Preparing for psychedelics
Why is preparation important?
The importance of preparation is to maximize the opportunities and benefits, mitigate risks and disappointments, and open oneself up to doing their work. Entheogens and transformational tools are what you make of them. The more you know about what you want, what you need to work on, and how to work in partnership with these medicines, the more you are going to get out of it.
Why does preparation matter?
Preparation provides you with the tools, skills, and practical knowledge to navigate psychedelic or transpersonal experiences so that you can get the most out of your journey. Preparation can help bring comfort, inspiration, support and deepen your experience in your journey which can help you to maximize lasting benefits. That said, no amount of preparation can fully prepare you for a psychedelic experience. Once inside, you will have to figure some things out on your own.
WHEN SHOULD i START TO PREPARE?
Once you decide to embark on a psychedelic journey the work begins. Even if your journey is months away, many people report the process began the moment they made the commitment. Pay close attention to any new feelings that might begin to stir up inside of you during this time. The things that come up prior to your experience can provide insight into what will come up in your journey and are a great opportunity to practice doing the work in real time. If you can, set an intention to be with them, to open to them and see if there is anything you can learn.
Entheogens are powerful tools for deep personal work and spiritual awakening. They are not cures, fixes, solutions, or panaceas. They can help you do the work but they will not do the work for you. A quality preparation and integration plan greatly increases the chance of creating lasting change.
be well informed
Psychedelic medicines provide an opportunity for deep introspection. They can open our awareness to higher truths, take us into an expanded state of consciousness beyond the material world, help us release blocks, create healthier connections, provide a reset and even serve a rite of passage.
To maximize the benefits and opportunities of a psychedelic journey, a person must be willing to face their shadows in order to discover the truth about themselves. It is through this heightened self-awareness that one can go on to develop a lifestyle of mind, body and spiritual cultivation to keep up their evolutionary momentum and achieve their heart’s desire.
helpful considerations:
Altered states and transpersonal experiences can be very uncomfortable and heavy.
The experience can be mysterious and confusing (similar to dream state).
Many challenging things could come up, such as repressed traumatic memories and deep-seated emotions.
Entheogens and most psychedelics are scheduled substances, and most of them are not legal in the U.S. and many other countries.
Psychedelic journeys can take you to the top of the mountain and safely back down again. It is up to you to do the work to integrate and learn from the experience.
It can be hard to relate to others after your journey. Individuals in your life who have not had these kinds of experiences may create a feeling of distance or even tension in your relationships.
Journeys can be expensive & time consuming, and may require an investment on many levels.
The experience may leave you in a space of deep contemplation, leading you to question things about your life or to changes or decisions you were not expecting.
select your experience
One of the first steps is to decide what avenue you wish to pursue for your experience. I cannot legally or ethically tell you what medicine or containers are right for you. I can however help you learn about the different options, accessibility to medicines, uses and benefits, contraindications that would disqualify you from a certain medicine, and the typical felt experience or personality of the medicine. It is up to you to do your own research and consult with others to ensure a good fit.
establish readiness
In the early stage of preparation, it is a good idea to consider all of the factors for readiness for the particular experience you’ve chosen. What steps should you take to get ready?
Here is a list of other questions you can ask yourself:
Have you done due diligence in your research and speaking with others?
Do you understand that the results depend on you and that you must do the work?
Do you understand the purpose, intake process, side effects and duration of the experience?
Do you understand how to engage this medicine safely, legally, and respectfully?
Are you of sound mind to consent to having a psychedelic experience?
what are your needs & intentions?
Identifying your needs, intentions, expectations and wants will help you set the stage for these things to materialize through your psychedelic experience. My job as a coach is to help you get as clear as possible about your intentions and possibilities. Knowing what you want to learn, discover, release, achieve, create or attract is easier when you know what you are looking for.
holistic preparation
There are many things to consider if you want to create lasting change. When it comes to psychedelics, there are many things to consider in order to set yourself up for success. Below is a holistic list of topics that can help get you in the right mindset so that you are mentally, physically and spiritually ready to go.
Mental:
Know your intentions and reasons for taking the medicine
Develop a curious-observer mindset
Prepare for discomfort
Be ready for your expansion
Limit exposure to toxicity
Engage your emotional work
Physical:
Medical Restrictions
Nutrition
Purify & Detoxify
Right Sleep
Right Endurance
Body Awareness
Body Relaxation
Spiritual:
Meditative Practice
Connection to Inner Guidance
Connection to Spiritual Purpose
Be ready for your expansion
Limit exposure to toxic environments
am I ready?
Yes and No. When it comes to psychedelics, you are never going to be entirely ready. The topics mentioned above are useful guidelines intended simply to get you in the right mindset. If you’ve taken the time to read through and consider them, that’s great! Ultimately it is about your willingness to step into the unknown and just be present with what happens. Once you are in direct contact with these powerful compounds, you, your higher self and that relationship will serve its purpose and take you where you need to go.
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