MICRODOSING
RETREATS

Microdosing retreat locations have been popping up all over the world from the Netherlands to Jamaica, but are they here to stay?

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In this article, we will explore the increasing popularity of these psychedelic sanctuaries, which use plant-based medicine alongside meditation and talking therapy to heighten the senses of the taker to influence their life for the better. Continue reading to learn more.

The microdosing retreat has been hailed as a sanctuary from the banalities of life where those who are 'missing something' or are burned out from high-power jobs and stressful home lives can come and relax, talk through their issues and partake in legal psychedelic psychotherapy in a safe and monitored environment. They've taken the traveling and celebrity world by storm, with even Gwyneth Paltrow getting in on the trend, with her first episode of Netflix's The Goop Lab following the journey of some of her staffers on their visit to a psychedelic Jamaican guided retreat experience.

What is a Microdosing Retreat?

DOSE SIZE

Microdosing is all about taking smaller amounts of a psychedelic drug than would usually be administered.

So, as an example, if a recreational dosage of LSD is 100-200ug, a microdose would be anywhere from 5ug-20ug depending on your desired result. By taking a smaller amount of the drug than usual, retreat-goers report less of the nasty side effects associated with hallucinogens such as 'bad trips' and paranoia. Instead, it is thought that microdosing allows visitors to become more attuned to their thoughts and feelings, molding their way of thinking to express their wisdom and infinite potential with the rest of the world.

At a microdosing retreat, the hallucinogens are only part of the treatment, which is designed to give you a new attitude towards life and the people in it. You are encouraged to enter a world of self-discovery through journaling your thoughts and feelings and also meditating to open your mind to new concepts and attitudes. A large percentage of a retreat's schedule is dedicated to talking – either to your hosts or your fellow visitors – to get to the root of any underlying mental issues you may have. It is not until the last day that plant-based medicine is administered to allow you to expand your mind.

The History Of Psychedelic Retreats

While microdosing retreats have gained popularity over the past 10 years or so, psychedelic retreats are a much older concept. In South America retreats have been around for many years, based on the original concept of the shamanic Ayahuasca ceremony from Peru. In these Ayahuasca ceremonies, a special brew is made from the boiled vine of the Banisteriopsis Caapi and the leaves of the Psychotria Viridis. Once suitably boiled it is cooled and strained and administered by the shaman to those sitting around the pot. The resulting tea is highly concentrated, providing the drinker with a prolonged higher state of consciousness that can last for several hours.

Modern
Retreats

Modern-day wellness retreats, especially those in Western countries such as the Netherlands and Brussels do not use shamanic tea to reach an altered state.

For them, it is more common to find plant-based medicine such as LSD or psychedelic truffles – the latter being much more common than the former, due to the truffle's legal status in these countries. In the Netherlands, magic mushrooms can be grown, however, only the underground part of the mushroom, the psychedelic truffles which are rich in psilocybin, can be consumed legally. Microdosing psilocybin side effects are minimal, allowing for a mellow journey into self-discovery and spiritual awakening.

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It is this effective spiritual awakening that has made psychedelics popular in the medical world, especially in psychotherapy.

One of the most popular psychotherapists in the US is Will Siu, an UCLA, Oxford, and Harvard graduating psychiatrist who administers ketamine-based psychedelic therapy in Los Angeles. As an advocate of psychedelics, he has spoken at length on the benefits of them for his patients and how they have influenced his life, too.

"Psychedelics were my re-entry really into healing, true healing, and kind of by default, into spirituality again". Will Siu