“They Just Don’t Get It”: On Sharing Your Ayahuasca Experience with People Who Aren’t Ready to Understand
You return from ceremony changed.
Not in the casual, “that was interesting” kind of way—
but in the soul-deep, “everything inside me is rearranged” kind of way.
You’ve met something ancient.
You’ve wept in the arms of a plant spirit.
You’ve been shown visions, truths, and parts of yourself you never knew were waiting.
And now… you try to share it.
With your partner. Your friend. A coworker.
But their eyes glaze over. They say something awkward. They change the subject.
Or worse—they say, “You were tripping, right?” or “That sounds intense... not for me.”
And something in your heart wilts.
Ayahuasca Is Not a Trip. It’s a Teacher.
To those of us who have sat with the medicine, it’s clear:
Ayahuasca is not a recreational substance. It’s not a thrill.
It’s not something you “do” for fun or escape.
It’s a sacrament.
A spirit.
A fierce and tender teacher.
Trying to explain that to someone who sees it as just another psychedelic—or worse, just a drug—can feel like trying to explain a dream in a language no one speaks.
What To Do When You’re Not Understood
Here’s the gentle truth:
Not everyone is meant to understand.
And not everyone has earned the right to hear your story.
In the words of Brené Brown:
“You share with those who’ve earned the right to hear your story.”
If someone meets your sacred experience with sarcasm, disinterest, or dismissal—it says more about where they are than where you are.
That doesn’t mean you cut them out.
But it does mean you guard the gate.
How to Hold Your Experience Sacred
Let silence be part of your integration. You don’t have to explain anything. The medicine is still moving through you.
Share only with those who listen with curiosity and reverence. Integration circles, therapists, fellow journeyers, or even your own journal may be safer spaces.
Create art, poetry, or ritual. Expression doesn’t have to be explanation. Let your soul speak in symbols.
Release the need to be understood. The experience changed you. That’s enough.
Trust in time. Some people who aren’t ready now may one day come with open hearts and ask, “Can you tell me more?”