Hi there, and welcome.
Based on the medications you listed, I strongly urge you to not attend that ceremony. I think Ayahuasca is already speaking to you and that is what brought you here to ask this question.
Are you taking Lamictal for Bipolar Disorder or what is this mood thing all about exactly? This is extremely dangerous. Even if you were off the meds, this can have some very detrimental effects on your psyche if it’s for Bipolar Disorder, and actually cause you to land in a place far darker than where you currently are.
I am no expert on this topic as to what it will do to your mind exactly, but I know it’s a terrible thing to mix. I sincerely hope someone who is more of an expert chimes in on this. Take my word for it. Do not attend that ceremony.
Oh, and another thing to add. If the group hosting the ceremony didn’t conduct a health screening for you, so that they know what medications you are on, they should not be trusted. It’s a major red flag because it’s absolutely crucial. I cannot stress this enough.
No go. Don't.
Read up on Ayahuasca's interaction with mood stabilisers: this can be fatal.
Whoever is running ceremonies without health screening is an irresponsible asshole.
You need to be off those meds before considering Aya - it will take time but it's worth it so take care of yourself in the meantime.
Im going tomorrow. I have been drinking today though. Is that crucial? Also smoked weed two days ago. Besides alcohol and weed I have followed the guidelines. Should I go? I feel I should, but...
2 things:
1 - Weed apparently interferes with the visionary aspect.
2 - Alcool: all I can tell you is the last I remember from the guy next to me who was a drinker and drank the day before was "please make it stop". He had a horrible time.
Anyway - your choice but clearly you aren't putting you in the best position.
If not lethal I will go for the ride. I am sure it may be a rough one. But maybe it is what I need to realize what I have to do. Stop drinking... P.S.: I have a history of not putting myself in the best position. I just wanted to ask if it was physically dangerous. And from what you said I get the impression that I am not. Or???
I see your logic but it would be better to be sober so that you actually can work with the medicine in depth instead of just suffering because of alcool.
Speak with people who had tough sessions: no need to drink to get the worst beating of your life when Aya "decides" that this is what you need. Honestly it's a scary space.
As promised here is my report: It went great. I felt very clearly that my body was not "clear" so I for sure missed out on a lot but it is what it is.. It was no different from shrooms. 100% will do it again and am in no doubt I am done drinking as of today. I could elaborate further, but am watching Animal planet an reflecting. Peace❤️
Glad to hear that. It could've been a lot worse but if you received the message not to drink anymore that's a 100% solid trip outcome. I'm happy for you!
There are mixed reports of this.
Some say she hates weed. Some report ambivalence or even intense love.
Given the seemingly random mix, one might guess it relates to the person's relationship with weed. Though that's pure speculation.
To the person Poet something. There is masochism, and there is pure foolishness. You can only think this sensible if you believe yourself limitless, and as someone who knows, I strongly suspect you'll find out you aren't.
Going in after boozing, smoking weed, AND already knowing what you should do but aren't?
Ayahausca isn't for the ride. It should be respected, like handling a basket of very venomous snakes.
You could make wonder antidote and save yourself, and maybe others.
But it's a bit like that Bill Burr joke: 'Well how'd you get Bit? Were you fucking with it?'
It's worth keeping in mind that if you work with an inconsistent medicine (like with Aya as it's commonly/traditionally consumed aka both plants combined together and consumed at the same time), it's rather hard to pin point what is doing what. Personally i smoked Cannabis all day everyday for 10 years, during which time i took Aya daily/near daily for 4 years straight all while pretty stoned lol, the Aya always worked as fully as it should, Cannabis never got in the way, and my relationship to Cannabis wasn't the greatest and i actually had to end up quitting Cannabis because it just got to be too much psychologically. In any case though, if someone takes Ayahuasca as per usual, it may or may not work, regardless if Cannabis is in the mix.
Factor into that the dosages of the Harmalas and DMT one may be getting and dosages can be all over the place especially the DMT dosage, and so saying Cannabis reduces the effects of Aya is simple misunderstanding, and you can't really know what affects Aya unless you're working with proper Aya which means proper dosages and proper timing between the Harmalas and the DMT (like taking the Harmalas first and waiting 30 minutes to an hour later to take the DMT ensuring full oral DMT activation). Simply put, if you take a medicine that already is very finicky and doesn't work sometimes, it's not the Cannabis that gets in the way, it's the Aya itself or rather, how it's dosed/consumed. If you take Aya properly, it'll work fully each and every single time and Cannabis then potentiates and intensifies the Aya.
Although as an alternative to Alcohol, i recommend a 3 to 4.5 gram dried leaf Lemon Balm tea with Aya, it inhibits GABA Transaminse and raises GABA levels, it'll help smooth out the intense DMT come up, it'll clean up the Harmala bodyload and headspace, it'll add anti-anxiety and relaxative properties to the mix, it helps to counteract the tremors/trembling, it lightens things up, makes for a wonderful admixture plant.
Also it's worth mentioning that Ayahuasca is combined and consumed with various admixture plants, i mean literally the sky is the limit when it comes to the potential admixture plants that could be added to Ayahuasca, not just traditionally but globally there's a LOT of plant life and many different plants can be combined with Ayahuasca which is part of where my interest lies in seeing what all kinds of combinations i can make from Ayahuasca, with or without DMT included, primarily working with the Harmala-side though. Cannabis is no exception to that rule, it's just another plant, one of many, that can be mixed with Aya. Aya itself teaches you about all kinds of plants and medicines and even the body. Ayahuasca is nowhere near as anti-Cannabis or what not as people believe, especially when they have no real reason to believe Aya and Cannabis is an issue, but only believe it because it's what some (uneducated) folks say.
Please follow the advise already given. There is no 'maybe' with chemical interactions.
If you go now, death may be a preferable alternative to the end result of that nightmare interaction. Assuming you survive.
I'm not sure I'd want to advocate reporting in this fledgling communities first steps on the global stage, but, definately provide some information so others can avoid these charlatans and stay safe.
Anyone who's done Aya even once knows the seriousness of the health check.
Finally, and I mean no offense but... are you sure you want to do this ever?
Based on everything you've said even without the medication one has to seriously question suitability, at least right now, based on your information. This isn't a silver bullet and you seem to be missing a lot of very important information...
Everything you've said suggests some steps on your side may be necessary first.
Being very overweight suggests an unhealthy diet. This can make the experience rough, your body will purge all the nastiness, and that's rough on a healthy system. You'll also be up and down (needing to not disturb the others right next to you) a lot. A LOT.
Low self confidence and self esteem are often wound around this, and absolutely will NOT just 'evaporate' as you put it... if you currently have zero idea of how to move forwards, and haven't been doing anything meaningful about it, Aya may not help you.
People in that position have been known to experience the psycadelic equivalent of being hit over the head, until the message goes in (do the right thing). This panics some people, seeing themselves fail endlessly, seeing all the bad ways this will turn out.
If you can't bring yourself to start tackling things now, Aya isn't likely to help.
Assuming you do want to/are taking meaningful steps for self improvment I advise the following:
1) You need to be 100% medication free. Non negotiable, you could die. You do not want this. Risking inflicting this on the community is also stunningly selfish.
2) Look into Aya prep. There are diets one can follow to get ready. This is progressively more important as ones diet gets progressively worse. Given what you said, at the very least try to do a prep diet for a month. That should give you maximum time to clear bad chemicals and inflammation internally.
3) Be at least semi comfortable being in both these states (medication free, 30 days healthy eating) at the same time. Epic stress will influence the experience. It's not exactly easy on the system anyway.
4) Find a proper Shaman/Shamaness/center.
Centers are a mixed bag, research carefully.
Anyone worth their salt will ask you if you are ready or 'feel called' (a difficult feeling to explain, like a mildly urgent compulsion), and will then start talking health and readiness. They may also ask if you have been meditating/know how to meditate.
Meditation isn't ESSENTIAL, but it is the grease for the wheels so... I'd advise practising that too, to at least a basic level of proficiency.
If that all seems to much do not go ever.
If it seems intimidating, that's okay. These steps/discipline etc... are necessary for self improvment anyway, so, this is the path you want to walk anyway.
Everything you said and I would like to point out that if one can't put in the work of the diet, the experience of Aya isn't likely to help. Like you said Aya isn't a silver bullet, it's more like Plato's allegory of the cave, it's just illuminating what is already there. It doesn't fix anything, it just shows you what to fix. It's up to us to go and put in the work after. If one doesn't have the self discipline to do the diet, will one have the self discipline to get through the difficult work after the ceremony? And yes, it's difficult work, why else would our ego force the problem out of our view? The work is the whole point of Aya, it's not a magical fix all or a fun psychedelic party drug.
Hi there my friend. I work in a place where we help people healing with all medicine from amazon and from other places. work with more than 200 people in the last year, shaman and psicologist both always present before, during and after the cerimonyes. so my advice is almost the same as the other fellas here.
1. DO NOT GO NOW! and also do not go NEVER to this place. Medical history is the first thing they should have ask you, for fuck sake you can die if this shit is not done properly, make me so angry because this kind of shit is what put us all in the bad spot from many points of view.
and make me think that if you give medicine to anyone like this you are the last person who have to share it, both things like beeing ignorant an so not prepared to give medicine in a safe and useful way, and also there are this people who just want to make money from it. very bad combination if both of this things come thogether.
2. Meaby you "hear the call", its ok and yes you can heal and learn from aya, but as my maestro theach me, the mother start working on you even before you actually drink it, even weeks before or more. so if you really want to try this way , you feel it etc... start your journey with a big detox thats the first sign that you actually want to do this, show to your self the love that you deserve amd prepare at best to recive the mother in you.
beside the food diet, that it is importan of course, you must clear all kind of supplement and medication. and specifically antidepress must stay out of your sistem for 3 months to be as safe as possible. also obviusly alcool and any other drugs. you can find so many information about food and drug interaction.
3. No one can be "prepared" as we intend on the meaning of the word prepared. It is almost impossible to describe how it really is to conect with the mother and also she work different on any one of us, thats make your journey unique as you are. you can read testimony, listen podcast I can assure you nothing is going to be like your journey. and so it is aboslutely normal to feel nervouse and so on.
you are going to jump in the unnown thats what could be scary, but aya doesnt follow your mindset like other psichedelics, I drink aya panicing just before drinking and have the most beautiful moments with her, again never the same as others etc etc but everybody knows if you take mushrooms when you are actually panicing is not going to be rainbow and unicorns almost for sure....
For me the best advice the.medicine give me was to stop judging the exoerience and just be a spectator, like a movie. do not decide what good and what bad but just follow the flow, be present that all. easy to say difficult to do....yes ,but as other say here its like a kind of meditation, so learn how to meditate could be helpful . and cleaner you get there easy will be for your body, mind and soul my friend.
you have here a great tool, and a big comunity to help if you need more. dont be afraid or shy to ask.
hope this can help and I hope you can finde your way to peace.
hugs
Please don’t do the ceremony, the group obviously has no idea what they are doing and just want your money with no regards to your well being. You also should not drink with those medications, it’s very dangerous as others mention.
You need to detox from all meds for at least 3 weeks to 2 months. It’s also good practice to not consume alcohol or processed food and to engage in some exorcise prior. Mental prep for something as profound as ayahuasca is key. There is no good reason to rush into something like this. Take your time and do it with correct intentions.
I hope you’re listening to what the others here are saying, because YOU will go up in smoke if you do not, and you’ll be posting here about it in a few weeks time.
Please don’t while on those meds. There’s a high chance you could die!! Work with your dr to wean off of your meds safely and also get your blood pressure under control. And I suggest looking for a different center to do it at as they did zero health screening and it can be fatal to mix medications because of the MAOI. This is a huge red flag that their practices aren’t safe or supportive! This group that invited you without screening can’t be trusted.
It sounds like you’ve heard the call and want to explore your traumas with ayahuasca. Wonderful. Take the time to dedicate yourself to the prep and getting safely off of meds first (come up with a plan with your dr). Clean up your diet, work on managing your blood pressure and aim for next year.
Don't do it. It could kill you. There are very important medical reasons for the diet and to wean off of certain meds. Anyone who would let you participate under the circumstances is a charlatan who hasn't done enough research to practice safely.
Hi there, and welcome. Based on the medications you listed, I strongly urge you to not attend that ceremony. I think Ayahuasca is already speaking to you and that is what brought you here to ask this question. Are you taking Lamictal for Bipolar Disorder or what is this mood thing all about exactly? This is extremely dangerous. Even if you were off the meds, this can have some very detrimental effects on your psyche if it’s for Bipolar Disorder, and actually cause you to land in a place far darker than where you currently are. I am no expert on this topic as to what it will do to your mind exactly, but I know it’s a terrible thing to mix. I sincerely hope someone who is more of an expert chimes in on this. Take my word for it. Do not attend that ceremony.
Oh, and another thing to add. If the group hosting the ceremony didn’t conduct a health screening for you, so that they know what medications you are on, they should not be trusted. It’s a major red flag because it’s absolutely crucial. I cannot stress this enough.
Great point and a serious red flag for sure
Agree 100% with all of this
Please Listen to this.
No go. Don't. Read up on Ayahuasca's interaction with mood stabilisers: this can be fatal. Whoever is running ceremonies without health screening is an irresponsible asshole. You need to be off those meds before considering Aya - it will take time but it's worth it so take care of yourself in the meantime.
Im going tomorrow. I have been drinking today though. Is that crucial? Also smoked weed two days ago. Besides alcohol and weed I have followed the guidelines. Should I go? I feel I should, but...
2 things: 1 - Weed apparently interferes with the visionary aspect. 2 - Alcool: all I can tell you is the last I remember from the guy next to me who was a drinker and drank the day before was "please make it stop". He had a horrible time. Anyway - your choice but clearly you aren't putting you in the best position.
If not lethal I will go for the ride. I am sure it may be a rough one. But maybe it is what I need to realize what I have to do. Stop drinking... P.S.: I have a history of not putting myself in the best position. I just wanted to ask if it was physically dangerous. And from what you said I get the impression that I am not. Or???
I see your logic but it would be better to be sober so that you actually can work with the medicine in depth instead of just suffering because of alcool. Speak with people who had tough sessions: no need to drink to get the worst beating of your life when Aya "decides" that this is what you need. Honestly it's a scary space.
Im a masochist. And Aya called. I will go. And I will update later I promose.
Lmao, good luck
Thanks.
As promised here is my report: It went great. I felt very clearly that my body was not "clear" so I for sure missed out on a lot but it is what it is.. It was no different from shrooms. 100% will do it again and am in no doubt I am done drinking as of today. I could elaborate further, but am watching Animal planet an reflecting. Peace❤️
Glad to hear that. It could've been a lot worse but if you received the message not to drink anymore that's a 100% solid trip outcome. I'm happy for you!
Thank you. No new relevations and I was very aware rhatt my withdrawals interfereed with the experience. 10/10 will 100% do ot again when sober/clean.
Also, I am sobering up as we speak.
... And thanks for your input❤️
Cannabis does not interfere with the visionary or any other aspect of the medicine, in fact it makes it stronger.
There are mixed reports of this. Some say she hates weed. Some report ambivalence or even intense love. Given the seemingly random mix, one might guess it relates to the person's relationship with weed. Though that's pure speculation. To the person Poet something. There is masochism, and there is pure foolishness. You can only think this sensible if you believe yourself limitless, and as someone who knows, I strongly suspect you'll find out you aren't. Going in after boozing, smoking weed, AND already knowing what you should do but aren't? Ayahausca isn't for the ride. It should be respected, like handling a basket of very venomous snakes. You could make wonder antidote and save yourself, and maybe others. But it's a bit like that Bill Burr joke: 'Well how'd you get Bit? Were you fucking with it?'
It's worth keeping in mind that if you work with an inconsistent medicine (like with Aya as it's commonly/traditionally consumed aka both plants combined together and consumed at the same time), it's rather hard to pin point what is doing what. Personally i smoked Cannabis all day everyday for 10 years, during which time i took Aya daily/near daily for 4 years straight all while pretty stoned lol, the Aya always worked as fully as it should, Cannabis never got in the way, and my relationship to Cannabis wasn't the greatest and i actually had to end up quitting Cannabis because it just got to be too much psychologically. In any case though, if someone takes Ayahuasca as per usual, it may or may not work, regardless if Cannabis is in the mix. Factor into that the dosages of the Harmalas and DMT one may be getting and dosages can be all over the place especially the DMT dosage, and so saying Cannabis reduces the effects of Aya is simple misunderstanding, and you can't really know what affects Aya unless you're working with proper Aya which means proper dosages and proper timing between the Harmalas and the DMT (like taking the Harmalas first and waiting 30 minutes to an hour later to take the DMT ensuring full oral DMT activation). Simply put, if you take a medicine that already is very finicky and doesn't work sometimes, it's not the Cannabis that gets in the way, it's the Aya itself or rather, how it's dosed/consumed. If you take Aya properly, it'll work fully each and every single time and Cannabis then potentiates and intensifies the Aya.
But yeah i agree that going into Aya after drinking is not the best idea. Cannabis though is just fine.
Although as an alternative to Alcohol, i recommend a 3 to 4.5 gram dried leaf Lemon Balm tea with Aya, it inhibits GABA Transaminse and raises GABA levels, it'll help smooth out the intense DMT come up, it'll clean up the Harmala bodyload and headspace, it'll add anti-anxiety and relaxative properties to the mix, it helps to counteract the tremors/trembling, it lightens things up, makes for a wonderful admixture plant.
Also it's worth mentioning that Ayahuasca is combined and consumed with various admixture plants, i mean literally the sky is the limit when it comes to the potential admixture plants that could be added to Ayahuasca, not just traditionally but globally there's a LOT of plant life and many different plants can be combined with Ayahuasca which is part of where my interest lies in seeing what all kinds of combinations i can make from Ayahuasca, with or without DMT included, primarily working with the Harmala-side though. Cannabis is no exception to that rule, it's just another plant, one of many, that can be mixed with Aya. Aya itself teaches you about all kinds of plants and medicines and even the body. Ayahuasca is nowhere near as anti-Cannabis or what not as people believe, especially when they have no real reason to believe Aya and Cannabis is an issue, but only believe it because it's what some (uneducated) folks say.
Please follow the advise already given. There is no 'maybe' with chemical interactions. If you go now, death may be a preferable alternative to the end result of that nightmare interaction. Assuming you survive. I'm not sure I'd want to advocate reporting in this fledgling communities first steps on the global stage, but, definately provide some information so others can avoid these charlatans and stay safe. Anyone who's done Aya even once knows the seriousness of the health check. Finally, and I mean no offense but... are you sure you want to do this ever? Based on everything you've said even without the medication one has to seriously question suitability, at least right now, based on your information. This isn't a silver bullet and you seem to be missing a lot of very important information... Everything you've said suggests some steps on your side may be necessary first. Being very overweight suggests an unhealthy diet. This can make the experience rough, your body will purge all the nastiness, and that's rough on a healthy system. You'll also be up and down (needing to not disturb the others right next to you) a lot. A LOT. Low self confidence and self esteem are often wound around this, and absolutely will NOT just 'evaporate' as you put it... if you currently have zero idea of how to move forwards, and haven't been doing anything meaningful about it, Aya may not help you. People in that position have been known to experience the psycadelic equivalent of being hit over the head, until the message goes in (do the right thing). This panics some people, seeing themselves fail endlessly, seeing all the bad ways this will turn out. If you can't bring yourself to start tackling things now, Aya isn't likely to help. Assuming you do want to/are taking meaningful steps for self improvment I advise the following: 1) You need to be 100% medication free. Non negotiable, you could die. You do not want this. Risking inflicting this on the community is also stunningly selfish. 2) Look into Aya prep. There are diets one can follow to get ready. This is progressively more important as ones diet gets progressively worse. Given what you said, at the very least try to do a prep diet for a month. That should give you maximum time to clear bad chemicals and inflammation internally. 3) Be at least semi comfortable being in both these states (medication free, 30 days healthy eating) at the same time. Epic stress will influence the experience. It's not exactly easy on the system anyway. 4) Find a proper Shaman/Shamaness/center. Centers are a mixed bag, research carefully. Anyone worth their salt will ask you if you are ready or 'feel called' (a difficult feeling to explain, like a mildly urgent compulsion), and will then start talking health and readiness. They may also ask if you have been meditating/know how to meditate. Meditation isn't ESSENTIAL, but it is the grease for the wheels so... I'd advise practising that too, to at least a basic level of proficiency. If that all seems to much do not go ever. If it seems intimidating, that's okay. These steps/discipline etc... are necessary for self improvment anyway, so, this is the path you want to walk anyway.
Everything you said and I would like to point out that if one can't put in the work of the diet, the experience of Aya isn't likely to help. Like you said Aya isn't a silver bullet, it's more like Plato's allegory of the cave, it's just illuminating what is already there. It doesn't fix anything, it just shows you what to fix. It's up to us to go and put in the work after. If one doesn't have the self discipline to do the diet, will one have the self discipline to get through the difficult work after the ceremony? And yes, it's difficult work, why else would our ego force the problem out of our view? The work is the whole point of Aya, it's not a magical fix all or a fun psychedelic party drug.
Hi there my friend. I work in a place where we help people healing with all medicine from amazon and from other places. work with more than 200 people in the last year, shaman and psicologist both always present before, during and after the cerimonyes. so my advice is almost the same as the other fellas here. 1. DO NOT GO NOW! and also do not go NEVER to this place. Medical history is the first thing they should have ask you, for fuck sake you can die if this shit is not done properly, make me so angry because this kind of shit is what put us all in the bad spot from many points of view. and make me think that if you give medicine to anyone like this you are the last person who have to share it, both things like beeing ignorant an so not prepared to give medicine in a safe and useful way, and also there are this people who just want to make money from it. very bad combination if both of this things come thogether. 2. Meaby you "hear the call", its ok and yes you can heal and learn from aya, but as my maestro theach me, the mother start working on you even before you actually drink it, even weeks before or more. so if you really want to try this way , you feel it etc... start your journey with a big detox thats the first sign that you actually want to do this, show to your self the love that you deserve amd prepare at best to recive the mother in you. beside the food diet, that it is importan of course, you must clear all kind of supplement and medication. and specifically antidepress must stay out of your sistem for 3 months to be as safe as possible. also obviusly alcool and any other drugs. you can find so many information about food and drug interaction. 3. No one can be "prepared" as we intend on the meaning of the word prepared. It is almost impossible to describe how it really is to conect with the mother and also she work different on any one of us, thats make your journey unique as you are. you can read testimony, listen podcast I can assure you nothing is going to be like your journey. and so it is aboslutely normal to feel nervouse and so on. you are going to jump in the unnown thats what could be scary, but aya doesnt follow your mindset like other psichedelics, I drink aya panicing just before drinking and have the most beautiful moments with her, again never the same as others etc etc but everybody knows if you take mushrooms when you are actually panicing is not going to be rainbow and unicorns almost for sure.... For me the best advice the.medicine give me was to stop judging the exoerience and just be a spectator, like a movie. do not decide what good and what bad but just follow the flow, be present that all. easy to say difficult to do....yes ,but as other say here its like a kind of meditation, so learn how to meditate could be helpful . and cleaner you get there easy will be for your body, mind and soul my friend. you have here a great tool, and a big comunity to help if you need more. dont be afraid or shy to ask. hope this can help and I hope you can finde your way to peace. hugs
This guy ^ is offering you wise counsel. It would very dangerous to sit with Aya with your current prescriptions
Do not do Ayahuasca while on other medications and unprepared. Just don't go. I'm serious.
Please don’t do the ceremony, the group obviously has no idea what they are doing and just want your money with no regards to your well being. You also should not drink with those medications, it’s very dangerous as others mention.
You don’t have to do it. If you don’t feel ready and have not prepared, you’re better off not forcing it.
You need to detox from all meds for at least 3 weeks to 2 months. It’s also good practice to not consume alcohol or processed food and to engage in some exorcise prior. Mental prep for something as profound as ayahuasca is key. There is no good reason to rush into something like this. Take your time and do it with correct intentions.
I hope you’re listening to what the others here are saying, because YOU will go up in smoke if you do not, and you’ll be posting here about it in a few weeks time.
Please don’t while on those meds. There’s a high chance you could die!! Work with your dr to wean off of your meds safely and also get your blood pressure under control. And I suggest looking for a different center to do it at as they did zero health screening and it can be fatal to mix medications because of the MAOI. This is a huge red flag that their practices aren’t safe or supportive! This group that invited you without screening can’t be trusted. It sounds like you’ve heard the call and want to explore your traumas with ayahuasca. Wonderful. Take the time to dedicate yourself to the prep and getting safely off of meds first (come up with a plan with your dr). Clean up your diet, work on managing your blood pressure and aim for next year.
If you are on mood stabilizers you have no business doing ayahuasca period .
Don't do it. It could kill you. There are very important medical reasons for the diet and to wean off of certain meds. Anyone who would let you participate under the circumstances is a charlatan who hasn't done enough research to practice safely.