The first of its kind that we know of, this summer Jeff is teaming up with ceremonialist Celina De Leon and offering a retreat that explores the mutually-supporting roles of meditation and Amazonian plant medicine as tools for leading a more present and caring and sane life.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have tentatively found that subjects who combined meditation with psilocybin showed “stronger effects in trait [outcome] measures such as gratitude, life meaning, interpersonal closeness, and forgiveness” compared to the non-meditating control group. Conversely, in another study, a few long-term meditators who were given psilocybin reported it benefited both their sitting practices and their practice in life, increasing loving-kindness and curiosity and overall helping them become more flexible in their relationship to meditation.
There is anecdotal evidence to suggest this may be true for other plant-based medicines as well. In July 2016, plant ceremonialist Celina de Leon and I are co-hosting a special retreat in Costa Rica that will explore the potentially mutually supportive roles of Amazonian plant medicine and mindfulness meditation. Participants will learn about the dynamics of each practice – how healing and “purification” happen, how perspectives loosen and change, and much more. Rough exploration schedule here. Meditation instruction and practice will occur throughout the retreat, to help participants prepare for ceremony, to help with anchoring and integration, and to ensure the process of insight and growth continues after participants return home. The week is designed to be both enlightening and restorative, with individual consultations, sharing circles, nature excursions, Ayurvedic treatments, art therapy, and yoga all woven into the program
Experience
~ Immersion in pristine nature
~ Ayurvedic rejuvenation practices
~ Amazonian Plant Medicine Ceremonies.
~ Silent & guided meditation
~ Delicious, vital cuisine
~ Thai Massage & Hatha Yoga
~ Powerful intergration practices
~ Hikes in rainforest reserve
~ Massage, plant baths & remedies
~ Personalized healing sessions
~ 12 km from Manuel Antonio Beach
Meet Your Hosts
Celina De Leon is a ceremony facilitator, wellness specialist, and a masters in public health candidate at UC Berkeley and a masters in divinity cand. at the Graduate Theological Union- SKSM. She draws upon her many years of training, research, and practice in traditional amazonian medicine, Ayurveda, Yoga, nutrition, motherhood, and the wisdom of nature. She also is an initiated apprentice in the Kamentsa indigenous lineage of Colombia and has 15 years of experience working with traditional amazonian medicine.
Jeff Warren is a writer and meditation instructor. He is author of The Head Trip, a travel guide to sleeping, dreaming and meditation, and founder of the pan-contemplative Consciousness Explorers Club in Toronto. Jeff writes a regular column about the shifting experience of consciousness for Psychology Tomorrow, and has won awards for his writing on whales and plant medicine, which are never to be mixed, for obvious reasons.
Location
Retreat being held at Posada Nature near Manual Antonio National Park. It’s a beautiful spot – on a river in the lush jungle with a lovely open practice space. More info here.
Cost & Logistics
Lodging is in shared cabins on the private retreat center grounds, overlooking the Naranjo River.
Suggested Donation: $2,200 includes all expenses and activities.
For questions or to register please email onenatureretreats@gmail.