Plant medicine has been around for thousands of years and used to heal the human condition throughout the ages. The answers to most of our health concerns are all around us. It is our job to learn about the plants in our environment and how to use them to improve our health. In this introduction to plant medicine we will take a brief look at some of the plant medicines that we use on a daily basis to improve our health.
One area of plant medicine that has gained much more recent attention is psychedelics. As with most things in our modern culture things can be taken advantage of and the plant medicine world is no exception. In the right hands, with the right intentions and dosing plant medicine can be a powerful agent for change. In the wrong situation these powerful medicines can be detrimental to your mental health and spiritual growth. The first thing you need to know about this realm is that it is not a party drug. These are serious chemicals that can do real damage and should be treated with the upmost of respect and caution. If you do decide to go down this road you must know that it will not be easy, this is not something to add on to your vacation and it is absolutely not to be taken lightly. These are powerful mind altering medicines that if not taken or given responsibly can be very detrimental to your mental, physical and spiritual health. I can not stress enough the importance of taking this stuff seriously and respecting the power of the plant kingdom.
Micro vs. Macro dosing. There has been a lot of discussion about the importance and difference between micro and macro dosing. Research is showing that there may be more long term benefits, especially in the case of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and addiction, when a person micro doses the correct medicine over a longer period of time. The upside of micro dosing is that it usually does not disrupt your mental function to the point of interfering with daily activities. Macro dosing is taking the full recommended dose of medicine once you have fully prepared for the ensuing psychedelic experience. Macro dosing can be profound and life changing, it should not be taken lightly and only used for the treatment of critical mental health issues and only under the guide of a sacred plant medicine specialist or shaman. When macro dosing it is imperative that the patient do the required pre and post work for the medicine you are taking.
If you do decide to foray into the plant medicine realm, or you are working with a client who is considering it, there are a few basic rules that we think you should follow:
- Know your plant medicine guide. Do your research on the person and place you are deciding to go. When possible go to the origins of the plant medicine to partake in traditional ceremony with a true plant medicine healer. Real plant medicine shamans are generational herbalists, meaning they and their families have been doing this work for generations. It can be hard to tell the difference from the traditional shamans and the pop up resort style places that have great marketing so we advise you take your time, do your research, ask around, and most importantly follow your instincts.
- Research the plant medicine that you are called to do thoroughly and understand what effect it has on the body so you know you are taking the medicine that best fits your goals.
- Set goals and intentions for your journey and express those to your guide or other staff so that you can all work together to create the best setting and environment for your journey.
- Understand the importance of dosing and setting. The whole point of sacred plant medicine is to help you connect with the planet, understand your mind better and learn to listen to your intuition. So if at any time you feel as if you have had enough do not take any more, no matter what the preset plan was or what your guide is saying. You are ultimately responsible for you, and you are going to have to deal with the after effects so listen to your inner voice if you feel like enough is enough. Many of the new psychedelic centers that are popping up everywhere are serving medicine on a preset schedule as they are trying to see as many people as possible, do not feel obligated to follow the schedule as your needs may be very different from the person next to you. Also please know that when you step into this realm with other people you are opening yourself up psychically and energetically to everyone in the room, you can and will pick up emotional and psychic baggage from the people you are around so if you are ever at anytime uncomfortable with who is around you remove yourself from the situation.
- Pre and post work is critical to a positive outcome. In order to achieve the best results it is important to follow a clean diet and lifestyle at least two weeks prior to any macro dose session. This would mean an organic vegetarian diet for at least two weeks prior to your journey and refraining from the consumption of any other drugs, alcohol, medications, toxic relationships, or screen time
