Aurum Retreats

Aurum Retreats is a psilocybin retreat organisation based in Salem, Oregon, that holds high-dose ceremonies at private locations around the United States. The married couple Stillness and Eli founded it, and it runs through a private membership association.

Approach

The couple started Aurum after a personal loss, when they found few supportive places to work with entheogenic medicines. Ceremonies begin with vital signs for everyone, then rituals such as cacao, kanna, breathwork, meditation and help with dosing. The psilocybin, from sister company Golden Path, is a blend of strains with herbs the team says prevent nausea. Kender Kidd, an LMFT, is lead facilitator, with guides trained in harm reduction and trauma-informed care. Aurum also offers integration coaching, microdosing and harm-reduction counselling, facilitator training and ceremonies without psychedelics.

Who it is for

Aurum says it welcomes people of all backgrounds and offers scholarships. Its integration coaches cover veterans and PTSD, LGBTQ+ and BIPOC clients, youth, men’s circles, women’s care and corporate groups. Anyone the intake team judges not medically or psychologically fit for ceremony is told so.

Practical details

On a multi-day retreat, guests arrive the day before for a group dinner, spend three days in ceremony, and leave on the morning of the fifth day. Single-day retreats run from arrival to evening, with the option to stay the night. Groups range from one to 20 people, and prices from $300 to $5,000.

Care and safety

Applicants complete an application and the membership form, then go through their health history with an intake coordinator, who checks specific health concerns or drug combinations with a medical adviser. Multi-day guests also join two group preparation calls on Zoom. Integration follows in three online sessions after a multi-day retreat and one after a single day, and day guests sign a waiver before a facilitator releases them.