5.0
Verified
I'm quite certain that I'll look back on the whole experience as one of the true turning points of all of my life.
Hard to imagine a better experience for a psilocybin journey. Not kidding at all.
Myles and Julianna were absolute masters at guiding us through the intentions and the nerves and the steps, and the whole Confluence staff was assiduous about taking care of our every need throughout the event. Gentleness, professionalism, openness, warmth, well-timed nudges, listening ears, flexibility, a breathtaking setting, great food, nice accommodations, deep discussion, laughs—it was all there. There was even a sacredness and ritual around the delivery of the medicine that put me in a reverential state for the mystery of what was about to happen.
I was initially reluctant about the group setting versus just a one-on-one experience, afraid that it would be too personal or that I'd do something embarrassing under the influence. None of that happened, and quite to the contrary, having the group was a massive benefit, almost to the point that I wouldn't want it any other way. We bonded up front, and that made it feel safer to go through such an intense experience for the first time. After the first journey, we processed together, supported each other, and shared that feeling of having weathered something powerful hand-in-hand. I still feel a gratitude and a love for my retreat-mates and hold them almost as family.
Having it be a retreat setting with multiple days in a place of beautiful nature was likewise surprisingly poignant. The follow-up one-on-one sessions with the facilitators, the walks in (stunning!) nature, and the group sharing circles all gave the medicine's effects space to sink in and integrate freely without the normal worldly cares interfering.
As for the psilocybin itself, just... wow. I had been stuck, with serious depression, anxiety, and anger, for years. That's not all gone, but I couldn't get any freedom or purchase on progress at all, and now I can. Something tight and blocked in me, emotional in nature but that I could feel even physically in my body, just opened right up, and now I'm moving forward again. I consciously wanted that ahead of time, and it was like the psilocybin was a genie that just granted the wish. Not all of my intentions panned out exactly like that, but this one was massive. In addition, this years-joyless man started feeling joy again, and this intuition-dead man started intuiting again. I started trusting again that God is watching over me. On those counts, I'm talking night and day before and after the journey.
Myles and Julianna were absolute masters at guiding us through the intentions and the nerves and the steps, and the whole Confluence staff was assiduous about taking care of our every need throughout the event. Gentleness, professionalism, openness, warmth, well-timed nudges, listening ears, flexibility, a breathtaking setting, great food, nice accommodations, deep discussion, laughs—it was all there. There was even a sacredness and ritual around the delivery of the medicine that put me in a reverential state for the mystery of what was about to happen.
I was initially reluctant about the group setting versus just a one-on-one experience, afraid that it would be too personal or that I'd do something embarrassing under the influence. None of that happened, and quite to the contrary, having the group was a massive benefit, almost to the point that I wouldn't want it any other way. We bonded up front, and that made it feel safer to go through such an intense experience for the first time. After the first journey, we processed together, supported each other, and shared that feeling of having weathered something powerful hand-in-hand. I still feel a gratitude and a love for my retreat-mates and hold them almost as family.
Having it be a retreat setting with multiple days in a place of beautiful nature was likewise surprisingly poignant. The follow-up one-on-one sessions with the facilitators, the walks in (stunning!) nature, and the group sharing circles all gave the medicine's effects space to sink in and integrate freely without the normal worldly cares interfering.
As for the psilocybin itself, just... wow. I had been stuck, with serious depression, anxiety, and anger, for years. That's not all gone, but I couldn't get any freedom or purchase on progress at all, and now I can. Something tight and blocked in me, emotional in nature but that I could feel even physically in my body, just opened right up, and now I'm moving forward again. I consciously wanted that ahead of time, and it was like the psilocybin was a genie that just granted the wish. Not all of my intentions panned out exactly like that, but this one was massive. In addition, this years-joyless man started feeling joy again, and this intuition-dead man started intuiting again. I started trusting again that God is watching over me. On those counts, I'm talking night and day before and after the journey.
Last Chance