Celebrating The Spring Equinox Even If You're an Introvert

You might've felt a shift in energy last week when Daylight Savings ended and time was pushed forward an hour. And if it wasn't then, you might have felt the energy move last Tuesday when Mercury moved into Aries and your inbox suddenly became flooded with urgent messages. And yet, if you still didn't feel any change, perhaps you will today, when the sun enters Aries kicking off the Spring Equinox and the beginning of the spring season.

And while that's fine and dandy for extroverts that are sick of winter, what happens to introverts who dread the change of the season?

Speaking from the introvert camp, who thrives on the introspective and peaceful times that winter brings, I, myself, struggle to switch over to spring year after year.

And if you fall in the same boat as I do, I want to let you know that you're not alone; in fact needing alone time to recharge from social events has become an increasing side effect from the pandemic that's not subsiding any time soon.

So while the springtime is a lovely season for reuniting with friends and enjoying the fair weather, what it also brings is societal pressure to say yes to every invitation that comes through.

Soon enough the social calendar will be full from seasonal holidays, much needed vacations and brunches that were promised back before the holidays.

But instead of running yourself ragged to keep up with the Joneses, consider focusing on only attending events that truly nourish your personhood and feed your wellbeing.

We at The Psychedelic Sisterhood continue to host events that serve this community with the intention of bringing folx together through the education and destigmatization of psychedelics. And it is our goal to support and give space to connect with likeminded individuals who share the same values and mission.

And with that said, I hope you'll be able to join us tonight for our beautiful Spring Equinox Ceremony, hosted by Pammy and our team of dedicated volunteers.

Tickets purchased for this event include ambient musical performances paired with sensory experiences like sacred cacao, a treat from our consumption bar, shared snacks, LIVE sound bath, breath work, yoga and meditation all designed to open up the mind's eye moving energy through the body, awakening it from the deep slumber of winter.

You'll get to shake out the dust of winter leaving yourself open to the budding spring energy and the opportunity to bond with your community in an intimate share-circle. To close out the evening, tarot card readings will be available on a first come first serve basis to help give you guidance to the season ahead.

Join us tonight for the Psychedelic Sisterhood Potluck!

If you can't make it, here are some other events coming up if you are craving community after the long winter:

Join us on March 23, 2024 for Speed-Friending

I can say with full confidence that this event is perfect for an introvert looking to meet new people under conditions that are safe and inviting.

Icebreakers and conversation starter cards are handed out to each table ensuring that there is never an awkward moment...unless you intentionally want there to be. Included in your ticket is a drink ticket to help with nerves.

And after 2 hours, You'll walk away with a few more friendly faces you'll likely see at other Psychedelic Sisterhood events so think of this as a pre-hangout with friends you'll see regardless of any additional hangouts you plan.

Tickets to Speed-friending can be purchased here

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Next up, here's what's to come for Cannabis Week since 420 is extra special this. year.

The Psychedelic Sisterhood Presents Cannabis Week 420

🥬 Sex and Cannabis - A presentation and discussion with (super kind and sweet elder) Shelly Wininger who will chat with us about her personal experiences exploring psychedelics later in life and how experimenting with different cannabinoids helped her flourish in many ways.

💐 Plant Medicine Ceremony with @_mycelium7 - During this ceremony we'll sit with the ancient plant medicine and explore the depths of our humanity in a beautiful and intentional container.

🧘🏻‍♀️Toke N'Yoga - This is a class we've been wanting to put together since 2022! Cannabis and movement combine to help you explore their partnership and we can't wait to premiere this class!

For the latest updates make sure you follow us on Instagram and are subscribed to the newsletter!

And if you want to collaborate with us for an event during Cannabis Week, please email us at hello@thepsychedelicsisterhood.com

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To close, if there's one takeaway I'd like for you to have from this post, it's this...

You are the one who sets the pace for your life, so take it easy when you need to rest.

Remember that the season has only just begun and you are in no pressure to conform to it so feel free to celebrate the Spring Equinox the way you see fit.

💚

Your supporting astrologer,

Babs

Group Ketamine Trips with Cardea and The Psychedelic Sisterhood

Hello and happy September! If you're keeping up with the PS social media page you'll see there's lots of events planned for September including another Womxn's Group Ketamine Journey Session with Cardea Ketamine Space.

I was fortunate enough to attend the session back in April and I'm dedicating this blog post to tell you more about what you can expect from this session should it interest you.

First I have to say, I was waitlisted. And never did I believe in waitlists before until it worked, and I was able to partake on this magical experience.

So if you find yourself waitlisted, have some hope! It will work out✨

After getting pre-screened by a psychiatrist to ensure that I was able to take ketamine safely without any other psycho-related factors I received the drug in the mail which I was instructed to then bring to Cardea Ketamine Space.

I was actually running late to my session because trains in New York are super special on the weekend but when I walked in I felt calm and grounded.

Here is a panoramic shot of the space inside.

I was greeted by the host who walked me through to the main space and showed me my spot for the ceremony. Cardea provided blankets, a pillow, and eye mask for a more relaxing time. The layout provides multiple ways for you to experience the trip; whether you want to lie down completely or sit up, there were plenty of pillows to go around to ensure a comfortable position.

Before ingesting the ketamine, I got to know fellow travelers and did art activities that helped prime my mind into more of an open state, ready to take on more ideas. Doing art helps the brain to think more creatively and this activity certainly helped me feel more connected to my keta-mates.

Several volunteers were there to ensure a safe environment and to ensure that any need that we might can be met like going to the bathroom or needing to separate entirely to a different room. There was even a mental health specialist and social worker there in case of any bad trips.

Ketamine is administered through the nostrils and soon enough we were off to the races.

During my experience, someone was blasting Spice Girls so that's what started our session until the gentle soothing sounds of the sound bath lulled us deeper into the trip.

The start of the journey felt tingly, with a feeling that is physical more than mental. I never felt uncomfortable but the idea of a baked potato in tin foil often came to mind. I didn't question it. I don't question the random thoughts I have pre-tripping. And having only ever done shrooms in the world of psychedelics, I didn't know what to expect from ketamine so my senses were heightened in figuring out when I was in it.

The subtle sound of ticking made its way into my awareness. And this ticking was not like a clock, but a ticking that went back and forth rhythmically as if on a track

I'm the kind of person where if I sense something and cannot automatically identify it, I become unnerved. This happens with mystery smells from the fridge of something gone bad, to feeling a draft from a seemingly sealed room. I'm sure it's a survival instinct to need to know my surroundings. And this unidentified ticking sound was driving me mad.

I took a breath and allowed my mind to label what the sound could be.

The sound reminded me of those old school train station schedule boards that change tiles in flickers as it displays the various arrivals and departures of the train. It also reminded me of the sound of a machines counting bills. The more my brain could equate visuals with the sound I kept hearing the more at ease I felt

When suddenly my brain was thinking of things as quickly as the sound brushed through the air and soon enough I was using the sound to help me extract various memories from one specific topic.

K-pop - Images and memories of all the experiences with k-pop flashed before my mind's eye: summer camp dances, memes, shorts from YouTube, victory dances, k-bbq, drunken college nights that ended in karaoke...all memories I hadn't thought about in so long.

Cats - Flashed before me were a dozen or so memories of cats: from adopting my very own snowstorm kitty, to attending various cat cafes, to remembering the time a stray cat led me to her colony in "middle of no where Jersey".

Excited to harness this new fast flashback skill I went deep into my psyche to see what would pop up when I intentionally thought of deeper topics like Fear, Death, and Heartbreak.

Fear - thoughts that populated were images of drowning or being burned alive which I knew about. And within this exercise I was detached from the feeling of fear and was able to acknowledge it in an unemotional way. The takeaway was that I should learn to use fire and probably learn to swim sooner rather than later.

Death - thoughts and images of funerals came up, and all the rituals associated with death. I thought about the many ways we honor the dead, and how I hadn't visited many graves because of my lack of access to a car. I noted to myself that I should also learn to drive.

Heartbreak - scenes from my life played about my greatest rejections and disappointments, from fashion school to the multiple times I've felt unworthy, again there wasn't any emotion attached to it, just an understanding that this has happened and I've made it through fine.

What I unlocked from this treatment was mind bending, brain hacking, and I'm glad to this day, 6 months later to still have access to this skill. That skill, aside from being able to quickly and freely associate thoughts with random buzz words, is the the idea around emotional detachment.

Ketamine showed me a way to observe concepts in a cerebral way, one that allows me to study difficult topics and take away with it a way to move forward toward overcoming future challenges that relate.

After the active parts of the ketamine trip are over and we are called to reintegrate back into reality - I felt wavy - which is the only way I can explain it; I felt it visually, and as a buzzing vibration through me. And when I asked my fellow keta-mates if they felt it too, they agreed. I had a hard time standing up only because I was thinking about it too much. And when I saw others stand, I knew it was possible and only then was able to stand.

We were provided delicious snacks to get back to sobriety which is always a welcome way to come back to anything in my opinion, and were encouraged to share our experience. There was some crossover within the group which is cool and what I found to be a great benefit of doing this in a group setting.

The next Womxn's Group Ketamine Journey Session takes place on Saturday, September 23, 2023

If you want in, you're going to want to start this process early so that you can ensure that you pass the pre-screening, and that you'll have your supply by the time the event takes place.

If you can't make this round, there should be another before the end of the year. The best way to keep note is to subscribe to our newsletter!

As for that mysterious ticking sound, it turns out it was an EMDR light (Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) used in therapy and I was the only one who heard it because I was lying directly underneath it. Maybe if you lie in the same spot, you'll unlock the same skill! Let me know if you do.

Here's a list of other events for this month taken directly from the gram

𝗪𝗼𝗺𝘅𝗻’𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝗞𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘆 🌱😌 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟯𝗿𝗱, 𝟭𝟮-𝟯 𝐩𝐦🥣

https://www.thepsychedelicsisterhood.com/event-details/womxns-group-ketamine-journey-cardea-9-23

𝗣𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱-𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 ✨🍄 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟒𝐭𝐡, 𝟑-𝟓 𝐩𝐦👯

https://www.thepsychedelicsisterhood.com/event-details/psychedelic-speed-friending-4

𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝘅𝗻’𝘀 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗲🌙🧘🏽‍♀️𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟗𝐭𝐡, 𝟕-𝟏𝟎 𝐩𝐦✨

https://www.thepsychedelicsisterhood.com/event-details/full-moon-womxns-circle-8

Heads up: if you're going to the speed-friending, I'll be there! Spots are limited to 24 people so don't wait too long!

And if you are gonna be there, my name is Babs, I'm an astrologer and I can't wait to connect with you. Otherwise you can find me on instagram: @babs.cheung

The Psychedelic Sisterhood Blog: A Rare Safe Space on the Internet

Hello dear friends, and strangers yet to become friends👋🏼

My name is Babs and I write to you as a fellow member of the Psychedelic Sisterhood since last year. I'm an astrologer, writer, and activist working to casually dismantle the patriarchy using astrology and psychedelics.

The practice of using psychedelics shares the same radical spirit of learning the language of astrology, both deeply taboo topics by nature. Yet both (and many other similar traditions) unlock the power of self discovery and self awareness as we learn and relate ourselves to others. Through this knowledge we learn about the interconnectedness that transcends our differences giving us the power to free ourselves from our oppressors who often use tactics to divide, conquer and control us.

But before preparing to write for this blog (trust, it's been a few months in the making), I asked Pammy and other facilitators what would be the most helpful posts for readers experimenting with psychedelics?

The answer I got was information and connection, writing honest portrayals about my personal experiences with psychedelics because many of us find it difficult to describe what happens during a trip sensationally speaking and equally difficult to contextualize what it has done for us.

What we do know is that taking psychedelics has changed us profoundly.

Have you experienced profound change since taking psychedelics?

• 0%Absolutely, yes
• 0%I'm not too sure
• 0%Other

Keeping in mind the value of information and connection, the types of blog posts that you can expect are first person accounts of the handful of times I've experimented with psychedelics, some crowd sourced useful guides on topics such as tripping "etiquette" or the unspoken rules of trip sitting, a newbie guide to reduce harm and create a safe environment for trips, etc.

The mission of The Psychedelic Sisterhood is to create safe spaces for womxn-identifying and non-binary persons to rediscover their relationship to the cosmos and the divine feminine through altered states, encouraging the examination of alternative healing methods to help keep us grounded, to become aware of our shadow selves, and to commit to radical acceptance.

In fact, it wasn't until joining The Psychedelic Sisterhood that my psychedelic journey became a deeply healing one due to the numerous amounts of experiences facilitated and organized by The Psychedelic Sisterhood.

As I produce more blog posts, I ask you to think of this as an open dialogue. I will be asking you to reflect on whether or not your experiences differed as I’m sure it did, and if you feel safe, to comment on your own journey as it pertains to the topic in the post but if you don't, feel free to email me privately. The goal here is information and connection after all and these will be on your terms.

If you are into astrology, there’s some extra things for you at the bottom of these posts, and if you aren’t a fan, you can leave it.

There will be moments within a blog post where I’ll ask what your triumphs and breakthroughs were within your psychedelic journeys as I will proudly tell you mine, and through this, maybe, just maybe, we can take the stigma away from what the outside world thinks about our recreational choices.

My greatest desire and hope is that whoever reads this, feels like they belong here, feels seen and heard here; and at the very least that you feel welcomed to be exactly who you are without fear of judgment.

✨🪐🌙✨🌞🚀✨

You'll be reading this after the full moon in Aquarius which happened on August 1, 2023 which is a moon energy that helps us find our community. Aquarius is the foreigner, the alien, the outlandish, the different one, yet also has deeply humanitarian values. Aquarius is the water bearer, water being emotional intelligence, knowledge, wisdom etc and therefore becomes the custodian, the innovator, the radical, the free spirit, free thinker, and futurist.

In many ways the values of The Psychedelic Sisterhood embody Aquarian energy making it a lovely time to reflect on what this organization has brought to your life. What people have you met, friends you've made through events hosted by this and other societies like it? Specifically thinking about the community connections made in the past six months since the Aquarius new moon.

It's a time to reflect and be grateful for those who align with your values and missions and to let others who don't, go, so that they can find the people that align with them.

Please know that whatever you let go of that which no longer has a place in your life or your heart, that you won’t feel empty or without, rather, you are making space for things that do belong, that do serve, and that fill you up with so much joy that it overflows.

Giving yourself the chance to experience something new is exactly why psychedelics might call to you to begin with and embracing this very mindset will make room for the good that’s left to experience.

There's lots of things (ie: events) The Psychedelic Sisterhood has brewing especially in September and your best bet to be on the pulse is to be on the newsletter list. Click here for the ➡️ newsletter ⬅️ for all the latest updates. Until then see you in Virgo Season!

Your supporting astrologer,

Babs Cheung

hello@babscheung.com

www.babscheung.com