Hi Reader,
Welcome to this edition of the Maps of the Mind newsletter.
🍄 The only thing left is to let go
Nobody should be DJing their own high-dose session.
For most people, picking tracks in the middle of it would be overwhelming. Even if you managed it, it pulls you out. When you could be journeying, you’re thinking about the next track.
The beauty of a playlist is that you press play and take the ride. The main course is set, and it’s already been thought through.
That’s how I think about preparation in general. The aim is to arrive at the session, take the dose, and be able to say: the only thing left for me to do is let go.
It’s why I do clearing with people, closing the open loops that would otherwise hum away in the background. It’s why we clean the space and set it up, sort any big things beforehand, and journal to get some thoughts out of our heads. All of it turns down the psychological noise that can hinder a session and get in the way of dropping in.
Music is part of the same job. When it’s ready, all you do is press play. Maybe talk a little with your facilitator, or journal or meditate while the effects come on. Then lie back, close your eyes, and meditate into it.
When I’m choosing, I look for a playlist made for that substance, so it matches the arc and the timing. The length is a good clue. Psilocybin playlists usually run around five hours to cover the whole journey.
I go for ones I’ve seen recommended lately by other journeyers or facilitators, or made by someone whose playlists I’ve loved before. Then I skim it, sampling a few tracks from different points to get a feel.
If I want a lighter trip, I pick lighter music, less evocative and less emotional. And if I’m with someone less experienced, I’ll have a softer playlist ready in case it gets too intense.
That’s it. The choosing happens before the day, so on the day there’s nothing left to choose.
That’s what Session Soundtracks is for: playlists made for sessions, which you can filter by substance and intention.
It opens on Sunday 15 November, with a launch price for the first week and a couple of extras thrown in. More on that soon.
A reflection for you today:
👉 What’s humming away in the background for you right now?
What could you close, clear or set down before your next session, or your next quiet hour?
And what would it take to get to the point where the only thing left is to let go?
What did this bring up for you? I hope you'll reply and tell me about it.
📚 Microdose of Wisdom
"Whenever in doubt, turn off your mind, relax, float downstream."
— Timothy Leary, Ralph Metzner and Richard Alpert
The Psychedelic Experience (1964)
🎵Psychedelic Supplements
A psilocybin playlist from the founder of Fungi Academy. There’s a gong at every hour mark as a reminder to come back to presence and as a chance for an optional toilet break
John Lennon lifted the opening line from the Leary book above for the last track on Revolver; pioneering raga psychedelic rock, featuring tape loops, a Leslie speaker vocal effect, and Indian-inspired backing.
More on clearing and the rest of the prep in a piece of mine, How To Best Prepare Yourself For A Psychedelic Journey
❤️ 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
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