How music helps going to your subconsciousness during a psychedelic journey

Music plays an important role in the overall experience of a psychedelic journey. We also see it as one of the few ways in which we want (and are allowed) to influence the psychedelic journey.

During a ceremony we choose music that you normally do not hear on the radio. It is a mixture of vocal and instrumental music. Some songs are specifically aimed at frequencies that are attuned to certain brain areas and/or chakras. We look at the participants’ reaction to this. Moments of silence are also often experienced as intense.

A psychedelic journey with psilocybin occurs in 3 – 4 waves of intensity. You play into this with the music or vice versa, you direct the waves with the choice of music or silences. At The Matter we never use a fixed playlist, because the waves and duration are not fixed in advance.

The first hour: during this hour it’s important that the participants can relax and are able to let go of control. We play comfortable music, often with vocals. The music of artists such as Ayla Schafer, Ajeet Kaur and Peia is very suitable for this.

The first wave starts: we choose increasingly quieter music until everyone goes into their first wave. Mantras are very suitable in the preliminary phase of this first wave.

During the first 2 deep waves it works well to alternate instrumental background music such as that of Jon Hopkins, Parijat with more active music during the valleys of the journey. In the middle of the journey we also often use shamanic drums with or without shakers. These are often songs of 20-30 minutes long. The power of the frequency of the drum or a shaker alone can induce a trance.

Sometimes certain emotions such as sadness may also be consciously aroused. Film music such as The Gladiator (Lisa Gerrard) or Schindler’s List works very well for this. Filmmakers are truly specialists in influencing emotions.

At the end you can use some cheerful music to round off the journey, such as the music of Curawaka, Rising Appalachia, Nessi Gomes or even Danny Vera.

I think the last number is important and very fun to choose. Depending on the ceremony, this is an active (dance) number or an emotional number. In the attached (shortened) example playlist I have chosen to end with the live version of Nessi’s Gomes “All related”. Beautiful song.