A year ago, I went for a detox and medicine treatment which is something I had become increasingly curious to experience. My primary reason for going was to deepen my spiritual connection, and I have been working with clients that have detoxed, so I wanted to understand this from an experiential point of view. I didn’t really have anything I was hoping to cure, however, the effects were life-changing and profound. I am extremely grateful to have had this experience and the experiences that lead me to where I am now, as well as the support and healing before during, and after my treatment.
Why Plant medicine?
“Psychedelics are one of the most powerful tools for making use of that mind-body connection to promote healing” Dr Andrew Weil
For me the main reason was curiosity. For many others it’s because there is no alternative, the alternatives have serious side effects, are not very effective, or because the situation outweighs the risk.
Plant medicine has been used for millennia to heal and before the invention of big pharma, we all relied on what grew naturally to heal us. Sadly, in the West, a lot of this knowledge has been lost but thankfully there are indigenous tribes around the world who have kept the wisdom of the land alive, and certain tribes still pass this knowledge on.
The formal studies around the benefits of plant medicine are still minimal, however, there is more and more interest in this area and initial studies show significant improvement. Unfortunately, politics plays a big part in this and the political landscape in the ’60s took on a very anti-drug stance so studies were limited. There appears to be a bit of a reemergence now, and psychedelics have been shown to significantly help PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
I am a believer that nature not only provides all we need but that she contains consciousness and is in many ways one with humanity. Therefore, the plants on this precious earth have a use and a meaning which is beyond the physical.
I had seen amazing results from the clients I have worked with pre and post-medicine, and this, along with my own inner guidance reassuring me of the benefits made me decide to book in and experience the magic.
What is Psychedelic plant medicine?
A type of medicine that uses any part of a plant (i.e., roots, stems, leaves, flowers, or seeds) to improve health, cure disease, and treat any illness including improving mental health, through altering a person’s state of consciousness.
Types of Psychedelic medicine.
There are many types of Psychedelics, and each of them can be used to heal if used correctly, and with awareness.
Psilocybin is derived from mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms.
Ayahuasca is a drink made from plants that comes traditionally from the tribes in the Amazon Basin.
Cannabis leaf, is grown all over the world and can be ingested in numerous ways.
Opium which comes from poppy seeds can be used to make Heroin.
Brahmi Booti herb is traditionally used for treating illnesses associated with the nervous system. Cacao, used in ceremony can produce altered states and allow access to a different state of consciousness.
Are there any risks?
As with many things, there are risks. Plant medicine is unregulated, and some medicines are illegal in some countries.
There are some safer ways to move into an altered state, such as breath work, meditation, cold immersion, and Crystal Dreaming™, but these take time, practice, and dedication. My personal experience was that the medicine took me deeper than any of the altered states I have been in via the above methods, yet similar to the states I have had the opportunity to experience when in the presence of illuminated souls.
The risks I encountered and have encountered with clients are subtle: damage to the aura, picking up energies, that need some help leaving, and big emotional releases (not really a side effect but for some quite a shock). All of these are manageable, and I found working with an energy healer who could ground me, and repair my aura super helpful.
I am aware of people who have had other more serious effects from medicine and my belief is that the medicine unearthed something that was already there – a state of imbalance, and healing still needs to occur. This is where I believe karma really does play a part in the experience and the healing.
My Experience
I knew I wanted to have as easy a journey as possible so I detoxed fairly seriously. I gave up refined sugar and processed food 2 months before, and I stuck to my plant-based vegan diet. I had regular healings and checked in with my team who gave me great guidance advising me that I would need to focus on being still and going inwards which was very helpful, as it turned out to be not what I always felt like during the process. This preparation time I believe made the process smoother.
I ate a late lunch on Sunday and then fasted. On Monday morning I arrived for my detox, my pulse was taken and the medicine was prepared according to how I presented. To start I had a liver detox drink; a mix of lemon ghee and special herbs to help clear out parasites and toxins from the body. The drink was ok at the time, but thinking about it after did make me gag!!
I didn’t want to eat lemon-flavored things for quite some time! I then had an enema, to help clear more toxins. The flushing out was regular and lasted about 15 hours but painless, which I was grateful for, as for some it can be painful. During this time the only thing I consumed was water and Degh, a medicinal drink, made with almonds and herbs.
Over the course of this day, we did a lot of mantra and gentle yoga, preparing the body and mind.
The next day we went to a sacred place to take the medicine and stayed there in the dark for almost 24 hours. The medicine worked pretty quickly and by the time I took my last dose, I could feel it working on my body. I had my team with me and I felt safe, but I didn’t want to be still, I had the urge to play to dance and to move and yet I knew this wasn’t what I needed. I was getting clear guidance that the medicine was working on my physical body, and to trust the process; to lie still and go inwards. My mind was whirring at 100mph with so many thoughts coming and going, that at times I couldn’t follow them. At other times I was being shown so many things. I’d start following in one direction, to then be taken in another and I had no control over my mind. I felt nauseous most of the time which I didn’t enjoy and felt the process would never end, but I kept trusting. I knew that eventually, it would pass.
There are a few things that really stand out for me: one was an experience with a friend who had died the year before which was one of the most beautiful experiences I have ever had; profound and beautiful, words can’t do this justice. The other is that I was shown the stories I have chosen to believe about my life, and how they are only a small part of the experiences I have had. How there is so much more, and I can choose what to believe and remember and how I have held onto the stories which don’t serve me. I believe we all do this to some level and in a way it’s like thinking we had a bad day when we had a bad 10 minutes or a bad hour. I saw how beautiful much of my childhood was and how loved I am.
I was also aware that I was physically detoxing, I really began to smell! I don’t think anyone else could tell, but I have a sensitive nose and recall finding my own odour pretty horrible. – thank goodness for baby wipes! I was aware I hadn’t eaten for a couple of days but I wasn’t hungry at all. After a while I wanted to sleep, but couldn’t although I think I did manage to get a few hours sleep in the early hours of the next morning. At all times I was lucid while also tripping and I recall managing a phone call with my son fairly easily!
There were times when I really questioned what I had chosen to do! And yet part of me knew that the healing was deep, to keep trusting and surrendering.
The next day I began to feel more back in my body, eating a light breakfast was great and really helped ground me. That day was spent again doing yoga and mantra and enjoying time to recover which was super enjoyable. I’d let go of the struggle and the pain, and was very happy.
Day 4 was more grounded and more back into my body, eating and drinking, singing, and ready to head back home to real life. The integration took a while and during the following week, I was still pretty expanded which made meditating a lot of fun! It was easy to go in deep.
- I felt clearer, healthier, and happier.
- Everyone who saw me within the first few weeks was amazed at how well I looked, I felt like I was radiating light.
- I found it easy to keep to a very healthy diet and life seemed to have shifted to a sunnier place.
- I started really focusing on what I wanted to create in this life and found my connection with nature and mother earth deepened.
- It may not be for everybody but I am very grateful I had this experience.
With all healing, our karma plays a part. We must have good karma to have these options available to us in the first place, and our karma will play a part in the process. Working with medicine is powerful, fascinating, and natural, and the effects are profound, but when working with energy of any sort it is important that you work with practitioners who can hold space, are experienced, and understand holistic healing. There are more showmen than Sharman in the world so considering who you work with is really important.
If you are curious about the healing that can occur when in an altered state, then why not get in touch to understand what options there are? I offer Crystal Dreaming™ (click to find out more) or you can discuss medicine with Dr. Kamalroop Singh via WhatsApp +44 7380 188467
Laura Hamblyn Holistic Healer 