“And integration, of course. There’s so much talk about that, but not only integration post-psychedelic journeys, but also integration of the light and the shadow sides of psychedelics within the culture. Community. Healing takes a village. Trauma happens in relationship, and I think for healing to be complete, it needs to also happen in relationship. And a lot of people who have difficulties after psychedelics feel a disconnection from community, integrating those sacred or having static literacy.”
We are social animals. One of the most sublime aspects of being human is our ability to form and deepen relationships and community. Integration asks us to take our psychedelic (and other) experiences and consider how they can further our connection to others.
It is important to look for safe people and safe community spaces and which allow us to practice open communication, exploration of truth and insight, and open dialogue with others.
Integration may also call us to share new insights, skills, ideas, and challenges with those we love or those we are just meeting. Many report that psychedelic experiences, properly integrated, have helped them take new approaches with family, friends, partners, and colleagues.
Considering how many psychonauts use psychedelics to work with anxiety, depression, addiction and other challenges that impact our social lives, it is probably not surprising that during periods of integration we can find ourselves opening up to new skills and new ways of relating.
Just remember, it can be important not to take images, insights, and ideas that occur during psychedelic experiences too literally or act on them too rashly. This is why a holistic and intentional approach to integration is so important.
Integration in the domain of Relationships tends to occur across two continuums. The first is Internal-External. We can find our internal characterization of our relationships and community changing. Perhaps we can work on how we approach attachment, control, and other internal dynamics that impact how we relate. Or, our integration around relationships and community may be more external--we might be ready to share more openly or connect more authentically with others in our lives.
The second continuum is Creative-Receptive. As we integrate, we can work to create new connections, new community, new understandings. Or we can open up to receive others differently. We can notice the role others play in our lives and deepen our empathy and connection to community.
“The underlying lesson here is that it can be relatively simple, relatively, to give people very powerful, transformative experiences. But the staying power of these transformations greatly depends on their integration, not just by the individuals, but also by their community. We are social animals. We need community to reflect on our knowledge or transformations. Otherwise, they vanish.”
If you want to work with this domain, here are some ideas for ways to get started:
- Connection with Others: Reflect on the impact of your psychedelic experience on your relationships. How can you foster deeper connections and more open communication with those around you?
- Sharing Experiences: Explore whether there are safe and supportive spaces to share your psychedelic experiences within your community. How can open dialogue contribute to collective understanding and growth?
- Community Involvement: Consider ways to contribute positively to your community. How can you share your skills, insights, or newfound perspectives to benefit others?
- Explore how your psychedelic experience may have influenced your relationships with others. Are there new insights into your connections with friends, family, or partners?
- Consider whether there are aspects of your communication or behavior that you would like to improve based on your psychedelic insights.
