The Retreats

Our psilocybin-assisted retreats offer a safe, lawful and supportive environment to experience a psychedelic journey, which can help you experience greater freedom, wholeness and creative flow. The psychedelic used at the retreats is the psilocybin-containing truffle, and the retreats take place in the Netherlands, where psilocybin truffles are legal, and in Spain where their consumption in private spaces is decriminalised.

 

Potential benefits of psychedelics

Psychedelics can shift us out of our everyday perception and help open us up to a larger, mountain-top perspective from which new insights can arise. They can help us make better sense of our past, coming to terms with hardships we’ve faced and understanding how past wounds might be influencing our current life. And they can put us in touch with a deep well of inner resources with which we can begin addressing and transforming patterns we are stuck in. For many, psychedelic journeys are also a first glimpse into ‘the Great Mystery’, and the spiritual dimension of life.

 

Psychedelics are not enough

Our approach: Open & Deepen

While psychedelics can open us to what is important in life, and steer our course, such experiences alone cannot keep us on track. To deepen the insights gained during a psychedelic journey into a new way of life, we must address what is blocking us from experiencing our full freedom, wholeness and potential. We do so by attending to the various dimensions of our human experience: the relationship with ourselves, with others, with the natural world and the mystery of life. This is the underlying principle woven into all our work and every one of our retreats.

Our Approach

Set & Setting

We take great care to optimise the two key factors determining a psychedelic journey: set and setting. Our retreats are designed to prepare you to let go into a receptive, trusting state of mind (set), in an environment in which you can feel completely safe and supported (setting).

We include exercises and approaches from the Western clinical model, somatic and transpersonal psychology, as well as from ancient wisdom traditions across different cultures and times such as Buddhism and the shamanic lineages of the Americas.

You will:

  • Receive 1:1 guidance and support before and after the ceremony from our expert facilitators
  • Engage in preparation and integration activities before, during and after the retreat
  • Share the journey together with a group of like minded individuals
  • Be nurtured and nourished in a beautiful retreat venue, in nature, eating healthy, exquisite food

“Every single thing was perfectly thought out and flowed beautifully. The facilitators were the most beautiful, intelligent, loving, compassionate people. The vegan food was delightful, nourishing, beautiful, every bite tasted like the most special food ever. I could not have dreamed that this retreat would be wonderful from the moment we arrived to the moment we left. It will stay with me for a very long time. I will do all I can do to keep it alive in my body and soul forever. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” Jennifer, 52 years

What’s included?

PREPARATION SUPPORT

Giving due energy to preparation before the psychedelic journey not only reduces the possibility of anxiety and tension blocking the flow of the experience, it also enhances the probability of an enriched, deeper experience. Ahead of each retreat, you will receive reading material and suggested exercises to support your preparation for the retreat. One week before the retreat you will also have the opportunity to meet your lead facilitator and fellow participants via video call, allowing you to get to know each other and feel safe in the group, as well as ask any burning questions you might have.

On the retreat itself, we offer one-on-one sessions with the facilitators, and individual and group activities to help you feel well prepared and supported, as well as safe and bonded with the group before stepping into the unknown.

 

INTEGRATION SUPPORT

In many ways, the journey only really begins when the psychedelic effect subsides. In the days after the ceremony, we incorporate solo and group integration activities, and individual one-on-one sessions with the facilitators to give you the opportunity to explore the deeper nuances of your journey. We also offer 3 weeks of support following the retreat – through group video calls as well as suggested exercises – to help you weave the insights from the retreat back into your everyday life.

“The attention to integration was amazing, extremely impactful, and probably the main reason I’d recommend these retreats.” Li, 32 years old

GROUP EXERCISES & GROUP SUPPORT

On the retreat we can safely explore relating to one another in a held and loving space. Tremendous healing comes from being witnessed and accepted as who we are. The group is also a major resource in the integration process. In a society that hasn’t yet incorporated the use of psychedelics and other peak experiences into its fabric, the community of fellow retreat participants plays a central role as allies and companions on this extraordinary journey.

“I learned so much simply from being in the company of fellow participants, facilitators and volunteers. It was so wonderful to feel part of such a supportive community.” Duncan, 35 years old

MEDITATION & CONTEMPLATIVE EXERCISES

By settling into the here-and-now of our present, embodied experience, the agitation of the mind subsides and gives way to a profound sense of presence and peace, from which love and compassion naturally arise. We begin to access deeper layers of ourselves, and sharpen our capacity for insight into the nature of reality. By learning to attend to, work with, and direct the flow of our awareness, we are more equipped to navigate not just the psychedelic experience, but the journey of life itself.

Embodiment practices

We incorporate different activities to start reinhabiting our bodies. We begin the journey of learning to better hear, understand and respond to the messages our body is constantly sending and receiving. Being more embodied also allows us to more fully enjoy the pleasures of being a living, breathing, seeing, smelling, hearing, tasting, sensing human being. Movement and embodiment exercises can also help us get out of our usual controlling thinking mind, and access more freedom, creativity and flow.

NATURE CONNECTION

We invite you on a break from the disconnecting effects of technology and city life and into an engagement with the natural world, which can make us feel more resourced, grounded, alive and remind us of our belonging to and interconnectedness with all of life. Observing nature, we learn about the way of life, and we learn about ourselves. Being immersed in it, we reconnect with our own life force and regain access to the creativity and resilience that flows through all life.

HEALTHY, EXQUISITE FOOD

“Let food be thy medicine” (Hippocrates). “We are what we eat” (folk wisdom). Food is one of life’s extraordinary expressions of love: full of abundance, richness and creativity. On our retreats we honour and celebrate that by cooking with the same spirit of love and creativity, and sourcing produce locally and organically where possible to do our part in taking care of the Earth in turn.

CREATIVE EXPRESSION

Creativity is our birthright. Many of us have been conditioned to believe that we are not creative and artistic, that we cannot sing or dance. At Alalaho, we believe that if we can speak, we can sing, and if we can walk, we can dance. Creative, non-linear expression has been a key part of what it means to be human across culture and time. Our retreats offer easy, accessible exercises to support each participant to let go of some self-limiting beliefs at their own pace, and to let themselves be guided by the creative life force living at their core.

RITUAL AND CEREMONY

“Ritual allows us to transcend passivity and become active agents in changing our own lives” (Caroline Casey). Rituals and ceremonies allow us to mark important moments in time, such as navigating big life transitions, processing grief, or setting intentions. We learn to gather our awareness and conscious energy and pour it into the moment, transforming a seemingly mundane act and imbuing it with power and meaning.

MEDITATION & CONTEMPLATIVE EXERCISES

By settling into the here-and-now of our present, embodied experience, the agitation of the mind subsides and gives way to a profound sense of presence and peace, from which love and compassion naturally arise. We begin to access deeper layers of ourselves, and sharpen our capacity for insight into the nature of reality. By learning to attend to, work with, and direct the flow of our awareness, we are more equipped to navigate not just the psychedelic experience, but the journey of life itself.

Embodiment practices

We incorporate different activities to start reinhabiting our bodies. We begin the journey of learning to better hear, understand and respond to the messages our body is constantly sending and receiving. Being more embodied also allows us to more fully enjoy the pleasures of being a living, breathing, seeing, smelling, hearing, tasting, sensing human being. Movement and embodiment exercises can also help us get out of our usual controlling thinking mind, and access more freedom, creativity and flow.

NATURE CONNECTION

We invite you on a break from the disconnecting effects of technology and city life and into an engagement with the natural world, which can make us feel more resourced, grounded, alive and remind us of our belonging to and interconnectedness with all of life. Observing nature, we learn about the way of life, and we learn about ourselves. Being immersed in it, we reconnect with our own life force and regain access to the creativity and resilience that flows through all life.

HEALTHY, EXQUISITE FOOD

“Let food be thy medicine” (Hippocrates). “We are what we eat” (folk wisdom). Food is one of life’s extraordinary expressions of love: full of abundance, richness and creativity. On our retreats we honour and celebrate that by cooking with the same spirit of love and creativity, and sourcing produce locally and organically where possible to do our part in taking care of the Earth in turn.

CREATIVE EXPRESSION

Creativity is our birthright. Many of us have been conditioned to believe that we are not creative and artistic, that we cannot sing or dance. At Alalaho, we believe that if we can speak, we can sing, and if we can walk, we can dance. Creative, non-linear expression has been a key part of what it means to be human across culture and time. Our retreats offer easy, accessible exercises to support each participant to let go of some self-limiting beliefs at their own pace, and to let themselves be guided by the creative life force living at their core.

RITUAL AND CEREMONY

“Ritual allows us to transcend passivity and become active agents in changing our own lives” (Caroline Casey). Rituals and ceremonies allow us to mark important moments in time, such as navigating big life transitions, processing grief, or setting intentions. We learn to gather our awareness and conscious energy and pour it into the moment, transforming a seemingly mundane act and imbuing it with power and meaning.

Retreat Types

CORE & RETURNERS

Our Core Retreats offer an accessible entrypoint into psychedelic and other forms of inner exploration and personal growth work. These retreats introduce you to the foundational pillars of our approach: relationship with self, relationship with others, relationship with nature, relationship with the Mystery.

They are available to all sufficiently mentally and physically healthy individuals, regardless of prior experience of psychedelic substances.

Our Returners Retreats allow returning participants to delve further into their personal growth and healing journey by expanding upon their Core Retreat experience. In these retreats, we offer advanced preparatory and integration exercises, with a greater focus on contemplative practices and therapeutic inquiry.

4 DAYS & 5 DAYS

Whether for our 4-day or 5-day retreat, we always begin the first full day with a late afternoon ceremony, meaning you will have had nearly 24 hours to properly land and feel safe, settled and connected to the place and the group. It also gives you space to prepare internally, to come into deeper contact with what is blocking you in your lives, and distill your intention for the ceremony.

On our 4-day retreat, you also have an entire day (and a half) after the psychedelic ceremony dedicated to integration. All our retreats have at least one full integration day, honouring the precious window of time when one is still open and bathing in the ‘afterglow’ of the experience. This is a crucial time to harvest the insights and start weaving them into our way of being.

I was dubious about needing the day after, but it is 100% the right thing to have, almost as important as the ceremony itself. Guy, 42 years

On our 5-day retreats, we dedicate two full days (and a half) to integration, because we believe that integration is really one of the most important keys and we want to support you to make the most of the window of opportunity in the ‘afterglow’ time. This format allows more space for the stillness and quiet that is actually so necessary for integration but that is often lacking in the hectic pace of modern life. It also gives you more time to further unpack and deepen any insights gained from the ceremony, through facilitator support and the various integration exercises on offer, the design of which is informed by the very best of personal and spiritual growth modalities.

The retreat was a wonderful and life-changing experience. The two full days of integration were invaluable. I guess my expectation before the retreat was that the ceremony would be pretty much everything, and the integration days just a nice extra, but it turned out to be the other way round. Ben, 45 years

The Alalaho Journey

Reserve your spot

Pay your deposit to reserve your spot, and schedule an onboarding call with us to ensure that a psychedelic journey is the right decision for you at this point in your life.

Submit a Health form

Complete and return a health form ahead of your onboarding call. This information is essential in helping us support your safety and well-being.

Finalise your booking

Once approved, pay the remaining balance to confirm your reservation. If for health reasons we cannot accept your booking, your deposit will be fully refunded minus a 20€ admin fee.

Begin the preparation process

You will receive material and suggested exercises to support your preparation for the retreat. One week before the retreat there will be a video call for you to meet your lead facilitator and fellow participants.

Attend the retreat

Let go of your usual duties and obligations and be held and supported as you set sail onto new shores, discovering yourself and the world in a whole new way!

Embark on integration journey

You will be supported for 3 weeks through a weekly group video call with your fellow participants and a senior facilitator as well as suggested exercises – to help you weave the insights from the retreat back into your everyday life.

Reserve your spot

Pay your deposit to reserve your spot, and schedule an onboarding call with us to ensure that a psychedelic journey is the right decision for you at this point in your life.

Submit a Health form

Complete and return a health form ahead of your onboarding call. This information is essential in helping us support your safety and well-being.

Finalise your booking

Once approved, pay the remaining balance to confirm your reservation. If for health reasons we cannot accept your booking, your deposit will be fully refunded minus a 20€ admin fee.

Begin the preparation process

You will receive material and suggested exercises to support your preparation for the retreat. One week before the retreat there will be a video call for you to meet your lead facilitator and fellow participants.

Attend the retreat

Let go of your usual duties and obligations and be held and supported as you set sail onto new shores, discovering yourself and the world in a whole new way!

Embark on integration journey

You will be supported for 3 weeks through a weekly group video call with your fellow participants and a senior facilitator as well as suggested exercises – to help you weave the insights from the retreat back into your everyday life.

Upcoming dates

 

April 20 – 24, 2024

Returners Retreat: 5-day

Spain

Our Returners Retreats enables returning participants to expand upon their Core Retreat experience. These retreats feature more advanced preparation and integration exercises, placing a stronger emphasis on contemplative practices and in-depth therapeutic exploration.

Find out more

April 25 – 28, 2024

Core Retreat: 4-day

Netherlands

Our Core Retreats offer a safe and accessible entry point into psychedelic and other forms of inner exploration and personal growth. On our 4-day retreat, an entire day following the Ceremony is dedicated to integration and helping you weave your insights into your way of being.

Find out more

July 5 – 9, 2024

Core Retreat: 5-day

Spain

Our Core Retreats offer a safe and accessible entry point into psychedelic and other forms of inner exploration and personal growth. On our 5-day retreat, two full days are dedicated to integration, providing ample space for the stillness and quiet so essential for transformation to take root.

Find out more

July 22 – 26, 2024

Core Retreat: 5-day • For Australian Medical Health Practitioners

Netherlands

Our flagship Core Retreat, specially adapted for Australia’s medical and health professionals training to deliver psychedelic-assisted therapies, in partnership with Mind Medicine Australia.

Closed group

November 11 – 15, 2024

Core Retreat: 5-day

Spain

Our Core Retreats offer a safe and accessible entry point into psychedelic and other forms of inner exploration and personal growth. On our 5-day retreat, two full days are dedicated to integration, providing ample space for the stillness and quiet so essential for transformation to take root.

Find out more

Sample Schedule for a 5 Day Retreat

Day 1: Arrival – Landing
2.00 pm Meet in Amsterdam + travel by coach together
6.00 pm Arrive at the venue
7.00 pm Dinner
8.30 pm Opening Circle
9.30 pm Group connection activity
Day 2: Ceremony – Opening
9 am Morning Practice
10 am Breakfast
11 am Preparation activity
12 am One-to-one’s with facilitators
1 pm Preparation activity
1.30 pm Light lunch
3.30 pm Opening Ritual
4 pm Ceremony begins
9 pm Closing Ritual
9.30 pm Dinner
Day 3: Integration 1 – Unpacking
9 am Morning Practice
10 am Breakfast
11.30 am Sharing Circle
1.30 pm Lunch
3 pm Integration activity
4 pm One-to-one’s with facilitators
6.30 pm Dinner
8 pm Evening integration
Day 4: Integration 2 – Deepening
9 am Morning Practice
10 am Breakfast
11.30 am Integration activity
1.30 pm Lunch
3 pm Integration activities
7.30 pm Celebration Feast
9 pm Celebration
Day 5: Leaving – Emerging
8 am Morning practice
9 am Breakfast
10 am Integration Talk
11 am Closing Circle
12.30 pm Departure

Prices

4 Day Retreat — 2,850€ (incl. VAT) / 5 Day Retreat — 3,350€ (incl. VAT)
Payment plans available on request

Disclaimer

  • Our retreats are for people in good mental and physical health. We do not offer therapeutic or medical treatment.
  • Reasons for not being able to participate in our retreats include serious cardiovascular (e.g. recent stroke or heart attack) or neurological issues (e.g. epilepsy or brain trauma), use of antidepressant (e.g. SSRI/TCA), mood stabilising (e.g. lithium) or antipsychotic (e.g. Abilify) medications or severe mental health problems (e.g. psychosis, bipolar disorder, personality disorder).
  • Even though the vast majority of our participants have very meaningful and beneficial experiences, there is no guaranteed outcome from participating on a retreat.
  • The majority of research indicating the positive effects of psilocybin was done in a clinical setting, which is very different to that of a retreat environment. More research is needed to explore the benefits offered by group psilocybin experiences.