🫠 Ask a Guide Anything

Welcome to Tricycle Day. We’re the psychedelics newsletter that collects emotional vocabulary like 90s kids collected Pogs. We just picked this one up… zenosyne (noun): the sense that time appears to be moving faster and faster. 😬

Microdosing can be a gentle teacher, but sometimes it stirs up emotions that feel pretty, well, macro. One minute you're going about your day; the next you're confronting grief you thought you'd processed or rage you didn't know was there.

Don’t worry. It’s normal. But knowing what to do with these feelings can make all the difference.

So for this week's "Ask a Guide Anything," we asked our network of practitioners: What are some healthy ways to work through strong emotions that arise after microdosing?

Here’s how they recommend using those prickly moments as springboards for healing and growth.

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Feel it to heal it

All our practitioners agreed strong emotions aren't problems to be solved but rather messengers to be heard. Jo Ross reminds us to "know that they are rising to be felt and processed, so meet them with gratitude and curiosity." Rather than pushing difficult feelings away, she suggests we "let them know they are welcomed and loved."

Amanda Schendel puts it bluntly: "You're not broken. You're defrosting. Microdosing can loosen the emotional freezer drawer, so when old grief or rage comes up, it's actually a good sign even if it sucks." The key, she says, is presence: "Don't bypass it. Don't be productive. Be present."

Joey Bothwell takes this idea even further: "Be with them. In real time. They are showing you parts of yourself that have been rejected and dismissed for too long. Ride that wave with the part of you you have been ignoring. You deserve your own presence."

Get your body involved

Many practitioners recommended moving emotions through the physical body, rather than just thinking about them. Monica Lebsock explains: "If emotion is energy in motion, then we need to bring in movement. It may look like lifting weights, running a mile, or dancing wildly in the kitchen."

Eliza Collins specifically recommends rhythmic movement: "Putting on some music and rhythmically moving your body is one of the most effective ways to process emotional tension. Things with a consistent beat, like EDM or drumming, actually help to regulate and stabilize the nervous system."

Oxana Kirsanova adds that it helps to “notice where the emotion lives in your physical body—look for tightness, heat, or tension—and bring gentle awareness there." She suggests various forms of movement: "dance, shake, walk, or stretch to help the energy move and release."

Create space for processing

Movement has its place, but so does slowing down. Mary Decker recommends "nourishing yourself with grounding food, skipping coffee, and creating space to breathe deeply into the emotion." She also advises being "mindful of your set and setting—avoid dosing on high-stress days or when overstimulated."

Journaling came up as a favorite tool for emotional processing. Wallace Murray notes that "stream-of-consciousness journal writing helps translate raw affect into language, which research shows dampens amygdala activity." Sara Call suggests "writing uncensored in a journal" as a way to help energy shift and move.

John Moos recommends a personal practice for emotional agility: "When emotions arise, practice this three-part process: 1) acknowledge, 2) pause, and 3) reframe." As he puts it, "You have to name it to tame it,” and reframing the experience lets you “shift from being the victim of your emotions to the creator of their purpose and meaning.”

Our take

You’ve probably heard that adage, “the only way out is through.” It may sound cliché, but what can we say? Clichés become clichés for a reason!

Notice that not one practitioner offered a “hack” for making difficult emotions magically disappear. Because that’d be missing the point. These tips are all about being with these feelings and embracing them as valuable signals from within.

Remember, if your emotions ever feel truly overwhelming or destabilizing, it may be wise to pause your protocol and seek professional support. But most of the time, these moments are invitations to go deeper and finally give those long-buried parts of yourself the attention and compassion they deserve.

Thanks to Kami G. from Salt Lake City, UT for submitting this week’s question. 🫠

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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.