GUIDED CANNABIS JOURNEYS

A cannabis journey is a ceremonial experience that blends the mindful use of cannabis with practices like intention setting, meditation, gentle breathwork, and guided self-inquiry to support inner exploration and healing. It’s a sacred space—set apart from the everyday—where distractions are minimized, vulnerability is welcomed, boundaries are honored, and something meaningful is invited to unfold.

Each journey is a unique experience, tailored to your individual needs and intentions. Whether you're seeking healing, clarity, connection, release, or simply a deeper relationship with yourself, a guided cannabis journey offers a safe and supportive space to listen and grow from within. I hold this work with reverence, integrating modern principles of ethical and trauma-sensitive care with deep respect for the ancestral Buddhist lineages and Indigenous wisdom that inform many of the practices I draw from.

I offer guided cannabis journeys for individuals, couples, and small groups. Journeys are available in-person at my office in Portland, OR, or at a safe and private nearby location of your choosing. This work is also available online (by Zoom) for those located anywhere adult cannabis use is legal.

WHY WORK WITH CANNABIS?

Cannabis has been used for thousands of years as a sacred plant medicine, revered for its ability to expand awareness, support inner exploration, and open the heart to spiritual experience. While often overlooked in the modern psychedelics movement, cannabis is one of the most accessible and versatile entheogens, providing a unique pathway into altered states of consciousness.

Unlike recreational use, cannabis in this context is treated as a plant teacher and ally—a gentle yet powerful catalyst that can help soften defenses, quiet mental chatter, and deepen your awareness of what’s happening within. Its effects can feel very similar to stronger medicines—including psilocybin or MDMA—while offering greater agency about the pace and depth of the journey. You remain in choice throughout the experience, while the structure and guidance of the journey provide a supportive container for insight and transformation to unfold.

Cannabis journeys are not intended to treat any mental health conditions, and there are risks involved. For example, cannabis may surface unaddressed trauma and activate anxiety, paranoia, or dissociation. These “symptoms” can often be worked through with compassionate awareness and the support of a guide, and they generally resolve as the psychoactive effects of cannabis wear off.

We’ll review the potential risks and benefits in greater detail, assess for risk factors, and plan for your safety as part of the intake and preparation process. However, when used with mindful intention and the support of a guide, cannabis can facilitate mindful journeywork by acting as:

  • A Gateway to Expanded Awareness – Heightening sensory perception, creativity, and deep states of meditation.

  • A Mirror for Self-Inquiry – Illuminating unconscious patterns, emotional blockages, and insights into personal growth.

  • A Nervous System Regulator – Supporting relaxation, embodiment, and the release of stored tension or trauma.

  • A Connector – Strengthening relationships with oneself, others, and the natural world.

  • A Teacher – Providing wisdom when approached with humility, patience, and an open heart.

WHAT IS MINDFUL JOURNEYWORK?

Mindful journeywork refers to the practice of turning inward with mindfulness and a clear intention to explore your thoughts, emotions, memories, beliefs, body sensations, and other aspects of self. It’s a process of self-inquiry and healing that often involves altered states of consciousness to access deeper layers of your inner world. It’s called “journeywork” because it’s not just passive reflection—it’s an active, unfolding experience that requires presence, courage, and a willingness to engage with what arises internally.

When approached as a sacred plant ally, cannabis pairs beautifully with the practice of mindfulness to support journeywork. Mindfulness invites us to slow down, turn inward, and meet our moment-to-moment experience with curiosity and compassion. Cannabis can gently amplify this process by softening the grip of habitual thinking, heightening sensory awareness, and loosening the boundaries between body, mind, and spirit. It often brings what’s just below the surface into clearer view—not to overwhelm, but to be seen, felt, and released or integrated with care.

Rather than taking us “out of” ourselves, conscious cannabis use can bring us deeper into the body and into relationship with the parts of ourselves that long for awareness and acceptance. In this way, cannabis doesn’t replace the work of mindfulness—it supports it. It can open subtle inner doors, while mindfulness gives us the tools to walk through them with steadiness, discernment, and heart.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

A Guided Cannabis Journey may be right for you if you:

  • Want to engage with cannabis as a sacred or intentional tool for self-discovery and self-healing

  • Are drawn to altered states of consciousness but prefer a gentler, more flexible experience

  • Seek insight, emotional release, or creative inspiration in a supported setting

  • Want to explore your relationship with cannabis in a new way

  • Feel called to experience expanded states with safety, mindfulness, and reverence

Please note: Although I am a licensed therapist, the services I provide at Mindful Journeys are not psychotherapy and are intended to facilitate self-exploration and personal growth. If you are seeking therapy to address mental health concerns, please see the website for my psychotherapy practice.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Each Guided Cannabis Journey is a unique experience, tailored to your individual intentions, needs, and process. Guided Cannabis Journeys include, at minimum, one Preparation Session (1 hour) and one Integration Session (1 hour) in addition to the journey itself (3-5 hours).

  1. Intake & Preparation Sessions – Before scheduling a cannabis journey, we will meet for an intake session to discuss safety and logistics and at least one preparation session (possibly more) to build safety and trust, clarify your intentions, and develop mindfulness-based skills for navigating non-ordinary states of consciousness.

  2. Guided Cannabis Journey – The journey itself is held within a container of ceremony and sacred space. Each journey is designed to provide a safe, supportive, and meaningful experience. Journeys typically include:

    • Arrival and Intention Setting – Guiding into present-moment awareness and getting grounded in your intention for the journey.

    • Imbibing Meditation – Option for ingesting cannabis mindfully with respect, a clear intention, and connection to resources.

    • Guided Meditation & Body Scan – Exploring your intention in the present moment through mindfulness and body awareness.

    • Open Exploration — Alternating between periods of internal reflection, guided inquiry into your experience, and interactive processing.

    • Closing & Integration — Taking time for reflection, grounding, and self-care before bringing the journey to a close.

  3. Integration Session – Within one week of a journey, we will meet for an integration session to reflect on the experience, process insights, and explore how to apply them to daily life.

You can learn more about my approach to guiding and integration here.

SET YOUR INTENTION AND BEGIN THE JOURNEY

If you’re interested in experiencing a Guided Cannabis Journey, the first step is to contact me to schedule a consultation. We’ll discuss your intentions, experience with cannabis, and any questions you may have, ensuring this process feels aligned for you.