FAQ- Retreats
Q. Are psychedelics/psilocybin dangerous?
A. No. There are many advantages to participating in a psychedelic ceremony, but there is a small percentage of people in the world with schizophrenia who should not participate in DMT-based psychedelic ceremonies. Other medicines are recommended. If schizophrenia runs in your family do not participate in Magic Mushroom or Ayahuasca Ceremonies. Please contact us for consultation and guidance on alternative medicines such as Cacao and Temazcal/Sweat Lodge Ceremonies. If you are taking SSRIs, it is recommended to stop use 2-4 weeks prior. Failure to do so can cause permanent damage to your Pineal Gland including death.
Q. Are psychedelics addictive?
No, as opposed to SSRIs and other modern drugs, plant psychedelics are alive. They have a spirit that scans your body and balances your hormones. It can be balanced with one Ceremony and sometimes more than one.
Q. What kind of illnesses does a psychedelic/psilocybin ceremony heal?
A. Typical illnesses that a psychedelic/psilocybin ceremony would heal are: Depression, postpartum depression, anxiety, shame, toxic familial/cultural programming, narcissistic behavior, the victim syndrome (confidence in yourself), mental-physical-spiritual abuse, neglect, abandonment, alcohol and drug abuse, eating disorders, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), fear and phobias, helps relieve traumas that break the spirit (Divorce, separations, deaths, move, and loss of job or business), and others. It also helps with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease.
Q. What is the difference between Psychedelics and Psilocybin?
A. Psychedelics (aka entheogens) are all the plants, fungi, and animals that induce a psychedelic healing experience such as Ayahuasca, Yage, Bufo Alverius, Kambo, Peyote, Salvia, Huachuma/San Pedro, Changa, and Magic Mushrooms. These are typically offered in a ceremonial space by a healer with Indigenous culture and knowledge with the purpose of healing your spiritual health. In modern days, you may commonly find Psychedelic Sitters, Psychonauts who have not taken the time to learn the Ceremonial Culture, but introduce the psychedelic to a client and watch over you. Synthetics like LSD, Ketamine, MDMA, and DMT are also considered psychedelics and are slowly being used therapeutically to heal mental health.
You may now find micro dosing of Ayahuasca and Magic Mushrooms as well as studies reveal positive results. Psilocybin is naturally occurring in Magic Mushrooms and is consumed for its hallucinogenic and or healing effects. When psilocybin is taken, it is converted to psilocin in the body, a chemical with psychoactive properties. There are many types of Magic Mushrooms where the psilocybin will have different effects. Lucid Wild separates the effects into two types. Type one typically causes laughter, sacred geometry visuals, colorful visuals, distorted depth perception, and vivid colors. Type one tends to be used more for fun such as a concert or a movie. Type 2 is used in ceremonial situations for spiritual healing (aka mental illness). They will induce deep introspective conversations, trauma healing, heart filling, heart opening, connection to the universe, out-of-body experiences, deep soul revelations, and a deep connection to Creator (God). They are known to heal depression, anxiety, grief, PTSD, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, physical abuse, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and other deep spiritual/emotional traumas. At Lucid Wild Retreats, we use Type 2 Ceremonial Grade Psilocybin.
Q. Does Lucid Wild Retreats work with Shamans?
A. Yes, but the proper word is Curandero or Healer. We work with Indigenous Curanderos (Healers) with Cultural lineage and intergenerational ancestral medicinal knowledge. We also work with Inter-Tribal Healers who have had the calling and have taken the time to apprentice with tribes for many years.
Q. What is a Dieta?
A. There are many different types of “dietas” (diets) for psychedelic ceremonies or herbal healings. Dietas for a psychedelic/psilocybin ceremony is a commitment to healing the soul from a toxic emotional history starting and consisting of a change in food and behavior. Although they are all different, they commonly start 7-14 days prior to a ceremony and continue throughout the multiple days in a ceremonial space. A sample “dieta” would look as follows:
Light proteins such as chicken, eggs, and fish
Fruits, vegetables, and Low Glycemic carbohydrates
No pork, beef, or other heavy meats
Light or no cheese, low or no oils
No stimulants such as caffeine or sugar
Stick to real foods, no processed foods, no refined oils, no medications, vitamins or supplements
No spices in Ayahuasca, but ok in all other psychedelics
No foods with Tyrosine such as avocado, bananas, and garlic for Ayahuasca and Psilocybin Mushrooms. It avoids headaches
No sex, masturbation, or sexual activity for 3 days prior & for the duration of the ceremonial days
No alcohol or drugs for 7 days prior and for the duration of the ceremonial days
No synthetic or scented hygiene products such as toothpaste, soap, deodorant, scented floss, shampoo, body lotions and oils, bug spray, sun lotion, etc.
Real products are acceptable. Castile soap, coconut oil pulling, cotton floss, etc.
Limited participation in rigorous physical activity and sun exposure
Limited to no participation in stressful jobs or relationships
Limited contact with non-dieters, it’s a good time to meditate, feel your emotions, and set an intention to heal and transmute your spirit
It is recommended to continue the “dieta” 3-7 days after the ceremonial experience
Q. Does Psilocybin help stop my Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) medication?
SSRIs create a synthetic and forced creation of serotonin in the brain to produce a good mood. Since it is synthetic, it does not fix the problem and you have to take it every day to recreate the good mood. When plant medicines go into your system, they are conscious living intelligent medicines that actually access the spiritual and emotional situation that you are dealing with. The medicines fix and remove the spiritual damage and blockages that have stressed your nervous system, and balance your serotonin levels in a more permanent manner.
Typically the use of SSRIs does not stop immediately, but the need will stop in time. In my experience with clients, all have stopped. If they microdose it takes about 1-2 months while they slowly lower their dose while continuing to microdose. In clients that participate in ceremonies, 4-5 ceremonies seem to be the right amount to cure and balance the trauma. If you are taking SSRIs, psilocybin will be your safest medicine and you can stop using them 2 weeks prior to a ceremony. In an Ayahuasca ceremony, it is recommended to give up SSRIs for at least 4 weeks with a clean diet. Failure to do so can cause permanent damage to your Pineal Gland including death.
Q. What will I experience in a psychedelic/psilocybin experience at a Lucid Wild Retreat?
A. The ceremonial experience comes in many waves. First, you enter the psychedelic experience. Here you typically see sacred geometry and other beautiful imagery. Typically in the second and third waves, the emotional cleansing happens, also known as the purging. Crying, sweating, and screaming are the most common effects while throwing up, defecating and urinating may be also needed. In this wave, suppressed and stuck emotions are released, healing of old traumas stuck in the body and spirit is released, profound forgiveness of self and others is experienced, you release and acknowledge destructive patterns and thoughts, you confront areas of rumination and fear with strength and confidence, and there is a processing of traumatic experiences with a new perspective and detachment. After the cleansing, the final waves fill you up with blissful LOVE, feeling the support of an open-hearted and vulnerable community, revisiting beautiful memories, and you may have experiences of intense love and bliss in your heart and soul.
Q. What is a Curandero?
A. Curandero or Curandera is also known as a Holistic Healer, Traditional Healer, Indigenous Healer, or Shaman. The term Shaman comes from the Siberian area and is commonly used by Eurocentric individuals. Although it means the same thing and there is nothing wrong with it, healers prefer their local terminology since it does not carry the sensationalism behind it. The term “Curanderos” and practitioners are found primarily in Indigenous America and South Western US, but healers exist around the world. A Curandero is a specialist in Native American Traditional Medicine. Curandero/a comes from the root “curar” in Spanish which, literally translates to cure. Thus, a curandero/a is one who heals. A Curandero/Curandera administers Earth-based remedies and prayers for mental, emotional, physical and spiritual illnesses. If they work with psychedelic plants they are typically referred to as:
Ayahuasquero/a: One who works with Ayahuasca
Peyotero/a: One who works with Peyote
Huachumero/a: One who works with Huachuma (San Pedro Cactus)
Sacerdota/e: One who works with psychedelic mushrooms
They may be called Abuelitas, Abuelitos, Tata, Taita, Tito, Tita, Tios or Tias (Grandmother, Grandfather, Aunt, and Uncle) by the entire community as well. Showing status as a caretaker of a community. The words may vary from region to region since they may use Indigenous or Spanish words that mean the same thing. You will find the right terminology easily just by asking.
Curanderos have the God-given gift to enter different dimensions where they are able to find the solutions to a person's illness or problem. They always work with The Great Creator's (God) energy when practicing their healings. It is customary throughout Indigenous American healings to burn Copal, Palo Santo, Tobacco, Sage/Salvia, and/or other products during a healing.