Joshua Tree, California · Coastal Mexico · Legal Psilocybin Retreats
The Buena Vida Psilocybin Retreats The most important seven days of your life.
Psilocybin ceremony, sacred medicine, and deep integration, held with expertise, intention, and joy in the high desert and on the coast.
Joshua Tree, California
September 19 – 25, 2026
The Retreat $7,500 · Concierge $11,500
Sayulita, Mexico
October 21 – 27, 2026
The Retreat $8,500 · Concierge $12,500
As seen in
NY Times
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Who We Are
Experienced.
Ethical.
Deeply rooted.
An all-female facilitation team blending ceremonial tradition, neuroscience, and somatic therapy. We've held guests through some of the most meaningful work of their lives, and we take that honour seriously.
2,000+
Guests served
8 yrs
Holding space since 2018
This could be your group.
Small, curated, intentional. September 19 to 25.
Our Ethos
Ceremony
Intention
Joy
A true way to reconnect with the self, with others, and with life through sacred medicine.
Measured Results
The numbers speak.
For themselves.
Outcomes tracked across guest surveys following retreat completion.
75%
of guests reported a strong positive change in their mental health
90%
of guests reported the retreat exceeded their initial expectations
82%
of guests reported strong or very strong changes to their lives
Numbers only tell part of it.
Hear what guests say in their own words, or apply and find out yourself.
What people say
Not how it felt.
What stayed.
Most people who find us have already tried multiple paths.
"In a matter of minutes I experienced a level of emotional clarity that years of traditional work couldn't access."
Kristen C.
"I had done years of therapy and still felt stuck. This was the first time something actually shifted."
TJ — Joshua Tree Retreat
"The ceremonies were the safest I've ever attended. Our guides lead with humor, power, wisdom and an extraordinary presence that reaches you on a level words can't describe."
Katja von Tiesenhausen
"I struggled with depression and anxiety from a young age and tried many treatments. I felt completely safe and supported."
Carlos — 7-Day Retreat
"I just finished my 2nd retreat and I would give them 100 stars. It is impossible to leave not in a better place mentally, physically, spiritually."
Megan C.
Hear it from them
In their own
words.
Ready to experience this yourself?
Applications are open for September 19 to 25.
Clinical Contributors
Grounded in science.
Held in tradition.
The Buena Vida collaborates with leading researchers across Stanford University, Imperial College London, and University College London, informing our screening process, preparation protocols, and outcome measurement.
RZ
Research Contributor
Dr. Rayyan Zafar
Imperial College London
Researcher studying psychedelic-assisted treatments for addiction and compulsive behavior. His work informs how preparation and integration influence the durability of altered-state experiences, shaping how Buena Vida structures the arc before and after ceremony.
RM
Research Contributor
Dr. Rosalind McAlpine
University College London
Developer of the Psychedelic Preparedness Scale. Researcher studying psychological readiness and outcome tracking in psychedelic therapy. Her work directly informs Buena Vida's participant screening process and how we measure meaningful change over time.
Your Wellbeing
Ensuring Safety
At Every Level
Holistic Training
World-class facilitators blending Indigenous wisdom with modern clinical expertise.
Medical Access
A locally licensed on-call nurse and urgent care within a 15-minute drive.
Medical Screening
Thorough assessments of personal, medical, and psychiatric histories.
Safety Protocols
Advanced risk management and an exceptional safety record since 2018.
Safe. Ethical. Transformative.
Backed by science. Rooted in tradition. Limited spots available.
The Experience
Seven days.
A lifetime of what follows.
The same arc holds at both locations. Specific excursions vary between the Joshua Tree desert and the Mexico coast.
Day 1
Welcome to The Buena Vida
Arrival and welcome snacks with new friends
Dinner
Sound bath
"What is Ceremony?" with your guides
Day 2
Meeting the Fungi
Morning yoga or ecstatic dance
Healthy brunch
Orientation
"Setting Your Intention" meditation
Sunset Psilocybin Ceremony
Day 3
Going Deeper
Morning yoga flow
Brunch
Desert time
Mindfulness and integration workshop
Psilocybin Ceremony #2
Day 4
Rest and Bodywork
Slow morning
Massage with local healers
Somatic bodywork
Integration circle
Open desert afternoon
Day 5
The Third Journey
Grounding breathwork
Brunch
Preparation with your guides
Psilocybin Ceremony #3
Day 6
Bringing It Home
Hiking in Joshua Tree National Park
Integration workshop
Closing fire circle
Final dinner together
Day 7
Sweet Goodbyes
Fresh breakfast
"Preparing for the Journey Ahead" with your guides
Shuttle to airport
Seven days that change everything.
Joshua Tree, September 19–25 · Mexico, October 21–27
The Program
Before.
During.
Long after.
A complete arc, not just a few ceremonies, but a held process with preparation, depth, and integration.
Pre-retreat preparation
Discovery call
Medical screening
7-day prep course
Group work with facilitators
In-person at the sanctuary
3 psilocybin ceremonies
Live music
Somatic workshops
Chef-prepared meals
Desert excursion
Integration & ongoing support
2-week daily dose app
1-on-1 coaching
Group calls
Microdosing support
Space fills fast.
Joshua Tree, September 19–25 · Mexico, October 21–27
What shifts
Real change. That actually lasts.
People come to us at turning points, exhausted, searching, ready. What they leave with tends to be quieter and more lasting than they expected.
Clarity
Not more insight you forget
A deeper understanding of what's kept you stuck, and a clearer sense of what comes next.
Release
Emotional space opens
The weight you've been carrying begins to move. Not coping, finally breathing again.
Energy
Not a temporary reset
A noticeable shift in how you move through your life when you return home.
Self
A truer sense of yourself
Beyond roles, expectations, and noise, reconnected with something honest and grounded.
Ready to find out what's possible?
Applications take 5 minutes. Spots are limited.
Two Locations, One Standard of Care
Five acres in the desert.
A villa on the coast.
Joshua Tree: two spacious houses, a 30-foot ceremony yurt, open desert sky, and a small herd of alpacas roaming the land. Sayulita: an oceanfront villa on Mexico's Pacific coast. Both strip everything back to what's real.
Joshua Tree · Accommodations
Joshua Tree · Private Rooms
Joshua Tree · The Ranch
Joshua Tree · Desert Landscape
Chef-Prepared Cuisine
Joshua Tree · Life on the Ranch
Joshua Tree · Sacred Space
Joshua Tree · The Sanctuary
Nurturing Leaders
Choose your retreat.
Seven days, all inclusive. The Retreat from $7,500.
Investment
Choose your level of care
Every retreat is a full seven days with three ceremonies. The Concierge Experience isn't a nicer version of the same week, it's a different level of care that starts before you arrive and continues well after you leave.
Joshua Tree, California · September 19–25
The Retreat
$7,500
Seven days, three ceremonies, and the full Buena Vida Method with your care team.
Apply NowThe Concierge Experience
$11,500
The full seven day retreat, plus a deeper level of care around it.
- Bespoke preparation with your full care team, not just your lead guide
- Unique touches woven through your week in retreat
- Deeper post-retreat accountability and counseling
- Bespoke microdosing support after you return home
Sayulita, Mexico · October 21–27
The Retreat
$8,500
Seven days, three ceremonies, and the full Buena Vida Method with your care team.
Apply NowThe Concierge Experience
$12,500
The full seven day retreat, plus a deeper level of care around it.
- Bespoke preparation with your full care team, not just your lead guide
- Unique touches woven through your week in retreat
- Deeper post-retreat accountability and counseling
- Bespoke microdosing support after you return home
Something is pulling
you here.
Pay attention.
Opportunities to step out of your life this fully and meet yourself this honestly don't come often. Space is intentionally limited.
Joshua Tree, California · September 19–25 | Sayulita, Mexico · October 21–27