1. Morning Integration – Go for a Walk
Moving in the morning helps clear my mind of fog.
I [Floris] awake feeling groggy, with a slight headache pulsing at my temples – a common side effect after an intense psychedelic journey. After drinking some water and taking an aspirin, I start to feel more revived.
Knowing I’ve cleared my schedule today, I make some oatmeal with berries and coffee. I’m in no rush. My partner Lotte can tell I’m still processing and am not up for much conversation yet.
After breakfast, we leash up our dogs, Max and Saar, for a long stroll in the nature reserve behind our garden. The fresh morning air and movement help clear the fog in my head. I intentionally avoid looking at my phone or screens, trying not to overload my senses (and funnily enough, I also don’t feel any urge to do so).
As we walk along the wooded trails, fragments from yesterday’s trip float back to me. But I don’t cling too tightly to any particular insight yet. I know there will be ample time for integrating this experience in the days ahead. For now, keeping it light and grounded feels right.
When we return home, I resist any urge to make big declarations or changes based on what arose during the trip. While profound realizations surfaced, I’ve learned it’s best to let things marinate before acting rashly…
2. Staying Grounded – Do Something More
I meditate, allowing thoughts and memories from the trip to surface without attachment.
After the walk, I decide to spend time gardening and working on home projects. The light physical work grounds me without being too demanding.
As I’m pulling weeds and pruning plants, I enter a peaceful, meditative headspace. The simplicity of digging my hands into the soil feels soothing. I feel connected to the cycles of nature as I care for the garden.
Later, I do some meditative painting inside. As I apply a fresh coat of oker (orange) paint to a living room wall, I appreciate how psychedelics can make us see ordinary details anew. Everything seems to shimmer with added life and meaning the day after a journey.
I meditate alone, focusing on my breath and allowing thoughts and memories from the trip to surface without attachment. I feel present and calm.
The simple activities of gardening, painting, and meditating integrate me back into the routine of daily life, while still honouring the magical insights from my psychedelic exploration.
3. Integration Coaching – Talk With Someone
The lessons learned are solidified by talking through them with Lotte.
After gardening and meditating, I sit down with my partner/coach-for-a-few-days, Lotte, to discuss some key insights that emerged during my trip. She asks what the major takeaways were for me.
I tell her about realizing how many of my decisions are driven by fear rather than courage and self-trust. My trip helped me see all the moments I held back from pursuing dreams or expressing my true self out of anxiety about being judged or failing.
Lotte affirms how painful yet freeing it is to recognise our subconscious limitations. She reflects back on what she hears me saying about wanting to take more risks aligned with my passions.
“It sounds like the experience highlighted how you’ve constricted yourself, and now you want to live more fully,” Lotte summarizes.
I nod, grateful for her thoughtful perspective as I make sense of the journey. Talking through these revelations with Lotte helps cement the lessons learned.
4. Integrating Passively – Enjoy the Day
I journal before bed and unpack memories and insights from the trip.
I go for a long run in the dunes near our home to discharge some energy in the afternoon. The rhythmic movement allows me to absorb further and process the trip. I feel my clarity sharpen as I move.
When I return, I avoid having any alcohol, knowing it could muddy my still-sensitive psyche. Instead, I cook a vegetable curry dish from my favourite Ottolenghi cookbook (SIMPLE). The chopping and simmering is soothing.
After eating, I read the novel “The Experience Machine”, on how our minds shape reality. Immersing myself in related literature keeps me dwelling on psychedelic themes.
Finally, I take time before bed for journaling and write three pages unpacking memories and insights from the trip. Putting these reflections on paper cements the experience further into my consciousness.
As I drift off to sleep, I feel profoundly grateful for the journey and all it has shown me. With intention, I can nurture these seeds of wisdom in the days to come.
