Ceremonies & Retreat Centers

The current state of psychedelics is in a regulatory grey area. Federally, they’re a hard Schedule I; in a couple of U.S. states, they’re decriminalized; and for some native tribes, they’ve been ritual sacraments for centuries.

This leaves people with some confusing options. You can go to a retreat abroad where the plant medicine is legal, but you’re out of jurisdiction for the laws and rights that protect your health and safety. You can go to state permit licensed service centers, but expect to fork up thousands. You can look for a local underground therapist or ceremony, but have difficulty vetting their quality or even finding them in the first place.

So what is a person to do?

Here’s where I’d start… First decide if domestic or abroad feels right for you. Going to Peru for ayahuasca or Mexico for bufo has been glamorized. And, yes, of course there is something magical encapsulated in the essence of taking a substance in the region that it originates from, a sort of primal connection to your surroundings. But it’s not an absolute necessity. You can still have a deep and meaningful experience in other coordinates of this planet. I’m not trying to talk you out of going to these indigenous healers that have generations of wisdom in their practice if that is what you feel called to do. I am simply saying to not feel bad if that’s out of your financial means or comfort zone to do.

Ok, I’ve decided on finding a center in ______. Where do I go from here?

Start with some search engine browsing. Look up the substance you’re interested in + state or country name. You might find some leads; keep them in mind. But, don’t commit to anywhere yet. I know it’s easy to get overly excited and sign up for the first place you see near you. A lot of folks I speak to in the psychedelic space mention how the best experiences are ones that sort of present themselves to you, usually through subtle winks and nudges from the universe. I know this sounds totally woo and irritating, especially when you are in a dark spot in life and ready to heal right now. But trust me, this is not a process you want to rush and place in the wrong hands. So, this why I say to write places down. Join social media groups and forums, and maybe attend local meet ups if they have them in your area. You want to open the door for the coincidences to line up. As you talk to others in the space, you might hear direct testimonies about the place you’re interested in. Or, you might get recommendations for even better places. You might just keep hearing phrases and conversations that indirectly point you back to that idea.

I’ve narrowed it down to a few guides or retreats. How do I know which one to pick?

If you haven’t been able to get word-of-mouth recommendations, you’ll have to do a little more digging yourself. See if their website mentions their process. It’s ideal if they do some sort of screening process beforehand (ESPECIALLY with ibogaine, which poses sometimes fatal cardiovascular risk), although this often isn’t the case. It’s highly recommended you find a place that offers a prep or grounding exercise beforehand - whether that’s one on one intention setting or a group meditation - and an integration period - whether that’s an overnight stay or sharing circle. No matter how brief it is, it absolutely cushions the experience to have these soft periods of normalcy surrounding the altered state. Lastly, I recommend giving this guide or center a call. There really is something to be said about interpersonal dynamics. The way in which you communicate and feel comfortable with one person may be completely different from someone else’s experience with them. When the energy feels right, you’ll know you’re ready to receive the message.

tldr: Decide where on the globe → Internet search to brainstorm ideas → Join online or in-person psychedelic communities → Wait for signs → Commit