Preparations and Integrations

Preparation and Integration

If you just completed your “Intake Form,” Thank You! Now is a good time to review our preparation and integration information.

At Shangriballa, we offer a secure and nurturing environment for individuals seeking transformative experiences with Kambo and other medicinal practices. Preparation and integration are important to us. Our dedicated team combines extensive expertise and experience to ensure the safe administration of these medicines. We adhere to rigorous standards and create a sacred space where you can feel at ease, knowing you are well-supported throughout your journey. With over 2000+ ceremonies, we have gained wisdom in guiding individuals through profound and life-changing experiences.

Where needed, we work with Psychedelic Therapists to assist in the screening, preparation, and integration. Please ask during your screening call if needed.

As you get ready for your retreat with us, we encourage you to utilise our Preparation and Integration Guide. It’s designed to help you make the most of your experience.

Preparation and Integration. The journey of personal growth is fundamentally about knowing and accepting ourselves as we are and then choosing who we want to be.

Psychedelics can accelerate this process by helping us see the hidden parts of our mind, the unconscious, and the shadow. They allow us to see, experience, integrate, and release hidden fears, sorrows, and traumas that shape many of our life’s difficult and painful experiences. They can also show us the beauty and strength of what we are and the truly positive aspects of ourselves that we may not believe are there.

Shadow Work is how we integrate the aspects of our unconscious psyche into our conscious experience and allow the positive aspects of the shadow to express themselves.

This process of change and healing will be different for everyone, and it is best to set aside expectations formed from reading or watching the experiences of others. Having a clear intention of what you want is important. I will help you work through your intentions to identify the root cause of trauma and blockages. It’s also important not to set high expectations; trust that your experience will be unique and beneficial.

As is commonly said, “The medicine will bring you what you need, not necessarily what you want”.

Begin Preparation Early

We start preparing participants from the day you arrive. It is good to make some effort towards your preparation before you arrive. The earlier you prepare for your retreat, the more pleasant and productive your time with the medicine will be.
Remember to check our Safety Guide to ensure you are suited for your chosen retreat; you might need to be aware of medications, medical conditions, and supplements. Remember to come back to our Preparation and Integration guide.

Spiritual Depths of Spycadelic Journeys

Traditional psychology has failed many seekers on the path of self-discovery. While its tools can analyze the surface, the profound dimensions of life, yearning, and suffering often remain untouched. Psychedelic experiences, with their potent ability to crack open our inner landscapes, offer a powerful alternative. They beckon us beyond the limitations of the mind toward a transformative encounter with the spiritual essence of who we truly are.

This path, however, is not for the faint of heart. It is a sacred pilgrimage into the uncharted territories of the soul, demanding preparation and integration with a profound spiritual lens. In this sacred space, Advaita Vedanta, the ancient wisdom of non-duality, emerges as a radiant guide.

Are we seeking inner transformation? At Shangriballa, we walk a different path. Instead of dogma and conversion, we embrace the openhearted teachings of Ramana Maharishi. We see in these timeless principles a profound resonance with the transformative medicines you’ll encounter here and the interconnectedness of the world we face today. This isn’t about beliefs but a shared exploration of unity consciousness. We’ll equip you with insights from Ramana’s teachings to prepare your mind and heart for the journey and support you with integration practices afterwards, helping you translate these profound experiences into meaningful change in your life and our world..

“Good preparation avoids long integration.“

We will work with each participant to ensure they are well-prepared for their time with us. This will include screening, suggestions, and establishing a support strategy for post-retreat.

We have created a Preparation and Integration guide that will assist you in preparing and integrating your retreat. As dynamic beings, we all function differently. This is the same for preparing and integrating. Please feel free to add anything that you know works for you to this guide. If you intend to work with our therapist, please get in touch. There is a list of psychedelic therapists lower down under integration.

We recommend people use this guide even if they are experienced in working with psychedelics.

Integration and Preparation Guide

Non-Dual Therapy

Non-dual therapy emphasises the interconnectedness of all things and the illusion of separation. It often focuses on helping clients recognise the underlying unity of their experiences and world.

We’re thrilled to introduce Patric Boulan, a valued friend of Shangriballa, as a recommended resource for those seeking guidance in non-dual states. Patrick’s expertise can be particularly beneficial in preparing for and releasing during your retreat experience. His work is especially helpful for individuals dealing with trauma and can provide ongoing support to maintain the insights gained during your retreat.

Non-duality therapy is a form of therapy based on the understanding of our True Nature. In this therapy, we use the Presence of our Being as a catalyst for meeting our experience without division and conflict.
From this Presence, we can investigate these moments of everyday life when we feel negative emotions, contractions, agitation or inner conflict. These reactions, where the ego and the nervous system are activated, are like the tip of an iceberg: they are the points where our identification with body and mind is being fixated.

Meeting those reactive patterns openly and inquiring into them through somatic awareness, reflection, and open-hearted curiosity helps us discover the driving forces behind those movements: old wounds, childhood traumas, long-held limiting beliefs, energetic blockages, uncomfortable sensations, and repressed emotions.
Then, acknowledging what is here, surrendering to the experience on a somatic level, and letting the experience be as it is in the light of our consciousness gives those wounds the space and the love they need to find resolution and heal themselves.

This work makes healing and transformation possible by articulating personal and impersonal dimensions and unifying the two movements of transcendence and immanence.
As we integrate and heal our shadow selves, unconscious mechanisms, and traumas into a space of compassion, balance can be restored, opening access to new resources, personal growth, freedom, and well-being.
From there, the elements that hinder our authentic freedom gradually detach themselves from our experience, and the qualities emanating from our True Self (peace, silence, clarity, space, non-attachment, compassion, wholeness, love…) become more and more consistent in our inner experience and in the ways we express ourselves.

The post-retreat is an auspicious moment for working on the ego, bringing back its conditioned patterns and healing the wounds and traumas behind those patterns.

“Through my 20 years of practice, my passion has been helping people better understand how traumas shape our lives, assisting them in navigating the complex layers of human experience, dissolving the points of fixation of their identity, and becoming more and more anchored in the unconditional freedom behind that.

For me, there is a lot of beauty in reunifying with life the parts of us that were feeling excluded and repressed: when they are back to consciousness, grace is experienced, we feel at home, and the Self shines!” 

Therapy in English or French

Get out Into Nature

Preparing for your retreat is an opportunity to tap into the profound benefits of the natural world. Scientific research increasingly highlights how immersing ourselves in nature acts as a powerful antidote to the stresses of modern life. Being in nature isn’t just a pleasant experience; it actively reduces feelings of anger, fear, and stress by calming the nervous system and shifting our mental state. You’ll likely find a natural increase in pleasant feelings as your senses engage with the environment.

Imagine the gentle rustling of leaves, the earthy scent of the soil, the vibrant colors of the flora, and the feel of fresh air on your skin. Walking in the woods, in particular, has been shown to have a remarkable impact on your emotional and physical well-being. This simple act can demonstrably lower blood pressure and heart rate, ease muscle tension, and reduce the production of stress hormones like cortisol. By engaging your senses and moving your body in a natural setting, you’re not just exercising; you’re fostering a deeper connection with the environment that directly benefits your physiology and mood.   


To help you arrive at the retreat feeling more grounded and receptive, we highly encourage you to prioritize spending more time in nature in the days and weeks leading up to your experience with us. Even short periods of mindful engagement with the outdoors can make a significant difference in your overall well-being and prepare you to fully embrace the retreat’s intentions.

Get Some Regular Exercise

Prioritizing regular physical activity is fundamental for both your physical and emotional health as you prepare for your retreat.
Importantly, you don’t need to engage in strenuous workouts to reap significant rewards. Even modest activity is valuable, and consistently taking a 30-minute walk three to four times a week can have a remarkable positive impact on your self-perception and overall well-being.

Furthermore, maintaining some level of physical strength can be particularly beneficial as your body navigates the retreat experience. This internal fortitude can contribute to a more comfortable and easeful journey.

Be patient and dont do too much before the retreat, Even small effords will be valuable

Eat Healthily

As you prepare for your retreat, consider the act of nourishing your body as an essential form of self-care. While there isn’t a specific diet required for working with frog or toad medicine, the food we consume profoundly impacts our physical, emotional, and mental states. Think of it this way: wholesome foods provide the vital building blocks for a healthy and resilient you.

To support your preparation and enhance your retreat experience, we suggest embracing these straightforward eating habits:

  • Fill your plate with a colorful array of fresh fruits and vegetables, paying particular attention to the benefits of dark leafy greens.
  • Choose the sustained energy of whole grains like oats, barley, and quinoa.
  • Be mindful of sugar intake and aim to avoid it altogether.
  • Consider reducing your consumption of beef and pork.
  • Make a conscious effort to avoid all processed foods, which can contain numerous artificial ingredients and hidden sugars that may not serve your well-being.

Meditation

As you prepare for and move through your retreat experience, you might find meditation to be a supportive and grounding practice. It’s a wonderful way to cultivate self-awareness and inner peace. To help you on this path, we’ve created a beginner-friendly guided meditation. Whether you’re just starting to explore meditation or looking to deepen your current practice, we hope this guide will be a helpful companion in connecting with yourself.

Integration

Integration

At Shangriballa, we guide individuals through profound journeys of self-discovery. For most, the transformative experiences we offer and our extensive support network are sufficient to navigate and integrate the insights gained. However, we recognise that some individuals with complex backgrounds, like abuse or PTSD, may require additional support. While we aren’t therapists ourselves, we are dedicated to your well-being. We maintain a network of trusted therapists and independent professionals specializing in trauma integration and mental health support. We’ll readily connect you with these resources if you need additional guidance beyond our scope of practice.

Please download or print our Integration guide. These questions will assist you in navigating and making sense of your experience. This guide is not a substitute for professional advice and therapies.

We will support you while at the retreat and will ALWAYS be available when you return home.

Integration Specialist

If you feel called to get extra support, working with a professional psychedelic therapist might be the best way to get the most benefit from working with us.

This is especially important for people that have serious traumas like abuse, rape, and PTSD. It is helpful to connect with a therapist before you book your retreat to have connection and reassurance that you will be well supported after your retreat.

If you need professional help with integration, you can find qualified individuals from the following link, where therapists work face-to-face or online.

We are happy to discuss any options with you.

Mindleap Platform

With the increase in people seeking psychedelic experiences, Great initiatives have sprung up to support people before and after their experience. Mindleap is an affordable platform that we recommend also.Mindleap helps you go deeper into your inner wellness journey. Whether you are looking to sleep better, meditate, explore psychedelics or learn about psychedelic therapy from trusted researchers and therapists, they have it covered.

Understanding Preparation and Integration

I wanted to share this video with you because I truly believe it’s a fantastic conversation that really clarifies the often-overlooked but crucial process of integration. It’s not just about having the retreat experience; it’s about understanding how to weave those insights and feelings into your everyday life. This discussion breaks down what integration actually means and offers some really practical perspectives on how to approach it. Because I know how vital this step is for lasting growth and benefit, I highly recommend you take the time to watch it. It can make a real difference in how you move forward.

Preparation and Integration Disclaimer

Disclaimer: This page is an informational guide and should not be a substitute for professional medical care or treatment. Any application of the material outlined in the pages is at the reader’s discretion and is his or her sole responsibility. Neither the author nor the publisher can assume any responsibility for physical, psychological, legal or social consequences resulting from the ingestion of psychedelic substances or their derivatives. While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this information, they make no representations or warranties concerning its accuracy or completeness. In addition, this page contains no legal or medical advice; please consult a licensed professional if appropriate.

Preparation and Integration

Preparation and Integration