“The situation has become so dire that the WHO (World Health Organization) called for “radical change in the treatment of mental health disorders, saying existing care systems are largely ineffective and often abusive”
Can we use psychedelic cannabis for holistic growth?
At Holistic TherapeutiX, we believe so.
In recent years, the need for more effective mental health treatments is growing. “An estimated 26 % of Americans ages 18 and older suffered from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year” according to John Hopkins University.
Worse yet, many people across the world are finding current treatments are not up to par. The situation has become so dire that the WHO (World Health Organization) called for a “radical change in the treatment of mental health disorders”. They added that “existing care systems are largely ineffective and often abusive”
The need for newer treatments is becoming obvious.
One tool that provides hope for holistic growth is psychedelic cannabis, especially when used in group or ceremonial settings.
In this blog piece, we will be going over why psychedelic cannabis gives people so much hope. We’ll then talk about the various ways you can experience psychedelic cannabis at Holistic TherapeutiX.
We are a retreat center that integrates the healing properties of cannabis with a holistic, mindfulness-based approach. This allows us to access profound personal transformation and healing.
How is Psychedelic Cannabis Different from Recreational Cannabis?
“When cannabis is used in ceremonial or retreat settings… it can bring about psychedelic experiences on par with that of psilocybin, MDMA, or LSD. These psychedelic experiences can bring about profound personal healing, emotional balance, and trauma resolution.”
The Cannabis Sativa plant is becoming well-known and used among various cultures across the world. However, when most people think about cannabis, images of recreational, spiritual, or medical use come to mind. Cannabis’s ability to induce altered states of consciousness is great for all of the avenues listed above. Whether we use it for social lubrication, as a meditation aid, or for chronic pain, the benefits of cannabis are wide.
However, we can also use cannabis as a psychedelic for holistic healing. This typically requires us to create a “psychedelic cannabis blend”, where we blend togetether a high-quality sativa strain, a high-quality hybrid strain, and a high-quality indica strain in a balanced ratio. (We will be diving into this topic in further detail in a future blog post.)
One of the most powerful benefits of a psychedelic cannabis journey is that a journeyer is able to retain a strong sense of agency.
It is quite rare for a psychedelic cannabis experience to become overwhelming, or for someone to feel that they are losing control of the experience. While cannabis can induce altered states of perception that may feel as powerful as other classical psychedelics, it is often described as a much “softer” experience.
At Holistic TherapeutiX, we harness this psychedelic state to facilitate personal transformation, emotional healing, and spiritual growth. Along with whatever else you feel like you need.
The Holistic TherapeutiX Approach
At Holistic TherapeutiX we place a strong emphasis on holistic growth. We recognize the interconnectedness of the mind, body, and spirit. We see psychedelic cannabis as a tool to enhance the therapeutic process. A tool to help us promote self-discovery and addressing underlying issues in the process.
Our team of experienced facilitators are experts in creating a safe space. A space where you can curiously explore the roots of your mental, emotional, or physical challenges. With a foundation in mindfulness, our journeys are curated to catalyze an altered state of consciousness that allows you to safely work with your inner world.
There are of course still challenging moments that may come up. With the safety of our retreat center, our experienced facilitators, and grounding mindfulness practices, we can show you how to work with these challenging moments. These moments are opportunities to extract meaning or growth.
We offer a comprehensive approach to your therapeutic experience. One that combines the use of psychedelic cannabis, mindfulness, and experienced facilitators to foster holistic growth in a supportive environment.
Psychedelic Cannabis Offerings for Holistic Growth
“Mindfulness promotes a heightened sense of compassionate awareness and facilitates a deeper connection with our authentic thoughts and emotions. The complementary nature of psychedelic cannabis and mindfulness amplifies the potential for transformative experiences. ”
The integration of mindfulness practices alongside psychedelic experiences is central to the therapeutic approach at Holistic TherapeutiX. Mindfulness can be lighthouse of safety to return to as we navigate the murky waters of altered states.
Mindfulness promotes a heightened sense of compassionate awareness and facilitates a deeper connection with our authentic thoughts and emotions. The complementary nature of psychedelic cannabis and mindfulness amplifies the potential for transformative experiences. (We go into much further detail on their synergy in a recent blog piece here.)
Let’s talk about the different ways you can experience psychedelic cannabis with us.
1. Conscious Cannabis Circles:
We offer our Conscious Cannabis Circles in a hybrid model. You can join us in person at our retreat center in Agoura Hills, nestled near the magnificent Santa Monica Mountains. You can also join us virtually from the comfort of your own home. We take pride in offering high-quality psychedelic cannabis journeys in person and online.
Our cannabis circles are group affairs, with roughly 15 people joining us in person. We also have anywhere from 10-40 people joining us online. Although we can legally consume cannabis in our center, we do not provide cannabis. You must bring your own if you wish to imbibe.
The ceremony begins with an introductory circle, where we will go over the itinerary for the evening. We will go over some basics of psychedelic cannabis blends, and work on the blends together before beginning the journey.
The imbibing ceremony and prayer follows, where we honor the mother spirit of psychedelic cannabis. We then lead you on a guided body scan. Guided body scans help us get into deep connection with our body, mind, and spirit.
The next stage is where the fun begins; The psychedelic journey.
Participants will lay back, and journey inwards with the melodic aid of a carefully curated musical set. We created this musical set to catalyze a psychedelic journey.
Once the music set list is finished, we slowly and gently guide people back to the present moment before we begin an art exercise, and a group integration circle.
The circle is held in the warm embrace of our lead facilitators Monica and Ben, along with other experienced psychedelic sitters. It is a physical and spiritual place where you will feel completely secure in having a transformative experience.
2. Conscious Cannabis and Breathwork Circles
We sometimes offer a conscious cannabis circle with an added tool known as breathwork. Although there are various forms of breathwork, you will experience what is known as rebirthing breathwork.
According to RebirthingBreathwork.net, “rebirthing breathwork is a complete technique that works mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically. It is considered absolutely safe because the body and mind use their own built-in protective mechanism to always uncover only enough for our safety and security.”
It is a breathwork technique that exposes several layers of inhibition and unconscious patterns of defense, developed from birth. In the safety of a retreat center like ours, we can finally work with these layers from a place of compassion, curiosity, and grace.
When we use this breathwork technique in conjunction with psychedelic cannabis, the mystical nature of the psychedelic experience can also reach new heights.
We recommend conscious cannabis and breathwork circles for people who have a little more experience with psychedelic retreats. We also recommend it for people who feel like they are “stuck” in life or on some kind of challenge. The pairing of cannabis and breathwork can sometimes allow you to have a breakthrough of sorts. The added element of breathwork intensifies the psychedelic experience.
3. Psychedelic Integration
One of the most important aspects of a psychedelic experience is the integration of the experience into daily life. If we don’t engage in intentional and effective psychedelic integration, the positive benefits and insights we gain may be short-lived.
Monica Nieto, our wonderful founder, offers private psychedelic integration for people who either participated in one of our circles, or who would like to integrate another psychedelic experience.
With a Master’s degree in Psychology, years of training in the Mindfulness-based Psychedelic training program at the Center for Medicinal Mindfulness, and completion of the Vital Psychedelic Therapies and Integration program from Psychedelics Today, Monica is well-equipped to help you navigate and integrate a psychedelic experience.
With her expert coaching, you can learn how to pinpoint and enact the changes you would like to see in your life from a place of compassion, patience, and mindfulness.
A Safe Haven For Growth
When it comes to holistic growth, we embrace an innovative approach. One with with psychedelic cannabis as the centerpiece.
This blog piece explored the therapeutic potential of psychedelic cannabis, particularly in group or ceremonial settings.
We discussed the basic differences between recreational and psychedelic cannabis, and how a psychedelic cannabis journey is comparable to traditional psychedelics while being safer and “softer”.
We also dove into the core of Holistic TherapeutiX’s philosophy: The belief and striving for holistic growth, noting the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit. A harmonious balance between the three is key for a balanced life.
We also spent time on the integration of mindfulness practices alongside psychedelic experiences, and how central that is to our therapeutic approach. Mindfulness allows us to find compassionate awareness and facilitate a deeper connection with our authentic thoughts and emotions.
Our offerings, including Conscious Cannabis Circles, Conscious Cannabis and Breathwork Circles, and Psychedelic Integration, reflect a commitment to accessibility, whether in person or virtually. We are dedicated to providing high-quality psychedelic cannabis journeys, and helping you integrate what may have been a beautiful, but challenging journey.
We can’t wait to welcome you to one of our retreats.
