🫠 Ask a Guide Anything

PRESENTED BY SCHOOL OF PSYCHEDELICS 🤝

Welcome to Tricycle Day. We're the psychedelics newsletter that’s got spirit, yes we do. We got spirit, how ‘bout you? 📣

You might know them as spirit guides, ancestors, or allies. (We’re trying out “wingmen for the soul.” Thoughts?)

Whatever you call them, the desire to connect with something greater is one of the oldest human impulses. And psychedelics have a special way of helping people experience these mysterious, benevolent presences.

So for today’s newsletter, we asked our network of practitioners: Who or what are these entities exactly, and how can I invite them into my experience?

Here's what they had to say.

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What’s in a name?

When it comes to defining spirit guides, our practitioners brought a range of perspectives. Wallace Murray explains that spirit guides “can be experienced as parts of yourself, ancestral presences, or archetypal allies.” Katie Pickard describes them as “your team of advocates, connected to your higher self, who are always conspiring in your favor.”

Kathy Gruver notes the split between external and internal explanations: “Some believe these are actually angels or ancestors who are with us all the time to help and protect us. Others believe that these are just aspects of ourselves that are coming forward in that external guise.” Sara Call adds that “they show up to you in forms that you will accept and resonate with,” whether that's Buddha, Christ, animals, or abstract energies.

Ben Askins cuts through the debate: “They might be ancestors, angels, archetypes, echoes from your higher self or the phenomenology of psychoplastogen activation in the central nervous system. Doesn't really matter what you call them.” The bottom line is, try not to get hung up on labeling. Focus on the support they offer.

Lean on ritual

To open the lines of communication, start with your preparation routine. Summer MacCool suggests: “Set a clear intention anchored in your highest good, create a gentle ritual (breath, grounding, small offering), quiet the nervous system, and listen for impressions, images, or subtle knowing.” Jo Ross keeps the invocation simple: “I call on all benevolent guides to assist me now.”

Creating physical sacred space can also strengthen your connection. Gerald Joseph recommends building an altar with “flowers and candles, photos of loved ones (including a favorite pet or animal), any object that deeply resonates with your current journey.” John Moos suggests identifying your guides beforehand and noticing “how you feel in their presence—calm, regulated, confident, safe, secure.”

Protection is important, too. Kiki Jacobson emphasizes preparing “your inner/outer landscape by creating energetic boundaries to protect yourself.” Charlie Giles adds: “Invite ‘only those for my highest good’ to make sure you are safe.”

Meet them halfway

Connection doesn't always look how you expect, so it helps to stay open to a different type of experience. Kari Roe-LaFramboise notes that spirit guides “may not come to you in an actual vision but maybe in the form of hearing a voice or feeling their presence. Sometimes you may just feel like you are having a conversation with yourself.”

No matter what form they might appear in, building a relationship with your spirit guides takes consistency on your part. Katie recommends starting with meditation, "where you visualize your higher self walking toward your team of guides. Practicing this several times before a macro journey can strengthen the connection."

Finally, Mary Decker reminds us that a psychedelic journey isn’t the only occasion to stay in touch with your allies. About asking for support from your spirit guides, she says, “Practicing day-to-day strengthens their presence; over time, their guidance becomes clearer in both ordinary life and the psychedelic space."

Our take

No one’s stopping you from inviting your spirit guides to the table. Or any other presence, for that matter. You do you.

But there’s a fine line between setting an intention and clinging to an expectation.

When you enter a journey with a rigid agenda of exactly who or what you want to see, you risk two not-so-great outcomes. First, disappointment when things don't follow your script to a T. Second, you could totally miss a helpful message or insight because it wasn’t what you were anticipating.

The most profound psychedelic experiences are ones that challenge our assumptions, not reinforce them. So stay curious and receptive. The medicine has a way of delivering just what we need, even if it looks nothing like what we wanted.

Thanks to Mary M. from Raleigh, NC for submitting this week’s question. 🫠

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.