May Heart Expansion Retreat

We invite you to an intimate medicine journey from May 3rd - 5th on an island close to Vancouver to experience the beauty and power of MDMA in a guided and therapeutic setting. This journey is limited to 7 individuals and we are offering this unique experience for $2,200.

Our team of facilitators are ready to be of service to your healing journey and we can’t wait for you to join us and experience the magic of this medicine.

If this retreat is full, or you would like to be informed up upcoming retreats, please join our retreat waitlist here.

What’s Included:

  • 3 separate days dedicated to preparation, medicine journey and integration

  • Cozy and comfortable accommodation with freshly cooked meals

  • Facilitated breathwork, sauna & ocean dips

  • Subsequent group integration session and connection to community resources

Medicines

  • MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine) is a synthetic drug that alters mood and perception, often producing feelings of euphoria, empathy, and emotional well-being for those that use it. Although it is not a classic psychedelic, it can produce psychedelic effects including vivid colors, time distortion and shifts in identity. It is a beautiful heart opening medicine.

    Recently, MDMA has been studied for its potential therapeutic use in treating certain mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety associated with terminal illness. Studies have shown that MDMA may help reduce fear and defensiveness, allowing individuals to process and integrate traumatic memories.

  • Used ceremoniously among different cultures like the Olmecs, Izapan, Maya, Toltecs, Aztecs and Incas, when approached with intention and reverence, Cacao is a beautiful heart opening medicine. It gently guides us back into our bodies, opening us to our emotional landscape and helps us key in on our intention before going into the MDMA journey.

  • Hapé is a traditional a tobacco-based snuff used in many indigenous Amazonian cultures. It is said to have a number of therapeutic effects, including reducing anxiety and stress, increasing energy and focus, and promoting a calming and grounding effect, making it an excellent medicine for integration (post-journey). It is also known to open your sinuses, aiding combat against colds and respiratory issues.

Schedule

    1. Arrival (4:00pm)

    2. Cacao Offering

    3. Dinner (5:30pm - 6:30pm)

    4. Introduction Circle (6:30pm - 8:30pm)

    5. Bedtime (9:00pm)

    1. Optional Forest Walk

    2. Ceremony Start

    3. Meditation and Breathwork

    4. Optional Hapé

    5. Sharing Circle

    6. Ceremony Close

    7. Dinner

    8. Fireside Circle & Sauna

    1. Optional Morning Dip and Sauna

    2. Guided Breathwork Ceremony

    3. Integration Circle and Snacks

    4. Brunch

    5. Departure (12:30pm)

Important Details:

  • The exact location of the retreat will be disclosed after sign-up but it is on an island 30mins from Vancouver.

  • Shared sleeping space is included in the price. We have additional private rooms which you can add to your package. Private King size rooms will cost an additional $200 whereas a queen room will be $100.

  • We will be sending a comprehensive intake and waiver form to those that are selected to participate. We are selecting people on a first come first serve basis but prioritizing those with prior psychedelic experience.

  • We will be requesting a $500 deposit to confirm your spot.

Your Facilitators

  • Michael Oliver

    Michael Oliver is a psychedelic practitioner based in Vancouver BC. Since graduating with a degree in Cognitive Systems from UBC, Michael worked in the psychedelic space for 3 years as the Volunteer Coordinator and Executive Assistant for MAPS Canada. Michael is also the co-founder of The Flying Sage, a psychedelic community and apparel brand on a mission to democratize transcendence.

  • Mehran Seyed Emami

    Mehran (Mind Body Integration) is a trauma-informed MDMA-assisted psychotherapist based in the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh peoples now known as the city of Vancouver. He is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC), Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), and Certified Practitioner of Compassionate Inquiry (developed by Gabor Maté). He is a graduate of the Integral Counseling Psychology and Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research programs at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). He is also trained in Somatic Experiencing and Holotropic Breathwork, and in his work with clients, invites a holistic and somatic (body-centered) approach, while looking through a biopsychosocial-spiritual lens.

  • Gabrielle Bachand

    Gabrielle Bachand is dedicated to helping individuals unlock the healing potential of psychedelics for themselves. Her approach to facilitation is grounded in respect for autonomy, informed consent, and safety. She is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment where clients can feel free to explore their inner selves without fear of judgment. Gabrielle has recently completed a Somatic Embodiment Training, which has deepened her understanding of the mind-body connection and how it relates to the psychedelic experience. She is excited to be embarking on a new journey as a facilitator.

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Retreat Testimonials

  • “The environment created and maintained was essential in supporting me to make my breakthrough. The attention to detail leading up to the experience, my exchanges with the facilitators and the care they took orienting me and supporting me all contributed to my ability to surrender to the experience and grab everything that was available for me there. I knew that I was in the presence and, literally, in the hands, of a very focused, caring, intelligent and highly skilled team of healers. Everything right up to the end demonstrated so much love, wisdom, integrity and commitment to our wellbeing.” - SP

  • “I was unsure of what to expect when I embarked on my psychedelic adventure with Michael and his devoted team. There were some surprisingly helpful exercises at the beginning that set the stage for what came next. There were as many kinds of experiences as there were participants. Mine was an opportunity to put to rest some of what I have been resigned to carry with me indefinitely. I feel like somebody else in the best possible way. I hope the time is soon when we can engage in this kind of treatment publicly.“ - HS

  • “This was the deepest experience of my personal life. With more than a week past the journey, I still struggle to find the words to properly articulate the depth and impact of the experience on my inner life. The ripples of the impact continue to reverberate through my being. This is from a person who studied the scientific foundation of conscious awareness for most of his adult life, spent over 15 years in parallel in the study and practice of Sufism, and a good deal of his youth studying and practicing the buddhist tradition.” - SZ

  • "Michael is very knowledgeable and professional. He took the time to get to know me, my interests, and my goals before my journey. I felt completely prepared beforehand. During my journey, I felt safe, comfortable, and at ease. The environment was perfect for me, and my guides were so great, I felt like I could be open about how I felt and I knew they were both actively listening to my needs. The playlist was exceptional. This was a once in a life time experience and I am grateful to have had Michael and my other guide there with me. I highly suggest this for anyone who is considering." - JM

  • "... I am also very happy and grateful for how they helped integrate and keep to do so after the experience which is just as important if not more. I am forever grateful to them. It has helped me transcend myself in many ways. And I deeply and firmly believe in the medicinal power of this substance that I have now had the fortune to experience first hand." - GL

  • "... Overall, life changing. Its been a few days and now I can meditate indefinitely, I've stopped fidgeting constantly, I eat more mindfully and snack less, I'm WAY more present and feel much much more grounded. I highly recommend talking to Michael and seeing what makes sense for you!" - LBC

  • "The experience for me was about experiencing sublime pleasure and pure love. It was like waking up from the perfect dream. My guide, Michael Oliver was a perfect guide and space holder: he listened deeply, giving me lots of space to just be, while being entirely present to my potential needs. I was in deep awe and appreciation of the ego-less way in which he delivered the experience, which was one in which there was lots of autonomy for me to continue to determine for myself if there's value it, along every step of the way from handshake, to hug, to the full ride." - AL

  • "The journey wasn't easy - it consisted of maybe 60% crying and being sad about life. Some truths were hard to take. But the last half year following the trip, life has been improved. I'm more chill about things, I make others laugh more, I don't get caught up in inconsequential things as much, I focus on core values and savour life. Even my relationship with my boss is better. Michael was the perfect sitter. I don't think I could have asked for anyone better. He was so accepting, empathetic, trust inspiring, and said all the right things when I needed to hear them. He helped me get the most out of the journey. Would 1000% recommend him to anyone." - JS

  • "I mentioned to them that my style is usually very introspective and they did a great job at understanding that. They also were really good at checking in with me and finding out what my boundaries were so that their presence would interfere as least as possible with the experience and I think they excelled at this. I am also very happy and grateful for how they helped integrate after the experience which is just as important if not more. I am forever grateful to them. It has helped me transcend myself in many ways." - AL

  • "My journey was a cosmic clash of who I think I am vs who I am. I went through a wide variety of emotions from crying and feeling deep sorrow to uncontrollable laughter. It was a cleanse and frequency sweep I didn't know I needed. Coming out of this intense dance has left me activated and motivated to make conscious changes in my life. Im excited to see what else comes of my journey and how my friends, who had I had this experience with, use what they learned." -EP

 

Register

Please fill out the form below to register your interest in our February retreat. After this, we will send you a more comprehensive intake form and more details about the retreat. After our team carefully reviews your submissions, you will be able to make your deposit and confirm your spot for the retreat.