Please read thoroughly.
Practical Details for Ensuring My Safety and Well-being
The most common questions that we get here at QHHT Body Talk are about the practical use of sacred plants. Many people are already excited about the potential therapeutic benefits and but don’t understand enough about earth’s healing remedies to participate or create a safe home space for such therapies. Proper introduction to the use of sacred plants should be sought prior to any attempt to use sacred plants at any time.
Here is our short guide to practical considerations for proper planning and preparation.
Timing:
From preparation to aftercare, there are many decisions to make regarding the timing of a sacred plant ceremony/therapy. . It’s important to understand how long a substance lasts so that adequate time is allowed for the “come down” and integration periods. This is important for safety; if you are at an event and plan on driving home afterwards, you want to be safe to drive. However, the minimum time to sober up may not be sufficient for proper processing and integration. Giving yourself one full sleep period after a session allows the brain to turn short term memories into long term storage.
If this is a one time or first time experience, planning for more time before and after your session can help to manage set and setting, as well as leaving adequate reentry time. Leaving a day of rest and preparation before the session can calm jitters and prevent a hurried feeling around the experience. Maybe more importantly, make sure to include time for processing after the journey to integrate the feelings, messages, and themes surrounding the trip. If you are already mentally rushing back to your busy routine after a shamanic experience, then you may have already missed the point. Sacred plants increase neuroplasticity so setting aside time to contemplate the altered state, implement new habits, and discover new ways of being is essential for growth and benefit maximization.
Measuring:
Using some science to prepare for your sacred plant journey will help to avoid some novice mistakes. Because many substances for journeying are obtained off the black market the identity can’t be guaranteed. We do not recommend in any form or degree to ingest any substance where it’s direct origin cannot be traced. Our measurements and measurement suggestions are based on research, intuition, body weight, mental and emotional condition, intention and client participation.
Clothing:
Picking out clothing will vary based on your intended setting, however, some general rules apply. Most people prefer loose comfortable clothing because psychedelics are amplifiers and can aggravate any uncomfortable waistlines, straps or closures. Dressing in layers is helpful for regulating temperature that may fluctuate in unexpected ways. Even if you are warm-natured, don’t underestimate a substance’s ability to make you feel cold. It’s always a nice idea to have extra layers or a blanket handy. When experimenting outside, remember that there are potential temperature changes after the sun goes down or comes up and plan accordingly.
Shoes are an important consideration for the outdoor environment. Closed toed shoes can prevent foot injuries when you are stomping around in the darkness, woods, or jungle. Nothing ruins a festival or camping trip as quickly as stubbed toes or a twisted ankle.
Intention Statement:
Clarifying the intent, goal, or desired benefit will help to shape the psychedelic container. Generally, this work is done a week to several weeks before the sacred journey is taken. This predetermined statement can be read or meditated on the day of an altered state experience to facilitate a focused mind-set and establish the mood for the session. Intention statements are especially powerful for DIY trips where there will be no guide or shaman to set the tone of the psychedelic space. Whether at home or in a shamanic ceremony, preparing an intention statement is essential and serves as a grounding tool, point of reference and invokes a greater awareness of truthful personal accountability to commitment levels.
Supplies:
If you are planning on an outdoor setting or away from home rental, it can be rather uncomfortable if you skimp on supplies. A bare minimum is having an adequate way of being warm, plenty of drinking water, a bathroom (or accessible outhouse), and 1st aid supplies including a way to contact emergency services.
On the top of the list is first aid supplies. They can be as general as the little kits sold at most drug stores. Complete the kit with electrolyte powders(rehydration powder) to give in case of vomiting or profuse sweating. (**please note that ‘EmergenC’ powders are NOT electrolyte replacement powders and do not contain adequate minerals to correct an imbalance**). You can make your own by adding ½ teaspoon table salt with 6 teaspoons sugar mixed in 1 liter of water (WHO recipe here) Don’t forget the ‘art bucket’ (AKA puck bucket) to facilitate cleaning; it is also handy for carrying supplies.
For a healing, inner-work session consider bringing supplies to help you dive deeper into the altered state of consciousness. An eye mask helps to ensure an inward focus by eliminating the ability to focus on the visual world. Ear plugs similarly work to deprive the body of outside stimulation; additionally they can help reduce noises that may distract such as a busy street. Art supplies such as crayons, markers, or clay are great for tapping into your inner child, ensuring a way of communicating ideas even when writing has not yet come back on board.
Guide, Shamans and Support Team
A guide is someone who curates your experience and has a high level of influence over the session.First timers should have a support-person of some kind to reduce the nervousness. that can upset a balanced “mind-set”.
Consent:
When working with a support person, discussions about expectations, safety, and boundaries should take place prior to the day of the session to avoid setting an uncomfortable tone produced by difficult conversations. Topics that should be agreed upon with the guide or sitter include: intentions for the experiences, kinds of acceptable touch and unacceptable touch, if and what kind of recording will be done, and if the guide will be sober. While it is unlikely an emergency will happen, information such as emergency contact info, allergies, and medical conditions should be given to the sitter or guide in writing.
It never hurts to have a written agreement signed by the journeyer that they promise not to leave the space either physically or spiritually during the trip. While it sounds flimsy, our psyche has a way of holding on to our past-self’s judgement, keeping us in the container we have agreed upon.
Getting Home - Re-Entry;
If you are going to a retreat center that is out of the way or out of the country, you may need to make some decisions about how to get back to the airport or train station. After your psychedelics journey, choosing the easiest option such as a shuttle or concierge service may come with a price tag but will save you mental energy you may not have or use up precious energy you want to use on further integrating the experience.
Lugging bags on busses and in streets can strip away the afterglow that therapeutic psychedelic use is known for rather quickly. There is something to be said for facing struggles with a new perspective post ceremony, but it can also disrupt the imprinting of new neurological pathways by triggering old ones.
Contraindications:
Altered states of any kind can exasperate emotional and psychological instability. If you are in crisis consider adequately and honestly reviewing your readiness, discuss concerns with a practitioner and/or consider delaying use until such time that you feel grounded again.
Historically professionals do not recommend using sacred plants, herbs, flowers and other natural medicines if you have a family history of severe mental health problems. While that is changing, a DIY at home experience is not the best way to explore healing. There is a growing body of mental health professionals who can address extreem mental health cases with tools and support.
All ingested substances interact with medications and supplements. For example, MDMA, in combination with SSRI antidepressant, can lead to a rapid, synergistic rise of serotonin (5-HT) concentration, leading to the acute medical emergency known as serotonin syndrome. It's important to research drug interactions and speak to an informed physician about possible side effects.
As always, context and substance choice matter when making decisions around exploring altered states of consciousness. The longer and more intense the experience, the more preparation and integration needed. There is no such thing as planning the perfect experience, so try to balance the practical considerations with the understanding you may forget a detail and it won’t affect the outcome.
Our recommendations, suggestions and support does not replace the advice of a medical doctor. Connecting to your inner Sage is always suggested before proceeding with any organic, plant or substance ingestion as you may very well be guided to work together with a physician or other type of practitioner.
