{"id":7761,"date":"2020-08-26T20:18:58","date_gmt":"2020-08-26T18:18:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mapsofthemind.com\/?p=7761"},"modified":"2022-11-23T23:25:25","modified_gmt":"2022-11-23T22:25:25","slug":"psilocybin-sessions-instructions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mapsofthemind.com\/2020\/08\/26\/psilocybin-sessions-instructions\/","title":{"rendered":"Flight Instructions for Psilocybin Journeys | Bill Richards"},"content":{"rendered":"
What should you do when under the influence of psilocybin<\/a> to make the most of the session? What should you do if you encounter fear? What is the best way to navigate a psychedelic journey?<\/p>\n These are all questions you might ask if you are preparing to embark on a psychedelic journey and hoping for an insight or nugget to help you on your path forward in life.<\/p>\n Research setting for a psilocybin study<\/p><\/div>\n Bill Richards, one of the founders of the psychedelic research team at Johns Hopkins \u2013 one of the leading research institutes in the world of psychedelic research and responsible for those studies boasting the remarkable results<\/a> that you\u2019ve probably heard \u2013 is one of the most experienced figures in the psychedelic field today. Richards, who has overseen hundreds of experiences and had his own too, has put together a set of flight instructions that are read to all study participants who take psilocybin at Johns Hopkins.<\/p>\n These instructions are one of the best resources I\u2019ve found when it comes to high dose psychedelic navigation. They offer advice on what to do at certain encounters or points on your journey. They are the basis for an adapted form of flight instructions I put together for New Moon<\/a> retreat participants.<\/p>\n You can read more of the study instructions at trippingly here<\/a>, and find Richards\u2019 music playlist for tripping here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Avoid attempting to guide the participant down any journey.\u00a0However, we encourage you to help the participant enter a deeper experience by encouraging the participant with phrases such as:<\/p>\n \u201cIf you see a door, what will you do\u201d?\u00a0 (Encourage the participant to \u201cwalk through it\u201d)<\/p>\n \u201cTrust the trajectory, follow your path\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLet Go, Be Open, Trust\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you see a window, what will you do?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0(Encourage the participant to \u201clook through it\u201d or \u201copen it\u201d)<\/p>\n \u201cIf you feel like you\u2019re dying, melting, dissolving, exploding, going crazy etc.\u2014go ahead, embrace it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cClimb staircases, open doors, explore paths, fly over landscapes\u201d<\/p>\n If the participant is feeling fear, encourage the participant to confront the fear:<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cLook the monster in the eye and move towards it\u2026\u00a0Dig in your heels; ask, \u2018What are you doing in my mind?\u2019 Or, \u2018What can I learn from you?\u2019 Look for the darkest corner in the basement, and shine your light there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe same force that takes you deep within will, of its own impetus, return you safely to the everyday world.\u201d<\/p>\n If the participant is mild physical pain encourage the participant to investigate the pain using the phrases below (if confronted with intense or acute pain, immediately notify the medical staff):<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cLook into the pain you are experiencing, visualize it and see it as clearly as you can.\u00a0 Where is the source of the pain?\u00a0 Can you embrace the pain or make the pain leave you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan you visualize the pain?\u00a0 Can you see it clearly for what it is?\u00a0 Is this pain serving you or should the pain leave?\u201d<\/p>\n If the participant encounters nausea or vommits remind the participant:<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cPart of your being is discomfort, which shall pass.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFeel the nausea leaving you, and you will soon return to comfort\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNausea is temporary and it will pass, embrace it and then send it on its way.\u201d<\/p>\n If the participant becomes sick, use the waste bin and towel provided in the room and alert the medical staff.\u00a0 Follow the training you received regarding nausea until the medical staff arrives.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Would you like to improve your ability to successfully harness the benefits of psychedelics?<\/strong>Flight Instructions by Bill Richards<\/h2>\n
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Please relax. \u00a0You will never be left alone during your experience. \u00a0You need not worry about physical safety, [the name of the other sitter] and I will be here to help you and maintain your safety.<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n
You may experience a deep and transcendental experience.\u00a0 You may have feelings of the loss of one\u2019s self, experience a sensation of rebirth or even death.\u00a0 You may experience a feeling that you have ceased to exist as an individual and are connected with the world or the universe.\u00a0 If you experience the sensation of dying, melting, dissolving, exploding, going crazy etc. \u2014 go ahead.\u00a0 Experience the experience.\u00a0\u00a0Remember that the death\/transcendence of your ego or your everyday self is always followed by Rebirth\/Return to the normative world of space & time.\u00a0 Safest way to return to normal is to entrust self unconditionally to the emerging experiences.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Instruction for Study Guides<\/h2>\n
\nJoin\u00a0The Conscious Psychedelic Explorer<\/a>, our flagship course!<\/p>\n