In this deep-dive conversation with host Sam Believ, guest Robert shares how his life shifted after a week at a plant-medicine retreat: his relationship to cannabis faded, not through force, but through clarity. It’s a story of how the weed that once served as safe escape gradually lost its grip.
The Comfort-Zone of the Habit
Robert begins by describing how cannabis had woven itself into his daily life. It wasn’t always a problem; at first it was casual, social, relaxing. Over time though, he found that the weed did more for him than just chill— it buffered emotions, slowed down restlessness, numbed underlying discontent. He says he noticed more and more “I’m smoking so I can be calm, because I don’t want to feel this tension”; and “the high feels familiar but the rest of my life doesn’t feel that settled.”
The retreat invitation arrived less as a rebellion and more as curiosity: “What if I allow something else to show me what’s behind the needing?” He went with openness, not necessarily to quit weed, but to see what the habit was doing for him.
Ceremony as Mirror
In the retreat context, Robert reports being confronted not only with visions but with visceral felt-sense: the patterns his body remembered, the emotional residue his mind carried, and the subtle ways he’d been operating on autopilot. In one ceremony he noticed a vivid memory of using cannabis right after a social event—and felt the underlying loneliness, not just the relaxation of the weed itself. That recognition hit him: the plant had become a crutch for something he hadn’t addressed.
He shares how the medicine didn’t force him to quit; rather it handed him the choice with clarity. He recounts hearing the inner voice: “You don’t need that to stay calm anymore.” The shift happened not by willpower, but by new alignment inside—when the “need” vanished, the habit simply started to feel optional.
From Habit to Release
After returning home, Robert didn’t set out with a vow to stop cannabis cold turkey. Instead, he found himself making natural shifts: one evening he chose not to smoke and noticed how he didn’t care. Another night he realised he was awake, present, and didn’t crave the usual escape. Weeks passed, and the pattern of reaching for the joint just for “ease” started feeling hollow. The underlying tension had softened.
Importantly, he emphasises that the retreat didn’t give him a prescription but space—space to feel, to see, to decide. He made changes in diet, sleep, movement and relationships—what he calls his “integration trajectory”. The medicine opened the door; his follow-through walked through it.
What’s Different This Time
Robert reflects on what made the difference this time—what shifted so the habit changed. First: honesty. Under ceremony he saw that the weed wasn’t the root issue—it was symptom of something deeper: avoidance, unresolved restlessness, habitual comfort-seeking. Second: integration. He didn’t leave the jungle and resume business as usual; he cleaned up his routine, he nurtured his body, he connected to people differently. Third: new alignment. What craving he’d had changed; the craving for escape softened, and he realised he wanted presence more than the high. That reorientation meant the plant lost its power slot.
A Balanced Reflection
This story is not about glamorising plant-medicine as an addiction cure-all. Robert is clear that his result is personal and contingent on readiness, context, facilitation and support. He doesn’t present this as a quick fix but as a meaningful opening. The plant didn’t do the transformation—he did. The medicine simply met him where he was.
For anyone dealing with habitual use—whether of cannabis or other substances—his journey offers a hopeful perspective: sometimes the shift isn’t “quit now or fail” but “see why you’re using, clean up your inner landscape, and let the habit fade if it’s no longer serving you.” It invites curious compassion, not harsh self-judgement.
Final Thoughts
Robert’s transition from using cannabis as comfort to experiencing presence is a quiet but powerful indicator of what happens when the habit is met, not just resisted. He didn’t wake up one morning proud of quitting—he woke up one morning noticing he wasn’t reaching for the weed anymore. And in that noticing, life changed.
His story reminds us that habits often carry hidden layers: emotion, avoidance, routine. When those layers are addressed, the habit may simply become irrelevant. If you’re curious about plant-medicine and patterns you’d like to shift, his journey offers inspiration: you might not need a big battle, just a new conversation—with your body, your story, and your future.
Based on the Ayahuasca Podcast episode “Quitting weed after Ayahuasca retreat” with Sam Believ and Robert.
Sam Believ is the founder and CEO of LaWayra Ayahuasca Retreat, the best-rated Ayahuasca retreat in South America, with over 520 five-star Google reviews and an overall rating of 5 stars. After his life was transformed by Ayahuasca, he dedicated himself to spreading awareness about this ancestral medicine to help address the mental health crisis. Sam is committed to making Ayahuasca retreats affordable, accessible, and authentic, with a focus on care, integration, and the involvement of indigenous shamans. He is also the host of the Ayahuasca Podcast.
