Choosing Your Plant Medicine Facilitator: Essential Questions to Ask Yourself & Your Guide Before Ceremony

A harm-reduction reminder for anyone working with ceremonial plants

Javier Reguiero, Plant Medicine Maestro in the Andes of the Sacred Valley of Peru

So many people come to healing work with sacred plants, carrying hope in their hearts and deep intentions for healing. 

And I love that for us.

But sadly, & too often, I see blind trust placed in people who aren’t truly qualified to hold this work, or fully prepared to receive it.

Whether your guide is a self-proclaimed shaman (red flag #1), indigenous plant medicine person, a licensed facilitator, your coach, therapist, body worker, or anyone else—

Please, for the love of the plants, your soul, and your psyche...

VET THE HELL OUT OF YOUR GUIDES.

Potent ceremonial experiences can shift your life in ways you can't yet imagine.  Even if you’ve worked with the plants before.

And while some people have powerful journeys with skilled support, too many have no idea what they’re walking into.

And an explosive experience  - one that blasts you out of your body & mind - isn’t necessarily a healing one.

Especially if you carry trauma that already makes being in your body feel scary, or if you don’t fully understand what you’ve signed up for.

There’s no universal standard of care in these spaces, yet.

And I’m not convinced that clinicians or Big Pharma are the ones who should solely be responsible for those standards.

Harm reduction in medicine work still has a long way to go.

Because of the nature of my work, I hear story after story of the harm that can (& sadly does) happen when we aren’t careful and fall into the hands of guides who lack integrity, or we, ourselves, aren’t fully aware of the power of these experiences.

If we approach the process of choosing a ceremony or retreat with awareness, responsibility, and discernment, we can continue to sustain health & safety in our medicine circles. And that benefits everyone...

So, here’s where you start...

With a few powerful questions to ask yourself and your facilitator before saying yes.

These are adapted from my beloved teacher, Javier Regueiro, whom I gratefully credit.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Sitting

• What do I hope to receive from this experience?

• What are the reasons I want to join the ceremony or retreat?

• What is my support network for after the ceremony or retreat?

Questions to Ask Your Plant Medicine Facilitator or Retreat Organizer

• How many ceremonies has your facilitator sat in?

• How many ceremonies has your facilitator facilitated?

• Do they have a mentor or guide, or were they given a blessing to serve the medicines that they do?

• Do they have mentorship and guidance from elders in their field (or otherwise) that help support them as they grow in the work?

• Are they doing their own shadow work?

• What is in the medicine they’re serving?

Questions to Ask the Host or Ceremony Leader Before Signing Up

• What is the size of the group?

• Who are the people leading and assisting the ceremonies?

• How long have they been offering ceremonies?

• What has been their training?

• What tradition did they apprentice in and for how long?

• What tradition are they following now?

• Do they have a teacher they have learned from and who has given them the permission to lead public ceremonies with this medicine?

If they don’t know all of the plants or compounds in the medicine they're offering—or if you aren’t familiar with their medicines, PAUSE.

And most importantly, trust your instincts- if something feels off, it probably is.

These are just a few questions to get you started...

For a list of Qs to ask your Kambo facilitator by Kambo Practitioner Collective, click here.

Make these questions standard before working with sacred medicines or working with a new facilitator.

Let’s co-create safer, more soul-honoring spaces for this work to unfold.

Forest ferns against a shadowy backdrop.

Want the Full List of Questions to Ask Before Joining a Plant Medicine Retreat or Ceremony?

I’ve created a free checklist of powerful questions to ask yourself & your plant medicine facilitator- in addition to those above- to guide your decision & discernment.

It includes:

→ Self-inquiry questions to reflect on your health, readiness, and deeper motivations

→ Thoughtful prompts to explore your support system, boundaries, and past experiences

→ Important questions to ask ceremony facilitators, retreat leaders, and hosts

→ Reflections to help you stay rooted in discernment, sovereignty, and care

Send Me the Guide

Whether you’re new to this path or a seasoned traveler, it’s essential to vet your facilitator and the space you’re entering & if you’ve been in the same space for a while, you might benefit from reevaluating whether you’re needs are being met or not.