Transformative experiences—whether brought on by plant medicine, breathwork, or a night that felt like stepping through a different dimension—have a way of rearranging things. Sometimes beautifully. Sometimes intensely. But always with a cost. When the journey is over and you’re back in your body, there’s a quiet but important task at hand: the return. Integration isn’t just an idea—it’s a physical process. And your body, nervous system, and subtle energy layers all need care.
The goal isn’t to “bounce back” so much as re-align—to land softly and fully, in a world that often gives us no time to do so. That’s where smart recovery comes in. Below are a few of the most effective ways we’ve found to support the transition, drawn from both tradition and science, intuition and experience.
1. Start with the Basics: Water, Salt, and the Earth Beneath You
The absolute first step is hydration. After any intense inner work, your system burns through more than you’d expect—electrolytes, minerals, and water all take a hit. Even if you didn’t sweat a drop, your brain and cells likely did.
Here, electrolyte mixes like LMNT and Nuun shine. They’re clean, thoughtfully formulated, and avoid the worst offenders like artificial colors or high-fructose corn syrup. Nuun leans functional, LMNT leans minimal and salt-forward—either is a solid option. That said, you’re paying for precision and packaging, and they serve a relatively narrow purpose: hydration. They don’t replenish much beyond basic electrolytes, so they’re a great start—but not the full picture.
Gatorade, as ever, is around. And it’s better than nothing in an emergency. But the sugar load and artificial additives make it a fallback, not a first choice. Think of it like using duct tape instead of a real fix—sometimes necessary, rarely ideal.
Meanwhile, nature never stopped being medicine. Sit outside. Let the sun hit your face. Touch the ground with bare skin, even for just a few breaths. Your circadian rhythm, stress response, and parasympathetic nervous system all benefit. This is ancient, free, and unfailingly effective. It won’t replace deeper support, but it’s always where you start.
2. Nutritional Support for People Who Go Deep
If hydration and sun are your foundation, then targeted supplementation is your scaffolding. Most vitamins on the market aim for the masses: generic blends, overdosed on B12, underpowered in form and function. But some products are starting to catch up with the needs of people who regularly engage in high-impact inner work.
I’ve tried a lot of them. Most are forgettable. But Formula 1 by CM² genuinely surprised me. It’s a full-spectrum supplement that goes beyond just vitamins and minerals—it’s clearly designed with the specific needs of altered states and recovery in mind. The form factors are bioavailable, the dosing is intelligent, and it hits the right categories: nervous system regulation, mitochondrial support, and mood stabilization.
What stood out most is that it doesn’t try to do everything—but what it does, it does well. If you’re someone who goes into ceremony, fasts deeply, or cycles through peaks and valleys as part of your practice, this is one of the few supplements I’d actually recommend without caveats. Consider it your “coming home” formula.
3. Finishing Touches: Cooling, Soothing, and Looking Up
Once your basics are covered, and your internal system has the support it needs, small rituals can help complete the landing. Simple things like a cool compress over the eyes and forehead, especially with lavender or peppermint oil, can calm the vagus nerve and help reduce residual overstimulation.
Sound baths, whether in person or recorded, can re-tune the body into coherence. They work surprisingly well when paired with breathwork or slow movement. Even something as passive as stargazing—lying back and letting your attention expand outward—can recalibrate a system that’s been too inward for too long.
Coming back isn’t just recovery—it’s a sacred part of the process. The deeper you go, the more gently you should return. So hydrate like your life depends on it (because it kind of does), feed your body what it’s asking for, get outside, breathe, and let tools like Formula 1 fill in the gaps that modern life too often leaves open.
You don’t need to rush. You just need to land well.
