A typical day starts gently. There is stretching, breathwork and meditation, then breakfast looking out at the mountains around Tepoztlán. On ceremony days your session usually happens in the late morning. On other days lunch is around noon. Afternoons are mostly free, and in the evening there are integration practices and satsangs (group talks) before dinner. The team admits they keep the schedule loose on purpose. A lot of your time is yours to hike, swim, journal, read or just talk with the other guests.

The ceremonies themselves are private. You sit on a pad with two facilitators. Nobody else is in the room unless you invite them, and you can ask anyone at the centre to be there with you if you want. Each of your two medicine sessions can include up to three rounds. The team doesn't push anyone. One reviewer could only take the medicine on the first day, and on the second day the facilitators supported them with meditation instead.

The biggest difference from other ceremony retreats is the length of support around the stay. Before you arrive there is a 15-minute discovery call, a safety screening form, a deposit and then two weeks of preparation calls with an assigned facilitator. After you leave there are four weeks of individual integration sessions. While you're on site you also get two integration sessions in person. Tandava calls this whole arc 'the container': the preparation, the time at the centre and the support afterwards, with parts of it chosen to fit each person.

The specialist team comes from mixed backgrounds. It includes clinical psychologists, Jungian analysts, Internal Family Systems (IFS) and somatic therapists, and lineage-trained spiritual guides. Tandava pairs each guest with the people whose skills fit their situation. All practitioners are certified first-aid responders. Local medical professionals are on site, and a doctor is present during ceremonies.

Outside the ceremonies there are a few group activities. You get a guided trip into the centre of Tepoztlán, a traditional sweat lodge and a candlelight sound healing ceremony. Tepoztlán is a well-known mountain town. Vogue has written about it as a place people go to heal.

Tandava also takes part in research. They have collaborated on a study with University College London looking at how 5-MeO-DMT affects the brain. They state that they only operate in places where 5-MeO-DMT is not scheduled as an illegal substance.

What's included

- On-site accommodation with full access to retreat amenities - Thorough medical intake and pre-ceremony assessment - 2 weeks of private one-on-one preparation via Zoom - 2 private 5-MeO-DMT sessions (up to 3 rounds each) - 2 on-site integration sessions - 4 weeks of private integration with a dedicated specialist after the retreat - 3 organic farm-to-table meals daily - Daily stretching, breathwork and meditation - Guided trip into the centre of Tepoztlán - Traditional sweat lodge ceremony - Candlelight sound healing ceremony - Use of the pool, steam sauna and jacuzzi - Small group with personal attention

What's not included

- International flights - Transfers from Mexico City airport (not stated as included) - Travel insurance - Personal expenses in town - Anything not listed as included