• Header picture by Caterana Tonnē Fleur from the performance ‘Eta sleeps on the flying fish’ (2011) •
I imagine. I dream. I put a lot of energy in that, it is actually one of my main activities.
Some ideas pass through, and of some ideas I take greater care so as to realize them.
My dreams come with tasks ►
►► If you wish to follow & support their development, you can do so on:
HOW IT STARTED
Giving support for psychedelic experiences was one of my dreams: came to me in 12015, while — guess — I was trip sitting a couple of friends that had truffles: it was the umpteenth time I was having such honour, having had my first truffles in 2012 when I was 23, and just came to my attention how that role made me feel completely at home, and how I would have liked to do this for “strangers”, as a job, next to my art. At that specific moment, 26 years old, I had no idea this was a job, somehow; I knew, of course, of the long traditions from native cultures, but I did not know that, underground first and then overground as well, to so say, this was “a job”. At that time I had already planned to leave The Netherlands for some time, to travel in Latin America and then work in an animation studio, and so I did. I came back after two years, as I had meant, and one day in 12018 I registered at the Chamber of Commerce in Utrecht with my artistic activity, and, finally, the psychedelic support, officially starting to do this work, age 29.
WHY I WANT TO DO THIS WORK
The deepest, most authentic and honest reason is that I feel this unmistakable and mighty call in my heart and in the whole of myself. When I do this I feel with touching firmness that I am doing exactly, precisely, what I am meant to do. I am here to take care of others, support healing through laughter and tears, or just the most serious inward silence, I am here to hold the space, keeping open the doors of perception, open so that one can go on the other side, and come back safely, I am here to be your funny, empathetical, loving and caring peer companion. I am here because I love, and I am committed to this. I am here because I believe that psychedelics can help to heal ourselves and the planet. And I don’t want to make risky promises, and yes it is hard, and by now Earth got a bit too much to deal with it, but I still believe we shall strive to be in harmony in here, as much as we can; one’s own health and happiness equal everybody’s happiness. Support for psychedelic experience isn’t the only way I feel that I realize and manifest all this, but it is a central one. This is my most honest answer, from my heart, my guts, my soul, all partying together in love. My brain, also in its most analytical and rational form, joins the party too.
WHY I BELIEVE I CAN DO THIS WORK
That is a very legitimate question, and I find very important to be transparent about its answer so that one can make informed choices: any presence can influence a lot a psychedelic experience, and so can certainly do mine, and in general that of whoever gives support for it, may that be the case of a trip sitter, a facilitator, a guide, a shaman, or, of course, a psychotherapist. It is a position not to underestimate. There are two main ways one can start to do this: through psychotherapy, or out of indigenous traditions, such as that of the Mazatec from Mexico. I feel a relevant influence and inspiration from both paths, yet none of them is specifically mine and my formal education isn’t directly related. The point is that I think that one can want to have a safe psychedelic session, without that necessarily happen in a clinical, or shamanic, framework: I think that many people wish for something that could be healing, personal development, without necessarily do that with a psychotherapist, nor in a “recreative” context. While of course I am an experienced psychonaut and I keep myself informed about the psychedelic research, I offer my presence as peer. I am a compassionate host & companion, and I think that is what many people look for.
Why do I believe I can do this work safely?
Life prepared me in several different ways.
First of all, since I was a child, I’ve always been the person to go to for many, when seeking help with all that has to do with our inner world: emotions, beliefs & dilemmas about “reality”, personal choices. Even if I am a total chatbox, I empathetically listen, and I do my best to understand the other’s perspective. In addition to this, Art taught me so much that has to do with the “invisible” world, taught me to interpret and take seriously a symbolic language that in psychedelic experiences means a lot: I know how something apparently funny and “stupid” can feel tremendously significant during a psychedelic experience. If during a trip someone adopts a glass of water as a symbol of the whole meaning of water in life, I know how to adopt the same language, and treat the glass of water as something magic, more or less the same way kids do. Performative Arts and Theater taught me how to move and how to modulate my voice, which also, during trips, can be so important. The way we talk and the way we move in those moments makes reality.
Last but not least, somehow I happened in different situations that required me to be extremely delicate, alert and caring, as who was in front of me was going through states of mind very fragile. For example, I worked as well as busker, doing street theatre, and often I had to improvise and gently deal with people who were showing even threatening behaviors (being drunk is very very different from being under psychedelics; I could say, though, that it prepared me for the worse ways someone can be difficult). I travelled, I hitchhiked, I met a lot of “strangers”, while always aiming to be loving and kind, and all these experiences just strengthened my interactive skills.
I hope that, one day, this work will be more officially recognized, and that to do it there would be the need of first taking a course of some sort—and that such courses will be available. That day I might be glad to formally enrich my preparation, and, or, who knows, contribute to the training myself.
✺ To read about my approach, you can visit my page My Psychedelic Care. ✺
SHALL YOU HAVE A PSYCHEDELIC EXPERIENCE WITH ME?
If you wish for company during your trip, I find it fundamental that you can choose someone with whom you feel safe & comfortable. This depends also on very personal factors sometimes hard to grasp. That’s why for me it’s always important to have at least a video call upfront (or to meet in person, when possible), so as to have a feeling of each other, to let you feel whether you can feel enough comfortable with me. The first video call is indeed the beginning of the preparation, which also consists of making safe and cosy the space between us.
Next to these personal sensations, obviously, this choice depends also on the type of support you’re looking for, and if mine can fit you. If you are in doubt, we can talk about it and see if I can be of help. In case you are interested in integrating my approach with something, that is also a possibility that I am glad to discuss.
WHAT ELSE I AM DOING IN MY LIFE
My art activity is very diverse, as I use different media; I mainly work with illustration, painting, and art performance. The two main art projects I am engaging with these years are a graphic novel and an interdisciplinary art centre (if you’re interested in following their developments, you can check my Patreon).
Here below you can see some of my work.
Flowerasm – La Force 
A Psychedelic Rise – Mystical Us 0004 
Flowerasm – Sheela-na-gig 
Flowerasm VIII – Atacama Eternal Blue in The Moon Valley 
Flowerasm VII – On The Other Side Of The 4th Gate For The Hug Full Of Eternal Blue 
⦿ [Detail] ⦿
I was born out of a Vol•kan, on the 4th of March 11989.
I grew up in Cremona, Italy, raised with unconditional, beautiful, love.
I studied Media Design and Multimedia Arts at NABA, in Milan.
On the 1st of April 12012, I moved to Utrecht, in The Netherlands, and I discovered how to walk.
Then I’ve been walking around, often with a rainbow xylophone,
also in Brazil, then in Hungary, and on the 1st of April 12017 I came back to The Netherlands,
to live in Utrecht • Utero • Trajectum.
My call is to heal, and to be present through our collective shift.
My art website >> >> >> >> www.andtheflying.fish
May your Journey support you the way you need.
• Photographs above by Chiara Francesca Rizzuti as part of her Ethnographic research on MYR •
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