🫠 Ask a Guide Anything

Welcome to Tricycle Day. We're the psychedelics newsletter that must be true. We’re on the internet, and the internet never lies. 🙃

Psychedelics don’t just alter your perception of the present.

One of the many non-ordinary things about non-ordinary states is they can conjure vivid memories you’ve never been conscious of before.

Thing is, the brain is a phenomenal storyteller. As a historian, it’s mediocre (at best).

So for today’s newsletter, we asked our network of licensed psilocybin facilitators: What do I do with a memory that surfaces during a journey if I can’t tell whether it’s real? 

Here's how they break it down.

There are no stupid questions.

Especially not about psilocybin, one of the most enigmatic experiences a person can have.

So next week, we’re hosting Office Hours. It’s like college, remember? Except instead of cramming for a midterm, you’re learning about something that could actually change your life.

On Wednesday, join Martyna Skalna (care navigator at Althea) and Avi Zadaka (licensed clinical facilitator in CO) for an informal Q&A on anything you'd want to know before booking a psilocybin journey.

Best part is, you won’t even be graded. You’d get an A+ for effort though.

A memory may or may not be objectively true. But its veracity is almost beside the point. One of the first things Kate Schroeder tells clients is: “You don't have to decide whether a memory is historically accurate in order for it to be psychologically meaningful.”

To parse the meaning, it helps not to take everything you ‘remember’ at face value. Rachel Snitowsky says “psychedelic experiences can bring forward memories, symbols, emotions, metaphors, dreams, and sensations that all deserve our attention—but not necessarily our immediate belief. I think psychedelic interpretations work best when we aren't too literal.”

Char McKendrick thinks we can learn a lot from these visions either way: “Only you can determine where that memory ultimately lands for you. Whether it's a symbolic story from your psyche or an accurate recollection, both can offer valuable insight.”

One thing that is undeniably real, though, is the emotion that comes with a surfaced memory. So Masha Steiner-Renoir suggests focusing on what you feel: “Ask yourself: Do I often feel this way in my day-to-day life? When was the first time I remember feeling like this? Who was there?” 

Denise Vargas explains why these feelings are such a good entry point: “The practical target is the client’s internal reality: what their nervous system learned, how it is felt in the body, what meanings it formed, and how protective strategies show up now.” 

Ann MacKenzie sums up this philosophy well: “Emotional truth is not the same as historical fact.” And Monica Ramunda names a few things memories (real or imagined) might be signaling: “Sometimes what arises may be emotionally true—a fear, longing, wound, desire, or protective part—without being a literal memory.”

Whatever you saw, there’s no deadline to react. Clayton Ickes makes a strong case for pausing first: “Science has shown that the phenomenon of memory repression and retrieval is fallible. We simply cannot trust these kinds of memories to be accurate.” That’s why he cautions against rushing “to take action until more information can be gathered.” 

You also don’t have to hold the memory alone. Terry Turner’s first instruction is to find someone you trust and bring it to integration. From there, one question can help orient the next steps: “What is in this for my healing?”

The weight of what surfaced is a factor, too. Kate has thoughts on when to tap in an expert: “If the material feels significant—especially if it involves possible trauma—explore it slowly with a skilled therapist or psychedelic integration provider who can help you hold both possibilities.”

Thinking about training in psychedelic-assisted therapy? Numinus runs a free live Q&A called Info Friday where you can get your questions answered. Cyclists save 10% on any program with code ALTHEA10.

Separating fact from fiction can get pretty tricky when psychedelics are involved.

That goes for insights and “downloads” of all kinds, not just memories, btw.

Here’s a theory we think about all the time. Cognitive neuroscientist Manoj Doss once told us that psychedelics ramp up processing fluency. And when you process information more easily, it feels more like the truth (… even if it’s total BS).

So yes, if the mushrooms “reveal” to you that your childhood cat was actually a government spy, a lil' skepticism is healthy and warranted.

But hey, that doesn’t mean all psychedelic memories are bogus.

For example, this one time we remembered that we (and everyone else on Earth) are perfectly imperfect and there’s literally nothing we could do that would make us unworthy of love.

See? That one was true.

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

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

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here.

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.