Episode 76: 500 Miles on Mushrooms

In this mind-bending episode, I chatted with Dante Liberato, a former professional fighter turned endurance athlete, to discuss his epic 500-mile run while he took multiple psychedelics and what he learned about ego, achievement, and why the finish line almost broke him.

After working with a sports psychologist for years, Dante realized he was becoming a great fighter but not a great human. His head and heart weren't connected. So he sought out an earth-based therapist, and during his first intentional psilocybin journey he had a profound realization: he didn't want to be a professional athlete anymore. He wanted to help people find what he was finding in that moment.

Fast forward to the 500-mile run. Dante decided to take multiple medicines throughout his adventure to explore the intersection of psychedelics, athletics, and human potential. He used the medicine to access flow states, manage pain, and process the emotional intensity of extreme endurance. A documentary crew followed him. The project was meant to be inspirational, proof of human capability, of what we can achieve when we push beyond our perceived limits.

But here's where it gets real: as Dante approached the finish line, he felt something that you might be surprised to hear.

Now Dante wants to be a voice for a different kind of athlete, not someone chasing records or relevance, but someone moving together with community, caring more about the people you bring together than the destination you reach. His dopamine isn't chasing the next big project anymore. It's finding peace with what is.

This episode is about the paradox that psychedelics teach us: you are both infinitely special and completely ordinary. You are badass and you are nothing. And the duality of holding both simultaneously is where real wisdom lives.

A documentary about this journey is coming. But more importantly, a man who learned that the victory isn't in crossing the finish line, it's in who you become and who you gather along the way.

Listener discretion is advised: This podcast discusses sensitive topics, which may be sensitive or triggering for some listeners. I encourage listeners to engage mindfully and take care of themselves throughout the conversation.

Connect with Bijou

IG: ⁠@mushroommamasita⁠

Website: ⁠mushroommamasita.com

Connect with Dante

IG: @buffalowarrior

Website: www.Dante500.com