People pay a lot of money and take significant time off work to travel out of country to take things like ayahuasca, mushrooms, ibogaine where these things are legal. I don’t take issue with cost specifically; these places are providing a niche service that absolutely should be compensated for, and many operate in places where poverty is extreme.

In exchange for paying thousands of dollars in travel and registration/accommodations costs, most of these places offer you several trips over your stay. Mycomeditations in Jamaica goves you three sessions with psilocybin assisted therapy, and most ayahuasca retreats offer several sessions within a week, for example. I love these substances and consider them sacred, but feel like integration is crucial. After my most profound trips, I couldn’t imagine going back for more the next day without having time to sit with the experience and learn something from it. It took me months to integrate some of these experiences before feeling comfortable going back for more! I also know a few people who have gone to South America and drank ayahuasca multiple nights in a row, and returned in much worse states of mental health. This isn’t common, but people do tend to gloss over the risks and it really should be pointed out that not everyone is better off from taking powerful psychedelics. I suspect having too much within such a short timeframe might be a major issue for many people.

For those who have travelled long distance and spent a lot of money and time to visit a retreat, is this something you have also struggled with or had a hard time finding balance with?