CEREMONIAL PSILOCYBIN RETREATS
ALCHEMY OF CLARITY
clarify the mind, align with purpose
Spend a week nestled in the Portuguese wilderness- Pine forests, crystalline rivers and starry skies tending to our most ancient memory. Join us to get clear on where you are and where you are going. Leave us with a deeper sense of community and wellbeing.
Spots open
may 6-12
DO YOU HEAR THE CALL ?
These are times of unprecedented stimulation. Through the noise it is easy to forget the sound, the voice, of our true self.
Alchemy of clarity has been designed to help you remember the distinct hum of your soul.
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Our meditation practices support the clearing and centering of the mind. They initiate a calming of the nervous system, and generate a deeper sense of compassion for ourselves and the world around us.
Our daily meditations serve as a compliment to ceremony and their integration. They also equip you with the tools necessary to support lasting clarity upon your return home.
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Daily movement sessions contribute to our sense of physical and mental wellbeing. Each morning Christiana will guide us in gentle practices to open the body, balance and clear our energy and strengthen mind-body awareness.
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AUTHENTIC PRAYER
Learning to cultivate a clearer communication with what is alive within and around us.
FOUR DIRECTIONS WORKSHOP
How understanding the archetypal directions, elements, and seasons can give deeper understanding into the cycles of our lives.
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Through daily silence our mind gets a break from the constant stimulation we experience in today’s world. This leaves room for processing our experiences, leading to a sense of calm, clarity, and creativity. Also, tending to an increase of feeling a deeper connection with ourselves and others.
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We have evolved to co-regulate with those around us. Our epidemic of loneliness accounts for many of our mental health struggles.
We seek to create containers where authentic relating and co-counciling is woven throughout our days. Group sharing circles, nature walks and ceremony facilitate this process naturally.
“As a women who has been on the spiritual path for more than 40 years, I have been incredibly moved by the team “Alchemy of Clarity” to say the least. The sincerity , devotion to service and intention to assist humanity with this sacred medicine was deeply humbling. The teams personal commitment and consistency to their personal spiritual practices and growth was very apparent and came through strongly within this retreat.
My personal experience with Psilocybin during this retreat was profoundly impactful. It opened up many traumatic memories hidden away for centuries in the most intelligent, and benevolent way. An unraveling process has began and many connections that I had no access to, are now being made within my psyche. Besides the healing process I have hoped to get out of this experience with Psilocybin, I feel deep gratitude to the earth and the medicine that has made me even more aware that everything and everyone is connected and has a deep effect on the whole!
-Angela
CEREMONY
Ceremony offers us an opportunity to reconnect with ourselves and the animate world around us in a safe, sacred, and joyous way.
These moments of prayer, song, self-exploration, and transformation will allow us to receive the nourishment and guidance necessary in order to act in accordance with our highest purpose.
Two or three psilocybin ceremonies* will be shared during our time together.
Immersed in nature and surrounded by the sacred elements, our communal gathering will create a space of trust, support, compassion, and celebration.
*Depending on retreat length
1.
Our first ceremony will be held inside our beautiful and spacious Yoga Shala during the late evening hours. Here we will gather around a communal sacred altar in a warm, candle lit ceremonial environment. This intimate evening will be filled with prayer, healing songs, gentle breathwork, and sincere offerings from our hearts.
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Our second ceremony will be experienced during the day, outside, nestled in the majestic nature that surrounds Vale de Moses. This ceremony allows each of us to connect and communicate directly with our natural environment in a safe way. Visits to cascading natural pools, guided river meditations, and noble silence within these pristine mountain forests will facilitate a serene and nourishing medicine journey.
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Our final ceremony will be held in the morning and provides an opportunity to meet with the medicine and yourselves in an intimate and internal manner. Following a more traditional therapeutic approach, each participant will be given the space to lay back with optional eye-shades and calming music. Our facilitators will be available to support and speak with you at any time during the journey. Here, we gently guide you into a state of relaxation, safety, and comfort to allow you to enter deeply into your own, personal, healing process.
The Alchemy of Clarity retreat was one of the most nourishing experiences of my life. I felt nourished by the beautiful location, the clean air and water and wonderful food. I felt nourished by the deep connections- with the group, facilitators, as well as with myself, which the silent time really enhanced and made possible. The plant medicine ceremonies were gentle, wholesome and led with such care and wisdom that I felt safe to immerse into the experience and really follow what it was meant to show me. Christiana, Julia and Andrew are wonderful human beings who thrive in their roles as retreat hosts and are also completely down to earth people ready for great conversations and lots of laughs.
-OLA KLAMUT . PSYCHOLOGIST
www.olaklamut.com
INTEGRATION
What is integration ?
Psychedelic Integration is the process of weaving the insight and information granted through your medicine journey into the fabric of your everyday life.
Before, during and after the the retreat we facilitate dedicated integration sessions. We believe the safety and efficacy of ceremony is greatly enhanced with this kind of specialized care.
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We believe integration can begin the moment you make the decision to partake in ceremony as shift occurs in your perception of the world and self. All participants are invited to a group call to help prepare them for the retreat, in addition to our preparation workbook and preparation circle when the retreat begins.
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Art as integration
The healing potential of psychedelic medicine can be deepened through working with the themes and teachings that the medicine has facilitated for us.
We will be using art as an integrative practice to promote further reflection and contemplation. Art therapy illuminates the language of the unconscious mind in a way that helps us more deeply understand and express the entirety of ourselves.
Dance as integration
Dance has been an essential part of the human experience since the beginning of time. Within most ancient cultures disease has been seen as a loss of soul, and dance has been an integral part of the healing process.
We will be using dance as an embodied approach for integrating/processing our experiences.
At its core, it is a movement based meditation allowing us to access the authentic language/wisdom of our bodies. It is a free form of dance, purely intuitive and improvisational. It is a tool for self exploration and expression, and can leave us with a sense of freedom and empowerment.
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All participants receive will receive an additional group call after the retreat. This is an opportunity to share about the experience and process any remaining experience in need of reflection.
You will also have the opportunity to sign up for a discounted integration coaching package. This can help in the process of actualizing goals and integrating insights into your daily life.
Ongoing Aftercare
After your time with us you may choose to sign up for reduced rate, ongoing, integration coaching. During sessions we go beyond the mind and into the realms of physical and spiritual health. Multiple modalities help settle you into a new way of being. We explore; Intentions, fears, lifestyle, and of course, dreams for a more beautiful future, and the practical steps necessary to make them a reality.
You can learn more at www.animatehealing.com OR ask us during your intake process.
I had such a rewarding, powerful, insightful and very positive time at the Alchemy of Clarity retreat. I didn't go with specific trauma that needed to be resolved or any specific goals to achieve. I wanted to arrive and stay open to the experience, to feel that I was in a safe space and was well looked after, so that I could fully experience however the journey unfolded. My expectations were absolutely exceeded. I always felt very well taken care of and that I was in safe hands. This allowed me to fully let go and go deep. I loved the 3 hours of silence on most days and the integration and introspection it allowed, the ceremony were carefully planned and carried with love. There was never any expectation put on me to do or not do any thing and however much of the plant medicine felt right for me was the right amount. Having the medicine dosage specific for each person and having the option to have a second or third dose during each ceremony worked very well for me, allowing me to ease into the experience and go deeper later.
-Andrew
DETAILS
Our time will be spent in the Sera de Estrella mountains of central Portugal at the beautiful, Vale de Moses.
Included in our time together:
Accommodation + Nutrient dense meals
Daily movement, meditation & workshops
All ceremonies
One-on-one pre-retreat call, preparation workbook and post retreat group integration
Access to pristine nature + clean water
Shared transport from Lisbon (extra fee)
Access to various holistic therapies, including acupuncture and massage (extra fee)
ACCOMODATION
All accommodations are comfortable, clean, quiet and warm.Our private farmhouse rooms are closer to the central gathering spaces, while tents are a little farther away and more secluded.
Belle tents:
Private and nestled in the woods
Proper bed, warm blankets and wood burning stove
Quiet and Immersed in nature
Shared bathrooms
Farmhouse Rooms:
Clean and rustic
Quiet and close to community spaces
Located inside traditional Portuguese stone homes
Shared Bathrooms
FOOD
Our menu focuses on nutrient dense, easily digestible foods designed to ground and mineralize. Taking psilocybin mushrooms can deplete mineral stores in the body, proper nutrition is vital to supporting your healing process. We are also happy and equipped to handle most dietary requirements. Please let us know what your require in your intake.
All meals lovingly prepared by chef Sonia
Bone broth / Meat stocks “on tap”
Nourishing herbal infusion bar
Balanced traditional meals which always include fat, carbs and protein
Locally sourced meat and fish
Lots of fresh fruit
Fresh Juices daily
Plenty of snacks & tea available 24/7
“DELICIOUS in every sense of the word” -Angela
The retreat is located in a beautiful valley in Portugal, with several river ponds to swim pretty close to the rooms. The facilities are quite original and every detail is well taken care of for you to enjoy and relax throughout the whole experience. Food too is something that needs to be mentioned, just amazing every single day.
Then the people who manage the retreat provided a perfect container for every one of us to feel confident and safe to surrender to the experience and share our perspectives within the group. For me personally, it was a great balance between personal space/work and group activities (yoga, meditation, art, workshops, sharing circles, fun discussions, ...). Regarding the ceremonies, having tried psychedelics before, I honestly felt like these ceremonies are something special and powerful thanks to the surroundings, the acknowledgment of each of us, the acceptance, and the people who hold the space with beautiful words and rituals. All these together with the medicine provided made me experience profound introspective moments and feel completely connected to nature and any living being. I would fully recommend it to anyone, no doubt!!!
-LAUREN
join us
Below you will find information and links to sign up for for both our 6 and 8 night retreats.
You will be directed to a short form (2-4 mins) prior to placing your $1,000 deposit.
If our team believes this retreat is not the right fit you will be refunded your deposit in full.
The remainder of your balance is due by March 15th but can be paid anytime prior.
Deposits are non-refundable.
Custom payment plans are available upon request.
MAY 6-12 2024
6 Night / 2 Ceremony Retreat
STANDARD
$2,200
Accommodation placement according to availability. Dorm placement likely.
PREFERANCE
$2,850
Guaranteed accommodation selection. Choice of a private room or bell tent.
COMMUNITY PRICING
APPLY
We are always looking for ways to make therapeutic spaces available to those who would truly benefit, regardless of finances. Please send us an email if you would like to join but finances are making it difficult.
Please contact us below, tell us a little bit about yourself, your situation and why you would like to join us.
We understand how big of a decision is can be to take the leap and sign up for something like this. We have been there.
That is why we are available to answer any and all of your questions, by phone or email, without any strange, pushy sales tactics. We are only looking to authentically attract exactly the people who are meant to join us.
Your facilitators
Christiana Schelfhout
Founder + Retreat Leader
Sound . Integration . Regulation
Christiana is an artist and creator of sacred spaces dedicated to reconnection with the authentic self. She has spent a decade devoted to her own healing and sharing this experience with others. Having recovered holistically from both mental and physical illness she offers her work from a place of compassion cultivated through experience.
Her foundations in spiritual understanding come from the study and practice of classical tantrik yoga. These traditions led her down a line of inquiry into the healing power of the descension process, the realm of the darkness, body, earth and mother. Inquiry into our matriarchal histories, women’s health and birth has deeply influenced her life. Christiana is dedicated to the practice of nurturing healthy relationships with the animate world.
She holds 5,000+ hours of training and work experience in the healing arts and devotes her work primarily to sound therapy. For 4 years she led the yoga program at Shou Sugi Ban House, a multidimensional wellness center in New York. Her focus is now on facilitating retreats, workshops and working one-on-one with her clients through Animate Healing , as she continues her studies in herbalism, women’s health, somatics and sound.
Andrew Askaripour
Founder + Ceremonialist
Prayer . Medicine . Remembrance
Andrew is a ceremonialist and multidisciplinary artist from Long Island, New York. For well over a decade Andrew has been passionately studying, learning from, and working directly with master plant teachers, ancient ceremonial traditions, and the practice of holistic body-mind healing through herbalism and spiritual teachings.
Born of Jamaican and Iranian descent, Andrew humbly walks a path of service in order to honor and give thanks to his ancestors and elders for helping guide him towards rediscovering these ancient and universal forms in which all communities gather, heal, and grow together. Apprenticing for many years with initiated teachers and elders of several traditions has provided Andrew with an immense respect and understanding of the responsibility of what it is to carry these sacred teachings with the upmost reverence and integrity.
Always working from a place of love, safety, humor, and gentleness, Andrew leads a life of prayer with the intention of leaving a positive and lasting impact on all those he serves and supports through his offerings.
Julia Elise
Facilitator + Teacher
Meditation .Connection. Stillness
Julia is a Psychology student and embodiment guide, currently pursuing her masters degree through Karlstad University.
Originally growing up in the vast forests of Sweden, Julia has spent over a decade traveling the world exploring various modalities of healing and whole-ing. What started off as a personal search for healing unfolded into a rewarding quest of Self discovery, which has re-connected herself back to her Soul and to Nature.
Dear to Julia’s heart are the wisdom traditions of Buddhism and Yoga, Sacred Plant Medicines, and other healing arts. As a passionate practitioner of Vipassana meditation, Julia has participated in and supported countless silent meditation retreats globally, and carries 700 hours of Yoga Teacher Training. For a decade she has been traveling to South America to explore and experience the different shamanic traditions and ceremonies of the Americas, and is currently completing a 4 year commitment to the ancient practice of the Vision Quest.
After completing her B.A. program, Julia has begun to provide CBT, ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), and Psychodynamic therapy to various clients both locally and through her work with parents at the Center of Habilitation for Children and Adolescents in Karlstad.
Contemplating, discovering, and giving birth to meaningful ways and sacred containers that best serve humanity and the larger Earth community is Julia's North Star.
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It's all about set and setting, isn't it? The setting was idyllic, in the mountains of Portugal. And the set was properly respectful and ceremonial, with life and humor in proper proportion. I always felt myself in good and capable hands, surrounded by warm and accepting people.
-Doc
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I've just returned from a retreat.. and would like to thank Andrew, Christiana and Julia for a wonderful, life-changing experience. They took such good care of us all while creating a safe and nurturing environment to explore our innermost selves. I would recommend this retreat 100% to anyone considering it. You won't regret it!
-A.F
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Andrew, Julia and Christiana made the retreat a truly trustable space to heal wounds, build a community and learn how to transform. 3 journeys in 8 days had such a profound impact to my life. The Retreat Center offered all what is need - good food, nature, sauna, animals.
-Thankfully yours, H.
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I HIGHLY recommend Alchemy of Clarity to anyone who is ready to authentically meet the true Self, heal long standing issues and join a fast growing spiritual awake community.
-Angela
