Love & Healing

25/03/2020

Currently, Earth is activating her defense mechanisms and — like a stern mother — putting our insolent asses in time out, so we may come face to face with the very thing we have been avoiding for so long: Our mortality. This is also known as “being grounded.”

Welcome to the “Corona Cocoon.

Yup. We are in the disintegration stage now where all the magic happens and the next chapter of our human experience can transition into the era of the butterfly; a being that is light, free, empirically exquisite and in service to others (pollinators).

Times of crisis bring a tremendous opportunity because there is a “pattern interrupt” to our collective, habitual ways of operating, most of which are heavily anchored in excessive consumerism, distraction and a relationship to productivity so unsustainable it has become violent, both to our own minds, bodies and spirits, as well as to the mind, body and spirit of our Earth. Which is — surprise surprise — a sentient being as well and has its own consciousness.
The Coronavirus is the great equalizer.

As the pause button on the rat race is pressed and so many things we take for granted suddenly withheld, the opportunity in the apocalypse reveals itself to those who are willing to detach from the panic enough to actually listen to a deeper truth that is emerging from the wreckage.

I believe, times like these are a collective wake up call to actively participate in our shadow work or be swept away by the darkness once and for all.

Read all: https://medium.com//what-psychedelics-told-me-about-the-coronavirus-730a4a6b9714

An Empowering Message to Humanity from Ayahuasca

08/08/2019

🌳 Healing Trees 🌳

“For me, trees have always been the most penetrating preachers. I revere them when they live in tribes and families, in forests and groves. And even more I revere them when they stand alone. They are like lonely persons. Not like hermits who have stolen away out of some weakness, but like great, solitary men, like Beethoven and Nietzsche. In their highest boughs the world rustles, their roots rest in infinity; but they do not lose themselves there, they struggle with all the force of their lives for one thing only: to fulfil themselves according to their own laws, to build up their own form, to represent themselves. Nothing is holier, nothing is more exemplary than a beautiful, strong tree. When a tree is cut down and reveals its naked death-wound to the sun, one can read its whole history in the luminous, inscribed disk of its trunk: in the rings of its years, its scars, all the struggle, all the suffering, all the sickness, all the happiness and prosperity stand truly written, the narrow years and the luxurious years, the attacks withstood, the storms endured. And every young farmboy knows that the hardest and noblest wood has the narrowest rings, that high on the mountains and in continuing danger the most indestructible, the strongest, the ideal trees grow.

Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth. They do not preach learning and precepts, they preach, undeterred by particulars, the ancient law of life.

A tree says: A kernel is hidden in me, a spark, a thought, I am life from eternal life. The attempt and the risk that the eternal mother took with me is unique, unique the form and veins of my skin, unique the smallest play of leaves in my branches and the smallest scar on my bark. I was made to form and reveal the eternal in my smallest special detail.

A tree says: My strength is trust. I know nothing about my fathers, I know nothing about the thousand children that every year spring out of me. I live out the secret of my seed to the very end, and I care for nothing else. I trust that God is in me. I trust that my labor is holy. Out of this trust I live.

When we are stricken and cannot bear our lives any longer, then a tree has something to say to us: Be still! Be still! Look at me! Life is not easy, life is not difficult. Those are childish thoughts. Let God speak within you, and your thoughts will grow silent. You are anxious because your path leads away from mother and home. But every step and every day lead you back again to the mother. Home is neither here nor there. Home is within you, or home is nowhere at all.

A longing to wander tears my heart when I hear trees rustling in the wind at evening. If one listens to them silently for a long time, this longing reveals its kernel, its meaning. It is not so much a matter of escaping from one's suffering, though it may seem to be so. It is a longing for home, for a memory of the mother, for new metaphors for life. It leads home. Every path leads homeward, every step is birth, every step is death, every grave is mother.

So the tree rustles in the evening, when we stand uneasy before our own childish thoughts: Trees have long thoughts, long-breathing and restful, just as they have longer lives than ours. They are wiser than we are, as long as we do not listen to them. But when we have learned how to listen to trees, then the brevity and the quickness and the childlike hastiness of our thoughts achieve an incomparable joy. Whoever has learned how to listen to trees no longer wants to be a tree. He wants to be nothing except what he is. That is home. That is happiness.”

― Herman Hesse, Bäume.

23/05/2019

How "Rainbow Grandpa" 🌈 healed his hometown

He's affectionately known as "Rainbow Grandpa" now.

05/04/2019

Do you want to learn more about the Madre Ayahuasca, the Mother of Plant Medicine?

Watch this short Gaia documentary (30 min) for free within 24 hours. A gift for you if the medicine is in some way calling you 😘

Journey deep into the Amazon rainforest to uncover the powerful effects of Ayahuasca 🐍 and its effects on the body, mind and soul. Discover why new findings in science and spirituality point to this sacred medicine as a tool for mental illnesses, offering therapeutic benefits and sparking life-changing events.

Journey deep into the Amazon rainforest to uncover the powerful effects of Ayahuasca and its effects on the body, mind and soul. Discover why new findings in science and spirituality point to this sacred medicine as a tool for mental illnesses, offering therapeutic benefits and sparking life-changin...

20/03/2019

Full Moon in Libra 🌕 during the Equinox
Lesson: To identify & correct your own imbalance in order to create harmony with others

💜 Equinox 💜

Having a Super Moon at zero degrees is extremely potent and represents a wave of new potential. The fact that this Full Moon also falls around the same time as the Equinox enhances this energy, and brings new beginnings and fresh starts.

The Equinox is not only the start of the astrological new year, but also the start of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere and the start of Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. This change in seasons causes a shift in the expression and flow of energy around us, and we can look to Mother Earth for clues on what direction the energy is flowing.

In the Northern Hemisphere, Spring is a time where everything comes into bloom. The bare trees begin to birth new leaves, and the flower buds that remained dormant all winter suddenly start to open.

Spring is a time where the energy is moving from an inner state to an outer state. There is a lot of outward energy guiding us and encouraging us to get out there and express ourselves.

Spring is definitely a season for new beginnings, for new growth, and for a fresh new start in our lives.

💜 Full Moon Ritual 💜

This Full Moon is going to supercharge us. It is going to awaken and revive us. It is going to help us find new inspiration and joy for life. We are going to feel a push forward, and we are going to feel excited about the journey to come.

This ritual is going to help you release the past and welcome in the new. It is going to balance your energy levels and make you an open channel so the lunar energy can shine down on you in all the right places.

💜 Libra Super Moon March 2019 💜
Time: 21 March 2019 at 02:43 AM
Distance from Moon to Earth: 366.652 km

This ritual is best done from March 16th-30th, 2019

You will need:

Smudging tool of choice
3 Flower buds or leaves
Bowl of purified water
Pinch of sea salt
1 tumbled amethyst gently cleaned (optional)
Candles (optional)
Directions:

1.) Begin by smudging your aura and surroundings. As you smudge your body be sure you don’t forget the bottom of your feet! As you smudge, recite the following three times-

“I cleanse and release the dense energy that flows around me. I cleanse and remove all that keeps me weighted. I release and let go of all pains and emotions that no longer serve me. I am light. I am clear. The energy around me flows with gentle grace. I am light. I am clear. My energy is restored and I feel renewed.”

As you smudge your surroundings, recite the following three times-

“I remove all stagnant energy from the past. My home is clean and cleared. A fresh new energy may now enter, one that is light and free. My home is safe and protected, I am happy here. Goodness fills every corner of my home, bringing abundance, prosperity, peace, and love. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

2.) Light some candles to set the mood if you wish. Have all your ritual ingredients in front of you for easy access. Hold your amethyst, if using, and sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and take 10 deep breaths in and out to settle your mind.

3.) Pick up one of your flowers, hold it in your hands, and recite the following or feel free to say whatever you feel in the moment-

“The past has shaped me, it has made me strong. I honor my past and who I have become. The memory from my past that stands out the most to me right now is (Insert whatever first comes to your mind). I honor that this memory came to me. I honor that it has something to teach me. I release it and let it go, I release it so I can grow. The time has come for me to move on. I thank the past, but now my work here is done.”

5.) Take a deep breath in and on your exhale, imagine you are releasing all of your past that you no longer wish to carry. If you feel the need, you can take more than one breath! When ready, place the flower into the bowl of water.

6.) Take your next flower and hold it in your hands. When ready, recite the following or feel free to say whatever comes to you in the moment;

“My present it is who I am. I love myself. I no longer have to accept things that don’t fill me up or make me feel aligned. I honor my responsibilities, but I also honor my heart. I am so proud of myself for (Insert proud moment here) but I also know I need to stop (insert here- go with whatever comes to your mind first!). Dear Universe/Spirit/God, please guide me to release this from my life. Please reveal to me the next steps so I can bring closure/healing to this situation.”

7.) Take another deep breath in and on your exhale, imagine you are bringing joy and healing into your life right now. If you feel the need, you can take more than one breath! When ready, place the flower into the bowl of water.

8.) Take your final flower, holding it in your hands, recite the following-

“My future is bright. My future is a dream come true. I ask the Universe’s help in bringing (insert) into my life. I ask the Universe to guide me to the steps I need to take in order to make this dream a reality. I trust that all I desire will unfold in the perfect timing and in the perfect way.”

9.) Take a deep breath and imagine you are sending your wish out into the Universe. When ready, place the third and final flower into the bowl of water.

10.) Take your bowl of water with the flowers in it and add the pinch of sea salt and your cleaned amethyst if using. Place the bowl of water outside or by the window under the light of the Full Moon for at least 15 minutes or longer. If you are placing the bowl outside, feel free to cover it.

11.) While you wait for your water to charge, follow my cosmic guided meditation or simply meditate on your own.

12.) Come back to your bowl of water. Holding it in both hands, recite the following three times –

“I am ready to enter into the new. Mind, body, soul is balanced. I feel aligned.”

13.) Take a sip of the water and feel the energetic effects soaking into your body. If your water looks a little suspect and you don’t want to drink it, dab the water over your third eye instead or gently splash it over your face. You can also do this with the remaining water as well.

14.) To close the ritual, take the amethyst out of the water and dry it off. Keep it by your bedside for the next 3 nights. You can keep the flowers till they are ready to be returned to the earth. S***f out your candles!

💜

Libra asks us to learn how to play well with others since it is the opposite sign of Aries, the child who focuses on putting their own ideas into action.

It’s worth remembering we need others if we are to grow our ideas into fruition. So this is the time when we realise more than ever that ‘no man is an island’ & invite co-operation from those whose skills, talents & strengths complement our own.

So if you’ve been trying to do everything on your own, (tempting with the Sun moving into Aries) you may have received warnings that this is not a harmonious way to create.

Being an air sign, Libra also asks us to rise above emotion, so we can discern the facts rather than getting lost in emotion & reactivity. So if you’ve been a magnet for drama of late, consider where & how you’ve fuelled that process by swinging emotionally between love & war, (the lesson of this polarity of Libra / Aries) rather than finding the centre point within & seeing the situation from a higher perspective.

💜 Self versus Other - Finding the Balance 💜

Libra full moon can bring our relationship issues, hopes & fears up to be discussed as it highlights partnerships (whether they be intimate, friendship or work partnerships.)

To harness this energy we can schedule talks so both parties needs are heard and considered and a plan agreed upon that creates win / win outcomes for both parties.

FYI Shadow Aries can have trouble expressing in words which can lead to eruptions borne out of frustration is one party feels misunderstood or fears their needs won’t be met if they aren’t as good at articulating them, like a young child having a tantrum.

This young child is a part within all of us, regardless of our natal birth co-ordinates so we do well to help our small self by ordering our thoughts by writing them down prior to trying to converse so we can represent ourselves fairly.

💜 Do You Have a Plan? 💜

I like this quote as it illustrates why so many people don’t take right action to make their dreams a reality – they lack a plan.

That said, we also need to be flexible enough to adapt if life doesn’t go according to plan.

As John Lennon said, ‘Life’s what happens while you’re busy making other plans’. So whilst it’s helpful to create a plan to build something we need to question the underlying motivation & review the plan if we’ve outgrown it.

For those who swing to the other extreme & fear any kind of plan as restrictive Libra full moon can evoke our inner Athena, the feminine archetype who governs the solar plexus (our rational self). She is the golden girl who helps us to achieve goals by starting with a plan.

By identifying a desired goal we can then work backwards & break the journey into achievable small steps so we don’t give up in overwhelm. Those who have a dominant third eye chakra (those who wear a lot of purple) can struggle with finding a way to shine their light in the world since this requires they develop this opposite archetypal energy in the solar plexus.

So if you find planning a challenge consider finding someone in your circle who finds that easy & create a symbiotic exchange... 💜

Via Moon Woman & Forever Conscious

06/03/2019

New Moon in Pisces 🌑 🐟

Time to Confront Your Greatest Fears, Wounds & Transcend Victimhood!

So you feel extra emotional or victimised by life in the lead up to this new moon – be careful not to curse your fate, as such an act will attract more of the same. Instead, bless the opportunity to experience yourself as patient, kind, understanding, wise or compassionate in the face of cruelty, injustice & hurt. This is the ultimate lesson of Pisces! When someone treats you badly, do not cast yourself as the victim / martyr or you will reap what you sew.

Pisces increases our subtle perceptions & our ability to read the signs to navigate the mystery of life. So this is a time to attune to our intuition & follow our subtle impressions more than ever! And if we feel slighted by another, retrace your experience to identify if flags were raised by your intuition as the lesson to be learned.

If we don’t want to re-live our past, we need to be centred in our wisest self in the present moment so we don’t repeat the past by speaking negative expectations & assumptions that will shape our future…but we also need to review our past to develop our wisdom.

So this new moon be very mindful of blessing any crises / opportunities that present, as a reminder that you have choice at every crossroads…everything depends on how you respond.

Via The Moon Woman

New Moon Ritual 📿
If you are interested in doing a full moon ritual, here is a nice article on how to prepare, create your sacred space, ground yourself and set intentions; https://www.thoughtco.com/moon-rituals-1725719

19/02/2019

Super Full Moon February 2019 🌕
Setting & Maintaining Sacred Space

As the moon waxes to full in Virgo you may be tested on your ability to set & uphold boundaries. This includes the sacred temple space that is your body, your mind, your energy field, your feelings, your home, your social media page, your garden or your working environment.

When we allow someone to degrade us or defile our space in any way we undermine our needs and rights as a sacred & sovereign being.

To maintain our sacred power we simply need to speak up – otherwise we become complicit through silence which erodes our essence, dims our flame & inhibits the further expression of our light in the world.

It is therefore of utmost importance that we are vigilant in stating our personal boundaries, educating those who are unaware of the effects of their actions upon us & where necessary, enlisting the support of intermediaries who can advocate on our behalf with those who continually threaten our right to sacred space.

🌕 How To Restore & Elevate Your Sacred Vessel
The more we create sacred space around us, the more we’re inclined to treat ourselves accordingly. So if you’ve been feeling dishonoured in any way by those around you – it may be a reflection alerting you to where you’ve been abusing or neglecting yourself by treating yourself as something less than a sacred vessel.

To reconsecrate your inner temple try doing the following:

🌕 Step One: Turn off all devices & then prepare by creating a ritual space by doing one or more of the following: lighting candles // creating an altar, flower mandala or crystal grid // cleansing with sacred smoke
// putting sea salt or rock salt & oils in the bath.

🌕 Step Two: Put on sacred music, such as tracks by Snatum Kaur, Lisa Gerard or Craig Pruess (available on You Tube or iTunes) & chant with the music to strengthen your energy field. Then anoint yourself with blessed oil or water with a self-blessing.

🌕 Step Three: Create an altar to anchor your dedication to honour yourself as a divine receptacle.

🌕 Step Four: Write a list of ways you will not allow yourself to be dishonoured.

Enjoy this Super Full Moon, Love, Heal and Honour yourself

11/02/2019

Healing yourself will ask more of you.. 👐

18/01/2019

👁 💙

11/01/2019

A fantastic relaxing song by Anugama, from the album Shamanic Dream 👁️

The Story of 'Shamanic Dream':

"In the 1980s, I studied scientific research about how music influences the human psyche. One of my favorite books was The Conscious Ear by French physician, Alfred A. Tomatis. From that book, I learned how the human child hears and relates to the mother's heartbeat in the womb. During this same period, I visited Hawaii for the first time, staying with friends who had just welcomed a baby boy into their family. One day while taking care of the infant, the baby grew restless and began to cry. I started playing a slow heartbeat rhythm on a frame drum. To my surprise, the baby started to calm down and stopped crying. This experience inspired me to compose slow, rhythmic heartbeat music that has a positive effect on our mood, energy and psychic well-being. It was the birth of my Shamanic Dream album. According to many testimonies, people the world over listen to this music to relax, even using it during labor and childbirth. To this day, Shamanic Dream is the most popular composition of my musical adventure." - Anugama

03/01/2019

“Psychedelics are illegal not because a loving government is concerned that you may jump out of a third story window. Psychedelics are illegal because they dissolve opinion structures and culturally laid down models of behaviour and information processing. They open you up to the possibility that everything you know is wrong.” - Terence McKenna

30/12/2018

All about Gong healing

29/12/2018

As we heal ourselves, we become healers of others and in so doing we heal the planet. Our stunning Mother Earth.

How beautiful is this work 🙏

28/12/2018

INTEGRATING A PSYCHEDELIC EXPERIENCE

It can be hard to wrap one’s head around a process that is multi-dimensional and so deeply personal. If we’re looking for total life level-ups using plant medicines and psychedelics (Ayahuasca, San Pedro 🌵, Magic Truffels, Magic Mushrooms 🍄, Iboga, L*D to name a few) as the catalyst for consciousness upgrades or personal healing, we need to dig deeper.

Integration is a word that should be synonymous with the psychedelic experience. Integration is the stage after we engage in medicine work, where we process the experiences that occurred during ceremony, or during a psychedelic experience, and translate it into actual changes in your life.

If integration means to move towards become more whole, it's important to take into account all categories that make up the totality of our lives.

And to ensure our integration process goes as smooth as possible after we finish dancing in the spirit world, we want to be putting as many pieces of the puzzle together during our preparation phase.

As for what these pieces of the puzzle are, great question... it's different for everyone as everyone has their own path, journey, healing to do, stuff to figure out... But generally - what does a totally holistic, extraordinary, inspired, empowered and integrated version of YOUR life look like? It's good to meditate on these questions during the preparation fase.

But then, after the medicine work or psychedelic experience - life can feel alienating.

Whether you had a profound mystical experience, deep lessons and new insights, a harrowing night of gripping fear, or just a lot of releasing and purging, something powerful happened and your consciousness shifted in some way. You’ve experienced a break with your ordinary understanding of reality.

And as a result you’re different.

You’ve changed, but it is not always clear exactly how or, more importantly, what that change might mean for your life.

Perhaps your worldview expanded, or your orientation towards life. Or maybe you experienced a change in your preferences, your feelings about things, or in your understanding of yourself. But the bottom line is something has unequivocally shifted.

Integration is the process of digesting that change and manifesting its fullest expression.

Anyone who has backpacked around the world or done extensive traveling knows that returning home can be a shock to the system. It can take months for you to adjust to being “back home.” You’ve had all these incredible experiences in that time and its changed you, but the life, the people, and the circumstances you’re returning to appear to be basically the same. They’ve been simply living out their regular lives. It takes time to adjust both the “new you” to your life and your life to the “new you.”

It is similar with psychedelic experiences.

You’ve gone on a consciousness world-tour or experienced eternity in a night, and now you’re expected to go back to the office on Monday and make small talk with co-workers? This can be very jarring to the psyche and sometimes results in quite a bit of emotional turbulence. Making your integration process a priority will help you to smooth your experience and integrate in a more conscious and intentional manner.

What does integration look like?

There is no formula for integration because it is truly unique to the individual, their particular psychedelic experience, and their intentions. Each person has different reasons for engaging in intentional entheogenic work.

For some, the focus is healing trauma or recovering from addiction.

For others its about spiritual awakening and expansion.

And for others its about growing and learning and experiencing the world differently.

Whatever your intention is for engaging with psychedelics in the first place, will have a big impact on what your integration process looks like.

Generally, integration is a gradually unfolding journey that for many people can take months to complete.

For some people doing deep and ongoing plant medicine work, their entire life becomes all about integration for a couple of years.

For others, particularly if they have experienced deep mystical states, it can be essentially a life-long journey. It really depends on the person and the nature of their experience.

Regardless of what your particular integration journey looks like, there are some practices recommended that can help you make the most of your enthoegenic or plant medicine experience.

Recommended Practices 🌱

First, approach integration intentionally. If you engage with the process as an active participant, you are much more likely to realize the transformational potential of the plant medicines or psychedelics. This means really reflecting on what happened, what it means for your life, what messages and guidance were received and exploring how to put them into practice in your life.

👁️ Give yourself time and space 👁️
If possible, do not return to your routine life right away. It can be helpful to have some time off between your entheogenic experience and your normal routine. Even a day of unscheduled time to yourself can be very helpful. Some time alone is very helpful here. Once you start talking about your experience with others, you are altering your relationship to it in some way. This is fine and normal but you will get more out of your experience if you have alone time to truly reflect on it and allow further insights to bubble up before switching to explanatory mode with friends and family.

👁️ Spend some time in nature 👁️
Some quiet time in a natural setting, connecting to the world around you, can be very helpful. It can be helpful for grounding and stabilizing your energy. Natural settings are also good at helping put things in perspective.

👁️ Allow yourself to learn how you’ve changed 👁️
Many people find they are drawn to different things or organically have different preferences. Your diet may change, what kind of substances you engage with can change, the kinds of people you are drawn to may change. Give yourself time to find out. Your body often knows before your conscious mind does so before engaging in your regular habitual patterns, check-in with your body and see if this still feels right for you. In some cases, you may find that it doesn’t.

👁️ Pay attention to your intuition 👁️
After a profound psychedelic experience you may find that you are more aware of your intuition. You got out of your ordinary linear mindset for a while, which helps you to tune-in to intuitive and unconscious communication. There may be a lot of wisdom and additional insights from your intuition so pay attention. Don’t just ignore it. You may find that as you are going about your day-to-day life, certain experiences are highlighted somehow. They stick out as if something beyond conscious awareness is drawing your attention to it. Pay attention and explore these.

👁️ Pay attention to your dreams 👁️
Dreams are a great channel for tapping into the unlimited creativity and intuition of the unconscious mind and beyond. They are psychedelic in their own right! You may find that there is a lot of processing of the psychedelic experience happening in your dreams. You can work with your dreams intentionally as well. Before you go to bed put some intentions into your dreams regarding your integration. If there is a lack of clarity regarding something that happened during your ceremony or psychedelic experience, ask for guidance. If you need helping grounding and balancing, ask for help with that. In the morning as soon as you wake up, try to recall your dreams and spend a little bit of time reflecting on them. Writing them down in a journal is a really helpful way to get the most out of working with your dreams.

👁️ Keep a journal 👁️
An integration journal can really help you to get a handle on the process and work through things as they come up. This doesn’t have to be a linear recounting of events. You can creatively express what is happening, how you are feeling, how your world is shifting. This is helpful in terms of integrating these shifts at a conscious mental level. Some people also find that artistic and musical creative expression is really helpful. This allows the non-linear aspects of your mind to process and express what’s happening as well.

👁️ Talk to people you can trust 👁️
Verbally processing what happened with a trusted confidant can also be very helpful. But make sure its someone that is open to hearing about it and will not respond with judgment or close-mindedness. Obviously its more helpful to share your experience with other people who have gone through it.

👁️ Start new practices 👁️
Because of the disruption of your ordinary state of consciousness, psychedelic and ceremonial experiences offer an incredible opportunity to make lasting practical and behavioral changes. There is a window of opportunity, before your brain gets back into automatic living mode, during which you can more easily institute new practices. These can be health practices, such as eating a healthier diet or starting a regular exercise practice, or be spiritual in nature, such as creating a routine for meditation, yoga, prayer, intention setting, etc.

👁️ Throw out old practices 👁️
Similarly it is much easier to get rid of old unhealthful behaviors and practices that no longer serve you immediately after a psychedelic experience. Everything is more malleable so make changes before things start solidifying back into a regular routine.

👁️ Get help if you need it 👁️
Integration can sometimes be turbulent. It may feel like your life has been turned upside down. If you are having trouble navigating the new you and your new world or find yourself unable to ground, reach out and get some help with what you are going through. If your ceremony or psychedelic experiences was facilitated, reach out to the facilitator for guidance. Or get help from a psychotherapist, a healer, or a spiritual teacher, ideally ones that are familiar with non-ordinary states of consciousness. There are also integration circles in some cities that are peer-facilitated meetings where people share their experiences with psychedelics. You don’t have to work through it alone.

Some Practices Not Recommended

⛔ Taking every vision you have in ceremony or in a psychedelic experience literally ⛔
It is best to treat them more like dreams in that they are providing symbols and communication that carry meaning but not necessarily the literal meaning that we think. It is best to explore these over time without attaching to your initial reaction. Often what that visionary experience means to you evolves over time. Don’t get attached to your initial reactions reached in the height of ecstasy.

⛔ Returning home and making dramatic life changes immediately following a ceremony ⛔
Give yourself time to put the psychedelic experience in its proper place in your life. Maybe big dramatic changes are needed, but give yourself time to stabilize emotionally and energetically first. And even then, give it some time. Your understanding of what needs to happen may change over time. Give it the space to do that.

⛔ Telling everybody you meet that they must take L*D or drink ayahuasca ⛔
This is a common impulse for people who had incredible life changing experiences. But remember, these practices aren’t for everybody. Some people have really hard times with psychedelics, even dark terrifying experiences. For others, such as those with serious psychiatric conditions, it can be dangerous. Recommending that everybody engage with psychedelics is reckless. Practice discernment in terms of who you talk about it with and how you talk about it.

In many ways the integration process is the most important part of working with plant medicines or other entheogens. It is where most of the work is done and where true transformation is manifested. To quote Jack Kornfield, "after the ecstasy, the laundry".

by Alex Theberge, MFT

Licensed psychotherapist dedicated to helping people integrate plant medicine and psychedelic experiences. www.transcendentcounsel.com

About preparation...

Preparation usually covers the specifics directly relating to drinking Ayahuasca, or any other psychedelic brew for that matter:

-Pay attention to contraindications
-Ensure you have the appropriate diet plan in place
-Set your intentions, and meditate on it daily
-Be mindful of set and setting