A truffle ceremony is not suitable for everyone and not without risk. At Stars Frequencies in Amsterdam, safety starts with a 30-minute intro call in which Rosa goes through your medication, health and contraindications, and honestly says no if it isn't responsible. During the ceremony Rosa is present the whole time and there is an emergency protocol.
A ceremony is not a replacement for medical or psychological care.
The honest answer: it depends on who you are, what you take and how the day is set up. Truffles are not harmless. They can stir up a lot, and for a small number of people a ceremony is too risky.
The risks are mainly psychological. You may feel anxious, confused or restless for a while. Sadness may come up, or a memory you pushed away long ago. In people with a vulnerability to psychosis, a ceremony can trigger it. Some medication, such as lithium and MAO inhibitors, combines dangerously with it. Physically you can feel unwell for a while, for example nauseous.
That's why screening, a calm setting and guidance all day are not extras at Stars Frequencies but the foundation. Rosa would rather say no once too often than once too little.
Looking for general, independent information about truffles and risks? See the Trimbos Institute or Jellinek.
Not sure? Send a message first or book an intro call. You'll look honestly at your situation together, with no obligations.
Yes. Truffles (sclerotia) are legal in the Netherlands and do not fall under the Opium Act. Mushrooms are banned. Stars Frequencies only works with legal truffles. That a truffle ceremony is legal says nothing about whether it suits you. That's what the screening is for.
Before every ceremony you have a personal 30-minute conversation with Rosa. You talk about your medical background, medication, mental health and what you're looking for. You can mention medication or health in the sign-up form already, but you don't have to.
Based on the conversation, Rosa assesses whether taking part is responsible. An earlier panic attack, for example after cannabis, or sometimes feeling detached from yourself, is something to discuss here too. When in doubt, Rosa asks you to check with your doctor first. She also says no when that's needed.
If you take part, you receive preparation for at home: what to eat and avoid in the days before, how to prepare mentally, and practical information about the day itself. We tune the amount to you together in the intro call.
There are at most 8 participants and Rosa is in the room for the whole ceremony. There is always an emergency protocol. Meditation and sound healing with live singing bowls are a fixed part of every ceremony. We don't leave while the ceremony is running.
After the ceremony there's room to share in the circle whatever you want to share. In the days after, you can reach Rosa with questions. Don't drive yourself home on the day of the ceremony.
Rosa honestly says no when taking part isn't responsible. In these situations she declines or first refers you to a doctor:
Personal or family history (first degree) of psychosis or schizophrenia
Bipolar disorder type I or a history of mania
Severe depression with suicidal thoughts, or acute suicidality
Lithium or MAO inhibitors: that combination is dangerous
SSRIs or SNRIs: always discuss beforehand, the effect can be strongly reduced or unpredictable
Antipsychotics: assessed per person
Benzodiazepines: dampen the effect, assessed per person
Stimulants or ADHD medication: assessed per person
Severe heart or vascular disease
Unstable high blood pressure
Epilepsy
Neurological conditions: always consult your doctor
Pregnancy or breastfeeding
Severe kidney problems
When in doubt, you discuss with Rosa whether taking part is responsible. Never stop medication on your own.
Max. 8
Participants per ceremony
Personal attention for everyone
30 min
Intro call beforehand
Free, with screening for medication and health
All day
Rosa in the room
We don't leave while the ceremony is running
This is the question almost everyone asks, often only in the intro call, as the day gets closer: what if I lose control? What if something comes up that I can't handle?
That fear deserves an honest answer. Difficult moments can happen. Truffles can bring up what has stayed buried for a long time: old pain, pushed-away emotions, questions without answers.
You don't lose consciousness. You know where you are. You can talk, move and ask Rosa to come and sit with you. You don't have to let go of anything before you're ready. Meditation and sound healing are a fixed part of every ceremony, so your body has something to rest on.
A difficult moment isn't proof that something is going wrong. With guidance you notice that difficult feelings can move through you. Surrender is not losing control: you decide whether you take part, and you can ask for support at any moment.
“I was convinced I would slip into something I could no longer stop. At the hardest moment, Rosa stayed beside me.”
That is what guidance does. Not deciding your experience for you, but being there while you go through it.
A truffle ceremony is not without risk and not suitable for everyone, but screening beforehand and guidance all day keep the risks as small as possible. At Stars Frequencies that starts with a 30-minute intro call, in which Rosa goes through your medication, health and contraindications and honestly says no if it isn't responsible. During the ceremony Rosa is present the whole time, in a group of at most 8 people, and there is an emergency protocol.
The main risks are psychological: you may feel anxious, confused or restless for a while, and something that has been pushed away for a long time can come up. In people with a vulnerability to psychosis, a ceremony can trigger it, and some medication combines dangerously with it. Physically you can feel unwell for a while, for example nauseous. That's why screening, a calm setting and guidance all day are not extras but the foundation.
Yes. Truffles (sclerotia) are legal in the Netherlands and do not fall under the Opium Act. That doesn't apply to mushrooms: they are banned. Stars Frequencies only works with legal truffles.
A truffle ceremony is not suitable if you or a first-degree family member ever had psychosis or schizophrenia, with bipolar disorder type I, during an acute mental health crisis or suicidal thoughts, if you take lithium or MAO inhibitors, with severe heart or vascular disease, unstable high blood pressure or epilepsy, and if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Other medication and conditions are always discussed in the intro call.
Always bring it up in the intro call. With some medication a ceremony isn't possible, with others only after talking to your doctor. With SSRIs and SNRIs the effect can be strongly reduced or unpredictable. Never stop medication on your own. Rosa honestly says no if it isn't responsible.
A difficult moment can happen. Sometimes fear, sadness or restlessness comes up, or something that has been pushed away for a long time. You're not alone with it: Rosa is in the room for the whole ceremony and comes to sit with you when you ask, or when she sees it's getting heavy. She helps you breathe through it rather than fight it. In the intro call she checks beforehand whether a ceremony suits you right now.
You don't lose consciousness. You know where you are, and you can talk, move and ask Rosa to come and sit with you. You don't have to let go of anything before you're ready. Meditation and sound healing are a fixed part of every ceremony and help your body settle.
Mention it in the intro call. Rosa then looks with you at whether a ceremony is responsible for you right now. You can always decide not to join yet, or not at all.
Always bring this up beforehand in the intro call. Rosa looks with you at whether this is the right moment for a ceremony, and she can't promise that it will be. Sometimes the answer is no, or not yet. Then a GP or psychologist is the right first step.
Look at five things. Is there a personal conversation beforehand, with screening for medication and health? How big is the group? Does the facilitator stay in the room for the whole ceremony? Is there an emergency protocol? And is there aftercare, so you can ask questions after the day? A trustworthy facilitator also says no when it isn't responsible.
In a 30-minute intro call you can ask your questions about safety, medication and whether it suits you. Talk first, decide later. You don't pay anything yet.
