Psychedelic Retreats in Mexico

Based on historical records, Mexico could be considered the original psychedelic retreat, as psychedelics, namely psilocybin mushrooms have been used by indigenous tribes in the region for over 5000 years.

In 1957, R. Gordon Wasson, a J.P. Morgan banker traveled to Mexico in search of psychedelic mushrooms and in his own words, became the “first white men in recorded history to eat the divine mushrooms.” in a ceremony conducted by Maria Sabina using Psilocybe mexicana. He then authored the Life article, “Seeking the Magic Mushroom,” which may have marked the birth of the American psychedelic counterculture and ultimately, the banning of psilocybin across much of the world.

While for the most part, psychedelics are illegal in Mexico, the Federal Penal Code of Mexico provides an exception against prosecution as long as your psilocybin mushrooms or 5-MeO-DMT is for traditional spiritual practices or ceremonies. As a result, psychedelic tourism has grown many fold in Mexico, as people travel from countries with highly controlled substances in order to experience these psychedelic plants.