There has been a recent surge in interest in psychedelic therapy, particularly among those who seek relief from mental health issues such as depression or anxiety. Psychedelics are powerful tools that can open our minds to new possibilities. They allow us to see things from another perspective and gain valuable insight into ourselves and our relationships.
Setting intentions before starting psychedelic therapy can improve its effectiveness. This article explains why setting intentions before taking psychedelics is essential.
What is an intention?
An intention is a wish or desire you set for your psychedelic-assisted therapy session and your overall healing journey. These can be the outcomes you hope to achieve, insights or new perspectives you want to gain, changes you hope to see in yourself, or the kind of experience you hope to have in your sessions.
Setting your intentions is the first step in your healing journey. It will help guide you through your psychedelic experiences and give you direction and focus during your sessions. You may also find that setting intentions helps you better understand what you are experiencing and how it relates to your life outside of the session.
What an Intention Should NOT Be
Now that we know what an intention is, let’s also understand what it is not.
Intentions are NOT:
- Requirements
- Expectations
- Guarantees
While it’s important to have an idea of what you might like to gain from your therapy session, it’s equally as important to be open to what the experience brings for you.
Importance of Setting Intentions and What They Do
Intentions set the stage for your psychedelic experience. When you set an intention before taking psychedelics, you are helping prepare yourself for the experience by focusing on what you want to get out of it. Setting intentions helps us to focus our attention and energy toward achieving specific goals. It allows us to see where we want to go and gives us direction. Setting intentions also creates momentum and encourages action.
In addition, setting intentions increases self-awareness and improves our ability to cope with life’s challenges. When we set an intention, we create a plan to achieve it. This process involves identifying obstacles and possible solutions. We then choose one solution and commit ourselves to do whatever it takes to implement this plan.
How To Set intentions for Your Psychedelic Journey
Make your intentions clear and simple.
Intentions should be clear and simple. For example, “Help me see a path to overcome my anxiety” or “Show me how to be more positive.” The clearer the intention, the easier it will be to accomplish.
Keep the tone positive.
Your intentions can have a direct impact on your experience, so you want to keep the tone positive. It’s more helpful when you try to avoid intentions that challenge negative emotions, feelings, or experiences. A positive-toned intention can look like, “Help me see the good in my life,” or “Show me how capable I am at my job.”
Try to get to the bottom of things.
When you set your intentions, try to dive deep and address the root cause of your problems rather than just skim the surface. This can help you find more meaningful change and lasting results. So instead of saying, “Show me how I can lose weight,” say, “Help me learn to love and accept my body the way it is.”
What to Do When Your Intentions Don’t Happen
If your original intentions don’t come true, there are still ways to use them to benefit your healing process. Here are some tips:
Continue to Dig Deeper
Sometimes our intentions don’t work out quite the way we planned, and that’s okay. If this happens, continue digging deeper into the issue until you find the root cause. Once you’ve found the source of your struggles, you’ll be able to create different intentions to address your wishes.
Set New Intentions or Adjust Your Current Ones
Sometimes, intentions don’t work out because they aren’t aligned with who we really are. We might need to reevaluate our intentions and ask ourselves if they are truly serving us. If they aren’t, we need to adjust until they are.
Give it More Time
Sometimes our intentions take longer than expected to manifest. Give it time and patience. You may need to sit with your intentions for a longer period of time before you notice a difference in your life.
Redirect Your Attention
Sometimes our intentions are blocked by other thoughts or distractions. Try redirecting your attention back to your intentions. This could mean changing your physical environment, listening to music, meditating, or doing anything else that helps you focus on your intentions.
Let Go Of Expectations
It’s important to let go of any expectations you have about your experience. There is no right or wrong way to feel during your psychedelic journey. Everyone’s experience will be different, so don’t let your expectations stand in the way.
Turn Your Intentions Into Action
Once you’ve set your intentions, make sure to follow through with them. This means taking action toward achieving your goals. It doesn’t matter what form these actions take as long as they move you closer to accomplishing your intentions.
