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The constant barrage of noise pervading modern cities is familiar to many, though we may have grown accustomed to it. It forms a continuous backdrop to our lives, filling our senses from all directions. While not necessarily unpleasant, we can easily become desensitised and tune out from our immediate surroundings.
Listening—the act of actively engaging with our environment and what it communicates to us—is a skill we don't always prioritise. Whether we are on a pumping dance floor, at a bustling dinner party, or in conversation with close friends, how often do we truly listen with full attention?
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The Essence of Deep Listening
True listening transcends mere hearing—it is an immersive experience, a full presence that engages with what lies beyond words. It reaches into the depths of physical sensations and emotional currents, creating a bridge between the seen and unseen. This profound empathy, often described as 'holding space,' involves being a container where others can express their deepest selves, free from judgment or interruption.
To me, holding space during psychedelic journeys requires mastering the art of deep listening and attuning to both our internal world and the inner landscapes of others. But what does it truly mean to hold space during these transformative experiences?
Holding Space in Psychedelic Journeys
Holding space is about being fully present with another person, and offering them a haven to explore their emotions and vulnerabilities. It requires an open heart, conscious support, and relinquishing any impulse to fix or control their experience. This practice is invaluable during psychedelic journeys, but also in the preparation and integration phases.
I believe that a skilled guide must understand the delicate balance required to facilitate a safely held container. And what it means to hope to create a container for participants to delve into their consciousness while offering compassion and understanding at every step. For me, understanding that process begins with deep listening.
The Art of Deep Listening
Deep listening stems from a genuine curiosity to understand the person before you and their lived experiences. It involves shedding biases and preconceptions, stepping back, slowing down, and truly engaging with the humanness and vulnerability of the person sharing that sacred space with you. This form of listening keeps the mind open to unexpected revelations, helping us to treat every interaction with curiosity, presence, and awareness.
For the past five years, I have sat in ceremonies, both teaching and learning this art from teachers, other fellow space holders and participants. In these sacred spaces, what I’ve discovered goes beyond words.
It’s about tuning into the unspoken language of the heart and soul.
Sensing the subtle shifts in the room's energy.
The quiet whispers of the spirit.
The emotions that lie beneath the surface.
It’s in what is expressed and what is left untouched.
It is almost as if in those spaces, listening becomes a bridge to understanding and empathy—a path to true connection with oneself, with each other, and with the greater whole.
Practising Deep Listening in Psychedelic Journeys
Psychedelics open doors to the subconscious, bringing forth long-buried thoughts, memories, and emotions. For guides, deep listening—to both the inner and outer worlds—is a big component of the quality of the space holding we do. However, the practice of tuning into our inner landscape comes with nuance. While they can provide valuable insights, our thoughts and emotions can also pull us out of the present moment, especially when triggered. So we need to learn to navigate these moments with more awareness.
As guides, regular self-reflection allows us to process and understand our experiences. Journaling can be a powerful tool for gaining clarity, but we have to be aware that self-reflection also requires an honest look at how our thoughts and parts might pull us away from the moment. This is where cultivating awareness comes into play.
While mindfulness practices are essential for building awareness of our internal state, they also help us develop the ability to observe when our mind pulls us out of presence. Meditation, in particular, can help us recognize and let go of thoughts that distract us from the moment, bringing us back to a space of observation without judgment.
Nonetheless to say, paying attention to bodily sensations is also another important pillar in this work. Our bodies often alert us to stress, discomfort, or emotional triggers before our conscious minds register them. This awareness allows us to regulate our state, ensuring we can guide from a grounded, embodied space.
As a guide, you will inevitably be triggered at times. Acknowledging and working through your emotional responses—rather than suppressing or bypassing them—is one of the most important skills you can develop in this line of work. Emotional honesty not only helps you remain present for yourself, but it also enriches your ability to hold space for others in their moments of vulnerability.
A tool I find helpful is setting an intention to remain open, grounded, and aware of both your internal state and the participants' needs before facilitating a journey. This helps you stay centred even when challenging emotions arise, allowing you to meet the moment with clarity.
Navigating Triggers
“...the psychedelic amplifies all kinds of insights and feelings so that many voyagers are, Grof writes, “able to tune in to the inner feelings of the sitters with great accuracy. … The ability of the subjects to ‘read’ the therapist correctly was truly striking and seemed to border on genuine extrasensory perception.”
In other words, the guide cannot hide who they are; they have to be authentically present. And they have to have had their own experiences with the medicines they serve in order to sustain equanimity in the face of existential challenges like “fear of death, total loss of control, and the specter of insanity,” Grof wrote. If not, the voyager will see right through them and realize they are alone and adrift in unchartered waters.”
- Rachel Harris, Swimming in the Sacred
The truth is that facilitating deep listening isn't always easy; it requires courage to face our inner landscapes, especially when they interfere with holding space. As guides, there will be moments when intense emotions arise, whether through our memories surfacing or in response to others’ vulnerability.
In these moments, it's easy to become distracted or defensive, distancing ourselves emotionally. When triggered, we may unconsciously try to control the experience, project our expectations, or even disconnect emotionally. To be able to recognize these responses takes honesty and vulnerability—qualities essential to cultivate before entering space with others.
For example, we may feel an impulse to “fix” a participant’s distress, interpreting it as our failure to hold space effectively. Or we might start to feel discomfort at emotions that mirror unresolved parts of ourselves. Awareness of these tendencies allows us to hold the rawness of the experience without judgment. This self-honesty helps us to maintain our connection with others, even in challenging moments.
Before facilitating a journey, take a moment to assess your emotional landscape. Acknowledge any triggers you may have and set intentions to remain open, grounded, and aware during the experience.
One time during a ceremony, a participant began to relive a traumatic childhood memory. As the emotions intensified, I noticed a shift in my own body language. I felt a tightening in my chest and a feeling of fear arising. Quickly I could recognize this as a trigger, so I took a deep breath and reminded myself to stay grounded. This helped me gently mirror back her emotions, acknowledging her pain without trying to fix it. This act of deep listening allowed her to feel seen and heard, facilitating a significant breakthrough in her journey.
In another ceremony, a participant struggled to articulate their feelings of grief. Instead of jumping in with questions or advice, I chose to remain silent, allowing space for their emotions to surface naturally. The silence encouraged them to dive deeper into their experience, ultimately giving her the space that led to a cathartic release through tears.
Self-Care and Support
The weight of holding space over time can be immense, particularly when encountering our internal challenges. Without good support systems, we risk emotional burnout, which can gradually erode our capacity to remain present.
While these practices are foundational, deep listening and holding space require more than personal practices alone. Supervision, mentorship, and peer support are invaluable when navigating the intensity of psychedelic spaces. Having a community of fellow guides, therapists, or mentors to share your experiences with can provide perspective and help you avoid emotional burnout.
And of course, combining that with self-care practices that nourish both body and mind—whether through mindfulness, regular movement, proper rest or counselling— amazing resources for maintaining your capacity to follow this path of being there for others.
Rather than aiming for constant grounding, holding space for psychedelic journeys involves building resilience, a skill that helps you return to the present even after disruptions, with supportive frameworks ready to carry you through challenging times. And it’s an ever-unfolding journey.
Integrating Deep Listening into Your Practice
“Deep listening is the kind of listening that can help relieve the suffering of another person... You listen with only one purpose: to help him or her to empty their heart.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh
Integrating deep listening into your practice is the core of creating a compassionate and supportive environment for those you guide. Whether in psychedelic sessions, daily interactions, or therapeutic settings, these principles of deep listening can transform the way we connect and heal.
As a space holder, you have the power to create realms of co-regulation and healing and the chance to be a reparative figure in someone’s journey back to themselves. Lean into practices that resonate, grounding yourself in love and presence. Through the art of deep listening, we invite profound healing, offering those we guide a safe environment to explore their inner landscapes.
I would love to close this piece with an invitation for you to reflect on how you can cultivate deep listening in your life. What practices resonate with you, and how might they enhance your connection with yourself and others?
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About the Author: Jessika Lagarde is a trauma-informed plant medicine practitioner, microdosing coach, educator, and the co-founder of Women On Psychedelics (WOOP), an educational platform fostering healing, self-expression, and empowered autonomy for women in the psychedelic space. Originally from Brazil and now based in the Netherlands, Jessika’s work integrates her extensive training and personal journey with psychedelic-assisted medicine and somatic plant medicine integration. She focuses on creating spaces that amplify avenues for self-expression, self-acceptance, and self-awareness.
A passionate storyteller, adventure-seeker, and Earthkeeper, Jessika’s own life has been a profound journey of self-discovery and healing. By navigating loss from an early age, she learned firsthand the complexities of grief, abandonment, and resilience. These transformative experiences deeply inform her approach, creating a compassionate foundation for supporting others in their plant medicine journeys.
Through WOOP, Jessika works to dismantle the stigma around mental health and drug use, particularly in women’s spaces, and advocates for accessible psychedelic education and harm reduction practices worldwide. Her educational work aims to spark new ways of thinking and invites us to question the world we live in. With a background that spans trauma-informed facilitation and compassionate inquiry, her commitment to mobilizing inner healing into collective action embodies a dedication to both personal and planetary well-being. You can follow her work on Instagram or LinkedIn.
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