Journey aftercare

A six-week guide for integrating your psychedelic experience

Dear journeyer,

You have undergone an intense experience which led you to be in an excessively open and receptive energetic state. It is normal to feel physically and/or emotionally depleted after a journey.

Many things have shifted in your system, consciously and unconsciously. New neural pathways have been made in your brain, literally – let that sink in for a moment! Sacred plants and fungi can be life changing, and integrating your journey successfully is the key to allowing the results to affect your future self positively.

Good aftercare is a crucial part of the journey to integration. The afterglow may last a few days or weeks, but sooner or later reality sets in, and old patterns and familiar habits take hold again. Without concerted, continued effort to ingrain emerging perspectives, the mind will likely revert to previous state of being. You find yourself now in sacred cocooning time.

Instead of questioning the depth of the experience or forgetting important parts of it, we want to help you to put conscious effort into continuing and deepening the work and finding ways to incorporate your discoveries.

Integration involves the practice of mindfulness and deliberate nurturing, aimed at translating the insights and revelations gained from psychedelic experiences into tangible, everyday life. This could simply imply introducing new healthy habits into your days, but it could also mean going deeper into revealed hurts or self-sabotaging patterns through somatic therapy.

We would like to share this aftercare guideline with you, in order to facilitate the grounding and integration process.

Let’s dive in! ♡


Suggested Guided Meditations:

After your journey

  • Refrain from coffee and alcohol for another week. This will have an enormously positive impact on how you integrate your journey and will prevent you from numbing what has arisen, to be able to work with it.

  • Stay quiet and introspective; don’t over-share your experience with loved ones just yet as you might lose some vital insights. Stay off your phone as you can.

  • Refrain from being with people from outside the medicine circle as much as possible.

  • Later on, be mindful about how to share and with whom – hearing someone who just doesn’t get it jeering at your adventure can damage the delicate seedlings planted in your psyche and the new neural pathways made during the journey. 🌱

  • Don't make any life-changing decisions the first few days, let the insights sink in first.

  • Hydrate yourself profusely with water and herbal tea. 1,5 to 2 L would be ideal.

  • Eat grounding foods. Root vegetables, beans, brown rice, nourishing broths, etc.

  • Take a long walk in nature, especially the day after. Bonus points: walk or stand barefoot on the earth or touch a tree for a few minutes. This article will explain why.

  • Listen to beautiful music. This playlist will do the trick, and I have many more on my Spotify account, so feel free to explore.

  • Journal! You will find writing prompts below that will help you reveal more insights.

  • Delve into your artistic expression. Make a drawing or a painting of your visuals or insights, or to translate what you are feeling. Don’t aim for perfection, let your soul speak.

  • If you have a bath, take one, ideally with sea- or magnesium salt. Or in the sea..!

  • You might book a relaxing massage.

  • Move your body in ways that feel nourishing. Stretching, gentle dancing…

  • Write down your dreams when you wake up to see if there are hidden messages in there for you. Sometimes the ceremony continues in your dream state.

  • Please enjoy some deep self-care and don’t rush back into your daily habits.

  • Please get in touch with us by voice note or text message if you have any doubts or questions after your experience, or if you are feeling a little off. We are here for you!

  • You might ask yourself how to navigate relationships after a transformative psychedelic experience, especially when our loved ones haven't shared the same journey? This blog post contains some advice on that.

‘‘Intentionality and integration illuminate and reveal what the subconscious works tirelessly to conceal.’’

– Terrence McKenna

Visionary artwork by Aphra Natley

In order to integrate the medicine’s lessons into your daily life and recalibrate your system after the intensity of the ceremony, it's essential to set aside time in the days after to ponder and metabolise the experience before diving straight back into your obligations. Give yourself as much time as possible to allow new perspectives to settle – the more days the better! If you feel you have miscalculated the length of your needed rest time, take an extra day off from work. You will deeply thank yourself for it.

Around 10 days after the journey we will contact you for a final 30 minute integration conversation via phone or video call.

Again, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us before the integration call if you have any doubts or questions after your experience. We are here for you!

Podcast episode suggestion: The Resolution of the Longing – Gangaji

JOURNAL PROMPT: ONE DAY AFTER YOUR JOURNEY


Through writing and making art, you will recover lost aspects of your journey, process deep emotions, and uncover what is really needed from you after a ceremony.

  1. Leave the next first page of your journal empty before continuing.

  2. Categorise your journey based on major themes. In your journal, write each theme on a page and leave 10+ pages free per theme. You are making chapters. This will allow you to process each theme as new insights arise. Don’t worry if things seem incoherent at first, just write everything down that comes to mind and heart.

  3. Leave pages in between for drawings of visuals you might have had.

  4. Some questions you might ask yourself to get you going:

    • Did I have any areas of difficulties, attachments, resistance that showed up? If so, what am I learning?

    • What insights, ideas, ways of being, opportunities did I experience? Were there visuals, symbols, or imagery? If so, what might this symbolise for me?

  5. Use the previously mentioned first page to try to boil down what the essence of your journey was in one or a few sentences – the key lesson. This may evolve over time as your integration progresses.

    • What themes am I noticing?

    • What are my biggest takeaways from this experience?

    • What is really needed from me in order to change?

We all carry the memory and wisdom of our ancestors, the memory and wisdom of nature and the mystery of the universe, the mystery of life. When we wake up to this memory, we remember who we really are and what our relation is with Mother Earth and the universe. We remember that we all are held in the hands of eternal love and that we all are one. And because we all are one with our people, our lands, with the trees, animals, with our planet and the entire universe, all of our relations become sacred.

Luz Ampuero - Peruvian Medicine Woman

Challenging ceremonies: finding meaning

In our experience, the most challenging ceremonies are often the most transformative. Even after having done years of extensive inner work, plant medicines can illuminate deeply repressed pains or self-sabotaging patterns that linger in the subconscious and within the body. As we ingest the medicine, our usual coping mechanisms fall away, revealing layers of pain, shame, guilt, or fear that we may have avoided for years, or even most of our lives. Sometimes, an issue we thought resolved resurfaces, showing a deeper layer ready for healing.

Though you may feel unsettled or confused right now, take heart—this is a profound opportunity. Something has risen to your awareness, inviting you to see it with love and compassion. A part of yourself that once had to hide for survival, most probably as a child, is now ready to be fully seen and integrated into the wholeness of who you are.

Any challenges that arise during your psychedelic journey come into your awareness solely to be felt, integrated, and transformed. Greet them with unwavering curiosity and compassion, giving them your full, loving presence. Without exception, you’ll find that behind every unpleasant sensation there lies an innocent part of yourself yearning for love, understanding, and wholeness. Paradoxically, the path to healing is in moving toward discomfort – this is the key to dissolving blocks and fostering true transformation.

In our experience, there are no “bad” trips, as even the most challenging moments can reveal profound insights and lead to powerful growth once fully integrated.

Now is not the time to numb yourself or seek distractions for temporary relief.

The real work begins after the ceremony. And you will get through this—faster than you think.

Suggestion guided meditation: A Practice of RAIN – Tara Brach

“Overcome any bitterness that may have come because you were not up to the magnitude of the pain that was entrusted to you. Like the mother of the world who carries the pain of the world in her heart, each of us is part of her heart and is, therefore, endowed with a certain measure of cosmic pain. You are sharing in the totality of that pain. You are called upon to meet it in joy instead of self-pity.”

– Sufi master Pir Vilayat Khan

1:1 SUPPORT

It’s important to understand that you don’t have to do this alone. If you feel like much has surfaced and you would benefit from more intense support and guidance after the ceremony, Andrea from Stellar Folk is available with Somatic Inquiry. We also heartily recommend the incredibly skilled somatic therapist Joella May and talented Aphra Natley for shamanic art therapy. Find more on the online 1:1 sessions page.

You are also free to find a local somatic / body-based therapist you resonate with. We emphasise on the word somatic (“of the body”), because this is where trauma is stored. With just regular talk therapy we stay in the analytical mind where our ego and coping mechanisms still run the show, and therefore, oftentimes, we don’t get to the root of an issue.

“Don’t turn away.
Keep your gaze on the bandaged place.
That’s where the light enters you”


Rumi

JOURNAL PROMPT: ONE WEEK AFTER YOUR JOURNEY


The following free-writing exercise will help you to move straight from your mind to your heart. Approach it as a stream of consciousness. It takes around 15 minutes.

Scan the list of prior writing prompts in your journal and choose one that stands out to you, or choose the one that scares you. Or choose the one that is easiest for you. You choose.

Put pen to paper on the page. Write the prompt down. Set a timer for 8 minutes.

Take a deep breath, and begin to write, never lifting pen from paper.
No editing. No crossing out. No looking up.

Stop writing the moment the timer has gone off.

Take a few deep breaths, and read aloud what your soul has spoken.

Repeat this exercise anytime you want in the coming weeks, each time picking a different theme from your journey.

Practices to cultivate on the long run

We would like to share with you this list of recommended practices that will truly help you keep the newly lit fire in your heart alive. Choose the ones that align most with your intention and your journey’s insights.

CONSUMPTION & HABITS

  • Consider quitting alcohol for a while. Alcohol is the biggest emotion suppresser out there and just so detrimental for your physical health. Give it a go and feel the benefits. This book might help.

  • Start paying close attention to your body when it comes to nutrition. Healthy food is like magic fuel for your sweet body. Simply cutting out sugary and processed foods and beverages will already make a big difference.

  • Limit screen-time. It can already massively help to have ‘‘no phone time’’ between 10 pm and 10 am.

  • Continue journalling – this practice can really help unlock all kinds of internal blockages. Approach it like having an honest conversation with yourself. Even just writing your daily feelings in one sentence makes a difference. When you’re looking for answers, you can repeat the free-writing prompt from above.

  • Sleep hygiene — try going to bed at the same time every night and take measures to prepare yourself for sleep.

  • Explore Staying in the Medicine. Staying in the Medicine means to begin microdosing after your macrodose experience. The benefits of this include; increased neuroplasticity, prolonging heart opening feelings and staying in integrity with your journey. Our friends at Fungki sell great prepackaged truffles from The Netherlands. With the code ANDREA1 they will give you one package for free with the purchase of any protocol.

MOVE & CONNECT WITH NATURE

Take care of your body. Leave your mind, get into your body, sweat it out and release.​​

  • Daily exercise — aim for at least 15 minutes of high-intensity or 45 minutes of low-intensity per day. Elevating your heartbeat will help you move stagnant energy in your body and produce endorphins and dopamine.

  • Join a yoga class. Yoga and meditation are just so good for the body and the mind. If you prefer to do yoga in the comfort of your home, there are loads of great free online offerings, like Yoga with Adrienne.

  • Join a dance class! Or find ecstatic dance events in your area to move your body. Highly recommended.

  • Find long-distance hikes in your area, pack a nice lunch and start exploring your natural surroundings.

  • Put your hands in the soil and plant a garden! If you don’t have a garden find a community garden, rewilding or regeneration project nearby.

STAYING CLOSE TO YOUR SOUL

  • Join a local meditation circle.

  • Definitely consider joining a women’s or men’s circle in your area. The power of sharing and connecting with peers through vulnerability is one of the biggest things missing in modern society.

  • Join breathwork events. A real easy way to get acquainted with breathwork is with Wim Hof’s free videos. When you’ve gotten used to the breathing technique, we can recommend this particular video.

  • Start volunteering at a cause close to your heart. It’s a bit of a cliché but absolutely nothing makes us humans happier than to contribute and help from the goodness of our heart. Try it, it will surprise you!

  • Join an art class.

  • Try activities and hobbies you haven’t done before or loved doing as a child.

In the days, weeks, months, sometimes even years after your journey, insights will continue to emerge. Following a journey, make time every day to reflect on your experience, and cultivate practices that support a healthy integration.

JOURNAL PROMPT: 6 WEEKS AFTER YOUR JOURNEY


Reflection offers a powerful moment to pause and witness our own growth.

Ask yourself: What has changed in my life (internally or externally) regarding to

  • my physical health?

  • my mental health?

  • my emotional wellbeing?

  • my relationship with spirituality?

  • my social life and community?

  • nature and all living beings?

  • [anything else that comes to mind]

  • Do some of the above answers align with the intentions I set at the beginning of this journey?

Now take some moments to honour yourself for where you are while looking forward to the future.

Write the following questions in your journal to answer in the coming days, one question for each day:

  • How will I celebrate myself?

  • For what am I most proud of myself?

  • What am I most looking forward to in my future?

  • Imagining my ideal future self, five years from now. What does that version of me look like? How do I feel, think, and act?

  • Looking back at my life from a future vantage point, what advice would I give to my present self?

  • How can I be in service to life?

Being spiritual isn’t about how psychic you are, the amount of crystals you have or how many plant medicine journeys you do. It’s about how much light of awareness you allow to shine within yourself. It’s about how kind, compassionate and authentic you are towards yourself and others.

Thank you

Lastly, from the bottom of our heart, we want to thank you for stepping into this adventure with us and for trusting us with this delicate experience.

Below, we've made a reading list for you in case you wish to delve into other inspirational material. On our instagram you will also find daily inspiration.

If you wish to support us, please write a testimonial of your experience that we can share on here (under a different name if you wish to stay anonymous) – this would be greatly appreciated. And of course, spread the mycelium word…! Most of the people that decide to work with us come through word of mouth.

We send you a warm hug and many blessings on your way,

Andrea & the Stellar Folk team ♡

Your testimonial

In your own words, please share what your experience with us has meant for your life.

Reading list (in no particular order)

  • “The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know Is Possible” by Charles Eisentein

  • “Spiritual Ecology” by Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee

  • “The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma” by Bessel van der Kolk

  • “The Time of the Black Jaguar: An Offering of Indigenous Wisdom for the Continuity of Life on Earth” by Arkan Lushwala

  • “Radical Acceptance” by Tara Brach

  • “Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We're in without Going Crazy” by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone

  • “How to Change Your Mind: the New Science of Psychedelics” by Michael Pollan

  • “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Toll

  • “A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose” by Eckhart Tolle

  • “Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants” by Robin Wall Kimmerer

  • The essay “Reclaiming our European Indigenous Roots” by Lyla June.

  • “The Great Cosmic Mother: Rediscovering the Religion of the Earth” by Monica Sjöö & Barbara Mor

  • “Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures” by Merlin Sheldrake

  • “If Women Rose Rooted: The Power of the Celtic Woman” by Sharon Blackie

  • “The Myth of Normal; Trauma, Illness, & Healing in a Toxic Culture” by Dr. Gabor Maté

  • “Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory” by Deb Dana

  • “The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate” by Peter Wohlleben

  • “Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet” by Thich Nhat Hanh

  • “Food of the Gods” by Terrence McKenna

  • “Happiness Beyond Thoughts” by Gary Weber

  • “Soil*Soul*Society: A New Trinity for Our Time” by Satish Kumar