The Role of Music in Psychedelic Ceremonies: The Skills Musicians Need
Music has always played a profound role in human life—serving as a tool for healing, transformation, and spiritual connection. In the context of psychedelic ceremonies, however, music takes on a unique and essential role, guiding participants through the depths of their consciousness and helping to facilitate mystical experiences. In these settings, the music is not just a background element—it’s an active, dynamic force that interacts with the psyche, shaping the journey from beginning to end.
As I’ve been reading Psychedelic Integration: Psychotherapy for Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness by Marc B. Aixalà, I’ve gained deeper insight into how music influences the psychedelic experience, both during the journey itself and afterward, during the integration phase. While this book focuses primarily on how psychedelics can be integrated into everyday life with professional support, it also touches on the important role of music in these altered states of consciousness. Having participated in plant medicine ceremonies for over seven years, I can attest to the powerful connection between music and the mystical experiences that often arise during these sessions. In this article, I want to explore the profound role of music in psychedelic ceremonies, the special skills required of ceremonial musicians, and how music facilitates mystical experiences.
The Role of Music in Psychedelic Ceremonies
In a psychedelic ceremony, music serves as the invisible guide that helps shape the trajectory of the experience. Unlike the passive consumption of music on the radio, ceremonial music is purposeful, intentional, and attuned to the emotional and spiritual journey of each participant.
Whether the ceremony is held in a clinical or ceremonial setting, music becomes a tool for guiding the participant's experience. In clinical settings, which are typically more controlled and structured, music may be used to create a calming or introspective environment, helping individuals explore their inner world with the support of therapists. In a ceremonial setting, often conducted with multiple participants, the music serves to guide the group as a whole while also facilitating each individual’s unique process. Here, live or curated music is played throughout the ceremony to support the flow of emotions, memories, and insights that arise.
In either context, music is crucial to the experience. Its tone, rhythm, and frequency can shift the emotional state of the participants, guiding them into deeper introspection or helping them to resurface from intense, challenging phases of the journey. The facilitator’s ability to read the energy of the group and choose music accordingly can make the difference between a ceremony that feels disjointed and one that flows naturally toward healing and transformation.
THE ALCHEMY OF MUSIC
In a psychedelic ceremony, music serves as both a guide and a mirror, reflecting and shaping the participant’s journey.
PHOTO BY THOMAS TUKKER
Facilitating the Mystical Experience Through Music
Music doesn’t just accompany a psychedelic journey—it actively facilitates it, often acting as the catalyst for mystical experiences. In the realm of psychedelic therapy, a mystical experience is a defining marker of transformative experience. According to Pahnke and Richards (1966), the mystical experience can be broken down into nine key elements:
A sense of undifferentiated unity with the universe.
A feeling of objectivity and reality, or “noetic quality,” meaning the experience is perceived as deeply real.
Transcendence of time and space, where participants lose a sense of temporal and spatial boundaries.
A sensation of sacredness, as if encountering the divine.
A profound positive mood, with feelings of deep joy and peace.
The paradoxical nature of the experience, which may contain contradictions that still feel harmonious.
Ineffability, meaning the experience is too profound to be fully described in words.
Transience, as the experience is temporary but leaves a lasting impact.
A positive change in attitude and behavior, often leading to lasting personal transformation.
Music plays a vital role in inducing or facilitating these mystical states. Its frequencies and tones help guide participants through the different stages of their journey, bringing forth emotional or subconscious material for processing. For instance, at the start of a ceremony, deeper, darker music might be used to help participants access buried memories or unresolved trauma, allowing them to face these issues with the support of the medicine. This phase can be challenging, but the music acts as a guide, gently or intensely pushing participants toward the catharsis that needs to happen.
As the ceremony progresses and participants move toward the end of their psychedelic journey, music becomes lighter, more celebratory. Brazilian musician Chandra Carioca, who works extensively with Ayahuasca, often uses a concept he calls "Alegria" to infuse the end of ceremonies with joy and celebration. This shift in music helps ground participants, bringing them back to a sense of unity and joy, facilitating a positive emotional state. It mirrors the structure of the mystical experience, helping participants emerge from their inner work feeling renewed, at peace, and filled with a sense of sacredness and connection.
Special Skills Ceremonial Musicians Need
Given the depth and importance of music in psychedelic ceremonies, musicians who take on this role must have a unique set of skills that go far beyond technical proficiency. In fact, being a ceremonial musician requires a balance of intuition, sensitivity, and spiritual grounding that transcends traditional musical performance. Here are some of the special skills that ceremonial musicians need to cultivate:
Emotional Sensitivity and Intuition: Ceremonial musicians need to be deeply attuned to the emotional and energetic states of the participants. They must be able to sense the shifts happening in the room and adjust their music accordingly, whether that means playing a grounding rhythm during a chaotic moment or introducing celebratory music at the right time.
Understanding the Psychedelic Process: Musicians who work in these settings must understand the general timeline of psychedelic substances. For example, psilocybin mushrooms often have a 4-hour journey, while substances like LSD can last up to 12 hours. Musicians must be aware of how the journey unfolds over time and know which kinds of music will best support participants in different phases of the experience.
The Ability to Read Group Energy: Ceremonies often involve multiple participants, each on their own personal journey. A skilled ceremonial musician can read the collective energy of the group and adapt their music to serve the overall flow of the ceremony. This means being able to shift from intense, introspective music to lighter, celebratory tones based on the group’s needs, as well as recognizing when silence is just as powerful as sound.
Collaboration and Communication: When working with other musicians or facilitators, a ceremonial musician must have strong collaboration skills. This means being in sync with the group, adjusting music in real-time, and maintaining clear communication to ensure that the energy of the ceremony is harmonious and supportive of each participant’s process.
Spiritual Grounding and Presence: Musicians in psychedelic ceremonies often hold a spiritual role. Their music becomes part of the healing process, so they must approach their role with humility, intention, and respect for the medicine. It’s not just about performing well—it’s about holding space and facilitating healing through sound.
Flexibility and Adaptability: No two ceremonies are alike, and things rarely go exactly as planned. A ceremonial musician must be able to adapt quickly to the emotional and energetic shifts that occur, sometimes changing the flow of music entirely to accommodate the needs of the participants.
Deep Knowledge of the Music: Whether they are playing live or curating a playlist, ceremonial musicians need to know the music intimately. This means understanding how each piece will land in the room and how it will affect the group’s energy. The right piece of music at the right moment can facilitate breakthroughs, while the wrong choice can disrupt the flow of the ceremony.
THE ALCHEMY OF MUSIC
Music has the capacity to guide participants through the depths of their subconscious, bringing forward sacred and transformative moments.
To give an example of excellent ceremonial musicianship, let’s look at Milli Moonstone: She stands out as one of the finest ceremonial musicians in the field, embodying the skills and sensitivities required to guide participants through transformative psychedelic experiences. Her live performances demonstrate a profound mastery of emotional sensitivity, spiritual grounding, and intuitive musicianship.
With an innate ability to read the energy of the group, Milli crafts soundscapes that lead participants seamlessly through the peaks and valleys of their journeys. Her music is not just played, but deeply felt—creating sacred, healing spaces where introspection, release, and joy can unfold. She is a living example of how the art of ceremonial music transcends technical skill, becoming a spiritual practice that supports the deeper layers of the psychedelic experience.
THE ALCHEMY OF MUSIC
Ceremonial musicians must approach their craft from a place of humility and intention, serving the spiritual process of the participants.
Conclusion: Music as the Heartbeat of Psychedelic Ceremonies
In psychedelic ceremonies, music is far more than entertainment—it’s an essential tool for guiding the journey and facilitating mystical experiences. The frequencies, rhythms, and melodies chosen by the facilitator or musicians interact deeply with the participants' consciousness, helping to bring forth emotions, unlock subconscious material, and ultimately guide them toward healing and transformation.
Ceremonial musicians are not just performers—they are spiritual guides, working alongside the medicine to support the unfolding of each participant’s experience. Their role requires emotional sensitivity, intuition, and a deep understanding of both the music and the psychedelic process. By carefully curating or performing music that resonates with the journey’s stages, musicians can help participants move from introspection to celebration, ultimately integrating their experiences in a meaningful and transformative way.
For facilitators and musicians alike, the power of music in psychedelic ceremonies is clear: it’s the invisible thread that ties the entire experience together, helping participants navigate their inner landscapes and emerge with a sense of unity, sacredness, and profound positive change.
SOURCES
Aixalà, M. B. (2022). Psychedelic Integration. Psychotherapy for Non-Ordinary States of Consciousness.
Pahnke, W. N., Richards, W. A. (1966). Implications of LSD experimental mysticism. Journal of Religion and Health, 5, 175-208.