Creating Safe Containers for Psychedelic Journeys
Holding space for psychedelic journeys is about establishing and maintaining a certain energetic frequency for a container that is imbued with safety, transparency, clear boundaries, and woven with trust and rapport.
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The intention for any container - whether there is plant medicine or not - is to do no harm. This is inherently conducive for vulnerability to peek through the armour of the eating disorder, and for healing to occur.
In order for people to be able to access themselves, they need to feel safe.
Where there is space for vulnerability, there is space for healing. If on the other hand, we are concerned for our safety, our nervous system is then on high alert, anticipating threats, even if it's subconsciously. This results in a contraction, tightness and rigidity. And deep, enduring healing happens when there's flexibility, a loosening up the scar tissue, an opening up, and when there’s a supportive presence who can assist in the massaging of the psyche’s defenses. Indeed, holding space means being physically, mentally, and emotionally present for somebody.
When there is presence and holding, there is immense healing that can happen.
The word container means to “hold” or “to enclose”, implying that there is a certain kind of holding that happens in these spaces. A container can be a medicine journey space, a coaching session, a relationship between friends, in a marriage, and within your own body. They are formed through our words (“be impeccable with your word”), and structured and informed by our nervous system, how we hold ourselves, and how we move through the world.
Containers are also also formed and impacted by our feelings and our mental chatter, as well as by the relational dynamics of those who are also in the same container as us, our past history, and our preparation process over the previous days, weeks or months.
We consciously create safe containers for our nervous system to experience something different. Many of us who seek healing, and those who seek healing with the support of psychedelics and sacred plant medicine, are often looking to clear trauma from the roots up.
Trauma is not just an event that took place in the past, but it is an imprint left by that experience on the mind, body, and brain, which then impacts how we live and survive in the daily life. It is through these safe containers, with the empathic supporters, guides, or listeners, the body can start to learn that the danger or the trauma has now passed, so that one is able to live in the present.
When there is trauma, and as it is with eating disorders (which can be seen as as responses to trauma), the psyche is stuck in the past, rigid, with no place to go. And when we choose to open up to healing, there's an increased flexibility, where we can move from the past into the present. There's a literal energetic movement that occurs. With this new mobility, we can start to envision a future with a mind that is more flexible, stretching itself towards greater possibility and capacity. There's a feeling a renewed purpose, and compassion: when we see how the past has impacted our lives from the lens of compassion, there is a wider perspective that can be taken. There's more flexibility in what and how we see things, and how even the challenging times served a very important role in our growth.
A container is demarcated moment in time where we consciously create a space that allows us to dream, and that allows us to envision that future that is free, whole, and aligned with our core self. It is also a moment in time and space to try something different, to rewrite old pathways into ways that are clearer and clarified.
In a container, we have an opportunity to model to ourselves, and to others who are in the space with us, who we wish to be - not an attempt to be perfect, or in an attempt to prove anything to anyone, but simply to practice the version of ourselves without the layers, the veils, and the masks. As such, we can all lead by example in these containers, collectively creating a reality that is free from those layers of hiding.
The more there are containers and spaces that are safe and supported, the more we can practice this version of ourselves that is whole, free and enough. With practice, we can start to radiate this more aligned embodiment in the outside world beyond the parameters of a container.
A true container will always point you back to yourself to look within. I’m sure you know what I mean by this, particular when in a plant medicine journey container!
True container will allow whatever is here, whatever each individual is experiencing and feeling to be welcomed and process through.
A true container has basic guidelines that keeps everyone safe. Once that scaffolding has been set up and agreed to, then there are an infinite amount of possibilities that can occur within the container.
When containers are held in safety, neutrality, and trust, the organic process can lead to very deep healing and insight.
A container is also a co-creation. It's an active process whereby everyone has the chance to show up fully. Each individual who is present to the maintaining of container, and are able to contribute their wisdom and their medicine into the space.
In a container, there are three things that we can do to support someone. The first is to listen. The second is to listen. And the third is to listen some more.
Included in establishing and holding a safe container includes confidentiality, lots of kindness, acceptance, non-judgement, and patience. Each person takes responsibility of their own self-care, as well as taking responsibility of any triggers that arise.
Triggers often point back to a past trauma or unresolved conflict within our own selves. Containers can thus play out some very interesting social dynamics, symbolizing the microcosms of our lives and bigger archetypal relational dynamics within the collective. So notice the projections, resistance, entitlement, jealousy, irritation, envy, the exasperation, and intimidation. Notice in what moments you give, or take away your power; notice the power plays. Notice when you start playing the role of the mother for another, or the role of the father, the child, or the sibling. Pay attention to when you play the victim, rescuer, or perpetrator.
Indeed, in sacred plant medicine containers, there is heightened sensitivity and so any unintegrated aspects of ourselves come to the light to be seen. This is because the medicine shows us all of the aspects and parts of ourselves that we have forgotten about, ignored, or suppressed. There are many opportunities in these consciously created spaces to take the wider perspective, to practice compassion to ourselves, and put ourselves in the observe role.
Establishing a container creates structure that allows for subconscious depths to safely reveal themselves.
Those who are supporting the space are required to hold the energetic frequency of integrity, neutrality, and empathy.
Space holders should be doing the work themselves by looking at their shadows and fears. If they are not looking at their own shadows and fears, how can they support others to do the same? Medicine work makes us realize our shortcomings and requires us to face them with honesty and courage.
Additionally, the more time space holders can get to know everyone in the container, the more trust and rapport can develop. Space holders should have a good idea of each individual’s history through proper screenings, whilst holding a trauma-informed, ideally with an understanding of somatic therapy. Space holders should have a set of guiding principles of a code of ethics to support them and clients.
It's important to remember that when we step into a psychedelic journey container, we are also stepping in with our own container: our own body, our vessel, that also contains our nervous system.
As such, it is important to develop and strengthen a daily practice. A daily practice helps us cultivate generosity, loving kindness, and experiential and embodied wisdom. When we keep tuning our bodies daily, we keep tuning and maintaining the container within. It’s the daily sweep on the inner landscape. Chop wood, carry water, sweep the leaves.
It's also good to get used to cleaning up physical spaces regularly. Most likely when you see people create physical spaces for healing or journeys, there is a lot of focus on clearing the space. The space is well laid out and is smudged. There are some clearing prayers and invocations that people speak out loud. Meditation to clear the old thoughts is practiced. Individuals often have showered. There is calming music, relaxing aromas, and soft blankets to make the container feel welcoming. Cleansing the space supports the idea that we clear from dense to subtle we release the old and make space for the new across all the various layers.
Clear, release, and let go within the physical space. Clear, release, and let go within our own body-container.
The more that we tune and refine and take time to observe ourselves in all moments of the day, the better we get to know, trust, and feel safe within our own container - and then the healing and transformation is ongoing and happening in real time in our daily life.
When held well, anything within a consciously co-created therapeutic container is possible. For people with eating disorders or disordered eating, there is a chance to express love, to connect with our bodies, with our power and intuition, and face our fears. There's the opportunity to go to the root of our suffering, to understand it and transmute it into love into light. For some, this may be the first time processing the eating disorder or the past trauma in that way.
Whatever arises, we can practice being fully honest with ourselves; and when we are fully honest with ourselves, we allow others in the container to be honest with themselves too. And the more honest we can be, the more vulnerability there is, and the more healing can occur.
When a container is held in authenticity, with love and non-judgement, we can meet those challenging moments with curiosity and trust, and leaning in with flexibility, rather than rigidly resisting and contracting.
When our own container and the containers we step into are held securely, safely and kindly, really important work can be done. With a structure and foundation, we can access freedom and flow within our innate healing intelligence.
May we keep sweeping and showing up.
Photo on Unsplash