Feeling afraid of a truffle ceremony is understandable and no reason to give up: at Stars Frequencies in Amsterdam it starts with a free 30-minute intro call (by phone) with screening, and Rosa is in the room for the whole ceremony. You join a small group of at most 8 people (€295 per person) or a 1-on-1 truffle ceremony (€495), on a day of about 7 hours. This page covers the questions that hold people back most often, with an honest answer.
Land first, then the journey.
Often the fear isn't about the truffles themselves, but about what happens when your head isn't in charge for a while. That makes sense if you're used to overseeing, planning and understanding everything before you start something.
That fear isn't a sign that you're not ready. It's a sign that you take seriously what you're about to do. A good guide takes it seriously too: with questions beforehand, with honest answers, and with a no when it isn't responsible.
About half of the participants are doing it for the first time. No experience is needed. What does help is knowing what happens on the day. You can read all about the day itself on the page about the truffle ceremony in Amsterdam.
You don't lose consciousness. You know where you are, you can talk and move, and you can always ask Rosa for support. What changes is that your thoughts hold the reins less tightly and you start to feel more. For someone who mostly lives from their head, that can feel unfamiliar at first.
The view at Stars Frequencies: letting go isn't a requirement. It's a result. You don't have to let go of anything before you're ready. Meditation and sound healing are a fixed part of every ceremony. They give your head something to follow and help your body settle. From that calm, letting go often happens by itself, at your own pace.
Fear often gets smaller once you know how the day is built up. That's what the intro call is for: you ask all your questions, including the ones you think are silly, and Rosa tells you honestly what you can expect.
A difficult moment can happen, and it's more honest to say so than to talk it away. Sometimes fear, sadness or restlessness comes up, or something that was tucked away for a long time. That feels heavy, but it isn't the same as things going wrong.
You're not alone with it. Rosa is in the room for the whole ceremony. If someone panics, Rosa handles it with care and knows how to calm someone down. A gentle touch only happens with your permission. There is an emergency protocol for situations where more is needed.
A difficult moment often gets lighter when you don't push it away. You don't have to solve it, only not carry it alone. The amount is tailored to each person based on the intake and your experience, also with an eye on how nervous you feel.
In people with a predisposition to psychosis, a ceremony can trigger a psychosis. That's the honest answer, and that's why it's the most important question in the screening.
In the intro call Rosa asks whether you or a first-degree relative (parent, brother, sister, child) has ever had a psychosis or schizophrenia, and whether there is a bipolar I disorder. If so, a truffle ceremony isn't suitable. Rosa will then say no, however much you want it. That isn't a judgement of you, but protection.
Not sure whether something in your history counts? Mention it. Better one question too many than a risk nobody saw. Independent information about truffles and risks is available from the Trimbos Institute and Jellinek (both mostly in Dutch).
A ceremony is not a replacement for medical or psychological care. Read more about safety
The intro call is a free 30-minute phone call. Rosa discusses your health, your medication and why you want to do a ceremony. You only pay once the intro call shows that it's a good fit.
A truffle ceremony is not suitable in any of these situations:
Other medication and conditions are always discussed beforehand. You can read more about risks, the emergency protocol and how Rosa works on the page about safety at a truffle ceremony.
Fear gets smaller when you give it a place. Write down what you're afraid of, and bring that list to the intro call. Rosa has heard these questions before. Your fear won't surprise her.
Choose the format that suits you. If a group feels daunting, a 1-on-1 truffle ceremony may feel calmer. If you'd rather not be alone, a small group of at most 8 people can give support. The preparation for your ceremony describes what you can do in the days before. If fear plays a big role in your daily life, also read what a ceremony can mean if you experience a lot of anxiety.
A truffle ceremony is not suitable if you or a first-degree relative has ever had a psychosis or schizophrenia, with bipolar I disorder, with dissociation, during an acute mental health crisis or with suicidal thoughts, if you use lithium or MAO inhibitors, with serious heart and 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.
That depends on the medication, and you always discuss it in the intro call. With lithium and MAO inhibitors a ceremony isn't possible. With SSRIs and SNRIs the effect can be strongly reduced or unpredictable, and sometimes it's only possible in consultation with your doctor. Never stop medication on your own to be able to take part. Rosa will honestly say no if it isn't responsible.
The main risks are psychological: you can temporarily feel anxious, confused or restless, and something that was tucked away for a long time can come up. In people with a predisposition to psychosis, a ceremony can trigger one, and some medicines combine with it dangerously. Physically you can feel unwell for a while, for example nauseous. That's why screening, a calm setting and guidance all day are the basis. Independent information is available from the Trimbos Institute and Jellinek.
A truffle ceremony can feel exciting, especially the first time and especially if you're used to staying in control. Most of the tension comes beforehand. Knowing how the day goes, who is there and what you can ask makes a big difference. That's why at Stars Frequencies it starts with a free 30-minute intro call.
Yes, always. You can't switch the effect off with a button, but you can say at any moment that you need something. Rosa is in the room for the whole ceremony and you can always ask her for support. Together you look for what helps: lying differently for a while, music, or silence. A gentle touch only happens with your permission.
No. The intro call is free and without obligation, and you only pay once the intro call shows that a ceremony suits you. You can always decide not to take part yet, or not at all.
Not better, but different. A 1-on-1 truffle ceremony (€495) gives you all of Rosa's attention and no other people around you. A group ceremony (€295 per person, at most 8 people) can actually give support, because you're not the only one who finds it exciting. Both include meditation and sound healing. In the intro call you choose together what suits you.
The group ceremony at Stars Frequencies runs from 11:00 to 18:00, including a meal. Don't drive yourself that day, arrange transport and keep the next day free. After a week there is a check-in, and you can always message or call Rosa.
In a free 30-minute intro call you talk about what you're afraid of, your health and your medication. Then you decide, without obligation.
