Frequently Asked Questions
Basics
Psilocybin is the naturally occurring active ingredient in many species of psychedelic (“magic”) mushroom. Once ingested, it converts to psilocin in the body and induces an altered state of consciousness: a psychedelic experience. Learn more about psilocybin here.
Psychedelics are a class of psychoactive compound that induce altered states of consciousness. The term psychedelic comes from “psyche” and the Greek word dēlos, which means “to manifest”, together meaning “mind manifesting”.
Examples of “classical” psychedelics are psilocybin, mescaline, LSD and DMT. Other substances sometimes considered psychedelics (depending who you ask) are cannabis, MDMA, ketamine, and ibogaine.
Please see the Retreat Dates page for upcoming retreats!
Applying to Atman Retreat
1. Complete the Atman Retreat application form
Start by filling out our online application form. You'll receive a confirmation email once it's submitted.
2. Connect with a facilitator for an intake call
Next, one of our facilitators will reach out to you to schedule an intake call. The intake call serves a number of purposes. It's an opportunity for you to meet and connect with one of our facilitators, and for us to gain a deeper understanding of your background, intentions, and desires for your experience. It also helps us learn how we can best support you on the retreat, and allows us to answer any questions you have about the retreat.
Optional: Submit a deposit to receive priority
We provide the option for applicants to submit a $1,000 deposit to receive priority for upcoming retreats. If you submit a deposit, you will be given priority for your preferred retreat dates and room choices.
If you submit a deposit and are accepted into a retreat group, the full $1,000 deposit will go towards the cost of your retreat. If you submit a deposit and are not accepted into a retreat group or need to cancel before making the full payment, you will receive a refund for the full $1,000 deposit, minus a non-refundable $30 payment processing fee.
3. Make a payment to secure your spot
After your call with a facilitator, we'll send you an email with a link to make a full payment to secure your spot on the retreat. If you submitted a deposit to receive priority, this will be reflected in your remaining balance.
4. Receive your preparation package and book your flights to Jamaica!
After making the payment, you'll receive a comprehensive preparation package that includes travel guidelines, a retreat schedule, information about psilocybin mushrooms, and more. Then you can book your flights and start preparing for the retreat!
If we reach out to schedule an intake call with you and you’re available to speak with us soon, it could take only a few days. If we reach out to schedule an intake call with you and your schedule is less flexible and/or we’re very busy, it could take up to 2-3 weeks.
Absolutely! Start by filling out the application form (one for each person) and we’ll take it from there. Please note that both members of a couple will each be charged the per-person rate for a shared room.
We can definitely host you in a private room if there is one available for your preferred retreat dates. Since there are a limited number of private rooms, availability depends on the preferences of other participants who may have signed up before you. Please indicate your room preferences on the application form and we’ll do our best to accommodate. You can also contact us if you have any questions.
Due to the format we follow, we’re not able to host people who are not participating in the retreat, even if they are friends, relatives, or partners of participants. We’ve learned from experience that having each person in the group fully share in the same set of experiences helps create the most beneficial environment for everyone involved. Thank you for understanding!
Yes. Low-income tickets are priced at $395 USD and allotted to those with limited financial means. Please only apply for a low-income ticket if this applies to you, and if a low-income ticket is your only realistic option for attending the retreat. To apply for a low-income ticket, simply indicate your preference when asked on the application form. You’ll then be asked to answer a few additional questions about your financial situation.
Individuals with personal or family histories of bipolar, schizophrenia, or other personality disorders may be at risk if using psilocybin. A strong psychedelic experience can exacerbate or trigger the onset of these conditions. These risks are addressed in detail in our application process.
Retreat Experience
Our retreats are four days / three nights.
A maximum of 12 participants total.
Three facilitators attend each retreat, with two additional members of the Atman Retreat team also present to manage logistics and provide operational support. The total number of team members on each retreat is five.
- Psilocybin session in a group setting
- Accommodation for the duration of the retreat
- Caribbean-flavored meals prepared fresh daily on-site
- Guided preparation and integration activities
- 1-on-1 check-ins with facilitators
- Group movement and meditation practice
- Access to private beachfront and swimming pool
- Transport to and from Montego Bay Airport (MBJ)
- Follow up integration call post-retreat
- Preparation and integration written materials
Atman Retreat starts at $2,295 USD for one participant. This is paid once you are accepted into a retreat group – after filling out the application form and having an intake call with one of our facilitators. We also have low-income tickets available, which are priced at $395 USD. You can learn more about our room options and pricing here.
Flights are not included. You’ll need to book your own flights to and from Montego Bay (Sangster International Airport – MBJ).
Our psilocybin session format draws on research trial protocols, psychedelic therapy, and indigenous traditions.
The sessions are held in a large hall that is hundreds of years old. You will be given a comfortable mat to lay on, a cushion, and eye shades (which are optional, but encouraged!) You will also be invited to bring any other items you may want to be comfortable during the journey (additional pillows or blankets, a journal, water bottle, etc.)
The Atman team is present for the full duration of the session, and participants are never left alone during their experience.
Our team will open the ceremony once everyone is ready. Participants and Atman team members make agreements around safety and respectful conduct before participants ingest the psilocybin mushrooms. There may be a guided meditation or simply silence to allow you to transition into the journey space.
Music is played over a speaker in the hall. The playlists we use consist of mostly instrumental music and are curated to deepen and enhance the psychedelic experience.
Participants are encouraged to focus on their own inner experience, and to allow others the space to do the same. We ask that participants not interact with one another during the session. Everyone is in the same physical space, having their own private journey.
This combination of laying down with music and eye shades for a journey is the format used in psychedelic research studies at Johns Hopkins, Imperial College London, NYU, and other institutions. It’s also the format used by most psychedelic guides.
If you ever need support during the journey, you can raise a hand and a facilitator will be there to help you. Facilitators can offer verbal and emotional support, and potentially certain forms of physical touch. Our team is highly aware of potential sensitivities around physical touch and will always check before offering this form of support. Facilitators will also be attentive around refilling cups/bottles of water, helping participants to the bathroom, getting a blanket if you feel cold, etc.
After 5-6 hours, we will close the ceremony. The hall is kept with low lighting and soft music for those who would like to continue journeying. Anyone who would like to enter into conversation, swim in the ocean, or do other activities is welcome to.
You may hear us refer to the psilocybin session as a "ceremony". This is because we approach certain aspects of psychedelic work in a ceremonial manner. Please note that ceremonial does not mean religious - we do not subscribe to any organized religion, and we do not attempt to impart any religious or spiritual beliefs on participants who attend our retreats.
We hold this work in a ceremonial manner because psychedelic experiences are generally more impactful and beneficial when they are approached with a high degree of intentionality, care, and respect. Ceremony, for us, is about creating the right container, or setting, for the experience to unfold in a maximally safe and helpful way. Ceremony also honors the fact that psychedelic journeys are often experienced as sacred.
We work with local growers in Jamaica to source the mushrooms. The mushrooms are carefully grown, dried, and sealed to protect the psilocybin from degrading.
There is one psilocybin session, on the second day of the retreat. Participants first take an initial dose, the size of which is determined based on preferences, intentions, prior experiences (or lack thereof), and bodyweight. After approximately 1.5 hours, a facilitator offers an optional booster dose, which is approximately 50% of the initial dose.
Generally between 3-5g of dried mushrooms, which is the equivalent of around 18-31mg of psilocybin. Our application process is designed to help us and you determine a dose best suited to your preferences, intentions, and experience.
Psychedelic experiences are varied and often unpredictable. You may have heard or read things in media or online that cause you to think “I want that experience!” However, consensus within psychedelic communities is that it’s beneficial to enter a journey with openness, and to let go of any expectations or desires for a specific experience or outcome.
That said, there are some commonalities across most psychedelic experiences. For example, you may experience visual effects, color saturation, and solid objects may appear as if they’re moving or breathing. You may experience physical sensations differently, feel hot or cold, feel parts of your body in a different way or feel parts of your body you’ve never felt before. Your sense of time may become distorted, and it may seem to become compressed or expanded throughout the journey.
You may experience strong emotions – positive and negative – and you may experience two or more seemingly contradictory emotions at the same time. You may experience a deep and healing emotional release.
You may see, imagine or remember people in your life, past and present, in particular those you have close relationships with. You may visit archetypal realms featuring figures, symbols or imagery from various cultures and mythological traditions. You may be visited by animals, or you may yourself transform into an animal. You may have the experience of everything as divine or holy, or of this alternate reality as being somehow “realer” than normal waking reality. You may lose your sense of being a separate self, and feel yourself dissolve into the universe or the cosmos.
These are only some of the many possible aspects of a psychedelic journey. A psychedelic experience can be overwhelming, and it can be underwhelming. Upon consuming psilocybin mushrooms, your experience may not be what you expect at all. Once again you are encouraged to let go of your expectations or desires for specific experiences or outcomes, and be open to whatever comes.
We do not claim or attempt to treat any medical or mental health condition. While it’s common for people to have therapeutic experiences with psilocybin, attending Atman Retreat is not a substitute for medical services, psychotherapy, or any other form of treatment.
Further, research protocols indicate that psychedelic therapy is most effective with multiple preparatory and integration sessions, and sometimes multiple psychedelic sessions. Unfortunately, it’s not possible for us to recreate this level of care with a retreat model at this time.
We may be able to offer a private 1-on-1 session, depending on timing and the availability of our facilitators. For this, you’d need to book your own accommodation in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The cost of a private session is commensurate with the personalized care and attention you would receive. If you’re interested in a private session, please subscribe to our email list on the homepage. We’ll send out information by email as private 1-on-1 sessions become available.
Psilocybin is generally safe and well-tolerated.1 It’s not physically addictive, and overdosing is almost impossible (it would require eating at least several pounds of mushrooms). Researchers in the UK deemed psilocybin mushrooms to be safer than alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and over a dozen other substances.2
The “set” (an individual’s mindset) and “setting” (physical setting) of a psychedelic experience greatly influence the process and outcome.2 If set and setting are properly prepared, the experience is much more likely to go well. If you’re accepted into a retreat group, we’ll send you a comprehensive prep package ahead of time, so you can learn about what to expect. You’ll also be briefed on the effects of psilocybin on retreat. Our experienced, knowledgeable facilitators will be there to support you every step of the way. Your session will take place in a comfortable indoor setting, designed to hold space for psychedelic experiences.
We take every measure to ensure each participant’s retreat experience is safe, comfortable, and positive in both the short and long term. However, psychedelic experiences are not for everyone. Our application process is designed to help both us and you determine if a psychedelic experience is a good fit for you.
Please note: Individuals with personal or family histories of bipolar, schizophrenia, or other personality disorders may be at risk if using psilocybin. A strong psychedelic experience can exacerbate or trigger the onset of these conditions. These risks are addressed in detail in our application process.
Safety
Psilocybin is generally safe and well-tolerated.1 It’s not physically addictive, and overdosing is almost impossible (it would require eating at least several pounds of mushrooms). Researchers in the UK deemed psilocybin mushrooms to be safer than alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and over a dozen other substances.2
However, individuals with personal or family histories of bipolar, schizophrenia, or other personality disorders may be at risk if using psilocybin. A strong psychedelic experience can exacerbate or trigger the onset of these conditions. These risks are addressed in detail in our application process.
Our retreats are held in Montego Bay, located on the Northwest coast of Jamaica. Montego Bay is a safe, popular tourist destination with many hotels and resorts. When you attend Atman Retreat, you’ll be picked up by a driver at Montego Bay/Sangster International Airport (MBJ) and driven directly to our venue. The venue is a private, gated villa (many homes in Jamaica are gated) with staff on-site at all times. When it’s time to depart, you’re driven back to the airport. There can be safety concerns in Jamaica, but they’re concentrated in Kingston, the capital city located on the Southeast coast.