🫠 Ask a Guide Anything

Welcome to Tricycle Day. If we weren’t a psychedelics newsletter, we’d be a lego set instruction manual. All we want is to help you put the pieces together. 🧩

Everyone knows integration is important… even more important than the peak experience itself, many would argue. It’s practically a cliché in psychedelic circles these days. But what’s not always clear is how to actually do it.

So you don’t ever have to let another brilliant psychedelic epiphany go to waste, we asked our network of psychedelic practitioners: What's your favorite (or most underrated) practice for turning insights into lasting change?

They drop their best techniques and tips below.

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Have someone hold you accountable

Many guides stress the importance of not walking the integration path alone. Mary Decker says, "talking with another person is one of the most powerful integration tools. Speaking your experience—the sacred truths, grief, or breakthroughs—helps make them real and digestible. Sharing amplifies the healing."

Eliza Collins gets specific: "Having an accountability buddy is fabulous. And they're not just for keeping you on task; you can also reach out to celebrate your wins!" Ben Askins agrees and suggests being picky about who you turn to: "Find someone you respect who won't let you off the hook."

For those seeking more structured support, Mindy Tueller recommends "working with a coach. A coach who knows their stuff will be happy to work with you for 30 minutes or less. Coaching can be a few sessions, not a lifelong commitment."

Small changes compound over time

Many practitioners pointed out that integration doesn't have to be overwhelming. Katie Pickard says, "the real magic happens in the smallest, most overlooked areas. If the medicine told you to 'slow down' or 'keep it simple,' then start doing that in the smallest of ways. Your brain thrives on repetition and reinforcement."

Kari Roe-LaFramboise suggests "practicing the pause. Working on making space before reactions and automatic behaviors gives us the opportunity to build new behaviors and reinforce new pathways."

Joanne DeGarimore reminds us that "integration doesn't have to be hard; it just needs to be taken seriously during the first few weeks until a habit forms. Small but profound moments such as having your tea with intention helps you connect to yourself, which can be regulating and calming."

Plant reminders throughout your day

Creating physical or mental anchors can help insights persist in daily life. Kari Gregory recommends choosing "a physical object, something that can be kept with you as a reminder of the insight or change you want." After all, it worked for her: "I purchased a pair of earrings with a specific crystal so that when I look in the mirror or fiddle with them throughout my day, I am reminded of my why."

Brianna Benn-Mirandi takes a verbal approach: "I try to come out of my journeys with a mantra I can repeat to myself—a short, easy-to-remember 'summary' of my experience. These mantras carry personal meaning and bring back memories of the journeys they came from."

Our take

As with most things, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution to integration. But a well-balanced approach that includes physical movement (to ground and embody), a contemplative practice (to tune in and listen), and a community (to connect and share) will take most people a long way.

And a word of warning: Please, please, please don't rush into any major, life-altering decisions immediately after a peak experience. Let your mind settle. If integration is the life-long process everyone says it is, then don’t worry. You’ve got 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.

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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.