🫠 Ask a Guide Anything

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Sometimes during a journey, there’s a moment when everything seems to click. Call it an epiphany, divine inspiration, or a creative insight. Whatever it is, it’s earth shattering… or so you think. But when the dust settles, how can you tell if you’ve discovered something accurate and helpful, or if you’re simply seeing reflections of your own biases?

For this issue of "Ask a Guide Anything," we posed this question to our network of experienced psychedelic practitioners. Here's what they had to say about discerning truth from BS in psychedelic insights.

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Trust your body over your mind

Many guides suggest that true insights register physically, not just mentally. Angela Balboa explains that genuine truths "deeply settle in my body," while projections from the ego tend to stay "moving in my thinking mind and not settling throughout my feeling body."

If your bodily awareness is dialed, it can act like a compass. Carla Detchon suggests a practical approach: "When it comes to journey insights, I've found it helpful to trust but verify! How does the insight feel in your body? A warm glow versus a tight chest provides useful awareness."

MJ Wilt reinforces this idea, noting that "the body doesn't lie, and it's important to learn and listen to its language. Trauma can cut us off from our bodies, and psychedelics are particularly helpful in getting us reconnected to them."

Give insights time to integrate

Almost universally, our practitioners emphasized patience. Rushing to certainty about psychedelic insights can lead us astray.

"Take your time with the information that comes up," advises Eliza Collins. "Our impulse is often to try and make sense of things quickly. Slow down." Oxana Kirsanova echoes this sentiment: "First of all, you have to give it time. With time, everything starts falling into place and making sense."

This patience extends to decision-making, as well. Carla Detchon recommends "not making any big decisions for at least two weeks. In the meantime, sit with the insight, journal, and talk to trusted friends or an integration specialist." Joanne DeGarimore puts it succinctly: "The real insights tend to stay more relevant, resonate beyond the trip, and hold up under reflection. The rest often lose their weight in the light of day."

Look for expansion, not reinforcement

Many practitioners suggest that true insights expand your perspective rather than simply reinforcing existing beliefs. Oxana Kirsanova poses a reflective question: "Is this insight expanding my love, compassion, and understanding—or is it just reinforcing a belief I already had?"

This expansion often challenges rather than flatters us. Ben Askins offers a provocative test: "If your insight makes you the hero of the story, it's a hallucination. If it makes you the punchline, you're getting warmer."

The process of discernment involves holding insights "with an open hand," as MJ Wilt suggests. Zia Sichi recommends exploring insights from different angles: "Hold it with curiosity, look at it from different perspectives, explore what part or parts of you it is coming from."

Our take

The consensus among these guides (which we’d agree with, by the way) is that discernment is a product of proper integration. In other words, you won’t know for sure whether your insight is valid until the peak experience is over and you’ve put it to the test in the “ordinary” world.

But if you’ll indulge us for just a second… we can’t help but wonder, is there even such a thing as objective truth in these experiences? Okay, that’s a philosophical question well above our pay grade. But perhaps what matters most about these sorts of insights is what meaning you assign to them.

There's something empowering about recognizing that you get to be the author of your own narrative. In the end, maybe the most valuable truths are the ones that help you live with more presence, compassion, and authenticity—however you tripped upon them.

Thanks to Brandon S. from Fresno, CA for submitting this week’s question. 🫠

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UNTIL NEXT TIME

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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.