Integration
Coming home
There is a very big chance that you experience some big changes during a plant medicine retreat. It can all be a lot to take in so firstly we wish to remind you that we are here for you and our doors are always open. Although some traditions suggest that we should keep our experiences to ourselves we find it very beneficial to share experiences with like-minded people who have an understanding of the medicine space. Almost everyone in the Deep Spirit community has experience with different kinds of plant medicine and we are all here to walk each other home.
It is important for us to stress that going on a plant medicine journey is not a quick fix. You will most likely be presented with aspects that needs your attention afterwards. This can and is hopefully part of your long term healing. Once you get home from a retreat this is truly when the hard work begins. We will support you if you need us, but deep down it is your own work and your own process. No one else can do the work for you.
You are unique
You might have recognized new depths in your being on a high paced learning curve to remove resistance in your body during a retreat. Sometimes new information needs to be stored and integrated into our system and other times we need to let go of old patterns, thought patterns and/or routines. It is very different from person to person what tools might work for them afterwards and there are many integration suggestions available on the internet.
Your ability to hold all of you is greatly expanded. It may take everything you have for each shift to manifest and for the energies to be integrated on different levels. Each level might require a different approach so we suggest you keep on exploring what works for you. Meditation and journaling may help with one shift. Lots of hugs or someone listening may do the tricks on others. Chanting, singing and dancing may enable yet another shift or maybe you need a bit of solitude to better integrate. Your needs will keep changing so be open for that. As long as you’re being diligent and tuned in to your inner intelligence, it’s okay to let go of old tools to work with new ones.
Integration tools
- Journaling
- Spending (more) time in nature
- Having periods of silence
- Singing
- Meditation
- Working with your nightly dreams
- Eating healthy foods
- Listening to medicine music
- Exercising
- Exploring your creativity
- Sharing with a friend
It takes time
And please remember that you are not required to do all these suggested actions in order to change your life for the better. You need to figure out what works for you and remember to be gentle in doing so. Taking on too many activities and “should do’s” can easily become a new prison and implementing integration processes are intense enough to begin with. So be kind to yourself and meet your own transformative process with love and understanding.
It IS difficult to change and it IS hard work. Just the fact that you have come this far is great and guess what – you are already doing it!
