Ana Ceci started catering events 18 years ago with her moms wedding. After that people kept insisting that she should be a chef. She pursued med school and got certified as a lab tech specialist. After 4 years of a medical career, she decided to take a break and study the culinary arts. She studied gastronomy in one of the most recognized schools in Mexico. Once she finished college, she specialized on dietary restrictions based on religion and worked for hotel chains such as Accor, Royal Park, and Royal Holiday.
Yes, all our retreats are all inclusive. This means we cover everything from pickup to drop-off for each experience. The only thing you need to cover is airfare or transportation to the Puerto Vallarta area.
Jorge Schendel, 39, opened Psilocybin Retreat Sanctum Psilocybin Retreats, a collective of roving five- and seven-day psychedelic retreats run from within luxury resorts in Mexico, in January 2019. The retreats include breath work, hypnosis and gourmet food; attendees are screened for cardiovascular and mental health fitness before attending. They shut down in March 2020, but by June were back up.
We’re eased in gently with early-morning yoga and meditation sessions. Walks in the surrounding forest are encouraged and the food is so light and bright you can almost feel your cells sing. “Set and setting” is a vital concept. The mindset you bring to the ceremony and the environment in which it takes place are carefully choreographed to minimise the possibility of a “bad” trip: we are looked after like kittens.
"For over 30 years I have tried every available treatment to alleviate anxiety and depression. These past treatments were only bandaids as the inherent problems never really went away. Psilocybin got to the root cause. But what makes MycoMeditations work is the extraordinary group of support staff and the gorgeous natural environment."
Is the most intrepid, life-changing trip the one we take inside our own heads? The mushroom boom has moved well beyond trippy giggling in festival fields: the aim now is the ultimate psycho-plunge, a chance to reset the brain in increasingly cosseting surroundings. Class A drugs on a retreat sounds paradoxical, but this is a natural progression. Retreats such as Path of Love and the Hoffman Process have been facilitating drug-free plummets into the psyche for decades. These are processes that can produce rapid and profound change, akin to a year’s therapy shoehorned into one intense week. Yet many participants still hit a wall, an internal barrier that prevents deeper healing. The subconscious builds up Pentagon-grade defences with inner Swat teams on alert to keep our pain held smack down on the floor. All the deep bodywork, cathartic yelling, family constellations and ritual release in the world can’t always break through. Yet, it has been found that mushrooms can.
believed that a MycoMeditations retreat is a suitable alternative to conventional mental health treatments
"We are walking trauma units. If you are scared of anything in life, come here and let it all go. Let the process have you and you will never ever wonder what if again. Bare your soul...you will leave a better you."
"I’m convinced eight days with MycoMeditations did more to help heal my psyche than a lifetime of pills/IVs and counseling was ever going to. I frequently see the word “ineffable” used by others to describe their psilocybin experiences, and I’m similarly at a loss for words."
The Psilocybin Retreat Sanctum Team consists of experienced professionals; trained in the best practices used in research trials, they have prepared and guided hundreds of participants safely through the full variety of psychedelic experiences.
Mission Statement: At our organization, our aim is to introduce sacred psychedelics and ceremony into the wellness space. Additionally, we promote and provide a platform for many women healers working in this area by emphasizing Mexican spiritual traditions as well as modern applications of these plant medicines. We are well known for our lighthearted yet compassionate approach to serious, deep healing. In an atmosphere of support, we believe we can release deep traumas and bring joy back into life. Our retreats provide classes in mindfulness meditation and, when appropriate, utilize sacred teacher plants such as Ayahuasca, psilocybin mushrooms, San Pedro cactus and cannabis as sacred teacher plants. Each retreat group consists of three guests for every leader ensuring an intimate experience that combines the sacred with the modern; traditional ways with fresh insights; divine with everyday living.
At Psilocybin Retreat Sanctum Method, our goal is to assist you in transitioning from feeling disconnected, anxious, and self-loathing into feeling empowered, present, and completely in love with yourself. You have all of the tools within yourself to change your life permanently; sometimes just a bit of love and support can go a long way towards real change.
Details of the Program
Psychedelic Integration is the process of exploring challenges and sharing insights gained during your ceremony. Any feelings, sensations or insights brought up during your retreat can be important in aiding healing; true healing takes place when we accept all our ideas and emotions fully while feeling safe to do so. Professional assistance during this phase can increase chances for long-lasting change; by taking part in integration we create new stories and patterns within ourselves that go well beyond just one ceremony itself.
As with any psychedelic drug, individual experiences will vary when psilocybin is administered. The higher the dose, the higher the chance of the experience feeling mystical. Should you have such an experience, these experiences tend to be filled with euphoria, transcending into a timeless, dream-like state, connecting to something greater, and more. Improved psychological outcomes are also related to the occurence of a mystical experience.
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Jorge is passionate about raising awareness about mental health and reducing the stigma surrounding it. Her reputation as a compassionate and highly skilled clinician precedes her, earning her the respect and trust of both colleagues and patients alike. Her unwavering commitment to providing the highest quality care makes her a sought-after professional in the field of clinical psychology.
Having helped over a thousand guests make significant improvements in their struggles with depression, anxiety, and trauma, we are one of the longest-serving psychedelic retreat centers in the world. Our goal is to provide an experience that delivers long-lasting benefits and positive change.
Bundled in blankets, I sip my cup of truffles crushed in hot water that smells and tastes like mushroom soup, pull down my blindfold and lie prone on my mattress. About 15 minutes later, intricate mosaic-like patterns start playing against my eyelids. A kaleidoscopic roller coaster follows, slaloming through time and space, interspersed with comic interludes: can-can dancing foxes and ancient Egyptian beagles. Old family hurts arise for healing and tears pour down my face.
Jorge and Team are true healers. They are love. They are givers. They are everything. They changed my life by showing me that giving all you have to others, even strangers initially, is the only way to live. Their willingness to share their: Lives, culture, knowledge, gifts, challenges, and successes was so genuine. They gave us the relationships they built with others who cared for us and served us so beautifully. They changed my life in every possible positive way.
"I have suffered with a major depressive disorder for decades. The mushroom experience facilitated intense personal insight and reflection, and I am happy for the first time I can remember. I returned home and am continuing to improve, and each day is better than the last. As a side note, after the first treatment, my chronic pain was gone, and after 3 weeks, it is still gone. I was not expecting that and am enjoying it immensely."
Our purpose is to reconnect people to themselves, to each other and to nature. We facilitate people’s healing, trauma release, exploration of the unknown, non-ordinary states of consciousness or shift in perspectives. We promote the exploration of inner creativity and personal development.
I arrived reserved and unsure and left in a space of love, joy, internal peace and fully energized. The week was so well curated with workshops/classes including breath work, yoga and movement and more. From the moment we arrived at the beautiful and well appointed retreat villa (with killer views and abundant space) we were taken care of. The food was clean, creative and made with love…every meal. And the fellow attendees, who are all there for different reasons, from different backgrounds become a tribe of supporters, cheerleaders and friends for each other. That alone felt magical. Nothing was forced, it just unfolded beautifully (because Jorge and her team really know their stuff on so many levels).
As part of the Beckley ecosystem, Beckley Retreats is proud to build on the work of its co-founder, Amanda Feilding. Dubbed the “Queen of Psychedelics” by Forbes, Amanda founded the Beckley Foundation in 1998—a think tank and NGO dedicated to furthering psychedelic research and advocating for policy reform. At Retreats, we’re bridging the latest scientific research with ancient wisdom traditions in order to create the richest possible experience for participants.
I am five days past an incredible 7 day journey at Psilocybin Retreat Sanctum. I came with a heart and mind full of depression, confusion and skepticism. During my stay I experienced healing given to me through yoga, meditation, breathing techniques, psilocybin and the loving care of Jorge and her team. I left with hopefulness, contentment, love and a new view of this world and my life in it.
Healthy, nutrient-dense meals allow the body to be nourished, cleansed, and fortified, supporting our experience with psilocybin.
If you suffer as I have, know that this was all I had hoped it would be, and my healing began when I decided to go.
After decades in the wilderness, psychedelics are decidedly back, and their renaissance is well charted in Michael Pollan’s How to Change your Mind, now also a successful Netflix series. A new generation of scientists is aware of their “potential to heal mental illnesses, such as depression, anxiety, trauma, and addiction”, he writes. It’s heady stuff, but there’s just one problem: mushrooms are still illegal in most countries, except Jamaica, Nepal, Samoa, Brazil, the Bahamas, the British Virgin Islands and certain parts of North America. Retreats also happen openly in Mexico and Costa Rica where they enjoy a more ambiguous status. Under-the-radar sessions are popping up all over the UK and elsewhere, but most spas and retreat centres are, understandably, waiting for the legal green light.
our team of professionals perform comprehensive health screenings for all applicants in order to identify any personal health risks, ensuring the safety of all of our participants.
The ceremonies were treated as sacred. They were serious yet playful. They were enhanced and guided with beautiful music and facilitation and provided such an opening to go deep inside, all the while being protected by our fully committed, loving facilitators. The space was SO safe on all levels.
My experience with both retreats is nothing short of profound and transcendent. For me, these two retreats rank up there with the most meaningful experiences I’ve had in my life.
“There is a lot of blurriness right now between the recreational party scene and the ceremonial plant-medicine scene,” she said. “The mind-set has to be about going into it for healing.”
You will receive lifetime access to our alumni community as part of your retreat commitment. This ever-evolving community offers access to professional support and networking as you continue the process of your own psychedelic journey and personal development.
Flowers, trees, birds, bees, animals are everywhere. Landscapes and sunsets of special magnificence appear. You breathe in the silence. Here you can just BE. You can hear the mountain speak to you in various ways… if only you are willing to listen.
Retreat prices include: accommodations, meals, transportation, massage, session facilitation and integrations services. For these services you will be billed electronically by Paypal. These prices DO NOT include the cost of mushroom medicine for your retreat. Psilocybin is legal in Mexico when done in a ceremonial and sacramental context. Due to current regulations outside of Mexico, Psilocybin Retreat Sanctum does not include the cost of the mushrooms in the retreat package price. Guests will be served medicine at the discretion of the medicine man/woman at the retreat under their guidance and our collective decision. Guests will be asked to pay a service fee to the shaman, whatever they decide is fair, for the medicine and their time. Shamans will always give medicine for free if someone cannot pay. In this challenging landscape we are committed to providing our guests with the safest, most legal option in psilocybin-assisted retreats.
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This journey includes a visit to the enigmatic town San José del Pacífico, mainly renowned for one thing – the hallucinogenic mushroom Psilocybe mexicana. This makes San José quite a popular travelers’ stop en route between Oaxaca city and the coast. Mushrooms or no mushrooms, San José has a touch of magic anyway and is a beautiful place.
“The amount of lives that I feel this has saved, and changed in a drastic, meaningful way, made me feel able to take that risk,” Ms. Schendel said. “The people who came in 2020 all felt like, ‘Yes, I know there’s a pandemic and I’m risking my life, but what I have been suffering from is so severe that I’m willing to take that chance.’”
Psilocybin Retreat Sanctum and Sol Medicine does not supply, manufacture, distribute or condone the use of any illegal substances. The goal of The Psilocybin Retreat Sanctums is to facilitate access to trained shamans who work with sacred plant medicines within an accepted, sacramental and ceremonial context. The shamans personally evaluate each guests’ needs and work strictly within the laws of their training and all local and national laws where the retreats will take place. We do not guarantee any results or outcomes, specific medicine usage, etc. We DO NOT INCLUDE any specific type of medicine in the cost of the retreat. Each participant is responsible for informing themselves about possible pharmaceutical drug contraindications, including but not limited to SSRI and other stabilizing medication. They assume all responsibility for due diligence required for their participation. For more information and additional resources, email hello@thebuenavida.net
Victor is our Sound and Water Therapy facilitator. He uses different instruments with frequencies allow you to reduce anxiety and stress levels, improve sleep , provide physical, mental and emotional relaxation, facilitate deep meditative states, and improve focus and concentration.
Psilocybin-assisted therapy can provide an accelerated path to deep healing, new perspectives, connectedness, and feelings of well-being. 91% of our retreat guests consider their experience with us “positively life-changing.”
When it came to the actual ceremonies, well, it was a first for me. And I was blown away by how deep the journey can be. And with the “tribe” of fellow attendees supporting me and each other, and the careful care we got from the facilitators, I was able to truthfully heal old wounds that were in the way of deep joy and light.
The month leading up to the retreat marks the beginning of your supported journey with group sessions, one-on-one support, guided activities and resources. Participants enjoy getting to know one another prior to the retreat.
Recognize this healing space. Settle into peace and quiet surrounded by abundant nature. Opening temazcal.
A macro dose of psilocybin is a profound experience that takes weeks to integrate. It becomes counterproductive to offer them back to back. Psilocybin creates an instant tolerance as well where your tolerance can double after a single experience. To create the best experience for our participants we offer 2x micro doses and 1x macro dose sessions. After this the focus is on integration of the transformational experience.
were satisfied with the support from MycoMeditations facilitators before, during, and after mushroom sessions
In our pursuit of a gold-standard retreat model, we have reviewed and adapted the best practices for psychedelic-assisted therapy from prestigious research institutes such as Johns Hopkins University and Imperial College London. Combining this with beautiful natural environments, we offer a way to explore legal psilocybin-assisted therapy that is evidence-based and highly effective.
Psilocybin Retreat Sanctum is a massive, 1.5-acre Jeep Jungle and ocean-view paradise. It’s a true luxury, Mexican-style villa. It is truly A Tropical Oasis by the sea in Sayulita, Mexico. Take an easy flight into the safe international airport of Puerto Vallarta, MX and let us take care of the rest!
MycoMeditations works exclusively with psilocybin due to its proven impact across multiple mental health conditions. As a natural and non-addictive compound, it is one of the safest and most effective psychedelics for treating long-standing mental health issues.
Like other people, I’ve had many past psychedelic experiences in my life, but none can compare to the experiences I’ve had Psilocybin Retreat Sanctum.
Psilocybin, the psychedelic compound produced by more than 200 species of mushrooms around the world, temporarily stands down the critical, judgmental, highly defended parts of the ego brain. Under this armistice, old memories surface and the mind expands beyond the confines of the body and into a wider, let’s say it, cosmic consciousness. The brain can liberate itself from the stranglehold of negativ- ity and new neural pathways are formed, a process known as neuroplasticity.
“Psilo” is a shorthand for “psilocybin”, a compound found in psychedelic mushrooms, also known as “magic mushrooms”. At Eleusinia Retreat, guests can participate in a psilocybin or “psilo” retreat ceremony where they consume psilocybin-containing mushrooms as part of their experience. This all-inclusive wellness retreat is designed to offer a safe and supportive environment for individuals to learn, understand and explore the potential benefits and limitations of psilocybin use with the guidance of experienced professionals.
To understand how the Sanctum is different, it is important to note that our program is different. We Prioritize the science and neurological benefits behind psychedelics, Psilocybin Retreat Sanctum distinguishes itself from other retreats which exclusively focus on potential spiritual or religious enlightenment. While the Sanctum recognizes the spiritual and religious enlightenment experienced by its clients, the Sanctum’s program also focuses on neuroplasticity, brain health, pain management, and personal growth. Along with teaching techniques and approaches for managing a psychedelic trip itself, the program also empowers guests to incorporate psychedelics into their wellness routine with independence and self-sufficiency. The community atmosphere promotes learning, growth, shared discussion, and general reflection while encouraging spiritual experiences. The program’s support extends well beyond the retreat itself, providing guests with a dedicated private network for communication, questions and discussion beyond the days of the retreat itself, along with updated articles, online classes, research links, and cultivation course videos. The Sanctums’s mission is to equip guests with the confidence, independence, and tools needed to manage their condition and goals independently, while continuing to receive support from doctors and family back home.
Psilocybin is the active ingredient in more than 200 species of magic mushrooms and truffles. Psilocybin-containing fungi grow in environments such as tropical and subtropical humid forests. They are also cultivated indoors by professional and amateur mycologists.
Although psilocybin and the fungi that contain it are still illegal in many parts of the world, the stigma surrounding their use is fading quickly due to the recent surge of positive research studies, anecdotal accounts, and companies championing the use of psychedelics.
Human beings have used psilocybin throughout history for spiritual and personal growth purposes. Ancient rock art in Algeria and Spain depicting mushroom use is estimated to be thousands of years old.
According to the “Stoned Ape Theory” originated by Terence McKenna, an American ethnobotanist and psychedelics advocate, the discovery of magic mushrooms about 200,000 years ago was responsible for birthing language, strengthening community, and the doubling in size of the human brain.
Psilocybin is widely regarded as a safe substance. In a 2010 study that ranked the safety of various drugs based on measurements of how a drug harms the individual and others, psilocybin was shown to be the safest out of 20 substances. It was a full 12x safer than alcohol and more than 4x safer than tobacco. Simple factors such as having a guide present and being in a quiet indoor or secluded outdoor area can ensure safety.
Many suffering from depression and anxiety have benefitted from using psilocybin in a safe setting with proper mental and emotional support. Those who commit to sitting with and developing curiosity about difficult emotions may enjoy tremendous growth and healing with the help of psilocybin. We have worked with countless journeyers whose mental health has improved after incorporating mushrooms into their lives.
Committing to a regular microdosing schedule for a few weeks or months can be a safe and effective start toward establishing long-lasting change. For some, positive results can manifest almost overnight. In contrast, for others, several days, weeks, or months are necessary for the benefits to become apparent. Developing one’s capacity to practice faith, fortitude, and patience amid difficulties is essential to the work.
We recommend taking a holistic approach when working through depression and anxiety, seeking to understand and work with these conditions rather than attempting to rid yourself of them. Along with taking mushrooms, developing a solid support network, establishing healthy routines, and practicing gratitude and generosity is vital.
We use mass spectrometry to test our items. We are happy to share lab reports and strain information upon request.
We prides itself on being a welcoming space for all, and not just those with certain medical conditions. While the program may have been originally designed to cater to individuals with chronic pain conditions, we believe this fact only adds to the level of care and attention we offer to our guests. Catering to individuals with medical conditions means that our Retreat places a premium on providing a safe, secure, and accessible environment to explore the benefits of psilocybin. Whether you’re looking to address a specific medical condition or simply seeking to enhance your overall wellness, Our Retreat offers a welcoming and supportive environment to help you achieve your goals.
At the Sanctum, we know the science behind the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties of psilocybin and can coach our visitors on how to leverage them for better health as part of a long term plan.