SET & SETTING Retreat

SET & SETTING Retreat runs psilocybin retreats in German in the Netherlands, where possessing and taking psilocybin truffles is legal. Founded by Isabel and Jascha Renner, it has an office in Amsterdam and holds most retreats at Transitium ZeeVELD in Castricum, about 30 minutes from Schiphol airport.

Approach

Each retreat sits inside a process of about eight weeks: a free intake call, screening, an online preparation course with group calls, the days on site, and online integration coaching called MOSAIK. The first day on site brings a sharing circle, one-to-one talks and breathwork. Ceremony day opens in silence with meditation and yoga, and the truffles are taken around midday, at a dose agreed with each guest.

Who it is for

The retreats are open to people aged 23 and over, and no psychedelic experience is needed. Everything runs in German, so guests must speak and follow it well. The organisation says a retreat is not medical or psychotherapeutic treatment.

Practical details

The open three-day retreat costs €2,990, and the four-day version, which adds a full integration day, €3,490. A private retreat for one to six people costs €6,990. Prices include a single room, vegan meals and screening, and can be paid in instalments. At ZeeVELD a group has at most 14 guests and four guides.

Care and safety

The organisation says its screening, a questionnaire and a talk with a team psychologist, turns away 14% of applicants. It excludes people with schizophrenia, active psychosis, bipolar disorder, acute suicidality, active addiction, epilepsy or some heart conditions, anyone pregnant or breastfeeding, and close relatives of people with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Antidepressants must be stopped, under medical supervision, at least four months ahead. A doctor experienced in psychiatry who has worked with psilocybin since 2016 is part of the team.