What is the Journeymen Collective magic mushroom retreat? Contemporary shamans Gary Logan and Rob Grover sat down with CLN the other day to discuss what really happens in a psychedelic treat.

Is it a type of psychedelic therapy? Not really, says Rob. 

It’s more along the lines of personal development. We recognize that there are clinical uses, there are recreational uses, and we’re in somewhat of the middle. What we’ve done is we’ve combined about sixty years of experience in personal metaphysical, spiritual teachings, and professional development as well. And we bridged all of those realms together to create what we know as the Journeymen Collective.

This B.C.-based collective uses psilocybin mushrooms to help guide executives, entrepreneurs, and other professionals. The goal? “We want to help people move from business to conscious business,” says Rob. 

But what does that mean?

Journeymen Collective: Magic Mushroom Retreat

Magic mushroom wellness retreats are becoming more mainstream. But there’s still a lot of stigma to plant-based medicines like psilocybin. As well, not every psilocybin retreat is created equal.

Rob and Gary use their decades of experience to ensure a safe and secure environment. Since 2018, when they founded the collective, the results have proven it.

The success stories from the Journeymen Collective range from business executives who were unhappy with their careers to artists and performers who felt lost and anxious.

“A lot of the time it’s people are looking for a deeper level of connection,” says Gary. “And they don’t know how to access it because the cultural paradigm that we live in hasn’t granted them the opportunity to go into that aspect of self.”

Rob agrees. The people who’ve come through their retreat always leave “more consciously aware of who they are.”

They’re more deeply connected to who they are. They’re more passionate and purposeful with the work that they’re providing the world. And as a result, they’re actually making a greater contribution to the people that they work with… Basically, they’re more aware of how they can actually make a greater impact in another person’s life, whether that be in their company, and their relationships. We see it, taking place whereby people come and work with us and they’re not quite sure how it fits into the business. But then once they come through an actual Journey with us … one of the things that happens is they start to see opportunities to help their people at work.

Fostering a deeper connection with the people you work with can only have positive benefits. Indeed, the success stories Rob and Gary recount lend credence to the benefits of magic mushroom retreats.

What’s the Purpose of a Retreat?

What’s the point of a luxury magic mushroom retreat? If one is feeling down and wants to try psychedelic plant-based medicine, why not visit one of the many illegal psilocybin dispensaries popping up all over Canada?

The answer, of course, is that you need a guide. If you’re feeling depressed and take mushrooms to alleviate the depression, without proper set and setting, you could make your depression even worse.

However, some critics contend that psychedelic retreats like the Journeymen Collective aren’t the proper set or setting. Only white coats with PhDs in sterile medical clinics should provide psychedelic plant-based medicines – if they do so at all.

One argument against psychedelic retreats is that the experience may intensify your feelings of depression or anxiety. But Rob says that’s kind of the point.

“Maybe you actually do have to feel the depth that intensely and that’s what’s actually going to help you.” Adding that he and Gary have nothing but “respect and professionalism for the people that we work with.”

“If someone’s skeptical,” Rob says, “Chances are, they won’t be our client.” Both men emphasize that interested parties should do their due diligence.

“I think the biggest thing is that people aren’t skeptical,” says Gary, “They’re scared.”

Another common misconception is that psilocybin retreats don’t require any work on the client’s part. Sometimes, you get a sudden shift in thinking or concepts that benefit you. But other times, the conscious change is subtle. It requires you to be an active participant, not merely a passive observer.

But even without a big psychedelic-induced breakthrough, Gary says, “you’ll have the tools moving forward to deal with whatever comes up in your life because the old habits of thinking and doing and being are being addressed.”

What the Journeymen Collective is All About

The Journeymen Collective luxury magic mushroom retreat is about addressing your fear head-on and watching it run the other way. And even though Rob and Gary provide a safe location with proper set and setting, the power remains in your hands at the end of the day.

“You can create greater anxiety or depression or you can create greater well-being from that fear,” says Rob.

The problem, says Rob and Gary, is that culturally, we “haven’t been given the permission slip to step into the unknown and create something from the unknown.”

Rob adds, “The only permission you need is the permission from yourself and the permission to create.”

The fear people have – whether going to a retreat or clutching their pearls at the thought of a psychedelic retreat even existing – is tied back to how we structure our society.

Rob rattles off how fear and control begin right from our childhood. “Raise your hands to go to the bathroom; stand in line. You’re only allowed to colour inside the lines.”

Education will change public perception, which is why Rob and Gary emphasize education more than any other aspect of the retreat.

“That’s one of the reasons why we do interviews like this,” says Rob. “So that we can educate people that you are not going to lose your mind. You’re going to find your mind.”

But it also means education on what to expect from a retreat. Rob and Gary recount horror stories of other less-reputable retreats where multiple people are in a single room, and you must share your guide with others.

“And as a result,” says Rob, “They’re leaving more traumatized than they were when they walked in.”

Education is Important

This is not the case at Journeymen Collective, where Rob and Gary prepare you for a personalized journey and stay with you for the entirety of the experience.

“Education is a massive, massive thing that we are committed to,” says Rob.

I never thought that that would be something that we’d be stepping into when we started the Journeymen Collective. However, it’s becoming increasingly clear that we have to step into that and educate people. This is what an actual psychedelic Journey needs to include. It needs to include the personalized aspect. If there are 20, 30, 40, or 200 people in an actual ceremony, I would step away and find another way.

Gary echoes this sentiment. He lambasts the 60s and 70s narrative that magic mushrooms could cause you to lose your mind. “We have to change that narrative. That’s what needs to be done because it is a paradigm people get stuck in, and that’s all they know about.”

Rob and Gary agree that many old stories stem from inexperienced people tripping in their backyard with friends. This differs entirely from a guided journey, where Rob and Gary recall some people sitting and meditating for hours.

Rob says, “Sure you can do it on your own, but what is the set and setting and are you able to work through the stuff that’s coming up for you?” He warns of negative thinking loops that may make your problems worse.

Hence, Rob and Gary suggest a guided journey. “It’s not about looking at trippy pictures,” says Rob. It’s about an experience where “you can actually trust the person that you’re with and allow yourself to go deeply within and unearth some of the uncomfortable places within the self.”

Journeymen Collective: Magic Mushroom Retreat

Of course, some people want proof beyond testimonials. They want studies and papers and peer-reviewed research. As mentioned, if you’re genuinely skeptical of plant-based psychedelic medicine, odds are, you won’t be a client of the Journeymen Collective.

But if you’re on the fence, the story of one client and his Apple watch may persuade you to check it out further.

“He got a notification on his Apple watch to say that your heartbeat has dropped eight beats per minute,” says Rob. “What’s going on? It was after his journey. Well, his resting heart rate decreased eight beats per minute.”

Likewise, another client had a benign brain tumour that prevented her from being able to smell or taste. But one morning after her journey, “she was sitting having breakfast with us and basically was like naming every single ingredient in the omelette,” says Rob.

Evidence-Based Plant Medicine

This may not be scientific proof everyone accepts, but it’s clear something beyond the placebo effect is happening. But greater scientific and clinical acceptance is a double-edged sword.

Rob and Gary are concerned that clinical regulation could downplay the spiritual connection that makes psychedelic plant medicines successful. But they remain hopeful.

Says Rob, “My hope is that people who are guiding have the depth of knowledge and understand the science and the mind. And the mystical side, the spiritual side of what’s actually taking place here.”

You can learn more about the Journeymen Collective here and how to connect with Rob and Gary.

US cannabis legalization in the 2024 election? Will Joe Biden and the Democrats make cannabis reform a significant part of their re-election platform?

With the potential rescheduling of cannabis from Schedule I to III, pot stocks have risen. Investors are hopeful that banking reform may pass Congress. Voters are anticipating the end of cannabis prohibition.

But how much of this is hype versus reality? How likely is it that cannabis legalization will be a 2024 U.S. election issue? 

For answers, CLN spoke with three experts in the field. Nawan Butt, Portfolio Manager at Purpose Investments, Leah Heise, Founder and CEO of Gemini Twin Consulting, and Lex Corwin, Founder and CEO of Stone Road Farms.

U.S. Cannabis Legalization in the 2024 Election

Neither Trump nor Biden is particularly pro-cannabis, says Leah Heise. However, cannabis is a “bipartisan issue that needs to move forward. But I don’t think that the presidential election will do much in terms of changing the trajectory of this industry.”

Leah sees more significant progress in Congress with the eventual passing of the SAFE Act. While before, cannabis reform was an “afterthought,” Leah finds it “heartening to have an executive branch and the legislative branch really engaging on the cannabis conversation.” 

But ultimately, the lack of access to capital markets and banking is causing the industry’s current woes. Someone “putting a stamp of approval” on the federal cannabis file is undoubtedly a step in the right direction. Still, Leah is skeptical that the 2024 election will be a catalyst.

Rescheduling cannabis to Schedule III is the current achievable goal. Whether that results in cross-border trade and an import/export market remains to be seen. But, according to Leah, that’s what needs to happen. 

“We could be a world leader in exporting [cannabis] products,” says Leah. “But we’re completely cut off, we can’t even even move products in California to the East Coast.”

Democrats Need to Own the Issue

Nawan Butt is also skeptical that the U.S. 2024 election will result in cannabis legalization outright. Like Leah, he sees more action from the SAFE Act and potential rescheduling.

The big event isn’t the 2024 election, says Nawan, but whether the DEA’s response is positive or negative for rescheduling cannabis. “The DEA is supposed to respond in 90 days,” says Nawan. “So hopefully that will give investors another boost in sentiment and whether this is happening or not.”

That said, “It’s going to be very important for the Democrats to own this going into 2024,” says Nawan. 

Rescheduling cannabis has got legislators interested in passing the SAFE Act. Nawan says that would help the Democrats “own” the cannabis legalization issue.

Passing banking reform will bring interim relief for thousands of cannabis operators nationwide. “If Democrats can make this a 2024 election issue, we think that would be fairly interesting.”

Of course, Democrats promised all kinds of cannabis reform last time. Vice-president Kamala Harris was a sponsor of the MORE Act.

U.S. Cannabis Legalization in the 2024 Election

“It’s a double-edged sword,” says Nawan. “On the positive side, they can do the same playbook they used in 2020, try and get investors to jump on the cannabis train for the Democrats. Alternatively,” Nawan adds, the inaction of the last four years “could dissuade some of the voters that this is not happening.”

Nawan says the Democrats must be cautious in rescheduling cannabis and passing the SAFE Act. He says if the U.S. reschedules cannabis and passes banking reform before 2024, the Democrats “can sort of own the issue but [then], they don’t have any carrot to dangle in front of their perspective voters.”

What About Small Businesses?

Lex Corwin sees cannabis being a big part of the 2024 election. “It’s too big a business for it not to be,” he says. 

Lex points to the number of cannabis businesses earning hundreds of millions, even billions, in revenue. “These are big businesses and they’re going to start to have the lobbying power that a lot of traditional industries enjoy.”

Cannabis legalization is inevitable; it’s just a question of who can make it to the finish line. Federal legalization or rescheduling may trigger a massive inflow of capital.

While this “basically helps our chances of being able to compete with some of these larger operators,” it’s a double-edged sword. Removing barriers means “some of these massive billion-dollar cannabis companies,” will be able to move into less mature markets. 

Also, some states don’t have the climate for cannabis cultivation. Lex mentions that New York’s indoor cultivators will never be able to compete with outdoor trees in California.

“It’s a huge worry,” he says. “But you know, ultimately, our strategy is to just get into as many states as possible.” While interstate commerce has pros and cons, Lex sees it as “an absolute game-changer.”

 “Our costs of production in California are a fraction of what other operators in virtually every other market pay,” he says.

That said, “We’re going to see smaller cannabis biotech firms get gobbled up by big pharma.” Lex says it’s already happening. While rescheduling cannabis offers tax breaks, it makes pharma research and development more accessible. 

U.S. Cannabis Legalization in the 2024 Election

Overall, however, Lex is optimistic about the future of the U.S. cannabis market and the potential for legalization. As are Leah and Nawan.

While cannabis legalization in the U.S. 2024 election may or may not be front and center, it’s likely that, when Americans cast a ballot in November of next year, cannabis may already be a Schedule III drug that banks aren’t afraid to touch. 

Footnote(s)

If you’ve ever been to the Netherlands, that title is a bit confusing; but the reality of the Netherlands is that it doesn’t operate how most think. In a recent turn of events; the Netherlands announced it would open legal and limited cannabis sales, to investigate a legal market.

Netherlands to open legal cannabis sales

Before we get into why this is a weird title, let’s first dive right into the current news story. The story started back in February of this year, when Netherlands Health Minister Ernst Kuipers announced what sounds like a cannabis pilot program; which would provide limited legal cannabis sales to specific areas of the country. He announced that Tilburg and Breda would be the first places to enjoy this new market; but that a total of about 10 municipalities could be involved.

For those unfamiliar with what a cannabis pilot program is, its essentially an experiment into how to run a cannabis sales market. We see the same thing in Switzerland, which approved a program for Zurich; and it’s expected that Germany will begin a similar setup within the next year. Germany had originally planned for a full sales market, but did a quick and extreme about-face when it became clear the EU would not allow it.

This idea of needing to accommodate the EU is important here, because it applies to the Netherlands as well. If Germany is not legally capable of pushing a policy the EU doesn’t agree with, the Netherlands can’t either. Meaning Germany now shows us the utmost of what can be expected for an EU country on the legal weed front. In terms of Switzerland, though the country chose to wade in with limited legal sales as a part of a pilot program; it has no need to care about EU policy, as its not a part of the EU.

The Netherlands has been planning this for a little while now, but met a few delays along the way; mainly in having enough licensed cultivators in the necessary regions of study. For example, the Tilburg and Breda locations only have a couple licensed cultivators to provide coffee shops with product.

Prior to the most recent announcement, the country didn’t want to start a pilot program without at least three cultivators ready to go. The Netherlands changed stance, and is now ready to allow the Tilburg and Breda locations to open; with two more cultivators expected to join in, in early 2024. The eight additional pilot programs will not open unless these two locations work out. Feelings are generally optimistic.

When it was first announced in February, Breda’s Mayor, Dr. Paul Depla stated, “With this start-up phase in Brabant we can gain first experiences, detect teething problems and gather the knowledge to perfect the experiment. In this way, we can make a flying start with the large-scale experiment.”

Apart from the designated areas like Tilburg and Breda, the country will also open at least one part of Amsterdam to legal sales as well. If you know anything about the Netherlands and weed, this move is necessary, but we’ll get to that in a minute. Overall, should authorities decide they are unhappy with this new program, it can be shut down.

Why a pilot program for legal cannabis sales is funny

Let’s be honest for a second, the Netherlands has enjoyed cannabis sales to the public for decades of time. In this changing world of cannabis reform, the Netherlands is no longer the sole focal point of the weed world, but it was for a really long time. Long enough that this policy is a bit laughable. Of all countries, there is none other that has as much accumulated knowledge of how to run a cannabis sales market. And yet here it is, acting like these first legal sales, are some kind of entrance into a new world.

To be clear, cannabis is not legal in the Netherlands; and it hasn’t been in the entire time the country has built up its industry. Cannabis has been illegal in the country since 1928’s passage of the Opium Act; although since 1972, a Policy of Tolerance has allowed the use of cannabis in coffee shops, without punishment to either vendors or buyers. Law enforcement can choose whether to make a big deal over a specific occurrence; but usually its all ignored unless children are involved.

Cannabis is decriminalized up to five grams for personal use, which includes the ability to cultivate up to five plants. Greater amounts than this can incur a fine up to €75, or prison time; depending on amount and purpose. When it comes to cultivation, law enforcement generally looks for those illegally growing for commercial purposes.

In terms of basic cannabis laws, the Netherlands isn’t that far off from other European countries; and a look at policy on the surface doesn’t indicate that this country functions differently than others. However, the Policy of Tolerance has spawned a huge market of coffee shops which provide cannabis sales, particularly in the capital of Amsterdam.

Netherlands Policy of Tolerance vs pilot program

A cannabis pilot program is meant to gain information on how to run a legal sales market. Logically, though, these markets are already open in different countries, which makes the idea of it as an experiment, a little late in the game. Perhaps simply looking at the positives and detractions of other markets is now more functionally useful. Or, in the case of the Netherlands, it really only has to gather data on its already existent coffee shop market.

While the pilot program step is a little unnecessary in places like Switzerland and Germany, its gravely unnecessary in the Netherlands. Like every other place, the Netherlands wants a taxable market; as the government currently has no control of the coffee shop system, or the illegal cultivation that supplies the shops. But in terms of how to do it, literally no country has more answers than the Netherlands. Even if you want to argue that it doesn’t have experience in legal production; it actually does! The Netherlands legalized medical cannabis, and a medical sales market, in 2003.

The current coffee shops have been running since the mid-1970’s. We’re literally in the 5^th decade of information collection. And it’s not like the shops run completely lawlessly. IDs are checked. Maximum sales amounts are instituted. Alcohol and hard drugs are separated. Weapons are prohibited. Taxes are collected. This is a market operating in daylight, and it’s been going on for over half a century. There are sales statistics involved. The Netherlands ‘trying out cannabis sales’ is like Mexico ‘trying out taco sales.’

Regardless of the lack of logic, this is what the Netherlands is now planning. And realistically, its not all about logic; its also about finding a way to make a taxable market, within EU guidelines. Its quite possible that without the EU overseeing everything; that the Netherlands might have taken this step a long time ago. There is an incredibly silly aspect to it, sure, but there is also a reality that makes this silly concept, the only thing the Netherlands can do.

What to expect

In past years, the government spoke more about trying to end the weed tourism market in the country, but always to no avail. This new policy is more in line with the understanding of the inability to prohibit cannabis use; for both residents and tourists. In light of understanding a lack of control over the markets, many governments have changed tack and legalized the plant, in order to make it a taxable market they can benefit from.

But is there any way the government is going to change such a long-standing system in the Netherlands? Will it ruin what is already there, or make it less preferable for consumers? There are plenty of options in the world of weed tourism these days. Can the Netherlands market withstand tampering by the government?

I don’t know. It’s hard to imagine anything fundamentally changing the system now; but this doesn’t mean it can’t be done. If Amsterdam still stood as the main weed tourism location, government involvement might be less meaningful. But, governments tend to institute high taxes and regulatory fees, which raise prices. With more options available in the world, the Netherlands government might have stumbled on the one way to get rid of its gray cannabis sales market: make it legal!

Conclusion

Amsterdam reined supreme as the world’s weed capital for a long time; but things are changing. The new question now is how well the Netherlands can tolerate an actually legal sales market; complete with all standard government interference.

Welcome weed supporters! We’re glad you made it to Cannadelics.com; where we work hard to bring you the most interesting news and commentary in the growing worlds of cannabis and hallucinogens. Come by frequently to stay in-the-loop; and get subscribed to the Cannadelics Weekly Newsletter; to ensure you’re never late to get the news.

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