Our offering and starting point
Spiral Vision offers personal guidance, coaching, workshops, training and group ceremonies. The basic premise of all these services is that everyone has a healthy and unbroken essence. We could say that everything and everyone is a unique expression of this interconnected ground of wholeness. Some people call this Love or basic Goodness. Others call it unqualified Consciousness or something else. However you name it, it is not something to be believed, but to be experienced, realised and become
Vision
When people experience psychological, emotional, physical or relationship problems, at Spiral Vision we don’t see them as ’things’ to get rid of. Rather, these so-called disorders are regarded as symptoms of the deeper lifestream that longs to express itself freely and spontaneously. It is our wish to live fully in the midst of life that wants to manifest itself fully. In this sense, we can view painful symptoms as an invitation to a more radical inquiry into the true nature of our being and reality.
Know Thyself
If this is our situation, how do we proceed? Where to start? True wisdom begins with acknowledging what we don’t know. The ancient Greek adage “Know thyself” is still valid advice. Inquiry into the depth of who we are, is the way. Reliable maps and guides have played an important role in developing a sense of direction over the centuries. That used to be the case and it still is.
We at Spiral Vision would like to be guides, supporting you in developing your inner compass, your sovereignty and your ability to love so that you can surrender more to the life that wants to be lived. We don’t put ourselves in the position of professional experts who already know everything, or tell you what’s right or wrong. We consider ourselves more like fellow travellers on the path. We are happy to share our discoveries, and exchange experiences, ideas and insights with you.
Historical background of the ceremonies
One way to explore these personal and existential questions is through plantmedicine ceremonies. These ceremonies are as old as mankind and are still used by many indigenous peoples around the world. There is growing evidence that these kinds of ceremonies are an inseparable part of our human history. They stood at the cradle of our Western civilisation. Over a period of nearly 2,000 years, people in ancient Greece were initiated into the mysteries of life during the initiation rites held annually in Eleusis. The participants in these initiation ceremonies were given profound transformational visions. They are said to have been aroused by a powerful psychoactive ingredient in de kykeon. One of the ingredients of kykeon was barley, and the barley was probably infected with ergot. This substance had a hallucinogenic effect, which is comparable to LSD. Almost all the great philosophers of antiquity took part in it. It was an inseparable part of their society and of the religion that had no name. On pain of death, it was forbidden to talk about what exactly took place during these ceremonies, which sometimes took a year to prepare. As a result, people continued to face these ceremonies with freshness and the mystery was preserved for centuries and up to the present day.
Apparently the ancient Greeks had found a way to integrate these powerful tools of transformation and meaning into their highly developed society. How differently the government and the church view comparable processes and developments in this day and age. Over the centuries, a strong repressive policy was followed. Fortunately, a lot of scientific research has been done in recent years into the effect and therapeutic effects of these agents. The results of this are promising.
These kinds of ceremonies can still have great significance in our modern society. Perhaps the urgency is even greater than before, given the major global challenges we face and the crisis of meaning we now find ourselves in as the familiar frames of reference of faith and outdated societal ideologies fall away.
Life is a ceremony
We could even say that the way we organize our lives is a conscious, but much more often, an unconscious ceremony. This daily ceremony is an expression of how we see ourselves and look at the world. In our daily actions and through repetitive habitual patterns and daily rituals we show what we consider valuable and what we do not. This affects all the details of our lives; what we eat, the clothes we wear, our relationships, the work we do, etc.
However, through the ceremonies and rituals with plant medicines, we gain new insights into the patterns with which we experience and express ourselves on a daily basis. We begin to see what is real and what is not. It provides insight into what to accept and what to reject for a full, honest and authentic life. What really makes sense? What is your unique expression in this life? What do you have to offer the world and what’s stopping you from doing it?
These ceremonies are usually supported by meaningful rituals, meditation, imagination, music, movement, dance, exchange, and psychoactive plant medicines. It’s like creating a living mandala of orderly chaos where seemingly opposing polarities can be united in a new meaningful way.
Psilohuasca – substances used
The substances we use are a combination of Banisteriopsis Caapi (concentrated psychoactive drink made from certain liana from the Amazon jungle) and home-grown mushrooms, Psilocine Aurumescens, or truffles. Psilocybine is the active ingredient of the so-called magic mushrooms and can evoke visions and insights. These plant medicines can teach you about many things and can take you to a place of wisdom and lived spirituality. They usually make conscious what lies hidden in the shadows. That is why this type of mushroom is also called ‘Golden Teachers’. Usually, instead of the magic mushroom, we use psychedelic truffles, which contain the same active ingredient psilocybin and which are not prohibited by law. Which combination we use depends on the circumstances, possibilities and the type of ceremony.
Psilocybin can change our perception, feeling, thinking and our experience of reality. It’s a classic psychedelic compound that may be effective in treating mood and substance use disorders, but in a completely different way from traditional drugs. Acute psilocybin effects include decreased negative mood, increased positive mood, and decreased amygdala response to negative affective stimuli. Research has shown that psilocybin and psilocin become active when digested orally. The molecules temporarily attach to the 2A or 5-HT2A receptors in our brain. This affects the release of serotonin which can profoundly alter our perception and mood as new connections are made within our neural network. For more information, see https:// hellomd.com/articles/why-interrupting-the-default-mode-network-with-psychedelics-is-good-for-mental-health
Caapi provides relaxation, focus and deepening. Caapi is one of the two ingredients that traditionally make ayahuasca, but it doesn’t cause visualizations on its own because it doesn’t contain DMT, like in the ayahuasca brew. Caapi is a strong medicine in its own right. As a MAOi (monoamine oxidase inhibitor, also known as beta blocker), the Caapi enhances the effect of the Golden Teacher or the truffles, extending the active duration and giving it more depth.
Setup of the ceremony
We consider the psilohuasca ceremony an effective way to work with personal and existential life themes, to heal and grow as a person. We can thereby become aware of our true nature (and that of others), and of what prevents us from realising it.
Intake and integration
Everyone who signs up to participate in the Spiral Vision ceremony will receive an extensive questionnaire by email prior to the intake interview. Based on this, an intake interview will take place by video call or mobile phone. The aim is to clarify matters and to see together whether participation is a good decision at the moment. Later on, all participants must sign a statement stating that they are aware of the set-up and possible risks. Everyone’s responsibility is also defined. The text of this statement will be emailed to the participants prior to the ceremony.
The ceremonies take place in a small circle of 5-8 participants. A number of experienced counselors are always present to support everyone’s process. In the beginning, time is set aside for getting to know each other and sharing everyone’s expectations, feelings and intentions.
Then the two agents are taken separately and with some time in between. Dosage depends on each experience and sensitivity. In practice, the experience is very similar to that of ayahuasca and can be experienced as very powerful. That is why this combination is often called ‘psilohuasca’. But the outcome all depends on our intention with which we approach the ceremony (mindset) and on the situation (setting) in which we use these powerful medicines and sacraments.
Electronic and live music will be used to help navigate the journey, as well as meditation, conscious breathing, and silence. The ceremony takes place in a safe and sacred setting. During the ceremony, all participants wear white or light clothing that is not too distracting and emphasizes the ceremonial nature. Everyone has their own mattress for the duration of the ceremony. The ceremony is concluded with the sharing of the experiences gained during the ceremony and with a shared meal. The duration of the ceremony is 6-8 hours. Two weeks after the ceremony, there will be another Zoom meeting to discuss everyone’s progress and integration.
However, the plant medicines are not a panacea for all our problems or life questions. If we approach the ceremony with a quick fix attitude, we are likely to be disappointed. The real work often starts after the ceremony, that is, when integrating our experience into everyday life. That takes self-discipline and practice.
Preparation for the ceremony
In the past we worked in a highly structured setting as well as in a semi-open or completely free setting without frameworks and guidance. As a result, we have increasingly come to understand the importance of good preparation beforehand, and attention to careful integration afterwards, but without the desire to direct our own experience and that of the participants too much. In our opinion, a semi-open setting with experienced and professional guidance and clear rules and agreements offers the most safe and useful setting for the ceremony.
It can help to see the ceremony and everything that comes with it as a journey. Formulating and thinking about your intention prior to the trip influences the course and the outcome of the process. In this case, traveling may end up being even more important than reaching your destination or goal.
It is therefore important to prepare well for the ceremony. It is precisely at this point that recreational use differs from a more deliberate and ceremonial application of these potent plant medicines. In principle, there is no moral objection to recreational use. However, we offer the Psilohuasca ceremony from a different perspective. It is therefore helpful to examine a number of questions prior to the ceremony that can help you clarify your intention and motivation. The questions will be sent to you by us and are mainly intended for reflection and support during the preparation. We ask you to think about these questions beforehand in an open and relaxed way.
Intention
In our view, an intention is not a concrete goal or a specific expectation, but relates to a quality of your consciousness and attitude before, during and after the ceremony. On the one hand, having a certain focus is supportive. However, when we cling too much to it, we narrow our horizons to such an extent that we can miss valuable things or not let them happen. In fact, this is about training our attention and awareness, and at the same time our ability to let go. So we formulate our intention in advance and at the same time release it in the confidence that what is needed for us will be revealed, even though it may not become clear until later.
We recommend that you watch as little social media and television as possible in the days before the ceremony. The effects of a Psilohuasca ceremony can be physically, emotionally and spiritually intense. The ceremony can expose what we had so neatly swept away or suppressed. Everything that is not processed wants to be processed and everything that is not conscious wants to become conscious. It’s always good to ask yourself if you’re ready now!
We provide a ‘safe enough’ space to explore your deepest questions. The goal is always to let go of what is no longer useful, to grow and (re)find your balance, in a way that improves the quality of your life, your mental resilience and practical functioning in daily life. The best attitude to approach the situation is one with curiosity, sense of adventure and humor.
Dietary Instructions
Keep in mind a number of factors related to your diet and health. These specific points of attention can be found under ‘Dietary instructions’. If you have any questions about specific comments, please contact us: 06-15056479 or email us: tvdreijden@gmail.com
The Spiral
The spiral as form and movement can be found on a large scale in the natural world. From galaxies in space to tiny shells on the beach, Her coiled-snake shape has been used as a tool for growth and transformation since ancient times. The spiral is a guide to go deep into consciousness and the unknown and then stretch far into the sky. It is crucial to surrender to her journey until the exhausted paradigm dissolves in the depths of the psyche and her energy is released to give birth to a new reality.
To renew yourself, you have to shed your old skin. Perhaps you are just at the beginning of this process or you are already working on it, otherwise you would not be reading this text. Don’t just scratch away at the old, but welcome the soft new skin that is starting to grow. Break the habit of always working on your mistakes and let nature take its course. Know that the new skin sometimes feels fragile and scary. Trust the medicine of the spiral as it guides your journey of renewal.
In this spirit, we leverage and create together a collective intelligence that is more than it’s individual parts. Together we will discover what wants to be born in (your and our) life and how we can support that development in such a way that we can integrate it into our daily choices and routines.