Neo-Shamanism Unmasked: My Journey from Spiritual Seeker to Safety Advocate

As a retreat company owner and someone who has navigated the spiritual wellness industry both as a seeker and a practitioner for over 20 years, I’ve witnessed firsthand the troubling rise of what I call “neo-shamanism” – the commercialization of ancient wisdom, and particularly sacred plant ceremonies divorced from their traditional contexts and safeguards. My personal and professional studies have centered around evidence-based modalities that focus on spiritual and energetic healing through somatic practices – natural, safe, and without any use of psychospiritual substances or psychedelics.

My journey in the last few years of the retreat industry and through this landscape has included both professional observation and personal experience with substances that promised spiritual enlightenment but delivered something far more dangerous. As a genuine spiritual seeker, I’ve never set out looking for plant medicine experiences. I was raised with a science and consciousness-based spiritual path that taught that spiritual experiences could be had with a direct connection to the divine, and that mind-altering substances actually hindered our spiritual progress. As a spiritual seeker, my focus has always been on personal growth and healing through conscious community and earth-based practices.

My personal experience with psychedelics points to my lack of knowledge on the topic, given my upbringing. I’ve long heard of the promise of psychedelics, and I’ve taken mushrooms twice in my life with no real pleasant experience to speak of. In 2020, at the beginning of my path in retreat experiences, I very hesitantly tried Ayahuasca for the first time with a Shaman I was learning energy medicine modalities from. My traumatic experience with that plant medicine, and the subsequent spiritual abuse I endured thereafter, is a story for another time. I have since made it part of my mission in founding Orion Retreats to offer personal development and spiritual wellness retreats explicitly without the use of plant medicine, as a principle, and to share genuine modalities and personal development spiritual tools guests can use for authentic spiritual experiences and healing.

In early 2025, I registered for what was advertised as a spiritual retreat focused on Lemurian connections and planetary gridwork for the Imbolc season. I was drawn to the promise of community and spiritual alignment work. The retreat discovery call with the facilitator indicated that plant medicine was optional, and this seemed like a peripheral aspect of the gathering. I signed up, excited to expand my spiritual community with others on a mission of collective and planetary healing – exactly the ideals that are inherent in my personal and professional ethos.

In retrospect, I failed to do adequate due diligence. I had found the retreat through the facilitator’s social media and subsequent discovery call, not his website, which I later discovered was entirely focused on plant medicine ceremonies. This disconnect between what was advertised and what was delivered is precisely why I feel compelled to share my story now. My sharing is intended to educate others in ways that I was not educated, and to encourage guests to do their own due diligence in an often uncertain industry that operates in the shadows. I will always and only operate in the light of full transparency. More on that in a moment.

That given, the popularity of psychedelic retreats has exploded in recent years, with seekers looking for everything from healing trauma to expanding consciousness. What many don’t realize is the significant gap between indigenous traditional practices developed over centuries and the modern, often unregulated experiences being marketed as spiritual medicine.

The Rise of Neo-Shamanism in Western Culture

Neo-shamanism represents a fundamental departure from indigenous traditions. Where traditional shamanic practices were embedded within cultural contexts with strict protocols, today’s neo-shamanic scene often involves practitioners with minimal training administering powerful substances in environments that prioritize profit over safety.

The commercialization has been rapid, with retreat centers charging thousands of dollars for weekend ceremonies. Social media “spiritual influencers” showcase radiant, blissful experiences that mirror prescription drug commercials before regulatory oversight forced transparency:  people dancing through fields of flowers and finding instant enlightenment, while the voice-over conveniently omits “side effects may include hallucinations, panic attacks, psychosis, and in rare cases, death.”

As a leader in the retreat industry, I’ve watched this marketing approach normalize potentially dangerous experiences by highlighting only the euphoria while burying the risks. What’s lost in this process is the rigorous training, community accountability, and cultural safeguards that traditionally surrounded these practices. Ancient traditions understood these substances as powerful psychospiritual tools requiring extensive preparation and careful integration – not weekend experiences to be casually consumed between yoga retreats.

The Critical Issue of Informed Consent

My most troubling experience came during this 2025 retreat where I was given what was described as Blue Lotus in both a tea and a smoking blend. What followed was a medical emergency, far from the gentle, mildly euphoric experience that Blue Lotus is known for typically producing – and for why I said yes to it at all. I experienced severe, demonic hallucinations, panic, profuse sweating, vomiting, and hyperventilation – symptoms consistent with a much stronger substance or something laced with synthetic compounds. When I told the facilitator, when I could finally speak, that I was seeing demons in the room attacking me, he told me that they were attracted to me because of what ‘he’d just released from me’. I received no other help, besides that of another participant. As it wore off, hours later, I was numb and dissociated.

True informed consent should include:

• Exact identification of substances being administered
• Complete information about potential physical and psychological effects
• Full disclosure of the facilitator’s training and qualifications
• Clear explanation of potential risks and contraindications with medications or health conditions
• Verification of the source and purity of substances

In my case and countless others, these basic ethical standards were not met. I wasn’t told the dosage, potential risks, or given proper preparation. When the experience turned frightening, there was inadequate support to help me navigate it safely. And it wasn’t the only safety concern I experienced on this retreat, and after.

What followed my traumatic experience was perhaps just as damaging as the experience itself. After the retreat, I professionally expressed concerns about some inappropriate sexual comments the facilitator had made to another female guest – an attempt to guide this younger male facilitator on creating safer spaces for women. It had made me uncomfortable to witness, and I could see the look on the guest’s face that shared my shock. For context, he had just mentioned in the same conversation of being accused of being a cult leader and sexual predator to the group, so I felt it was a professional, colleague-to-colleague thing for me to address to avoid him being accused of such things.  In this experience, when I shared my professional feedback to his assistant, who I was hoping could present it better as a woman so that the facilitator wouldn’t blame me for having the problem (as many narcissists do, something must have told me to be careful), I was gaslit:  I was told they were sorry that I had ‘misinterpreted’ my experience and that if I needed integration support, that they recommended I find someone and that they were sending me love.

The following month, I contacted them to let them know that my next installment payment for the retreat would be delayed by a week. Suddenly, the mask slipped – he called me to bully and intimidate me, threatening daily harassment while arbitrarily increasing what we had originally agreed to pay. I stood my ground throughout the interaction, and after our phone call, he sent an email outline claiming what I’d agreed to – increased payments and a new contract I was demanded to sign – something I had explicity declined in our call. We exchanged a number of emails, each more intimidating than the last when I expressed I was sticking with our original contract and he would have his payment the following week, as promised. The next morning, out of fear of further duress and continued manipulation, I finally terminated our agreement, which triggered him to launch a coordinated defamation campaign against me to my professional network. Multiple third parties, based solely on his lies, joined in harassing me and attempting to destroy my professional reputation. The apparent strategy was to preemptively label me as ‘problematic’ and suggest I had attended the retreat with fraudulent intent and that I’d ‘stolen from him’ – all to discredit any future account I might share about what truly happened.  Yes, I have witnesses, and everything is documented.

It’s taken time to process and understand my experience. However, the more I learn about similar cases in the industry, the more empowered I become to guide others on ethical retreat safety. Ironically, those involved in the harassment are precisely the ones who had recruited me to help launch their own ‘shamanic medicine retreats’ and fraudulent church setup – projects I left upon discovering these and other alarming concerns. Friends were manipulated against me. A contractor tried to defraud me twice to exploit the situation. Malicious lies were spread throughout my community that could have come only from my retreat intake form. The sacred trust I have in the goodness of people has been fractured. I am healing, and I will not let it let me lose faith in humanity. I am ever more empowered to alchemize this into strength and resilience for anyone who has experienced such spiritual abuse.

This pattern of silencing victims through character assassination is disturbingly common in spiritual communities where power dynamics heavily favor the manipulators. When someone has a negative or harmful experience, they’re often gaslit into believing they’re at fault or that their ‘energy wasn’t right.’ This toxic dynamic makes it even harder for people to come forward with legitimate safety concerns.

Spotlight on Iboga: The Silent Killer in Spiritual Retreats

While my experience with what was purportedly Blue Lotus was terrifying, it pales in comparison to the dangers associated with iboga, an increasingly popular substance in psychedelic retreats. Iboga, derived from the root bark of the Tabernanthe iboga shrub native to Central Africa, is traditionally used in the Bwiti spiritual tradition of Gabon.

In traditional contexts, the preparation for an iboga ceremony involves months of careful physical and spiritual preparation. In contrast, Western retreat centers and untrained facilitators often provide minimal screening and preparation before administering this powerful substance.

Recent reports have documented multiple deaths associated with iboga ceremonies. In Costa Rica alone, authorities have investigated several fatalities at retreat centers, including the deaths of a 40-year-old American woman at Soul Centro and a 42-year-old Norwegian woman at Iboga House. Medical experts point to iboga’s effects on the cardiovascular system as particularly dangerous – it can slow heart rate and cause fatal cardiac arrhythmias. 

Those with pre-existing heart conditions, certain medications, or even unknown genetic factors may be at heightened risk. Yet comprehensive medical screening is rarely provided at these retreats, and emergency medical facilities are often far from remote ceremonial locations.

Synthetic Additives and Laced Substances: An Emerging Danger

The danger doesn’t end with the substances themselves. Recent research has uncovered a disturbing trend of supposedly “natural” plant medicines being laced with synthetic compounds. A 2024 study published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology found that numerous “blue lotus” products actually contained powerful synthetic cannabinoids rather than the advertised natural plant material.

Between 2020 and 2023, law enforcement seized multiple products labeled as “blue lotus” that contained dangerous synthetic cannabinoids such as 5F-MDMB-PICA and ADB-BUTINACA. These compounds can cause extreme reactions, including hallucinations, panic, sedation, and potentially life-threatening effects – exactly what I experienced during my medical emergency.

The military has documented multiple cases of service members experiencing altered mental states, hallucinations, and medical emergencies after using products marketed as Blue Lotus. In many of these cases, the symptoms were inconsistent with pure Blue Lotus, suggesting adulteration with other substances.

As a participant, there is simply no way to verify what you’re consuming in these settings. The blind trust required is exploited by facilitators who may not even know themselves what compounds are in the substances they’re providing.

The Vulnerable Participant: Who’s Most at Risk

Spiritual seekers often come to these experiences carrying trauma, mental health challenges, or a deep desire for healing. This vulnerability creates a perfect storm for exploitation. My own history of anxiety and PTSD made me particularly susceptible to the negative effects of these substances, yet no real screening was done to evaluate these risk factors, nor any informed consent of the substances at the retreat, including iboga. 

Those with trauma histories, anxiety disorders, or conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder face heightened risks from psychedelic substances. Yet these same individuals are often drawn to the promise of healing that these retreats advertise.  The spiritual wellness industry often attracts those in emotional pain, promising transformation and healing. This vulnerability can cloud judgment and lead people to put themselves in dangerous situations out of desperation for relief. And the predators in the industry exploit this in their marketing and practices. 

The Path Forward: Creating Safety in Spiritual Exploration

Despite these significant dangers, the desire for meaningful spiritual experiences and healing is valid. The path forward isn’t only about prohibition but creating structures that genuinely protect participants.

As someone now establishing a nonprofit focused on safety standards for the retreat and spiritual communities, I believe we need:

1. Standardized Screening Protocols:  Comprehensive emotional, psychological and medical screening to match prospective guests with appropriate retreats.
2. Substance Testing and Verification: For all retreat activities – before they register.
3. Qualified Medical Support:  On-site medical professionals with emergency training.
4. Integration Support: Professional psychological support before, during, and after retreat experiences, regardless of the modalities used, and especially for transformational retreats.
5. Ethical Guidelines: Industry-wide ethical standards for facilitators.
6. Reporting Mechanisms: Clear pathways for reporting adverse events and misconduct.

How to Vet a Facilitator or Retreat

For those considering working with plant medicines or attending retreats, here are essential questions to ask:

1. Request detailed credentials: Ask about specific training traditions, years of experience, and whether they’ve completed formal apprenticeships with recognized teachers.
2. Inquire about medical screening: A legitimate practitioner should require comprehensive health information and may request clearance from your physician.
3. Investigate emergency protocols: Ask specifically about medical emergency plans, proximity to hospitals, and whether medical professionals are present.
4. Check references: Quality experiences include significant preparation beforehand and integration support afterward.
5. Understand the preparation and integration process: Quality experiences include significant preparation beforehand and integration support afterward.
6. Trust your intuition: If something feels off or too good to be true, it probably is.

The Healing Path Moving Forward 

The pursuit of spiritual growth and healing is deeply personal and meaningful. However, the commercialization of sacred plant medicines has created a dangerous landscape where profit often supersedes safety. My own traumatic experiences, alongside the documented deaths and injuries occurring at retreats worldwide, highlights the urgent need for greater awareness, regulation, and ethical standards for those who feel called to use plant medicine in their healing journey.

It is now my mission to protect others from predators in the retreat and spiritual wellness communities. Having experienced both the physical danger of undisclosed substances and the emotional trauma of being targeted for speaking my truth, I understand the multi-layered harm that can occur in these spaces. Too often, those with genuine spiritual intentions find themselves vulnerable to exploitation by those who use spiritual language to mask unethical practices.

For those seeking healing or spiritual experiences, it’s crucial to approach this realm with extreme caution, thorough research, and healthy skepticism. True healing should never come at the cost of your physical or psychological safety, nor should it require silence about harmful practices.

As the retreat and spiritual wellness industry continues to grow, my hope is that we can create structures that honor both the power of these experiences and the profound responsibility that comes with facilitating them. Until then, proceed with extreme caution, demand transparency, and remember that no spiritual experience is worth risking your life.

TAKE ACTION: As Founder and CEO of Orion Retreats, Lauren creates safe, supportive spaces for healing, transformation, and growth. Drawing on 20+ years in the wellness field, she’s developed a trauma-informed facilitator framework launching in 2026. Her Sacred Reclamation Retreats offer trauma-informed healing for women through spiritual practice and energy alchemy in soulful destinations worldwide. Learn more or join the waitlist at www.orionretreats.com/sacred-reclamation.