I’ve been working within this space healing work for 20 years – part of Integrative Coaching for close to 10 and within the realm of Plant Medicine Integration for 2 years. I have personally experienced the incredible power each hold within my life and have seen it positively affect the lives of many others. In my last post, I shared with you what Integrative Coaching is. I now want to share another piece of what it is that I share with others through Plant Medicine Integration.
The following are many FAQ I receive on Plant Medicine. Please know that every person’s experience is different, and each experience itself is different. So much depends upon your current energetic and emotional state. After reading, I would love to know your thoughts and what questions you have!
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What is Plant Medicine?
Plant medicines are a healing tool, used by Shamans and indigenous healers to access different states of consciousness wherein they believe they are able to heal the body and/or mind from illness and disease. The reason for the moniker ‘plant medicines’ is that they are generally made of plant-based materials, as in the case of Peyote (cactus), San Pedro (cactus), Ayahuasca (vine), Psilocybin (mushrooms), Iboga (shrub).
There are many terms used to refer to plant medicine. Here are some of the more common terms and descriptions:
- Entheogens, meaning ‘generating the divine within’, and refers to any psychoactive drugs when used for their religious or spiritual effects.
- Psychotropics, which includes any substance which is mood- or mind-altering. This isn’t the best description as Xanax, a well-known mood-altering pill, has little or nothing to do with an experience like Ayahuasca.
- Hallucinogens, which is any drug that causes hallucination. Although this isn’t quite the appropriate term, as sacred plant medicines are used ritually and serve serious healing purpose for indigenous folks who do not depend on allopathic medicine. Sacred plant medicine has nothing to do with LSD or DMT.
- Plant Medicine, which is the easiest term to use overall, because it encompasses both the healing and organic nature of the experience.
Is it a drug?
Yes, because it is at least slightly hallucinogenic, and therefore drug-like from most people’s perceptions, but no, because it’s nothing like taking drugs. Ideally, a plant medicine experience (when done properly, and with serious intention) won’t have any similarities to taking LSD or other hallucinogenic drugs.
What should be done to prepare before beginning to incorporate Plant Medicine?
- Do some research to find out what medicine clicks with you and also about the authenticity of the people and places offering it. Make sure you’re not putting yourself into any situation that may cause you harm or discomfort in any way.
- As safely as possible, begin to wean yourself off any prescriptions, drugs, herbs and alcohol. Mixing these with plant medicines is just too dangerous not to do so. Speak with your doctor or pharmacist about the proper way to discontinue medications and what you may be able to take to make the process easier for you.
- Be sure to listen to and follow the dietary advice given so you have no adverse reactions and can be as comfortable as possible while the medicine does its work. It’s much easier for the plant medicine to do as it’s designed to do within your body if it’s got food nourishing your body.
- Create rituals and practices to help you best get in touch with yourself before and after your experience with plant medicine. There are things like meditating, yoga, speaking with a counselor, energy or breath work, journaling, etc.
- Make sure to set an intention. Your inner wisdom and spirit of the medicine knows best what you need, however, setting a deeper intention creates a more powerful sign of trust with your intuition and deeper knowing.
How do you recommend someone begin shifting into Plant Medicine Integration?
First follow the steps above before starting. Then once someone has experienced a Ceremony, or Mircro dosing, with plants to aid in their awakening process, it will become a natural part of their journey. This will help them deal with what they experienced during the Ceremony and then Integrate it into their lives.
Who is it for?
For most people that feel called as long as they don’t have serious medical conditions with some plants that may be contraindicated.
Is there a specific process you follow for all clients, or is it specific to each client’s particular need?
I use a lot of the same tools I use with my clients that have never used Plant Medicine, this is what I call core work and inner child, shadow work is helpful to all my clients. Each person will be at a specific stage in their growth process, so yes it’s very individual-based from each person to person.
What is it like to take plant medicine?
Each plant has different experiences so that’s a very broad question that I would need to break down per plant. Each person’s experience is also very unique based on their conditioning and psyche – how in tune they already are or not. However, it’s important to note that for each person, whatever they experience is exactly what they’re meant to experience.
What is Ayahuasca?
Ayahuasca gets its name from the Quechua languages, aya means “spirit, soul” Ayahuasca meaning spirit of the vine. As Ayahuasca is comprised of two plants that are cooked down to create a brew that is ingested. Once you drink the Medicine it gives you a spiritual experience that typically lasts from 4-5 hours or so.
What are the benefits to plant medicine?
Physical, emotional and mental healing.
Are there any dangers?
Yes depending on the health of the individual and if they are on any medications, as those tend to be contraindications. It’s very important to work with someone who is trained in Plant Medicine. Doing so ensures that everything is done with care and all safety measures are being taking through each process.
How will/does it affect my life short-term? Long-term?
Short term people can feel less stressed, it increases serotonin in the brain to increase ones well being. Long term it can help with depression and anxiety but it often takes several Ceremonies to release deeper trauma that’s been stored in the body over the years.
Plant Medicine Integration is what follows the Ceremony once we are willing to look at deeper parts of ourselves. The Integration is taking action based on the listening and revelations we’ve had as a result of the healing Plant Medicine can induce. Meaning we can be inspired to change jobs, friends, and our current trajectory in life can often be overhauled. If you aren’t in alignment with your heart and soul Plant Medicine wakes you up to what that is if you are doing the Integration that is needed to work through what’s being brought to the surface for healing.
Plant Medicine isn’t a magic pill. It increases our vibration to higher frequency as to release the truth of our wholeness and to show us the conditioning that’s been in the way due to trauma and crisis that’s prevented us from being our whole and authentic selves.
Integration is essential and often the missing piece after people go through working with Plants. Most people don’t have the tools to navigate what’s been brought to the surface and Integration Coaching is helping to develop those tools and have someone hold space while you move through what’s been revealed.
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I hope that this information has been beneficial to you! I would absolutely love to work with you through the lens of Plant Medicine Integration if you’re called to do so.
Please CLICK HERE to discover all of the ways you can work with me.
It’s my privilege to take the knowledge and wisdom of the past 20 years. To hold space toward a greater level of Integration, to wholeness, a deep remembering we are whole: complete and perfect as we are.
Big Love,
xx
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For more information on Ayahuasca, click HERE
Blog Post References:
http://straightwoo.com/2016/06/06/what-is-plant-medicine/
https://www.innerrealmscenter.com/plant-medicine-integration/
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