🫠 Ask a Guide Anything

PRESENTED BY ALTHEA 🤝

Welcome to Tricycle Day. We’re the psychedelics newsletter that believes in free will. Which is why you’re reading this totally by choice… right? 🤔

Walk into any psychedelic space, online or IRL, and you'll hear passionate advocates for every molecule under the sun. Psilocybin purists. Ibogaine evangelists. Ketamine clinicians. DMT diehards.

Everyone's convinced their medicine is the medicine. So when you're considering your first journey (or your next one), it can be nerve wracking to make a choice.

We asked our network of psychedelic practitioners: How do I decide which psychedelic medicine is right for me?

Here's what they had to say.

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Legal psilocybin therapy costs $1,000-$3,500. And it’s worth every penny.

But for many, cost is the one thing standing between them and healing.

The Forward Fund exists to fix that. It pays for people’s journeys when they can’t afford to.

So far, it’s been funded by companies (all Tricycle Day sponsors, btw!) and individuals “paying it forward” after their own experiences.

Now that it’s managed by the 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Thank You Life, contributions are tax-deductible and (still) go directly toward underwriting journeys.

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Your body knows

Left-brained people, this might hurt. Many of our guides are begging you to trust your intuition instead of intellectualizing the decision. Angela Balboa puts it simply: “I personally believe that the medicine that you are intuitively called to is right for you. When you feel a full yes in your body, that is a great signal.”

Avery Collura suggests paying attention to your nervous system's response: “Your body usually knows before your mind does. Notice what brings an exhale and what brings tension. The right medicine, at the right dose, is the one your nervous system feels safe enough to meet.”

Mary Decker echoes the somatic approach: “Pay attention to your nervous system. Alignment often feels calm, grounded, and clear rather than rushed or pressured.” Clara Mackinlay agrees: “It's less about 'choosing the right medicine' and more about listening to what you feel drawn to.”

Don't make the decision alone

Intuition will take you far, but nearly every practitioner stressed the importance of working with someone who knows the medicines and your personal situation. Jonathan Schecter is blunt: “The important thing is to not decide alone. The right facilitator will work with you to help determine both the medicine and the dosage based on your nervous system, history, and current life context.”

Summer MacCool recommends working with “a qualified trauma-informed psychedelic integration specialist or licensed therapist trained in psychedelic-assisted care. They can help assess your history, goals, and readiness, and guide you toward a safe, aligned option, or determine if medicine work is appropriate at all.”

Kari Roe-LaFramboise emphasizes that “so much goes into this question” that “it would be a good idea to have a 1-on-1 discussion with a facilitator” who can consider your medications, health conditions, trauma history, support system, and available time. With so many confounding variables, sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know.

Intention > molecule

Several guides pointed out that focusing too much on which specific substance misses the point entirely. Bradley Cooke explains: “In my experience, the specific medicine is less important than the mindset and physical and social setting in which it is consumed. If those are optimal, the healing will be the greatest.”

Clara notes that “getting clear on your intention is often more important than the specific substance.” Scott Dean agrees, emphasizing that “choosing a medicine is less about what's 'right' in general and more about what's right for your nervous system, history, and intention.”

Wallace Murray reframes the entire question: “We start by not asking 'Which medicine?' but 'What are you trying to heal, and what risks can we not afford to take?'“. And right on cue, Ben Askins delivers the most provocative take: "Stop shopping for enlightenment like it's on aisle five. Don't pick the molecule; let it pick you."

Our take

Can we all agree now that there's no one “best” medicine?

And anyone telling you otherwise is probably selling something? K great.

That said, different medicines do have different strengths. Psilocybin has the most robust research for depression. Ibogaine has shown promise for addiction. Ayahuasca often catalyzes a sense of nature connectedness. LSD has a reputation for creative breakthroughs. 5-MeO-DMT tends toward ego dissolution and spiritual experiences.

These are oversimplifications, sure, and there are plenty of exceptions. But they're useful starting points. Couldn’t hurt to match your intention to a medicine that's been shown to help with that kind of work, right?

And if you’re paralyzed by FOMO with all the possibilities, remember… there’s always next time.

Got a question for our guides?

Reply to this email to shoot your shot. If it’s a juicy one, we may select it for a future issue.

Seeking more personalized guidance?

Our directory of vetted psychedelic professionals is a great place to start your search. Find a facilitator on Maria’s List.

UNTIL NEXT TIME

That’s all for today, Cyclists! Whenever you’re ready, here’s how we can help.

ONE CYCLIST’S REVIEW

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DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. The use, possession, and distribution of psychedelic drugs are illegal in most countries and may result in criminal prosecution.