Psilocybin — Sacred Mushrooms

What is psilocybin?

Psilocybin is a psychoactive molecule present in more than 200 species of mushrooms of the genus Psilocybe (notably Psilocybe cubensis, P. semilanceata). Once ingested, it is converted by the body into psilocin, which acts on the brain's serotonergic receptors.

These mushrooms have been used for millennia by the indigenous peoples of Mexico — Mazatecs, Mixtecs, Nahua — in traditional care, vision and divination rituals. The curandera María Sabina introduced the tradition to the Western world in the 1950s.

Today, teams at Johns Hopkins, Imperial College London, NYU, and other centers are studying psilocybin for several psychiatric and addictive disorders. Some trials report encouraging signals, but under specific clinical conditions, with selection criteria, a standardized product, and protocol-based support. They do not demonstrate the efficacy of a ceremony or private retreat.

What personal intentions can a ceremony be part of?

Attending is a personal or spiritual undertaking, not a healthcare objective. Commonly expressed intentions include:

• Engaging in introspection and observing one's inner experience
• Exploring a period of life or one's emotional experience, without expecting the ceremony to treat depression or an anxiety disorder
• Questioning one's relationship with a habit or substance use, while maintaining care from a qualified professional when addiction is involved
• Exploring an altered state of consciousness for the first time, after risk factors have been checked
• Creative or existential approach (meaning, life direction)
• Reconnection to the living, to nature, to the present

Descriptions such as “gentler”, “more visual,” or “more meditative” come from subjective accounts. The intensity and content of an experience remain unpredictable; comparing it with ayahuasca is neither a safety guarantee nor a recommendation.

How does a ceremony unfold?

1. Preparation (2 to 7 days before): light dieta (no alcohol, no drugs), defining a clear intention.
2. Arrival and intentions: individual interview with the facilitator and final check of the safety conditions.
3. Ceremony (4 to 6 h): the process and intended quantity within the retreat setting are explained beforehand. Onset, intensity, and duration vary depending on the person and the mushrooms. You are lying down or seated in a calm setting with music; facilitators remain present.
4. Return: gradual decrease in effects, presence of the facilitators, often hot tea and silence.
5. Integration circle: group sharing, putting the experience into words.
6. Online post-retreat integration: group video session 2 weeks after returning home to take stock with participants and support the changes that are setting in.

Who can participate?

A prior safety assessment is mandatory. It is an eligibility screening, not a diagnosis or medical consultation:

• Reasons for exclusion: these include a history of schizophrenia or psychosis, unstable bipolar disorder, severe heart disease, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and being under age.
• Medications and psychotropic treatments: lithium, certain antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers may require refusal or prior advice from the prescribing professional; a partner doctor may be consulted when a sensitive signal appears. Any pause, reduction, substitution, or restart of treatment must be decided with the professional overseeing it, never alone or under pressure from a retreat.
• Risk reduction: preparation instructions are provided before the retreat. Any ongoing medical or psychological care must be continued and disclosed.

A detailed health questionnaire and prior conversation are required. They do not replace advice from a healthcare professional. The organizer may refuse participation whenever there is a safety concern.

⚠️ Published results concern selected participants, standardized products, and controlled clinical protocols with qualified teams and defined follow-up. A Connecta Life retreat is neither a clinical trial nor medical or psychological treatment, and it promises no result for depression, anxiety, addiction, or any other disorder.

What setting does Connecta Life provide?

Connecta Life provides a private retreat setting, distinct from medical care, psychotherapy, and a research protocol:

• Private and cautious setting in Spain
• Protocol explained beforehand, without equating the quantity used with standardized doses in clinical research
• Set & setting carefully prepared: calm ceremony room, suitable music, continuous presence
• Facilitators present before and during the ceremony, without presenting this as medical or psychological support
• Non-therapeutic integration time included on site, followed by a group online session 2 weeks after the retreat

Frequently asked questions