I'm Oliver, from the UK and a teacher by profession. I work in an international university in Barcelona and teach English in the village where I live.
I embarked upon a process with psilocybin mushrooms in 2018. Approaching the age of 50, and feeling restless and adventurous, I took a high dose of mushrooms in a controlled setting with a therapist. Since then I have worked with altered states of consciousness to create a series of changes in my life. I moved to the countryside, got married, started gardening and generally started to value and prioritise relationships in a way that I had not done previously.
I explored practices such as meditation, drumming and chanting as a way of making me more centred in my body and in the present. I have travelled to Mexico to participate in ceremonies with curanderas and also to share knowledge with them. In addition, I started to accompany others who wished to experience a journey with psilocybin mushrooms in a controlled environment and also became active within the Psychedelic Society of Barcelona, helping to organise events and participating in discussions.
More recently I have been exploring a range of therapeutic techniques such as reiki and sound therapy both for personal development and also to accompany others, whether it be on a psychedelic journey or for more everyday therapeutic purposes.
I also take great pleasure in cultivating psilocybe mushrooms.
I’m Carla, a psychonaut convinced of the transformative power of working with expanded states of consciousness and its integration through a spiritual path.
Psychedelics and yoga are two tools that have brought me back home, helping to reconcile me with my body and to live from a more serene place.
I believe in the capacity of psychedelic substances to catalyse change at a collective level to such an extent that it is practically a duty to share what I have learned and I do it in various ways: organising events for psychonauts, holding the space in psychedelic journeys and running a yoga studio at the Catalan coast.
I have no pretensions about guiding you, but rather see my role as accompanying you. I believe that what is fundamental is that each person finds, or creates a container for the experience that does not collide with their cosmovision. Rather, it should adapt to each person's cultural heritage. One must understand what one carries in order to reconcile to it.
Details of this retreat
A two night retreat in a beautiful guest house in an isolated valley of the pre-Pyrenees. The retreat is designed to disconnect you from your screens and the hurly-burly of your day-to-day life and re-connect you to the felt presence of your body and its place in the natural environment.
We will do various activities with the intention of bringing you home to the ease of being embodied. These will include yoga, sound massages, vocalisations and drumming. All meals will be prepared together in order to foster group cohesion.
These activities will also help to prepare you for the mushroom ceremony that will take place on the second day. The ceremony will be held in a carefully prepared space, and you will be accompanied on your psychedelic journey by experienced guides who will keep the ceremony unfolding organically with the help of traditional instruments and song.
There will be an integration circle the next day and a follow up video-call a week or so later to support you in your continuing integration.
The Winter Solstice is a particularly propitious time to do a ceremony of this sort for those wishing to plant the seed of a new project or resolution.
Schedule
Each day will be different, depending on the intention for that day. However, there will be sessions of yoga, sound baths and sound massages and walks in nature There will be group sessions to prepare for and integrate the mushroom experience as well as individual sessions. There will also be plenty of time to simply relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and the company of the other guests.
Nearest airport: Barcelona Airport (El Prat) or Girona-Costa Brava Airport
Nearest train station: Sant Quirze de Besora (L3), 1 hour and 40 minutes from the centre of Barcelona (NB NOT Sant Quirze del Vallès)
Pickup from the train station available
Accommodation
There are five double rooms, four with a double bed in each, the fifth with two singles. The rooms are all en-suite, spacious and with large bay windows providing plenty of light and views of the valley. No one is expected to share a room unless they choose to, unless they are in the room with two single beds. In the case that friends or partners share a double room with a double bed, there will be a small discount in the price for each person.
Price
Venue & Amenities
A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi
Spa
Sauna
Pool
Towels
Free Parking
Kitchen
Tour Assistance
Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea
Cafe
Restaurant
Fitness Center
Yoga Studio
Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent
Retreats are held in a country house situated in woodland on a hillside in the pre-Pyrenees. The accommodation consists in five spacious, en-suite double bedrooms accessible from the exterior. In the downstairs area there is a well-fitted kitchen area and a spacious living area which will be used for retreat activities.
Meals
Menu Types
Vegan
Vegetarian
Pescetarian
Ayurvedic
Includes Meat
Organic
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Nut Free
The food will be healthy and tasty, with a vegetarian option for those who would like it. In general, it will be fairly light except for the final meal which will be rather more hearty.
What's Included
Two nights in a luxury country house
One ceremony with a medium to high dose of psilocybe mushrooms in a contained setting (optional)
One low dose of psilocybe mushrooms in nature (optional)
Yoga with a qualified teacher
Sound therapy techniques designed to create an inter-personal resonance with a qualified practitioner
Other somatic activities designed to re-establish our connection with our bodies
All meals, prepared collaboratively
What's Not Included
Flights
Airport pickup and drop off (extra fee)
Customer Reviews
5.00 out of 5.0 average rating
5.0
Verified
Life changing weekend
What can I say... Oliver and Carla were the most wonderful and kind facilitators for this retreat. The entire experience was absolutely fantastic for beginning to end. The location was perfect for this experience as we were in a blissful surround. A truly transformational weekend with amazing people and I cannot recommend this retreat enough. 10/10 on all fronts. Thanks so much to Oliver and Carla and the other participants of the retreat.
5.0
Verified
October 24
I chose this retreat thanks to a specific comment from Polly below .( ‘I was also very grateful to be shown, and learn, how to extract the psilocybin from the mushrooms into a lemon tek, rather than eating the mushrooms directly’).
Comments are helpful.
When I arrived I found the place beautiful. The house is large, very comfortable, the rooms are worthy of a hotel ***.
The 3-day program is well thought out, with walks in the nearby forest, a great yoga session with Carla, exquisite meals, etc. Everything went smoothly
Carla and Oliver are trustworthy, , committed, generous. They have extensive personal and professional experience with psychedelics. They care about the well-being of each participant.
It was absolutely perfect.
The ceremony was the highlight of our stay. And the integration a key moment too.
For me, the presence of the facilitators and the group were essential to this fabulous experience.
On the practical level, I underline this point, as it also influences your choice if you don’t drive. There's a direct train from Barcelona to the station in the small town near the retreat where Oliver can pick you up. It really is very simple to get there.
Ideally you should have a rather good command of English or Spanish, as we share a lot of information and feelings during the retreat.
5.0
Verified
A Great Experience
I really enjoyed the 3 day retreat. It wasn’t my first experience but I’d never been to any sort of retreat before. The location was truly incredible and exactly the kind of place you want to be for something like this - a very relaxing setting in the heart of nature. Olly and Carla are very nice people and easy to get a long with. They’re both very knowledgeable and experienced but did not have big ego’s or claim to be guru’s. They came across as very humble. The trip itself was like nothing I’d experienced before, the ceremony and use of sound made it something very special indeed. The environment they created was very guiding and ensured a positive experience - which all of the participants agreed on. Before going I was a little apprehensive about sharing such an experience with people I’d not met before, but the retreat was structured in such a way that we all became relatively close in that time and felt comfortable in each others company. I couldn’t rate this retreat high enough, I’m sure I’ll be back!
5.0
Verified
A perfect first experience with psychedlics
I've been thinking about exploring the world of magic mushrooms for quiet a long time but was also a bit scared about what could happen. That's why i decided to have my first experience in the context of a retreat, and i can say now that i'm glad i choosed this one. Oliver and Carla really succeeded in creating a safe and friendly atmosphere. The limited size of the group (on this session we were 5 participants) also made the experience intimate and personal. Last but not least, the location and the villa were the retreat took place was beyond my expectations. So i definitely recommend this retreat!
5.0
Verified
Wonderful Experience
I did a 1:1 session with Oliver in Alpens. Overall, it was a smooth, peaceful yet energizing experience. Oliver is meticulous, compassionate and has deep knowledge/experience. We did a prep session prior, where he answered all my questions in depth while providing guidance and information that put me more at ease. The session itself was very well structured, yet it also was open to spontaneity and allowing flow. Oliver was very open to allowing me my own space while also picking up cues in the case I wanted to adjust the experience, for example, types of music to be played whether it being recorded or live via his beautiful instruments. At some point, we practiced breathwork and sound/vocal therapy which was an enlightening experience. The place I stayed at was also amazing near the woods; clean, new and comfortable. I would highly recommend Oliver as your guide for this journey for newcomers and more experienced people. I think being open and showing vulnerability also enhances the experience as he is very empathetic.
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Available Dates
December 20 - 22, 2024
Payments made through Retreat Guru do not include the cost of: plant medicine, psychedelics or similar products.
Refund & Cancellation Policy
The event is 100% refundable if cancelled 30+ days before the event start date. The event is 50% refundable if cancelled 15-29 days before the start date. There's no refund for cancellation 0-14 days before an event.
A preparation course valued at $109 is included with the retreat at no extra cost
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