Guides

Classic psychedelics, dissociatives, MDMA, ibogaine and ceremony practices that aren’t psychedelic at all: how they differ and why it matters for safety.

What to ask a ceremony or retreat center about its facilitators, screening, group size, emergencies, aftercare, money and consent.

Whose traditions ceremonies draw on, what Indigenous organizations have asked of outsiders, and practical ways to take part respectfully and safely.

A day-by-day guide to the first week after a plant medicine ceremony: getting home safely, rest, food, emotions, decisions to delay, and when to get help.

What a San Pedro or huachuma ceremony is like: a long day, often outdoors, the common effects, altitude and other risks, and what to ask first.

How consent works when your mind is altered, what touch a ceremony should involve, how to set boundaries in advance and what to do if one is crossed.

The legal status and known risks of ketamine and MDMA, how clinic, at-home and ceremony offerings differ, and what to ask before you take part.

What an intention is, what research says about mindset before a ceremony, how to write one, and the expectations worth leaving at home.

What happens at a sound bath, what the research on singing bowls does and doesn’t show, how loud it can get, and how to pick a careful practitioner.

Ayahuasca and San Pedro (huachuma) compared: where they come from, how long they last, physical effects, medication risks, settings and research.