Hi Reader,

Welcome to this week's edition of the Maps of the Mind newsletter.

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🍄 The album stole the steering wheel

Music is one of the most powerful tools in a psychedelic session.
In some ways, it's more important than the substance.

And yet many people are out there coming up… slightly wobbly… scrolling Spotify with shaky hands.

No judgment, I’ve made session music mistakes too.

Once, a friend and I queued up Oxygène by the French electronic musician Jean-Michel Jarre at the start of a session.

Completely brilliant album. Terrible timing. It was too alien, too out there. We needed grounding, not space lasers. It sneakily stole the steering wheel and pranged us out.

After a few weird minutes, we switched to something gentler, more grounded.

Shoulders dropped. Breathing slowed. Safety returned.

That’s the difference between music you like… and music that holds you.

My favourite punk and indie stuff? Perfect for a run, a train ride, or a gym session.

But when I’m going inward — to meet grief, truth, healing — I choose differently. There's a difference between music you like and music that holds a session.
The right music can carry you or crash you.

That’s why I’ve been building Session Soundtracks — a tool for finding music that fits the mood, the medicine, and the moment.
It’s coming soon.

In the meantime, here’s a question for you:

👉 What’s the music that helps you connect — to emotion, to insight, to whatever your spirit needs?

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Hit reply, I’d love to hear your thoughts, questions and favourite session music.

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📚 Microdose of Wisdom

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🎵Psychedelic Supplements

Here’s one from a small collection I’m putting together to mark the launch of Session Soundtracks.

It’s a mix of spoken word and spacious music — voices like Ram Dass, Tara Brach, Alan Watts — perfect for drifting, listening, or gently reconnecting after a deep dive.

Voices of Wisdom • Jdog Listen • Alan Watts, Boreta PREVIEW   ​

My friend Martha just released a self-paced online hand reflexology course designed for psychonauts and facilitators.

It offers simple, body-based tools to support grounding, regulation, and orientation during and around altered states.
➡️ Find out more here​

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❤️ Love and mettā to you all,

John

John Robertson​
​Psychedelic Facilitator & Educator
Webdelics' Top 100 Psychedelic Thought Leaders and Content Creators​ 2025​
​🌐 Maps of the Mind​

Want support preparing for a journey or making sense of a recent trip?
I offer 1:1 sessions for preparation and integration.
📞 Book a Call with me​

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Lantern Mews, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV32 4AP
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