🧘 Contemplative Practices

1 Find Your Posture

• Sitting: Chair or floor cushion, spine upright but not rigid, natural curve in lower back
• Hands: Rest on knees or in lap, whatever feels natural
• Eyes: Closed, or soft downward gaze
• Head: Balanced, chin slightly tucked
• Shoulders: Relaxed, not hunched

2 Anchor Your Attention

Primary Object: The breath

• Notice sensation of breathing at nostrils, chest, or abdomen
• Don't control the breath - let it be natural
• Simply observe: in-breath, out-breath, pauses between
• Notice qualities: deep or shallow, fast or slow, smooth or rough

Why the breath? Always present, always changing, neutral (not pleasant or unpleasant). Perfect training object for awareness.

3 Notice When Mind Wanders

Within seconds or minutes, attention will drift - thinking about past, planning future, daydreaming. This is normal. This is NOT failure.

The Practice:

1. Notice that you're no longer with the breath ("Oh, I'm thinking about dinner")
2. Acknowledge without judgment ("That's thinking")
3. Gently return attention to the breath
4. Repeat ten thousand times

4 Expand Awareness

After establishing stable attention on breath (weeks or months of practice), begin expanding awareness:

• Sounds: Notice sounds arising and passing, near and far
• Sensations: Body sensations, pleasant and unpleasant, tingling, pressure, temperature
• Thoughts: Observe thoughts as mental events, like clouds passing
• Emotions: Notice emotional states, where they appear in body, how they change

Advanced Practice: "Choiceless awareness" - open field of awareness where attention flows naturally to whatever is most prominent in experience, without fixing on anything.

5 Duration and Frequency

Experience Level	Duration	Frequency	Notes
Beginner	5-10 minutes	Daily	Consistency more important than duration. Better 5 min daily than 30 min once/week.
Intermediate	20-30 minutes	Daily	Sweet spot for most practitioners. Enough time to settle, experience depth.
Advanced	45-60+ minutes	Daily or twice daily	Deeper states accessible with longer sits. Consider retreats for intensive practice.
Pre-Psychedelic	20-30 minutes	Weeks before experience	Establish practice before psychedelic session. Develop familiarity with observing mind.
Integration	15-30 minutes	Daily for weeks after	Process insights, maintain access to expanded awareness contacted during journey.

1 Diaphragmatic Breathing (Foundation)

Purpose: Full, efficient breathing engaging diaphragm rather than shallow chest breathing. Activates parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), counteracts stress response.

Technique:

1. Sit or lie comfortably
2. Place one hand on chest, one on belly
3. Inhale slowly through nose, directing breath to belly (hand on belly should rise, chest relatively still)
4. Exhale slowly through mouth or nose, belly falls
5. Aim for smooth, continuous breath with no pause or strain
6. Practice 5-10 minutes

When to Use:

• Preparation: Establish as baseline breathing pattern before session
• Anxiety: First response to anxious moments during experience
• Grounding: Return awareness to body when lost in mental activity
• Sleep: Helps transition to rest after experience

2 Box Breathing (4-4-4-4)

Purpose: Equal-part breathing that creates sense of balance, control, and calm. Used by Navy SEALs, athletes, meditators.

Technique:

1. Inhale through nose for count of 4
2. Hold breath (lungs full) for count of 4
3. Exhale through mouth or nose for count of 4
4. Hold breath (lungs empty) for count of 4
5. Repeat for 5-10 cycles minimum

Variations:

• Adjust count to comfort level (3-3-3-3 if 4 is difficult, or 5-5-5-5 for more challenge)
• Rectangle breathing: 4-2-6-2 (longer exhale for more calming effect)

When to Use:

• Pre-journey anxiety: As medicine is taking effect and anticipation builds
• Overwhelm: When experience feels too intense - provides structure and focal point
• Transitions: Moving between phases of journey (onset, peak, plateau, descent)
• Re-centering: After challenging insights or emotional releases

3 4-7-8 Breathing (Calming Breath)

Purpose: Dr. Andrew Weil's adaptation of pranayama. Extended exhale activates parasympathetic nervous system, profound calming effect.

Technique:

1. Empty lungs completely (exhale fully)
2. Inhale quietly through nose for count of 4
3. Hold breath for count of 7
4. Exhale completely through mouth (whooshing sound) for count of 8
5. Repeat for 4 cycles minimum, can extend to 8 cycles

Important: The ratio matters more than exact count. If 4-7-8 is difficult, use 2-3.5-4 or any equivalent ratio. Exhale should be twice as long as inhale.

When to Use:

• Peak anxiety: When fear or panic arising
• Can't surrender: When holding on tightly, unable to let go
• Body tension: When noticing physical contraction or rigidity
• Racing thoughts: Mind spinning in loops - this interrupts the pattern
• Post-journey: Helps transition from activated state to rest

4 Holotropic Breathwork (Advanced)

Background: Developed by Stanislav Grof after LSD research became restricted. Conscious breathing technique that can induce non-ordinary states of consciousness without substances.

Technique: Continuous, rapid, deep breathing for extended period (30-90 minutes), typically with evocative music, in supervised setting.

Safety: Should be done with trained facilitator, especially first times. Can bring up intense emotional material, temporary altered consciousness, physical sensations (tingling, tetany).

5 Breath Observation (Vipassana Anapanasati)

Purpose: Simply observing breath without controlling it. Develops concentration while revealing subtle aspects of breath and mind.

Technique:

1. Sit in meditation posture
2. Let breath be completely natural - don't control speed, depth, or rhythm
3. Observe breath at one location: nostrils, chest, or abdomen
4. Notice beginning, middle, end of each in-breath
5. Notice beginning, middle, end of each out-breath
6. Notice pauses between breaths
7. Notice qualities: long/short, deep/shallow, smooth/rough, pleasant/unpleasant/neutral
8. When mind wanders, gently return to observation
9. Continue for 20-45 minutes

During Psychedelic Experience:

• Provides stable focal point when overwhelmed by stimulation
• Breath often becomes fascinating object of contemplation during journey
• May spontaneously notice breath coordinating with visions, emotions, or insights
• Simple instruction ("watch the breath") that sitter can remind you of if you're struggling

1 Setup

• Position: Lying down on back (savasana/corpse pose), or seated if you prefer
• Comfort: Blanket if cold, pillow under knees or head if needed
• Duration: 20-45 minutes typical (can be shorter 10-15 min or longer 60+ min)
• Guidance: Recorded guided meditation helpful for beginners, silent practice for advanced

2 The Scan Sequence

General Approach: Systematically move attention through body parts, spending 30 seconds to several minutes on each area.

Common Sequence:

1. Feet: Left foot - toes, sole, heel, top of foot, ankle. Right foot - same sequence.
2. Lower Legs: Left shin, calf, knee. Right shin, calf, knee.
3. Upper Legs: Left thigh (front, back, sides). Right thigh.
4. Pelvis: Hips, buttocks, pelvic floor, genitals, lower abdomen.
5. Torso: Lower back, middle back, upper back. Abdomen, chest, ribcage.
6. Hands: Left hand - fingers, palm, back, wrist. Right hand - same.
7. Arms: Left forearm, elbow, upper arm, shoulder. Right side same.
8. Neck and Throat: Front of neck, sides, back of neck.
9. Head: Jaw, mouth, lips, tongue, cheeks, nose, eyes, forehead, temples, ears, scalp, crown.
10. Whole Body: Awareness of entire body as unified field of sensations.

3 What to Notice

For each body region:

• Sensation: What do you actually feel? Tingling, pressure, warmth, coolness, pulsing, numbness, nothing?
• Quality: Pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral? Subtle or intense?
• Change: Sensations arising, intensifying, fading, disappearing
• Resistance: Areas you want to skip, don't want to feel - note this reaction
• Emotion: Some body areas may hold emotional charge - chest, throat, belly common

4 Working with Challenges

Challenge	Response
Feel nothing	That's a valid observation. Notice "absence of sensation" or "numbness" with same attention as vivid sensation. Over time, sensitivity increases.
Pain or discomfort	First, discern: harmful pain (injury - adjust position) or benign discomfort (stiff back - can you observe it?). Practice being with unpleasant sensations without immediately reacting.
Mind wanders constantly	Normal. Each time you notice wandering, gently return to current body region. The practice is in the returning.
Fall asleep	Common, especially if tired. Try: sitting instead of lying, eyes slightly open, scan faster, do at alert time of day. Or accept - body may need rest.
Boredom or restlessness	Interesting opportunity - can you observe the quality of boredom? Where does restlessness appear in body? The resistance to practice IS the practice.
Strong emotions arise	Body scan can release stored emotional material. If emotions manageable, stay with them - notice where they appear in body, how they change. If overwhelming, open eyes, ground yourself, return to practice later or with support.

5 Integration: Whole-Body Awareness

After scanning all parts, expand to whole-body awareness:

• Sense entire body at once, from crown to toes
• Body as unified field of changing sensations
• Notice front and back, left and right, surface and interior simultaneously
• Breathing through entire body - whole body expands on inhale, relaxes on exhale
• Rest in this spacious awareness for 5-10 minutes

1 The Traditional Phrases

Standard Metta Phrases:

• "May I/you/they be safe and protected"
• "May I/you/they be healthy and strong"
• "May I/you/they be happy and peaceful"
• "May I/you/they live with ease"

Variations: Can modify phrases to resonate personally. Examples:

• "May I be free from suffering"
• "May I be filled with loving-kindness"
• "May I accept myself as I am"
• "May I know my own wholeness"

Key: Phrases should evoke feeling of warmth, care, genuine well-wishing. If traditional phrases feel hollow or rote, find language that opens your heart.

2 The Five Stages

Traditional sequence moves from easier to more challenging objects:

Stage 1: Self (5-10 minutes)

• Begin with yourself - sometimes easiest, sometimes hardest
• Visualize yourself (current age, as child, or simply sense of "I")
• Repeat phrases: "May I be safe, may I be healthy, may I be happy, may I live with ease"
• If self-love difficult, start with loving memory (being loved as child, pet, beloved friend) to access feeling of love, then direct it to yourself

Stage 2: Benefactor (5-10 minutes)

• Someone who has helped you, shown you kindness - teacher, mentor, friend
• Visualize them, remember their kindness
• "May you be safe, may you be healthy, may you be happy, may you live with ease"
• Easy to feel genuine warmth toward benefactor - let heart open

Stage 3: Friend or Loved One (5-10 minutes)

• Someone you love - friend, family member, partner
• Start with someone relationship is uncomplicated with (save complex relationships for later practice)
• Visualize their face, feel your care for them
• Offer phrases with genuine feeling

Stage 4: Neutral Person (5-10 minutes)

• Someone you see regularly but have no particular feelings about - mail carrier, barista, neighbor you nod to
• Recognize their humanity - they want happiness, fear suffering, just like you
• Extend genuine well-wishing despite lack of personal connection
• This stage begins to generalize loving-kindness beyond personal relationships

Stage 5: Difficult Person (5-10 minutes)

• Someone you have conflict with - NOT your worst enemy or abuser (too advanced), but someone mildly annoying or frustrating
• Remember they suffer, they want happiness (even if their behavior is unskillful)
• Not condoning harmful behavior - wishing well-being to their basic humanity
• If resentment arises, return to self or benefactor to re-establish loving feeling
• Most challenging stage - develops unconditional love

Stage 6: All Beings (5-10 minutes)

• Expand loving-kindness to all beings everywhere
• "May all beings be safe, healthy, happy, may all beings live with ease"
• Can do directionally: all beings to the east, south, west, north, above, below
• Can do by category: all humans, all animals, all beings in suffering, all beings in joy
• Let heart become vast and all-inclusive

3 Working with Phrases

Rhythm:

• Repeat phrases in rhythm with breath (one phrase per in-breath/out-breath, or one phrase every 2-3 breaths)
• Or independent of breath - find natural pace
• Slower pace allows feeling to develop; faster pace can generate momentum

Intention vs. Feeling:

• Not trying to manufacture feeling - that creates strain
• Simply holding sincere intention, repeating phrases with meaning
• Sometimes warmth and love flow easily; sometimes practice feels dry
• Both are okay - the intention itself plants seeds

Visualization (Optional):

• Some find helpful to visualize light radiating from heart toward recipient
• Or imagine person smiling, healthy, at ease
• Or simply sense their presence
• Use if helpful, skip if adds complexity

1 Establish Stable Attention

Begin with mindfulness of breath (anapanasati) for 10-15 minutes to settle mind and develop concentration. This provides stable base for insight practice.

2 Open Awareness to All Phenomena

After establishing concentration, expand awareness to include all arising phenomena:

• Physical Sensations: Pressure, tingling, warmth, coolness, tension, relaxation
• Sounds: Near and far, pleasant and unpleasant, speech and ambient noise
• Thoughts: Mental images, inner dialogue, memories, plans
• Emotions: Joy, sadness, anger, fear, calm, excitement

Whatever is most prominent in awareness becomes the object of investigation.

3 Mental Noting (Optional but Helpful)

Technique: Softly label experience with one-word notes:

• Physical: "pressure," "tingling," "warmth," "pain"
• Sounds: "hearing"
• Thoughts: "thinking," "planning," "remembering," "imagining"
• Emotions: "anger," "joy," "fear," "calm"
• Mind states: "wandering," "focused," "dull," "restless"

Purpose:

• Creates slight distance from experience (observing rather than being lost in)
• Prevents elaboration (instead of story about why you're angry, just note "anger, anger")
• Develops continuity of awareness

How: Note is soft mental whisper, not loud internal declaration. Light touch. If noting becomes mechanical or distracting, drop it.

4 Investigate the Three Characteristics

As you observe phenomena arising, investigate their nature:

Impermanence (Anicca):

• Notice: sensation arises, persists briefly, fades, disappears
• Thought arises, changes, dissolves
• Emotion builds, peaks, subsides
• Nothing stays - all is process, movement, flux
• Even the sense of "I" observing is changing moment to moment

Unsatisfactoriness (Dukkha):

• Notice: pleasant sensation arises - desire for it to continue (subtle tension)
• Unpleasant sensation arises - aversion, wanting it gone (suffering)
• Neutral sensation - boredom, overlooking it (subtle dissatisfaction)
• Attempt to hold onto changing phenomena = frustration, suffering
• Not saying life IS suffering, but clinging/aversion creates suffering

Non-self (Anatta):

• Notice: thoughts arise without "you" choosing them - they just appear
• Sensations arise without your permission
• Emotions come and go on their own
• Where is the "I" who is supposedly in control? Can't find it as anything permanent or independent.
• What we call "self" is process, not entity - changing aggregates of experience

5 Let Go Without Forcing

Insight arises not through forced concentration but through relaxed, receptive seeing:

• Allow phenomena to arise naturally
• Observe with bare attention, without adding commentary
• When you notice grasping (trying to hold onto pleasant) or aversion (pushing away unpleasant), note it
• The noting itself often allows natural releasing
• Trust that clear seeing itself is liberating - don't need to "do" anything with insights

1 Morning Sit-Back Practice

What: Each morning for weeks after journey, sit in meditation and intentionally remember the experience.

How:

1. Sit in comfortable meditation posture
2. Take few minutes to settle with breath
3. Recall key moments from journey: peak experiences, difficult passages, profound insights, visual memories, felt senses
4. Don't just think about them - try to re-access the felt sense, the quality of consciousness
5. Sit with whatever arises - associations, emotions, body sensations, further insights
6. Journal afterwards if helpful
7. 20-30 minutes total

Why: Memory of non-ordinary states fades rapidly. Active recall strengthens neural pathways, makes insights more accessible, prevents experience from becoming just abstract memory.

2 Embodiment Practice

For insights about being vs. doing:

• Journey reveals you don't need to constantly strive, that your being is enough
• Practice: Daily "being meditation" - sit without agenda, no trying to achieve particular state, just being present. 15-20 minutes.
• Reinforces insight through daily embodiment

For insights about self-compassion:

• Journey showed you deserve love, revealed harsh self-judgment
• Practice: Daily metta toward self, especially when you notice self-criticism
• Makes journey insight into daily habit

For insights about interconnection:

• Journey revealed unity, interconnection with all beings
• Practice: Tonglen (sending/receiving) - breathe in suffering of others, breathe out compassion. Or daily metta toward all beings.
• Sustains heart-opening beyond journey

Principle: Match practice to insight. Make abstract understanding into lived experience through daily embodiment.

3 Inquiry Practice

For unresolved questions: Journey often raises questions as much as answers.

Technique:

1. Sit in meditation, establish presence
2. Hold question from journey lightly in awareness (not trying to figure out intellectually)
3. Notice what arises - thoughts, images, memories, body sensations
4. Stay with "not knowing" - resist urge to grasp answers prematurely
5. Trust that holding question openly allows insight to emerge organically

Example Questions:

• "What do I need to let go of?"
• "What is my deeper calling?"
• "How can I forgive [person]?"
• "What is the meaning of [symbol/image from journey]?"

4 Gratitude Practice

Psychedelic experiences often involve profound gratitude - for existence, for life, for beauty, for connection.

Daily Practice:

• End each meditation session by calling to mind three things you're grateful for
• Feel the gratitude, not just list items
• Can include: people, experiences, aspects of self, simple pleasures, lessons from challenges
• Maintains heart-opening from journey

1 Choose One Practice to Start

Don't try to do everything. Pick one practice that resonates:

• If you struggle with anxiety: Start with diaphragmatic breathing or 4-7-8 breath
• If you're very mental/in head: Body scan to develop embodiment
• If you're self-critical: Loving-kindness practice
• If you want insight: Mindfulness/Vipassana
• If preparing for journey: Mindfulness as foundation

2 Start Small and Be Consistent

• Duration: 5-10 minutes to start (not 60 minutes - that's overwhelming and unsustainable)
• Frequency: Daily if possible (5 min daily better than 30 min once/week)
• Time: Same time each day builds habit (morning often easiest before day's chaos)
• Place: Same place if possible (chair, cushion, corner of bedroom - doesn't need to be elaborate)
• Progress: Gradually increase duration over weeks/months (not days)

3 Use Supports

• Guided Meditations: Apps (Insight Timer free, Calm, Headspace), YouTube, recorded teachers. Helpful for beginners.
• Teachers: Local meditation centers, online courses, retreats. Personal instruction invaluable.
• Community: Sangha (meditation community) provides support, accountability, shared practice.
• Books: "Mindfulness in Plain English" (Gunaratana), "Radical Acceptance" (Brach), "Loving-Kindness" (Salzberg)

4 Adjust Expectations

Common Misconceptions:

• Myth: "I should stop thinking." Reality: Thinking will happen. Practice is noticing when lost in thought, returning to object of meditation.
• Myth: "I should feel peaceful/blissful." Reality: Sometimes peaceful, sometimes agitated. All are valid experiences to observe.
• Myth: "If I'm not having insights, I'm failing." Reality: Most sits are ordinary. Consistency itself is the transformation.
• Myth: "I'm bad at meditation." Reality: There's no "good at" or "bad at" - there's only showing up and practicing.

Realistic Expectations:

• First weeks: Mostly noticing how busy your mind is - this IS progress (didn't know before)
• First months: Developing continuity of practice, brief moments of settling
• First year: Noticeable changes in how you relate to thoughts/emotions, increased equanimity
• Years of practice: Deepening qualities, access to concentrated states, spontaneous insights

5 Timeline for Psychedelic Integration

If planning a psychedelic experience:

• Ideal: 3-6 months daily practice before journey (establishes foundation, develops skills, gives you taste of what meditation offers)
• Minimum: 4-8 weeks daily practice (enough to learn basics, develop some stability)
• Less than 4 weeks: Still beneficial, but won't have much depth to draw on
• No prior practice: Journey still valuable, but you'll lack tools for navigation and integration

After experience:

• Commit to daily practice for at least one month post-journey (consolidates insights)
• Ideally, journey is entry point to lifelong practice (not just tool for acute experience)