Are you planning on consuming a psychedelic medicine soon?
Worried about experiencing challenging situations during your psychedelic journey -- the so-called, but poorly named "bad trip"? What is a bad trip? You can think of it as something akin to a bad dream or nightmare -- or you can reframe it as difficult things you need to see to move past the trauma and onto healing and a better life.
Regardless of anything else you do, please remember that these medicines work best when you use them with intention. Recreational use (aka lack of intention) will not give you the healing results you seek.
2. Do Your Research on the Medicine. Each psychedelic medicine has its own characteristics, effects, and duration. Obviously, dosage also plays a major role -- so know the exact dosage of the medicine that you plan to consume.
3. Confirm the Medicine You Are Consuming. If you are sourcing the medicine from underground sources (the dark web)... First, you need to be aware there are many scammers out there taking advantage of the psychedelic renaissance. Second, you have to ensure that the medicine you received is actually the medicine -- and at the correct dosage you seek. Many psychedelics can be tested using kits purchased at sites such as BunkPolice.com or DanceSafe.org.
4. Clear and Prepare Your Mind. On the day of your journey, avoid all stressful situations and take time before the journey to settle yourself, calm your mind, and set up a positive intention for the journey. Meditate, pray, breathe, and relax before starting your journey.
5. Confirm that the Setting is Safe. For me, the best setting for a psychedelic journey is one that is cozy and comfortable. I want all the creature comforts around me, including soft pillows and blankets, pretty surroundings (bright room or out in nature); music; hydration. Some people also include photos and favorite knick-knacks.
6. Get the Music Right. Music can play a major role in the psychedelic experience, especially with psilocybin, where music is extremely enhanced. Everyone has their own opinions about the type of music that works best -- but my suggestion is to choose music you love and that does not have any negative triggers.
7. Surrender, surrender, surrender. It may take some practice, but perhaps the biggest tip for having a good and successful journey involves getting your brain to stop trying to control the experience. It's vital that you not fight the medicine's visions/effects... some of these elements may be disturbing, but they are temporary -- and essential to healing.
8. If You're Feeling Uncomfortable, Seek Assistance. One of the great benefits of consuming these medicines in a healing center is there are people there to assist you if you feel you are struggling in your journey. Having a sober partner or trip sitter with you if you are doing your journey by yourself is also a smart choice. Finally, you should have the Fireside Project on speed dial.
9. Stay Hydrated. Depending on what medicine you use -- and its duration -- you will want to keep hydrated throughout your journey. Drink moderately; just water or water with electrolytes.
10. Embrace and Accept. All psychedelic journeys have a flow -- from ramp up, to extreme experiences, to ramp down -- and the best mindset you can have is simply enjoy the ride! It may be a bit difficult, but as you are nearing the start of your journey, let go of all your expectations and clear your mind for what the medicine shows you.
Remember, too, that a challenging or difficult trip often leads to great benefits: emotional breakthroughs, new insights and thinking, and feelings of empowerment.
If you do have a challenging trip, you'll want to spend time afterward really digging into the journey -- and integrating the elements of what you experienced. For extremely challenging experiences, you may need to seek out the advice of an integration coach or therapist.
Some final excellent words of advice: "Surrendering to the medicine and to the experience can often be understood as letting absolutely everything go -- your identity, your awareness of who you are, your body, your sense of control. And it's true, letting go of some or all of these things is to surrender, and if that feels good to you, this can be an incredibly beautiful and life changing experience to have." -- Kerrie O' Reilly
Dr. Randall S. Hansen is an educator, author, and advocate, as well as founder and CEO of
EmpoweringSites.com,
a network of empowering and transformative Websites, including EmpoweringAdvice.com.
Dr. Hansen's latest book, Triumph Over Trauma, is available in paperback and ebook versions.
Dr. Hansen has been helping empower people to achieving success his entire adult life.
He is also founder of EnhanceMyVocabulary.com,
MyCollegeSuccessStory.com, and
EmpoweringRetreat.com.
He is a published author, with several books, chapters in books, and hundreds
of articles. Dr. Hansen is also an educator, teaching business
and marketing at the college level for more than 25 years. Learn more by visiting his personal Website,
RandallSHansen.com. You can also check out
Dr. Randall Hansen on LinkedIn.
