This may explain the lack of effect indeed.
I did take what I thought was a fair dose but it probably wasn’t enough.
Also, I’d rather have them fresh than dried, tried both but I prefer fresh actually 
Yeah my stomach was empty cause the guy who gave that to us warned me and my friend that we should not it before that.
But yes next time I’ll definirely take a larger dose
I heard surroundings can play a part too. I was in an unfamiliar place with people I didn’t know very well, except for one. I mean, it was safe and they were really nice. But I guess I wanna try in my house, listening to music I like etc…
That is a good idea to do on your own but you will experience dying end of everything, you want the feeling to just go away, so it is best to have someone around who can be with you when it happens and assure you nothing will happen, you won’t die. Because at large doses it is very likely you will pushed to the edge and make you see things you don’t want to see.
I’m reading the book Abhichara and octopus happens to be a totem for more than one couple - Aryabhairava & Jaya and Kalagnibhairava and Kalagniraudri.