By now, it’s becoming common knowledge that there are both medical / pharmaceutical contraindications and mental health contraindications when it comes to sitting with plant medicine. This is yet another reason why it’s essential to work with a facilitator who conducts thorough screening for their participants.
While some mental health considerations may have nuance — and some facilitators may interpret them more conservatively or liberally depending on their scope and skill level — the conversation about who medicine is truly for goes far beyond clinical risk factors.
This isn’t just about safety data. This is about spiritual maturity.
We believe that working with medicine as a path of personal or spiritual growth is not casual. It’s not something you do because it’s trendy. It’s not for the curious dabblers or those looking for some kind of “shortcut”.
Who is plant medicine for?
It’s for those who have the discernment to NOT believe everything they see in their own mind — even when the medicine shows it to them.
It’s for those who take radical self-accountability and know when to course-correct.
It’s for those who are oriented toward self-empowerment, rather than expecting someone or something else to “heal them”.
Above all, it’s for those who understand that the medicine is not a magic pill. It’s not a panacea that will fix all your problems in one night.
The medicine is a tool that offers us communion with the Divine. But She’s also a living being, a spirit with her own essence. She asks to be met with devotion, over time, through relationship. Like any real relationship, she doesn’t reveal all of herself in a single encounter—no matter how powerful it may seem.
Yes, people receive miracles. Yes, some people receive the healing of their dreams.
And also: Without proper integration, transformation rarely lasts.
While integration can have many layers of support (including from other people), ultimately it is self-led. It requires each of us to take full accountability for our own journey.
Even when medicine is for you, it’s often just one part of the journey. Other modalities are frequently needed to support the process, and it’s in the devotion to the long-term path where we often receive the fruits of our prayers and intentions. People who have a grounded spiritual practice before sitting tend to receive more—and integrate more fully.
If you’re feeling called to the medicine, take your time. Get clear on your why. Prepare yourself well. And know this: your own willingness to walk the path – before, during, and after the ceremony – is where the real transformation lives.
