Psychedelic Sitting & Guiding Services: An Introduction
Psychedelic sitting services are intended as a scaffold of support upon which individuals undergoing a psychedelic experience may lean. Before the passing of Prop 122, Psychedelic Support Services were more or less relegated to places where people were already consuming the medicines such as shows and festivals. Now that the law has changed, we have the opportunity to create much more cultivated and intentional containers for a psychedelic experience.
These services provide a safe and conducive environment for individuals to explore their inner landscape and gain new perspectives on their lives. The goal of this project is to help individuals gain a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them, establish a connection to the sacred as defined by the Journeyer, and to provide a space to process and integrate the experiences.
Some of the most well-known forms of psychedelic sitting services are seen in festival medical tents and the Zendo Project. Generally, these services seek to reduce the negative impact of a psychedelic experience already underway. At Inner Guiding, we consider the experience at every stage and work together to not only create safety but maximize the potential benefits of any given experience. Working together from the beginning has obvious advantages over happening across a harm reductionist in the medical tent of a festival. Our work here can be much more specific and spacious than it may have been in the past.
Though both psilocybin and LSD have been shown to have therapeutic benefits, and have been used in research studies to treat conditions such as depression and anxiety, we do not currently work with LSD as it is not included in Prop 122.
It is important to note the difference between sitting, guiding, and Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy. Therapy is often directive, with the therapist acting as an authority on the experience whereas sitting is very passive, with the sitter often simply acting as a witness. Our method, Guiding, takes a middle way between these two. We act as neither Therapists nor Sitters. We are guides, people who have walked this landscape before and are here to support your safe journey and maybe point out some landmarks along the way. We do not and cannot do the walking for you but are here to encourage your own efforts.
When looking for a psychedelic sitting service, it's important to find a provider who is personally experienced in working with psychedelics and has a deep understanding of their effects. This is why we choose the guiding model. Some western therapists are currently being taught to facilitate psychedelic experiences while only having had one or two themselves. We feel that deep personal contact with the medicine is a crucial part of Guiding work. In the same way, a Wilderness or River Guide will need to be familiar with their terrain, Medicine Guides should know what it’s like to navigate the ascents and descents themselves. A personally experienced Guide will be able to offer insight and support throughout the experience, as well as provide resources for processing and integrating the experience afterward.
It's important to note that while psychedelics have been shown to have therapeutic benefits, they can also be powerful and overwhelming experiences. Approaching them with caution, respect, and reverence is necessary. We walk to this medicine as a climber approaches a rock face or a white-water kayaker approaches the river. We hold awareness of the immense power and beauty of these elemental forces and are prepared for the possibility of intense emotions and reactions.
Overall, psychedelic sitting services offer a unique and powerful way for individuals to explore themselves and gain new perspectives on their lives. With the guidance and support of an experienced guide, individuals can safely and effectively navigate their psychedelic experiences and come away with a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.
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