inner world and open to the spiritual essence of the mushroom guiding spirit as it exists on subtle energetic levels, allowing you to begin connecting with this sacred energy medicine without even having to physically ingest it.
In this module, you’ll:
- Hear about Christopher’s own spiritual awakening, which launched him on the path of inner expansion in his early 30s
- Explore how modern humans were thought to have arisen with the discovery of fire, the role psilocybin and other hallucinogens may have played in informing our great leap in brain capacity, and the many steps of growing consciousness over the eons since
- Discuss current research on the ego, the internal conversation with “ourselves,” and how specific regions in the brain are associated with our sense of self
- Delve into how medicinal mushrooms can help you navigate the difficult journey to see the contrived, protective ego for what it is as a complex construct from many sources — such as conditioning by parents, guardians, teachers, and society on how to act and how to be, defining our limits and value as people
- Develop compassion for yourself while you integrate a pragmatic approach that this medicine affords in healing the part of you that has become entombed by early traumatic events — that has developed to keep you safe from pain, anger, and sadness — but that also keeps you from realizing your greatest sense of thriving and aliveness throughout your precious life
Module 2: History & Legalities of Psilocybin Mushrooms
Twenty-five states in the U.S. are in the process of studying psychedelics for medicine — and some cities and states have already decriminalized psilocybin and other substances. Clinical trials performed so far support benefits for mood disorders, addictions, existential fear that can occur after a cancer diagnosis, and much more.
Get ready to explore a historical review of psychotropic use, the legal landscape, and the science behind psychedelic medicine, including:
- A brief history of psychedelic medicine in general throughout the ages
- The 3 Delphic maxims, the Eleusinian mysteries, and the hero’s journey
- Stories about the discovery of psilocybin mushrooms with Maria Sabina, Albert Hofmann, and Gordon and Valentina Wasson
- Training, lineage, and practices of Don Antonio, a third generation ayahuascero
- The end of formal psychedelic research, the banning of psychedelics as Schedule 1 substances, and the resurgence in current times with major companies getting involved in the commercialization of psychedelics
- How psychotropics affect brain architecture (modeling, strengthening of synaptic connections, untangling disordered networks, neurogenesis)
Module 3: Understanding the Health Science & Psychotherapeutics of Psilocybin
Let’s get into the latest discoveries on brain function and neurophysiology, how psilocybin affects functioning, its mechanisms of action, an overview of neurochemical pathways, and how neurochemicals make us feel (featuring major neurotransmitter messengers — serotonin and gaba — as well as benzodiazepine, cannabinoid, and others).
This module includes sections on:
- The neurotrophic factors (molecules) within mushrooms that enhance the growth and survival potential of neurons
- Scientific research and clinical trials supporting benefits — such as research finding that psilocybin might act as a neurotropic
- Brain architecture, default mode network, and the ego structure and functions
- How psilocybin and other hallucinogens act as a serotonin agonist
- Major brain chemical receptors, pathways, and how they interact
- Edibles — since they can be an acquired taste to many (mixing mushrooms with your favorite foods is an easy way to consume them)
- Extracts — psilocybin is present in over 200 species of mushrooms, and can be easily extracted
- Alkaloid extraction from psilocybin mushrooms
- Zide Door, a church in Oakland, CA supporting the safe access and use of entheogenic plants, including psilocybin mushrooms
Module 4: Access, Preparation & Logistics
When considering psilocybin as an ally in this life’s journey, many questions can arise. After addressing safety issues and the efficacy of psilocybin for helping ease our suffering and reduce psychological and emotional symptoms like depression, anxiety, and addiction, another important question arises: how can I obtain some mushrooms?
It’s natural to wonder how to buy them, if they’re really psilocybin instead of some other more toxic species, if it’s safe to buy them, and how much it will cost. It is wise to question this process and even the mushrooms themselves.
In this module, you’ll discover:
- How to safely identify species from the genus Psilocybin
- The 5 characteristics that have to be present to help ensure safe identification in the wild — or even for dried or freshly cultivated mushrooms
- Opportunities that are opening up monthly for purchasing high-quality mushroom fruiting bodies
- How for people who like to garden, growing your own mushrooms is easier than you might think — sterile spore syringes are available for several strains of psilocybin, as are many instructional videos, books, and articles that detail how to go about it step by step
- How to take them... fresh, dried, or by extract or tincture
- How long the preparation lasts (the alkaloids can break down over time in some conditions), how to stabilize the activity over time, and how to store them
- Combining psilocybin with other herbs like kava or chocolate
Module 5: Working With a Psychedelic Assisted Therapist/Facilitator
It’s time to explore the importance of facilitators, facilitator networks, and underground facilitators. You’ll learn how to work with facilitators, what they do and can offer, and how they can help you integrate and practice the important healing and transformative insights and lessons gained during a session.
In this module, we’ll touch on:
- The meaning and role of guides and facilitators
- Training and the curricula of available courses
- Academic training and licenses required
- How to choose the facilitator and where to find the best
- What a facilitator does, their training, their experience, and how to decide who’s right for your journey
- Costs and options
- Other hallucinogenic modalities and their potential therapeutic benefits: MDMA, ketamine, psilocybin at higher doses, 5-MeO-DMT, MDA
- Typical steps during psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and how you’ll feel before, during, and after
- The importance of set and setting (music, art, comfort, the vibe)
- How the facilitator creates optimum set and setting for your journey
- How the session might go — and how you’ll take the insights and benefits gained with you
- Case Study: Oregon, the first state to decriminalize psychedelic substances and publish draft guidelines for training programs, cultivation, products, selling, and marketing
Module 6: The Experience — Set, Setting, Support & Dosages
When it comes to the effects of psilocybin, for any set, setting, and personal need, dose is a very important factor in how things will go. Start low and go slow is often a good idea. We’ll discuss all aspects of dosing — how much to take and how often for each situation and intention (such as enhancing creativity or mindfulness).
Two major ways of using psilocybin are microdosing and macrodosing. Microdosing is taking a very small amount of the mushroom to enhance creativity, mindfulness or spiritual practice, alertness, or connectedness with nature, others, or ourselves.
With macrodosing, we’re getting into higher doses, where time can stand still and suddenly we find ourselves in a new world of discoveries, possibilities, and powerful insights into our very nature as a unique individual and the path to our true selves. People taking these higher therapeutic doses consistently report that the experiences they have are among the most profound spiritual experiences of their lives!
Christopher will walk you through the many uses and potential benefits of microdosing, sharing his more than 40 years of personal experience — featuring stories of how it’s helped him and many others look at and release old habits, outdated ways of thinking about the world, and false notions about personal limitations.
In this discussion-based session, we’ll:
- Address important practical considerations before, during, and after an experience
- Hear about Christopher’s own experiences and those of others, garnering insights into a broad spectrum of experiences
- Look at reports detailing the potential downsides of long-term use
- Explore clear guidelines for dose, frequency, set, and setting
- Cover synergistic herbs (kava, syrian rue, etc.) to use with psilocybin microdosing for various entourage effects — and how this can benefit you
Module 7: Integrating Your Experience — With Course Reflection & Discussion
In this final module, we’ll review the material covered in this course, allowing room for reflection and thorough discussion.
We’ll also explore the importance of integration after a psychedelic journey. Integration is the process of remembering and noting the most powerful insights and experiences we had during the journey for our own self-knowledge and transformation.
In this module, we’ll discuss the practices, which include:
- Counseling, psychotherapy, and somatic therapies
- Embracing some ancient practices that are not religious in nature such as Buddhism, the practice of loving-kindness
- Spending time reading inspirational works such as those from Pema Chodron, Thich Nhat Hanh, the Dalai Lama, etc.
- Daily physical exercises and practices for aiding integration — yoga, Tai Chi, self-massage, walking, tapping, and more
- Daily mindfulness practice, conscious breathing, meditation, following a path of service, and helping others
- Psychologist Gabor Maté’s many talks, classes, and books focused on healing childhood and ancestral trauma
- Exploring the use of psychedelics for healing addiction, depression, anxiety, and more
The Magic Mushrooms Course Bonus Collection
In addition to Christopher’s transformative 7-module virtual course, you’ll receive these special bonuses with leading visionaries and teachers to complement the course and take your understanding and practice to an even deeper level.
Kava Medicine & How to Use It
2-Part Video Teaching From Christopher Hobbs
Kava is a cultural treasure from the South Pacific islands that likely goes back thousands of years. It’s a small shrub that’s cultivated on the islands to this day. Many different cultivars exist, selected for their effects on mood, their ability to produce feelings of wellbeing and relaxation, and many other medicinal benefits. Dr. Christopher Hobbs discusses kava medicine in all its aspects, with practical tips for easing anxiety, producing a sense of calm, relaxing the body, and relieving muscle and mental tension. He also demonstrates how to make a traditional kava drink.
Handmade Herbal Medicines
PDF Recipe Book by Christopher Hobbs
This ebook presents 43 ways to make herbal medicines at home. Dr. Christopher Hobbs covers making tea infusions, decoctions, tinctures, powdered extracts, creams, salves, and other products for daily use. You’ll find recipes for stress-busting, immune support, deep sleep, and much more. Illustrations and clear step-by-step instructions will guide you through delightful creations you can make right in your kitchen.
The Ginsengs: A User’s Guide
PDF Ebook by Christopher Hobbs, PhD
Of all the thousands of herbs used around the world for healing throughout human history, a handful stand at the top as cultural treasures and the most revered for a wide spectrum of symptoms and conditions. Of these, ginseng is certainly in the top five. Ginseng is used worldwide for promoting good energy, vitality, and for healing numerous conditions. This ebook reviews several kinds of ginseng and gives practical tips on how to use each one most effectively. If you haven’t tried a ginseng product, or you’ve only tried the dried root decocted in water, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the boost in energy you can enjoy, and much more.
What Graduates of Christopher’s Courses Are Saying...
“The course has been invaluable.”
I learned so much about the medicinal benefits of mushrooms for humans and the environment! I was able to immediately apply the information to my life. The course has been invaluable.
— Jamie, Bay Area, California
“Christopher Hobbs is a recognized master of herbal healing and plant medicine, and was readily approachable throughout the course.”
This course demystified the many uses of mushrooms for strengthening immunity (including fighting cancer), and as a vehicle for personal expansion and transformation. Christopher Hobbs is a recognized master of herbal healing and plant medicine, and was readily approachable throughout the course. Thank you, Shift Network!
— Gregor, Healdsburg, California
“This course has fueled an excitement for mushrooms that I have been sharing far and wide!”
— Michelle, Washington DC
“I thoroughly enjoyed this course...”
I thoroughly enjoyed this course and felt the material was well thought out. I also enjoyed that Dr. Hobbs included other research materials and additional tools to help with our personal research and growth.
— Alexsandra, New York City
“For me, the course was like a mystical journey into a magical world with Dr. Hobbs as an inspiring guide.”
As a result of taking this course, I feel much more confident about foraging for mushrooms. The information about the different characteristics of mushrooms and what to look for when identifying them is invaluable. The course was loaded with useful and applicable information ranging from foraging to preparing and using mushrooms as a food and medicine for body, mind, and spirit. For me, the course was like a mystical journey into a magical world with Dr. Hobbs as an inspiring guide.
— Paulette Angela Bennett, clinical herbalist, Qiqong instructor
“Dr. Hobbs is a wonderful and visionary teacher.”
Dr. Hobbs is a wonderful and visionary teacher. He presented the material in-depth and yet also simply and accessibly, which is quite an achievement. Highly recommend the course for anyone hoping to increase their knowledge of medicinal mushrooms.
— Cynthia S., Point Reyes Station, California
“Dr. Hobbs is very knowledgeable and an excellent teacher.”
This course was a wonderful quick dive into many different aspects of fungi. Nutritional and medicinal uses of mushrooms, what to look for when buying mushroom products, how to cook them, foraging for them in the wild, and general information about them as well. Dr. Hobbs is very knowledgeable and an excellent teacher. I absolutely loved this course.
— Danielle Caster, Woodland, California
“The course was very valuable.”
The course was very valuable. I will use it and share information with my students of food technology. Dr. Hobbs is an accomplished educator and teacher, and very easy to understand. I would like to be his friend and go pick mushrooms with him someday. It would be an amazing and unforgettable adventure for sure.
— Artur Gryszkin, PhD, DSc, university professor, Wrocław, Poland
Here’s What You’ll Receive
Seven 90-Minute Class Sessions With Christopher Hobbs, PhD, LAc
Experience a unique opportunity to learn from internationally renowned herbalist, acupuncturist, mycologist, clinician, and research scientist Christopher Hobbs from the comfort of your own home. Each class includes a streaming video option and will guide you to deepen your journey toward emotional wellness, psychological freedom, and lightness of spirit by understanding best practices for wise use of psychedelic mushrooms.
Seven Transcripts of Class Sessions
In addition to the high-quality videos and MP3 audios, you’ll also receive the entire class transcription after each session is completed. You can then review, print, and highlight the most important insights and practices you were given.
Exercises and Questions for Each Lesson
Between class sessions, you’ll have the option of completing related exercises, practicing new tools, and answering questions to accelerate your learning and integrate each lesson.
The Magic Mushrooms Course Bonus Collection
- Kava Medicine & How to Use It
2-Part Video Teaching From Christopher Hobbs - Handmade Herbal Medicines
PDF Recipe Book by Christopher Hobbs - The Ginsengs: A User’s Guide
PDF Ebook by Christopher Hobbs
An Unprecedented Opportunity to Join The Magic Mushrooms Course Online Training
We feel honored that Christopher Hobbs has chosen to partner with The Shift Network to offer this exclusive online training. This is a unique opportunity to learn from an internationally renowned herbalist, acupuncturist, mycologist, clinician, and research scientist whose powerful insights and pioneering work are helping us heal and awaken ourselves and our world.
If you’re serious about deepening your journey toward emotional wellness, psychological freedom, and lightness of spirit by understanding best practices for wise use of psychedelic mushrooms, then you owe it to yourself, your loved ones, and our world to take this one-of-a-kind training.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your own evolution, click the register button below to reserve your space now.
DISCLAIMER & INFORMED CONSENT
This course in no way promotes, condones, or facilitates illegal activity, and is strictly for educational purposes only. Please be aware that psychedelic substances still remain illegal in many countries. By registering for this course you are agreeing that The Shift Network takes no responsibilities for your actions. Please also be aware that this course is not a substitute for traditional psychotherapy or medicine; instead it is designed to provide education from our personal and professional experiences. If you are experiencing significant issues, please seek medical attention. We’re excited for you to join us!
Your Satisfaction Is 100% Guaranteed!
Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed! If you don’t absolutely LOVE The Magic Mushrooms Course — or don’t feel that it meets your needs — please submit your refund request form 2 weeks from your date of purchase and we’ll happily issue qualifying customers a refund.
More Praise for Christopher Hobbs, PhD, LAc...
“I highly recommend this course to anyone who wants an in-depth knowledge of herbal medicine and energetic principles.”
Thank you for a terrific course. I especially appreciated the organization of the material by body system and the holistic approach. The blend of lectures, slide presentations, and text provided a thorough, well-rounded, integrated course on herbal medicine. The lessons were very detailed and thorough, and I learned a tremendous amount. I highly recommend this course to anyone who wants an in-depth knowledge of herbal medicine and energetic principles.
— Julie Herzog, Elderberry Herb Farm, Sharon Springs, New York
“Thank you for creating this program!”
In the past, I never thought I’d do well with this type of program, as I prefer a classroom setting. However, once I saw Christopher’s presentation, I realized how in-depth and good this program would be for me. I have enjoyed each chapter and even though some is overview, I still learned more than I knew before. I have encouraged others to take this program because of the incredible instructional background and development, and how easy this is to fit into my current busy lifestyle. I am excited to progress onward through this study and know this work will lead me to more of what I like in the herb profession. Thank you for creating this program!
— Kelly Clonts, manager, Peachtree Natural Foods, Atlanta, Georgia
“I have explored many distance learning programs on herbs, and this course is far superior.”
I absolutely love this course! I have explored many distance learning programs on herbs, and this course is far superior. The material is presented so that it’s easily understandable with great references, making the information easy to retain. The course goes beyond theory, and presents practical information that you can begin using immediately. I am finally making my own herbal remedies that are benefitting myself, my family, and my friends. I would highly recommend Dr. Hobbs’ program to anyone interested in studying the wonder of herbs!
— L.M. Vellucci, martial arts instructor, Redmond, Oregon
“I highly recommend this course for anyone wanting to gain a deeper understanding of herbal medicine.”
The course has been an amazing adventure for me. There is so much information packed in a very organized way that builds from one lesson to the next. There’s an underlying theme throughout that helps one grasp concepts along the way. I especially loved the way that problems in each body system are addressed with well-defined herbal formulas that one can make. The information about the herbs themselves is invaluable, and I know I will be referring back to this course always. The course quizzes are a way to consolidate the information gained from each lesson, and at the end of each lesson one can continue with the additional projects listed, so the learning goes on! I highly recommend this course for anyone wanting to gain a deeper understanding of herbal medicine.
— Monique Portanger, registered and licensed occupational therapist
“Thanks to your class, I was able to get control back over my own health and the health of my family.”
I really enjoyed the journey. Your course is very well structured and practical. Thanks to your class, I was able to get control back over my own health and the health of my family. Everyone loves the new health-and-nature vibe in the house.
— Carine Namiech, Surfside, Florida
About Christopher Hobbs, PhD, LAc
Dr. Christopher Hobbs is a fourth-generation internationally renowned herbalist, licensed acupuncturist, herbal clinician, research scientist, consultant to the dietary supplement industry, expert witness, botanist, and mycologist with over 40 years of experience. The author and co-author of over 20 books, Christopher lectures on herbal medicine worldwide.
He has taught at numerous universities and medical schools, including Bastyr University and the National School of Naturopathic Medicine. He taught classes for over seven years at University of California, Berkeley, as a PhD graduate student in evolutionary biology, phylogenetics, plant chemistry, and ethnobotany, and also as a faculty lecturer. Christopher is currently teaching a fully accredited lab class in all aspects of herbal medicine as a faculty member at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is your refund policy?
A: Your satisfaction with The Shift Network and this course is our highest priority! We offer a satisfaction guarantee for a full two weeks so that you can try out the course risk free. The deadline to receive a refund is two weeks from your date of purchase. To request a refund, please click here to submit your Refund Application Form. Your refund will be processed within five business days and we will send you an email confirmation when your refund has been completed. However, we’d love to have a chance to address and resolve your concerns first. If there’s something we can assist you with, please email us at support@theshiftnetwork.com, and we’ll be happy to help!
Q: How can I reach Customer Support?
A: Please visit our Customer Support Center, where you should be able to find the answer to your question or the solution to your problem. And if you can’t, you can submit an online request form and we’ll get right back to you.
