Psychedelic luxury: Inside the boutique magic mushroom retreat where CEOs, celebrities go for self-discovery
Clients must undergo a four week preparation period to get ready for their psilocybin journey
Outside of Vancouver, Canada, sits a massive estate where wealthy entrepreneurs, CEOs, celebrities and athletes go for a luxury guided psychedelic mushroom retreat with the goal of reaching their highest potential.
The Journeymen Collective was founded in 2018 by Rob Grover and Gary Logan, hosting guests at the 7,000-square-foot mansion located in the Okanagan Valley. People from across the world come to the location, which boats 1 acre of property, 4 guest bedrooms and a saltwater pool, to experience what they hope is a high level of self-discovery using psilocybin, a naturally occurring compound produced by over 200 species of fungi.
Grover and Logan described their business as a "high-level experience for high-level individuals."
"It is a boutique five-star experience that we provide for people," Grover told FOX Business. "We love what we get to do with people. There's a high standard of care that we have for people and we know that this can be an experience that they can learn from for the rest of their life, even if they only do it once."
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The psilocybin "journeys" can be curated to fit the needs of solo guests, small groups (3 to 4 people), and pairs of two, known as "power couples." Over four days, visitors will engage in 2 "deeply intensive" mushroom ceremonies, split up by three days of restful "integration."
"Rob and Gary believe that when plant medicine psychedelics are facilitated in a respectful and responsible manner with a professional intention leaning toward reverence, one can achieve greater awareness of their true self, and translate that energy into an applied learning," The Journeymen Collective states.
A private chef on site prepares unique vegetarian cuisines to ensure proper restoration for guests throughout their stay.
International clientele must also carefully prepare for their journey and continue the work done at the retreat after leaving the estate grounds.
"We do have a four-week prep and that prepares the most important question we always ask: Do you meditate? And to get into a meditation program every day is vitally important," Logan said. "Also, to look at your diet and also your alcohol and recreational substance or medication use. So, all those take a factor even in the first application interview. This is where we'll dive in to find out where you're at, healthwise."
Logan and Grover noted that the "visual content" consumed by clients, also known as "inputs," typically has one of the largest impacts on the journey process.
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The Journeymen Collective urges clients to limit their engagement with negative content, such as "scary news," from television and online reading. Logan suggested that even listening to something like heavy metal before the journey could have an impact.
"Usually, once it comes to the journey we have, so many people say, 'I no longer need to drink. I don't listen to or watch the news, or I do a little bit,'" Logan said.
The journey begins when a client arrives at the center around 10:00 am on Thursday. After settling, guests may hike in the nearby forest or experience a lesson with the Alexander Technique, led by Logan, who helps visitors become more connected to the self.
The Alexander Technique, in part, is a process that shines a light on inefficient habits of movements and patterns that accumulate tension in the body and interfere with people's ability to move as they are designed. That Thursday evening would be the first time clients "embark on a journey" and take the psilocybin. The Journeymen Collective requests that participants at the ceremony stay in their own "energetic bubble."
"During that time, you might hear other people--just do your best to come back to self," Logan said.
"The ceremonies are very much about that self-reflection. And then again, there's that dynamic process where people will just bond and evolve, recognize like, wow, we just went through something really potent and powerful. And some people will say, 'this is the hardest experience I've ever been through in my life, but it's also the most impactful,'" he added.
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A variety of studies published to the National Institutes of Health show potentially positive benefits with minimal safety concerns for psilocybin, commonly known as "magic mushrooms," use in the treatment of suicidality, anxiety disorders, OCD, as well as alcohol and tobacco use disorder.
However, psilocybin can induce hallucinations, which could lead to panic reactions and psychotic episodes in some individuals taking certain prescription medications or experiencing underlying health issues. Furthermore, while some states have legalized or decriminalized psilocybin, it is still illegal in many parts of the world.
As such, it is recommended that psilocybin is taken under the care of an experienced clinician and only in an area where the user is not subject to criminal penalties.
The next day of the retreat may include rest, activities in the forest, more Alexander lessons, meditation, a lot of reflection on what was shown and time to answer questions.
"This is when we sort of dig a little deeper and uproot a lot of stuff that's coming up for you.," Logan said.
The process would continue similarly throughout the rest of the stay.
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However, Grover and Logan stress that the process is not rigid but rather tied to the needs of each client. Some individuals already have a refined diet and need sufficient protein. Instead of imposing hard and fast rules, the Journeymen Collective asks visitors to bring awareness to what their minds, bodies and spirits need. Only then can the process truly begin.
"We're with you. From the time you wake up in the morning to the time you go to bed every day. It's a very dynamic, curated process," Grover said.
Logan compared the culmination of the experience for clients to taking the "blinders off" of a "narrow focus," enabling them to see themselves and the world from a 360-degree point of view.
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"I think the biggest thing is that they feel calm. They feel peaceful. They feel content with who they are," Grover chimed in. "They've been given the time to sort of deal with any of the subconscious thoughts, feelings and dramas and traumas that have been ensued upon them in their in their past. As a function of that, they have just greater clarity of mind. They have clarity of mind and peace of heart."