How to prepare for a psilocybin ceremony
Preparation is probably the single most important step towards a psilocybin ceremony that is both safe and worth doing. Here is what that involves.
The days before: rest and food
Arrive rested and reasonably well. Leave alcohol, drugs and caffeine alone from 48 hours beforehand, coffee included. Eat lightly and sensibly in the days before, and get enough sleep. Why that window is 48 hours rather than one evening is explained under truffles and alcohol.
Decide on your intention
Give some thought to why you want to do this. A clear intention or question gives the day direction. It does not have to be grand. Sometimes it is simply the wish to unwind, to let go of something, or to get clearer about one thing in particular.
What an intention is not is a target. People who arrive determined to reach a specific insight tend to spend the day pushing against what is actually there.
Mental preparation: set
Your state of mind, your set, has a large influence on the experience. Try to come with openness and some trust, without forcing a particular outcome. If you are nervous, that is normal and not a reason to cancel. Say so during the intake call; it is useful for us to know.
Practical: what to bring
- Comfortable clothing you feel at ease in
- An eye mask and earplugs, if you like those
- A bottle of water
- Something personal that means something to you, if you want
If you are travelling here
Most of our private bookings now come from outside the Netherlands, so this part matters. Book the night before and the night after near the practice rather than in Amsterdam, wait for the intake call before you book a flight, and do not plan to fly out the same evening: the day runs until roughly 20:00. The practical side, including the hotels people tend to use and the fact that we collect you if you are nearby, is under coming here from abroad.
What we arrange for you
You are not doing this on your own. The intake call prepares you, and on the day there is a quiet room, drinks, fresh fruit, facilitators present throughout and a prepared meal afterwards. How the day itself runs is set out under what to expect from a psilocybin ceremony.