Into the Unknown?
Virgin voyagers come to psychedelic specialists for advice on what to expect. Break them in gently with a mock psychedelic ceremony
“Some people don’t know enough about set or setting,” says Dr Kyle Buller, while lecturing his Vital students on the reality of providing a psychedelic integration therapy service.
Edgelords like us might consider it borderline basic to bust out the tarot cards.
But this is the general public we’re taking out to the edges of consciousness here. It’s probably a good idea to ease them into the whole tripping thing kind-of gradually.
Kyle’s trade secret solution? A mock min-ceremony.
“You can run, say, a thirty minute breathwork session to find out what clients are comfortable with,” he advises the seasoned transpersonal therapist, cannily.
Sensing out what trippy vibes a virgin voyager’s into – and which they’re decidedly against – could make the difference between them bathing in transcendent bliss – or suffering a total bummer.
How much woo-woo does the client fancy during their experience on a scale of one to ten? Perhaps world music reminds them of their dad? Does incense give them a headache? “Some people simply don’t like those strong smells,” says Kyle.
And may their taste be better suited to a jungle retreat than a western clinic? All this even before we get on to the hugging or not thing.
“A set-up of a ceremony is also a good opportunity to show them how to breathe through difficulty, how to intensify the experience, how to titrate it”
Nervy initiates might just answer ‘I don’t mind’ when asked what their preferences might be, whether they’re deciding which exotic plant medicine to choose from, or how to set out their lounge before a Bloombox-style at-home medical experience.
But their subconscious might be more assertive, once unleashed. And decide it’s really triggered by classical religious music like an Arvo Part composition say, when you didn’t even twig it was a christian jam.
Or they may seriously not like being touched when they’re coming up, and dislike even a supportive pat on the shoulder.
“A set-up of a ceremony is also a good opportunity them show to breathe through difficulty, how to intensify the experience, how to titrate it,” says the seasoned transpersonal therapist and Vital course leader.
Easy on the sacred tobacco.