In recent years, there seems to have been a bit of an explosion in the taking of plant medicines and people going through the variety of ceremonies that comes with it, if done properly.
Heading over to YouTube and putting something along the lines of “plant medicine experience” and you’ll find a plethora of videos or vlogs from individuals that have gone through one of these to varying degrees.
Well, time for me to add to the collection of experiences and talk about mine in written format (though, you may end up with a video one day but no promises!).
This is what happened when I (unexpectedly) ended up conducting a plant medicine ceremony.
When To Take A Plant Medicine
First thing to cover here would be when and why should you take a plant medicine. Though natural in their sourcing and usually originating from many years of history and usage, one thing to remember is that they are a medicine, nonetheless. There’s an appropriate time and place for their use. You wouldn’t take another medicine, whether natural or pharmaceutical for the sake of it and the same principle applies to these too. The trigger for many is the want to deal with something that they feel is underlying within them.
This could be one of many things, such as:
- A way of thinking that they want to “solve”
- A trauma experienced in the past that they want to deal with
- Try and remove habits or behaviours that don’t serve them
- A feeling that something isn’t quite right with them
I’m sure there are a variety of others that could be detailed here.
Additionally, there’s a need to ensure that they are done in the correct manner. With varying levels of ceremony around them, you have to respect the medicine and the process. Whether this be it being correctly guided, making sure you have the right amount of time to deal with the aftermath or you’re in the right situation that will allow you to let it go. Ensuring that you know what the full things entails is key to its success.
Think of it like a fizzy drinks bottle. Throughout life, you’ve been shaking the bottle (traumas and other emotion damage) and the pressure has built up, getting closer to breaking point (disease). Finally, you release the lid (take a medicine) and it starts to spill out, relieving that pressure (healing). However, you have to prematurely put the lid back on the bottle (interruption of the practice), causing a mess and the pressure to not be fully released, leaving you partially healed.
Like any medicine, this is an acute way of dealing with something however, you need to back this up with a lifestyle change to incorporate the work to deal with what you have going on internally. If you don’t make the other changes that you need to incorporate, you will simply return back to the state that you are trying to recover from.
Which Plant Medicine I Took
There are a number of medicines that are marketed, with the most popular probably being ayahuasca. This though wasn’t what I took. The medicine that I was administered was hapé.
This is a tobacco based concoction of powder originating from South America (not that type of powder before you say anything!) is administered by blowing a small amount up each nostril before letting it take effect and you allow it to work its magic.
At the link above, there’s a great level of detail of how it works within the body but an overview of the main effects are:
- Clearing of the respiratory system – Helping to clear the sinuses and airways of any congestion.
- Enhanced mental clarity – It can heighten the senses and improve cognitive function.
- Purification – It is a potent tool for cleansing an individual and allowing a transformative process.
What Did I Know Prior
Prior to me taking this, I had had some exposure to the power of plant medicines and what they could do through a mixture of word of mouth and the various accounts I’d seen online, so I guess I was somewhat “tuned” into what could happen in general. As for this one in particular, I’d heard a variety of experiences, including what someone experienced the day before in the group that I was in.
Alongside this, I had heard other stories of when this had been given to others that I knew and the resulting experiences that they’d had, including what is known as a “purge”, which can come in many different shapes and sizes.
My last impression of what could be about to happen to me was about one minute before it was administered to me when I gave it to the person who was taking it at the same time as me.
What Was The Experience I Had
Wow! This was seriously a rollercoaster for me and one that I’ll never forget. However, it was an experience that was needed!
To set the scene, there wasn’t much preparation for this mentally. Whilst having a group conversation at a friend’s place, out of nowhere a pot of hapé was revealed along with a pipe. Without much warning, I was being requested to administer a dose for one of the other people and being asked if I wanted to have a go.
Admittedly, I was apprehensive but after seeing the person in front of me go very energetic and motivated, I was more keen to have a dose, hoping that I was going to have a fantastic drive home and crack on with a variety of things that needed doing.
Oh, how wrong was I?!
The first nostril was blown into and I was hit with immediate watering eyes, the burning sensation you’d expect from a powder being blown up there and a sudden hit of what you get from a stimulant drink.
Trying not to reel, I was had the second hit blown up the other nostril, trying not to breath through my nose as I came to terms with the feelings that were coming over me and not wanting to fill my lungs up with dust.
I managed what was maybe a minute whilst my senses started tingling, my mind buzzing, my nervous system feeling like I’d been plugged into the electrics and “lighting” up all over before my legs went shake and thought I was going down.
I was eased down to somewhere to lay whilst I continued to focus on my breathing, being told to try and down regulate as my body and mind went into a crazy spin. Round and round the room went, even with the eyes closed. I felt dizzy, spaced out and nauseous. Breathing was all that I could focus on and even that was a struggle.
Then came the urge to vomit.
I quickly got up, feeling like I used to when I was heavily drunk, where you can’t go in a straight line, your co-ordination is off and everything is spinning around you, whilst your stomach churns.
Even writing about it is making me feel a little off…
I fell down on to all fours and must have stayed in this position for what was 10-20 minutes (I had no concept of time at this point). Body shaking, struggling to keep my own weight up, I was wondering if I should force it to get rid of the urge to be sick or sit in the feeling.
Both options didn’t appeal to me. I tried to keep on top of my breathing, down regulating and accepting that if I threw up, it would come naturally. If not, so be it but this was a process that had to be respected and nature would take its course.
The only interruption to this part of the rollercoaster was when the other person who’d had it said they needed to rush off and use the motivation and energy they had gotten from it.
We were polar opposites in state! I was struggling to stand up without feeling like I was going to vomit and they were about to drive home to get on with what they needed to do.
Eventually, the stomach settled and I returned inside. I was also shivering heavily and need the warmth of inside.
I took a seated position against the wall and just focussed on the breath, staying in survival mode as I let whatever was going on internally unravel as it needed to, always reminding myself that I needed to trust the process.
As I sat with my emotions and let the body take over, it went into a state of trauma release. Luckily, I knew what this was when my legs started shaking uncontrollably, with no conscious thought. Allowing this to happen, these tremors moved to my hips and stomach.
I had learned previously that this is the body releasing trauma in a controlled way when it’s allowed to by “shaking” it off, which is usually something that we don’t do. For me, this time round, this came with emotions coming up and so started the tears.
It was hard to not get in the way of myself again. There I was, sat leaning against my friend’s wall in their family home whilst they are all next door sobbing hard whilst in the foetal position, legs and hips tremoring. A surreal but very cathartic moment for me.
The person who has commenced this journey came in and joined me, guiding the process once again by asking me questions about what was coming up. This allowed me to tune into the feelings attached to the emotions that were spilling out and start to understand what the internal had been holding on to.
Suddenly, I was having to rush back outside. This time, not to vomit, but to unleash one of the most violent and primal angry shrieks ever to come from my being. It needed to come out and I need to thrash around and violently let it out. A second shriek came out, stronger than the last and with enough force to bring me to my knees, arms barely to hold me up, as the sobbing returned.
As these emotions came out, what was attached to them came out with them. It brought up and out many things and connected a lot of dots for me that were being plotted as I went on the self-help journey.
I returned inside to continue the questions with my friend, guiding me through the emotions as they came up, piecing things together from my past. Once there was no more to give, I was left to sit with myself again.
Round two of the trauma release came and this time, it was more violent than the first. Starting the legs again, there I was tremoring from ankles to neck against the wall, again with no conscious control over it.
Again, the tears came and came some more until eventually I was empty.
The tremors stopped, the tears were done and I was exhausted.
By this point, about an hour and a half had passed and what an experience it had been. One that I am grateful for having the opportunity to experience it and the time taken by those around me to ensure that it was everything it need to be.
The Days Afterwards
The first thing that I wanted to do was to tell everybody about the amazing and life changing experience that I had. I wanted to share the power of what I had been through and what it had meant to me. I wanted to share with them so that they were inspired to start doing the internal work and consider delving into the plant medicine world.
Alongside this, for me, I felt at ease for the first time in a long time. My mind wasn’t racing, I wasn’t thinking of all these things that I needed to do, I was just wanting to connect with friends and people alike, sharing good times and the love for them. Something that we should all strive for anyway.
My mind being empty of all the typical worries of life was honestly sublime. It felt so good and I can see why people are drawn back to taking these medicines again and again, whether it be to deal with things and go deeper or to have that feeling of bliss afterwards.
It really started to open up perspectives about the world that we live in, the things that shape us and how we are disconnected from the human element.
One thing I distinctly remember was when driving around, I was didn’t want or need anything playing. No music or podcasts, just silence or wanting to call anyone and everyone to connect with them.
A really, really power experience.
Would I Take One Again?
After going through such a rollercoaster ride on a physical, emotional and spiritual level, I’m sure one of the main things you’re wondering, as it would likely influence your decision, is whether I would go through it all again.
Well, my answer to this for a variety reasons is…
Yes, definitely!
Why exactly? For me, it was a way to start the process of releasing pent up emotions that I didn’t even know were in there, some which I recognise were from years ago.
Then there’s the element of next time could be a completely different experience. I’ve seen and heard about three or four different reactions to this plant medicine so I’m intrigued as to how they can vary and what may come up during them.
Then there’s the topic of other types of plant medicines which I’m all for trying! With different active ingredients and energetics in each type of plant medicine, they are perceived to heal different things that may be troubling us and moving the mind and/or body in different directions to encourage the healing process.
That’s all from me on this one. If it was insightful, inspiring or you have your own plant medicine experience to share, drop it down in the comments below. Also, be sure to share it with others who you may know that could be interested in this story.
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