Library & FAQ

Shared Knowledge and Information

Learn more

Plant Medicine Preparation and Integration

We have collected some resources, links, tips, and shared wisdom to support you on your personal journey. This Library and FAQ is a living collection, constantly evolving, changing, and adapting as we learn, grow, and evolve all together. It reflects knowledge and wisdom that has helped and supported us on our own journey - as facilitators and Community. If you would like to contribute and add to this living collection, please reach out anytime.

Is working with plant medicine the right path for me?

We can highly recommend to check out the “Going Deeper - A Guide to Working with Ayahuasca” from the Temple of the Way of Light to get an idea about the potential work. You can find it here.

Paying back - the Spirit of Reciprocity

Before you embark on your journey with any plant medicine and its respective human collaborators, we would like you to take a moment and reflect on reciprocity (AYNI in Andean Cultures). It is a vital aspect in healing all of our relationships with all that is. Do we take, do we give, do we find ourselves in a balance between the two? How can we give, before we even take? How do we relate to nature - our nature? What do we seek from working with the sacred plants, and how can we participate in a symbiotic, evolutionary process?

We recommend taking some time to sit with and/or contemplate these questions in whatever feels right for you. Any arising impulses, sparks, ideas or answers will guide you further into your journey of relating. Let these be your company on your learning path to becoming.

Choosing a suitable plant medicine

A highly recommended course for exploring plant medicine and psychedelics is the Doubleblind Course „How to use psychedelics“.

About the Course: "Curious about psychedelics, but don’t know where to start? With insight from the world’s leading psychedelic experts, we’ll teach you everything you need to know to get the most out of your journey with these powerful medicines. In this course, we cover how to choose the right psychedelic for you, where to access safe, legal psychedelics, how to integrate the key lessons of your trip once it’s over, and more. Psychedelics can be transformative, healing, scary, and downright magical—and while there’s no “right way” to do them, there are some harm reduction practices to ensure you’re safe and to maximize healing. Whether you’re looking to journey solo, with friends, at a retreat, or in a clinical trial, this course will help you every step of the way."

Based on DoubleBlind Magazin’s insightful work and the many years of experience deriving from the Temple of the Way of Light’s work, we share some valuable reflections with you here. We recommend setting aside some time for yourself in a quiet space to honestly reflect and journal your answers to the following questions. Whether you’ve attended ceremonies many times before or are preparing for your first experience, it’s essential to gain clarity about where you are in life and what your intentions are before embarking on this journey:

  • Why am I drawn to a plant medicine experience?
  • Am I willing to persevere and do the work if things become challenging?
  • What is currently happening in my life?
  • What is my intention for working with plant medicine?
  • Is this the right moment in my life to embark on this journey?
  • What deeply held fears have prevented me from pursuing my most cherished yet unrealized dreams?
  • Which aspects of myself—innocence, joy, power, trust, and spontaneity—do I need to reconnect with?
  • How do I handle change? How have I responded to major life changes in the past?
  • How comfortable am I with uncertainty, ambiguity, and the unknown? How have I dealt with such situations before?
  • What, including addictions, am I willing to release in order to live in alignment with my soul’s purpose?
  • What qualities in people or nature repel me? Can I recognize those qualities within myself?
  • What qualities in people or nature attract me? Do I see those qualities within myself?
  • What recurring patterns or dramas play out in my life? What do I lose from them, and what do I gain?
  • Am I willing to let go of these secondary benefits in order to live a more integrated and authentic life?

Now, when it comes to choosing your plant medicine, while research is valuable and we highly encourage it, the best way to decide is often by trusting your intuition. Which plant medicine sparks your curiosity? Which plant do you feel called to?

Finding a suitable Ceremony

If you decide to embark on a ceremonial journey, there are some important aspects to consider. The plant medicine has spread its wings and many actors are participating in the field. Not everyone can be recommended wholeheartedly. The dynamics and motivations, and hidden agendas we see in the world as a whole do not stop at the doorstep into the medicine world.

Laura Dawn, a seasoned explorer of psychedelics, consciousness, creativity and ceremony, has put together a comprehensive guide to vetting your facilitator for psychedelic journeys and sacred plant medicine ceremonies here: https://lauradawn.co/Vet-Your-Shaman/. To download the Guide, she’s asking for your e-mail address in return (from our perspective, it’s worth it!)

Some of the Questions you can ask your potential facilitator are:

  • How long have you been cultivating a personal practice with plant medicine?
  • How many ceremonies have you sat in?
  • How long have you been facilitating and leading other people in circles or ceremonies where you were the primary person responsible?
  • Over this period, how many circles or ceremonies have you facilitated?
  • How long were you assisting before you started holding space?
  • What was your training like? What did it entail?
  • Where did you train? With whom?
  • What type of difficult issues have you dealt with, and how did you handle them?
  • Who were/are your teachers?
  • Do you work with a particular lineage or tradition?
  • Do you specialize in leading ceremonies for one particular medicine or many?
  • Why do you feel qualified to lead other people through psychedelic experiences?
  • When did you know your were ready to start facilitating?
  • What did you learn while assisting in other ceremonies? What have been some of the most important things you have learned holding space?

Resources for Preparation

Intention

Consider: Why are you seeking this medicine?

Your intention is your mantra, focus, and thread to the material realm. It can help you keep focus while engaged with this deep work and is the most important first step of integration.

 

Developing and Fine-tuning Your Intention

Consider:

  • What do you need?
  • Where are you stuck?
  • What do you want to know about yourself?
  • Are you in a relationship that is causing you to suffer?
  • Are you looking for a resolution with something?
  • Do you need clarity?
  • Do you want to believe in something bigger or love yourself more?

Whatever your questions are, find the ones that are the most deeply present for you and write them down. Let them sit for a few days, perhaps on your altar and begin to feel into their potency. If you have a meditation practice, perhaps use some of your sitting time to reflect on your list of intentions.

 

Setting an Intention

based on the shared teachings from the Temple of the Way of Light

  • An Intention is putting in your side of the work
  • It serves as an Anchor in Ceremony
  • Helps with the Interpretation of your experience

Keep it short and simple

1) Verb
Show me, help me, teach me...
2) + Difficult emotion (e.g. Fear, Anger, Sadness, Guilt, Shame, Joy) or + Essential Quality *of Humanity, nature, the Universe* (e.g. compassion, love, forgiveness, peace, idealism, purity, etc.)

Check out the short Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0bpC6IbUwQ

 

Intention Object

Power stick, power object, wand, crystals, photos: Bringing something powerful with you to the Ceremony from home that you make while considering your intention can be useful to keep your intention alive and re-connect directly in Ceremony.

 

Meditation Practice and the Preparation Dieta

For at least two weeks before ceremony, it is vital to clear the mind and body of as many impurities, poisons, and intrusions as possible, so you may approach this deep work with your energy intact and strong. In addition, this will help your endurance for the long nights in meditation with the medicine. Please be mindful about your current health circumstances and reach out to your facilitators to clarify your individual constitution. Also be aware of potential contraindications.

 

Community

Begin thinking about your community: Do you have allies to share this work with? Do you have a coach or psychotherapist who is friendly with this type of work? Are your family and friends sympathetic to your spiritual process? If so, let those closest to you know that you are embarking on this journey. Ask them to hold you in their heart and/or to pray for you (or however you choose to express these requests).

 

Nature

This point is so important that it should be mandatory: If possible, spend time in nature. If you live in a city where nature is hard to find, research botanical gardens, greenhouses, and Zen gardens in your area. Take long walks in the woods, on the beach, whatever landscape calls you. This will provide your body and mind an opportunity to relax and help to establish a deeper connection to yourself, outside of the noise and movement of life. All of which is vital to setting your intentions and all aspects of preparation.

 

Post-Ceremony Planning

In planning your Ceremony, realize that you will be extremely open and sensitive in the days immediately following your experience. Try to build in some quiet time in a beautiful location, a nurturing/supportive Space or your cozy home.

Resources for Integration

What Is Integration?

Integration is the process of understanding your psychedelic experience and its potential significance in your life. It’s when you begin to feel inspired to make the changes you've been contemplating and when you bring different aspects of yourself together into a cohesive whole.

Many tools can support you in integrating your experience, including:

  • Spending time in nature
  • Journaling
  • A Pre-designed and curated Journal can be found here: https://www.wakefultravel.com/en-us/products/wakeful-integration-journal-preorder
  • Creative expression – Painting, drawing, writing, or music can help process emotions.
  • Gardening or working with plants – Tangibly connecting with nature.
  • Listening to icaros or music from your journey.
  • Mindful Movement & Dance
  • Meditation
  • Yoga
  • Prayer
  • Exploring symbols that appeared in your psychedelic journey.
  • Breathwork is a powerful way to explore deep states before and after a psychedelic experience. Be mindful of the intensity shortly after a ceremony. Breathwork also helps develop navigation skills essential for a journey, such as sitting with bodily sensations and allowing emotional release (laughter, crying, screaming, etc.).
  • Bodywork – Massage, somatic therapy, or other physical practices can support integration.
  • Integration coaching and/or therapy
  • Integration circles

And the list goes on—what matters most is curiosity.

Journaling Prompts for Integration

Immediately after your experience, try writing down your thoughts while they’re fresh:

  • What insights did the medicine bring you?
  • What are you feeling right now? Observe your mental and emotional state without judgment. Did you have any profound realizations? Maybe you feel called to quit your job and travel, or leave a relationship. These insights are valuable, but...

A General Rule: Avoid Major Decisions Right Away

Unless you are in an unsafe or harmful situation (such as an abusive relationship), avoid making major life changes within the first couple of weeks after your experience. Give yourself time to process before taking irreversible steps.

  • Trust that the spirit of the medicine is still moving through your heart and mind.
  • If the insight still resonates after some time, then consider acting on it.
  • Remember: The "death" of something in a medicine journey can often symbolize transformation, not necessarily an ending. Stay curious—what is working in your life, and what isn’t?

The Phases of Integration

1. The After-Glow Effect (A Few Days to Two Weeks Post-Journey)
This phase doesn’t always happen, but when it does, you may notice:

  • A lingering energy from the medicine.
  • A sense of awe and inspiration.
  • Symptoms you were experiencing before the journey may have significantly improved or disappeared.

What to do during this time:

  • Be mindful of not falling back into old habits (TV, junk food, substance use, etc.).
  • Avoid jumping straight back into stressors—some people plan a vacation or take a long weekend after their journey.
  • Start cultivating an ongoing relationship with your medicine experience. Integration is not just a set of tools—it’s an approach to life.
  • Use practices like journaling, music, and bodywork to stay connected to the insights from your journey. Schedule time for this in your calendar.

2. Three Weeks to a Month Post-Journey
Now, reflect on your progress:

  • How connected do you feel to your experience?
  • What lessons have stayed with you?
  • How much time and space are you dedicating to the integration process?

Helpful steps:

  • Continue journaling.
  • Consider joining an integration circle.
  • Stay curious—notice what emotions, patterns, or realizations continue to surface.
  • Recognize that integration is not linear. If your intention was to cultivate self-love but you experienced fear, be gentle with yourself. The experience gave you what you needed, even if it wasn’t what you expected.

Understanding Your Experience

Sometimes, what emerges in a journey reflects your intentions in unexpected ways. What seems unrelated may be deeply connected. This is where education, readings, workshops, or working with a guide can be valuable—others can help you see what may be outside your awareness.

A useful tool is RAIN:

  • Recognize what you are experiencing.
  • Accept it without judgment.
  • Inquire into its meaning.
  • Non-attachment – Let go of expectations about how things should be.

More Infos about RAIN: https://www.tarabrach.com/rain/

Healing Happens in the Body, Not Just the Mind

  • Practice body scanning—Yoga Nidra is a great way to develop this awareness
  • Treat your body like a map—what sensations arise? How do they relate to your emotions? You might want to try John Kabat Zinn’s Body Scan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15q-N-_kkrU
  • Try orientation exercises to ground yourself:
    • Look around your space—what five things do you notice?
    • How do they make you feel?
    • Observe your breath.
    • Balance being both an experiencer and an observer of your body. This takes practice, and a therapist or coach can provide valuable support.

Integrating a difficult experience

An incredibly rich and insightful resource for the integration of challenging experiences is the "The Challenging Psychedelic Experiences Project". We can wholeheartedly recommend the Project as a resource for guidance and orientation.

Additionally, based on Integration Expert and Coach Amanda Argot’s recommendations: https://www.amandaefthimiou.com/

Challenging altered-states experiences can feel overwhelming, but they also hold the key to deep healing and growth. Here's 10 tips for how to integrate these moments:

1. Practice Presence
Engage in grounding activities like deep belly breathing, humming, or nature walks, gentle yoga, and mindfulness to stimulate the vagus nerve and calm your nervous system, helping you stay connected to the present.

2. Talk to Someone You Trust
Share your experience with a integration coach, therapist, or ev trusted friend to help support and process your experience.

3. Set Healthy Boundaries
Give yourself time and space to integrate by setting boundaries with others, avoiding overstimulation.

4. Prioritize Self-Care
Take care of your physical and mental well-being through activities like light exercise, healthy eating, and most importantly, plenty of rest.

5. Address Difficult Emotions Gently
Acknowledge challenging emotions as they arise and approach them with kindness and patience. If they feel overwhelming, consider seeking support to safely navigate these feelings.

6. Reflect and Journal
When ready, write down your thoughts and feelings to process and understand your experience more deeply.

7. Engage in Creative Expression
Use art, music, dance, or other creative outlets to express and explore the emotions and insights from your journey.

8. Revisit Your Experience with Professional Guidance
If revisiting the details experience is necessary in order to move past the response imprint, do so with the guidance of a trained professional to ensure safe and constructive processing.

9. Stay Connected to a Supportive Community
Engage with a community that understands and supports your integration process, whether online or in-person.

10. Plan for Continued Integration
Integration is ongoing—continue to revisit and apply your insights, allowing them to evolve over time.

Mental Health & When to seek Support

For some, especially those with pre-existing mental health conditions or challenging experiences, returning to daily life can be difficult.

Spiritual Emergence vs. Spiritual Emergency

Some people go through a profound awakening, referred to as spiritual emergence. However, in certain cases, this can turn into a spiritual emergency—a crisis involving an extreme shift in consciousness that resembles mania or a psychotic break.

Signs that professional help is needed:

  • Not eating or sleeping.
  • Feeling disconnected from reality.
  • Making impulsive, risky decisions.
  • Experiencing paranoia, grandiosity, or persistent fear.
  • Expressing disturbing or delusional thoughts (e.g., believing they are a destined healer before integrating their own experience).

If you or someone you know is experiencing this, do not isolate—seek help immediately. Research shows that prolonged distress can cause lasting changes in perception.

Integration Is Essential

No matter how your medicine journey unfolds, integration is just as important—if not more—than the experience itself. The Ceremony and integration are not separate processes; they are part of a single, ongoing journey. Whether you're a seasoned explorer or just beginning, the work of growth, healing, and integration never truly ends.

Music Playlists (the ones we love)

 

Professional Integration Support

This is a small selection of trusted Practitioners from our Network. We invite you to always do your own research and feel who and what resonates with you at this moment in time.

Bodywork & Somatic Integration

Coaching

 

For very challenging experiences, check out the following:

Recommended Books

  • Brown, Michael. The Presence Process.
  • Pema Chodron. The Places that Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times
  • Joseph Tafur. The Fellowship of the River
  • Maria Papaspyrou, Chiara Baldini & David Luke. Psychedelic Mysteries of the Feminine
  • Alexander Beiner. The bigger Picture
  • Christopher Bache. LSD and the Mind of the Universe
  • Brain Muraresku. The Immortality Key
  • Michael Pollan. How to Change Your Mind
  • Stanislav Grof. The way of the Psychonaut
  • Bessel van der Kolk, MD. The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
  • Gabor Maté. When the Body says no; The myth of Normal
  • Don Miguel Ruiz. The Four Agreements

Magazines, Podcasts, Events and latest Research

Online Magazines

Podcasts

Events & Festivals

Research & Papers

Getting involved - a glimpse into Educational Programs

Education in Psychedelics and Psychedelic Work