PSYCHEDELIC FAQ’s
Elevate Therapy and Wellness
in coordination with an entheogenic church
www.ashleyevanstherapy.com
What is plant medicine and what is an entheogenic church?
Plant medicine has been used for thousands of years by indigenous tribes for healing and enlightenment. Plant medicine may include ayahuasca, peyote, and DMT (toad venom/bufo alvarius), among others These hallucinogens elicit a psychedelic experience for the user. Entheogenic means “God from within" and that certainly encapsulates this spiritual voyage that will leave you breathless with its beauty. Participating in an entheogenic service means that you are connecting with God from within and this is where your healing journey begins. This is a deep dive into yourself. "The most powerful 20 minutes of your life" is just the beginning. You will peacefully awaken and have no lingering effects such as a hangover.
Is it legal?
Psychedelics are currently Schedule 1 drugs and are not legal. However, Elevate Therapy and Wellness works in part with an entheogenic church for our ceremonial sacraments as part of our healing journey, which is given freedoms for religious purposes. Let me be clear, the 5-meo-DMT is not a "party drug". These spirtual healing ceremonies are conducted in a respectful conscientious manner and are taken with utmost seriousness and care. Entheogenic means "God from within" and so it is. This experience is as spiritual or religious as you can imagine. It is profound.
Is it toad venom or “shrooms”?
There are several different plant medicines available. At this time, I am only working with bufo alvarius/toad venom/DMT. Our shaman is trained in serving and dosage.
What is the difference between ayahuasca and toad venom and will I feel sick or nauseous?
The ingredient in ayahuasca is DMT. DMT, it is believed, is produced in the pineal gland of our brain and is also found in other mammalian brains. 5-meo-DMT, chemically very similar, but also with some key differences, is also produced by a toad in the Sonoran desert and its safely extracted venom is vaporized and smoked. Ayahuasca is a brewed tea that the user drinks and it produces a significantly longer experience (6-8 hours) vs. 20 minutes for smoking the vaporized toad venom. Ayahuasca has significantly more likelihood to induce purging. I am personally extremely prone to nausea but my discomfort was negligible.
DMT produces a more visual experience, while the 5-meo-DMT produces more of a perspective shift. For more info on the differences, check here.
Will I remember my Kissing the Toad experience?
You will remember parts of your journey immediately, but other parts will come to you later. The entire experience is sure to be something unforgettable.
Can I record it?
Yes, absolutely.
If I have a bad experience like I did on ketamine, will the experience still be effective?
You will be supervised in a safe, controlled, and nurturing environment. In my opinion, there are two potent features of the 5-meo-DMT/DMT psychedelic experience, each significant in their own right but in tandem, truly amazing! The first is experiencing an incredibly religious/spiritual transcendence which transports you to a place of love, “one-ness”, and connection. Suffice it to say that your personal journey will be the most profound experience of your life. The second is that it awakens new pathways in your brain disrupting long ingrained patterns of thinking and behaving and you will notice new thought patterns emerge in the following weeks and months.
Do I pick issues that I need to work through?
The most important thing is that you are calm, curious and open to the experience. The toad will take you where you need to go. We will be preparing with some therapeutic exercises for our own personal reflection leading up to the ceremony, and then post-ceremonial therapeutic integration work afterwards so that we can prepare our foundation so that we can receive maximum benefit from this groundbreaking therapy.
Is it like truth serum?
You most likely will not be shouting out confessions or “telling on yourself”. Regardless, you will be afforded privacy with the shaman and therapist to assist and support you. You will probably not be aware of how you acted until you see the video later. You may lie down peacefully or you may writhe around. One might describe it as a roller coaster ride to the moon, so if you move around, it would make sense.
How will I feel physically and how long will it take to wear off?
Your trip to space begins immediately. You will be transported to another dimension and lose most of your awareness for where you are On the chance you should feel sick or scared, we will be there to support you, but with the correct therapeutic preparation, this is not likely to happen. You will calmly awake as you begin to notice the music again. It will be hard to believe that it's already over. You may feel relaxed and a little dazed as there is so much to take in. The 20 minute psychogenic effect leaves as quickly as it comes on. You may want to lie there for awhile to bask in your sense of connection to the universe while you reflect in awe at your mind-blowing experience. You will be in a state of blissful relaxation.
How long do the effects last?
The experience itself is 20 minutes. Our weekend is designed to make use of the mental preparation and therapeutic post-ceremonial integration so that we can maximize the multiple advantages of this medicine. We do this by preparing ourselves to let go of the past, and by planting productive seeds to be sown in our new fertile field that follows.
Will I need a follow up session of bufo?
Highly unlikely. You may decide at some point in the future decide that you would like to do it again and go further, but one session has been found to be sufficient in most cases.
Do I have to talk about previous abuse that makes me cry?
No. You don’t have to talk at all.
Are there some really bad experiences recorded with other people? If so, what preceded the bad trip?
I might mention here that what might be interpreted as ”a bad trip" (writhing, moaning, or even possibly crying) isn’t necessarily a bad trip. In fact, it has no indication at all. I have heard of people who were shocked to see their video after having a completely positive and transformative experience.
Since I’m sensitive to meds, will we use a less potent dose?
Our trained shaman/medicine man (who also has a medical background) will determine the amount needed for your experience based upon his/her knowledge and training, and considering your height/weight and any medical conditions
Who would not be a candidate for bufo?
If you take an MAOI, this does not preclude your participation but please consult with us before registration. If you have been diagnosed with schizphrenia or have a history of psychosis, you are not a candidate for this therapy.
Is there anything I need to do to prepare?
Feel free to check out the TED talks and videos, Youtube videos of Mike Tyson or read any of the fascinating articles available on my website. I will continue to post links and updates.
Can I bring my sketchbook?
Yes, absolutely.
Do you have a question for us? Submit it here!
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