Halfway through my first real psilocybin journey, something strange and beautiful happened. I remember sitting on the grass, trying to describe what I was feeling to a friend. But the words refused to come. It wasn’t like forgetting a sentence — it was like the entire concept of language had gently dissolved. I looked up at the sky, and the colors were humming. The clouds weren’t just shapes, they were stories. Music wasn’t background noise; it was everything. I couldn’t speak, but I could feel, and what I felt was more profound than anything I’d ever tried to explain. It wasn’t logic. It wasn’t rational. But it was deeply real.
That moment stuck with me — because something in my mind had clearly shifted. The voice that normally ran the show (planning, narrating, organizing) had stepped aside. In its place was a sense of pure presence, an openness to experience that felt both ancient and childlike. It’s a sensation that many psychedelic users report: that something deep and intuitive comes online, and for once, our usual thinking patterns take a backseat.
You’ve probably heard it too — the idea that psychedelics “turn off” the left side of the brain and “awaken” the right. The left brain is all facts and figures, while the right brain is emotion, imagination, and insight. But is that actually what’s happening? Or is it just a poetic way of describing a trip? Today, we’re digging into the science and the mystery behind the so-called right brain awakening — and why it might feel so life-changing when it happens.
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Understanding the Basics: Left Brain vs. Right Brain
Let’s start by clearing up a common myth. The idea that people are either “left-brained” or “right-brained” is catchy, but it’s not really accurate. Yes, the two hemispheres of the brain process information differently — but they’re not in opposition. They’re teammates. And most tasks, from solving a math problem to painting a picture, involve both sides working together.
So where did the idea come from? In the 1960s and ’70s, studies on split-brain patients (people who had their brain hemispheres surgically separated to treat epilepsy) revealed some fascinating differences in how each side handled information. The left hemisphere seemed more comfortable with language and analytical thinking. The right showed more strength in spatial awareness, facial recognition, and holistic perception. From that, the stereotype was born: left equals logic; right equals creativity.
But modern neuroscience has moved way beyond this black-and-white division. It turns out that the brain is more of a conversation than a contest. Both hemispheres are involved in most mental processes — what differs is the style of processing. The left tends to focus on detail, sequence, and structure. The right takes in context, tone, emotion, and the “big picture.” They’re not enemies. They’re perspectives.
So when people say psychedelics “shut down” the left brain and “activate” the right, what they’re likely describing is a shift in emphasis. Under normal conditions, the left hemisphere often dominates — particularly in a society that values logic, order, and verbal communication. Psychedelics may soften that dominance and allow other ways of perceiving to shine through.
The Neuroscience of Tripping: What Do the Scans Show?
Thanks to modern brain imaging techniques, we can now actually see what happens in the brain under the influence of psilocybin — and the results are just as mind-bending as the experiences themselves.
Let’s talk about one of the big players: the Default Mode Network (DMN). This is a collection of brain regions that are active when you’re thinking about yourself, reflecting on the past, or imagining the future. It’s basically your inner narrator — the source of self-criticism, mental loops, and the constant “me, me, me” storyline. It’s very left-brain heavy in its function.
In groundbreaking studies by Robin Carhart-Harris and colleagues in 2012 and 2014, fMRI scans showed that psilocybin deactivates the DMN. The usual top-down control that keeps the brain organized and predictable goes offline. And when that happens, something incredible occurs: brain regions that don’t normally communicate begin talking to each other.
This increased “entropy” — or signal randomness — isn’t chaos. It’s flexibility. Suddenly, the brain’s communication becomes less hierarchical and more interconnected. New pathways light up. Patterns shift. And guess where a lot of those newly active areas tend to be? In networks associated with sensory processing, emotion, intuition — classic “right brain” functions.
These changes aren’t just abstract neuroscience. They match what users describe. Under psilocybin, the world feels more vibrant, more emotional, more alive. You may see music, feel colors, or understand emotions with a clarity that words could never capture. It’s not that the left brain disappears — it just stops trying to control the show. And in that space, a different kind of intelligence emerges.
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What the Right Brain Awakening Feels Like
If you’ve ever had a powerful psychedelic experience, you know this shift isn’t just something you read about in studies — you feel it. The change is embodied. It’s like the mind loosens its grip, and something softer and wiser rises up.
You may find yourself drawn to images, metaphors, or symbols. You might laugh or cry with no idea why — only that it feels right. Your inner critic goes quiet. Music may move you to tears. Nature might seem to pulse with meaning. These are all hallmarks of a right-brain style of perception: intuitive, emotional, nonverbal, symbolic.
Even time itself can feel different. The future and past lose importance. What matters is the now — the color of the sky, the rhythm of your breath, the way the trees seem to sigh in unison. It’s not about understanding. It’s about sensing. And for many people, that shift is deeply healing.
One of the most striking features of this state is the feeling of connection. Not necessarily to other people — though that can happen too — but to the world, to beauty, to something beyond the self. This isn’t the kind of thing your logical mind can explain. But your right brain understands it completely.
What the Experts Say — And Why They Sometimes Disagree
Some researchers, like Iain McGilchrist, have made a compelling case that our modern culture is dominated by the left hemisphere’s way of thinking — and that psychedelics might help restore balance. In his book The Master and His Emissary, McGilchrist argues that the right hemisphere offers a broader, more connected way of knowing, while the left tends to dissect, label, and control.
Under psychedelics, that balance shifts. The left brain steps back. The right steps forward. And for a moment, we see the world — and ourselves — not as objects to analyze, but as living, breathing mysteries.
But not everyone agrees this is strictly a “left vs. right” issue. Many neuroscientists argue that it’s more accurate to talk about brain networks rather than hemispheres. The brain is incredibly complex, and most meaningful changes under psychedelics involve widespread integration — a kind of neural symphony, not just a solo performance by the right hemisphere.
Still, even within that complexity, there’s value in using the metaphor of the “right brain awakening.” It captures something that feels deeply true — that under psychedelics, we remember how to feel, not just think. And maybe that’s what we’ve been missing all along.
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The Real Takeaway: It’s Not About Sides — It’s About Shifts
So, let’s boil it down. Do psychedelics really “turn off” the left brain and “activate” the right?
Not exactly. But they do seem to quiet the parts of the brain responsible for rigid, self-centered, goal-oriented thinking. And they do enhance communication across other regions that support emotion, perception, and creative insight.
In simpler terms: your usual mental traffic jam clears, and suddenly the backroads open up. Ideas flow. Feelings surface. Images come alive. You start to think — or perhaps more accurately, sense — in a way that feels freer, fuller, and more human.
That’s why so many people report feeling more artistic, more emotionally open, and more spiritually connected after a psychedelic experience. It’s not just chemistry. It’s a new way of relating to your own mind.
And you don’t need a full-blown trip to explore this. Even in microdosing, many users describe a quieting of their inner critic, a smoother creative flow, or a deeper sensitivity to beauty and emotion. These subtle shifts might also reflect changes in how different brain networks — including the hemispheres — are communicating.
If you’re working with psychedelics, try tuning into those shifts. Are you thinking in words or images? Are you focused on goals, or are you just experiencing? These are clues. And if you want to go deeper, try nonverbal practices like drawing, dancing, or simply sitting with music. Let your right brain speak in its own language.
Maybe It’s Not the Right Brain — Maybe It’s Just the Whole Mind Remembering
So here’s the thing. Maybe the right brain doesn’t exactly “wake up.” Maybe it never really went to sleep. Maybe what psychedelics do is give the whole brain a chance to breathe, to dance, to play.
In a world obsessed with answers, psychedelics invite us back into the mystery. They ask us to feel more than we think, to experience rather than analyze, to reconnect with parts of ourselves that have been neglected in the rush to know, do, and achieve.
So next time you journey — whether through a deep trip or a subtle microdose — take a moment to notice: what’s rising up? Is it logic, or something looser? Something more alive? Pay attention to the metaphors, the music, the strange beauty of your thoughts. That’s the right brain’s whisper. And it has stories to tell that no spreadsheet ever could.
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Reconnect With Your Right Brain – Begin Your Journey with Magic Mush
So, does psilocybin really wake up the right side of the brain? The answer, as we’ve explored, is both yes and no — and a lot more interesting than the myth suggests. While the left-right brain divide is often oversimplified, there is compelling evidence that psilocybin softens the brain’s usual dominance patterns. It quiets the Default Mode Network, reduces overactive self-talk, and invites more intuitive, emotional, and symbolic forms of processing to come online. In both deep journeys and microdoses, users frequently report heightened creativity, greater emotional openness, and a profound sense of connection. These experiences are not just felt — they’re also backed by real neuroscientific shifts in brain connectivity and entropy.
So maybe it’s not that the right brain wakes up as the left shuts down — but rather that psychedelics allow the whole mind to remember how to feel, imagine, and exist beyond rigid structure. In a society that often rewards only logic and productivity, psilocybin offers us something radical: a return to the raw, poetic intelligence within us all. By loosening our mental grip, it lets in a softer, more resonant way of being — one that speaks in images, intuition, and insight.
At Magic Mush, we believe in the power of this transformation. As the trusted source for premium magic mushrooms in Vancouver and education, our mission is to provide safe, informed, and stigma-free access to psilocybin for those ready to explore their consciousness. Whether you’re just starting to experiment with microdosing or you’re seeking a deeper psychedelic experience, we’re here to support your journey with scientifically backed information, expert-tested products like chocolate shrooms, and compassionate customer service.
We’re more than a shop — we’re a community. Our team is dedicated to helping you understand not just how psilocybin works, but how to use it responsibly to reconnect with creativity, emotion, and purpose. With discreet shipping, rigorous quality standards, and a library of educational resources, Magic Mush makes sure your exploration is as safe as it is meaningful. From first-timers to seasoned psychonauts, our door is always open.
So if you’re ready to explore a new state of mind — if you’ve felt the pull of something deeper, more expressive, and more alive — let Magic Mush be your guide. Visit our online store, sign up for exclusive offers, and step into a world of possibility. With us, your right brain doesn’t just wake up — it thrives.
