Union Tribe Church, a psychedelic retreat near Washington, D.C., is an inclusive spiritual and shamanic community founded in the nation’s capital. We are an all-women-led church, with most of our facilitators BIPOC and indigenous medicine keepers.
Enchanted Evening: A Retreat Ceremony and Dinner Bathed in the Warm Glow of Lights here at Union Tribe Church Psychedelic Retreat in Washington, D.C.
The mission of Union Tribe Church is to promote healing and harmony for all people by connecting to the healing medicine of nature. Humans have evolved, interacted with, and lived entangled with nature for all of our existence. Deep relationship with the planet, plants, and elements is a natural state of being and drives our innate connection to the divine in all things.
Strolling Through Nature’s Canvas: Finding Serenity on Our Retreat’s Enchanting Forest Walk here at Union Tribe Church Psychedelic Retreat in Washington, D.C.
We believe that the expansion of consciousness on this planet is empowered and enabled by deep communion and relationship with the earth and ancient healing practices connected to nature. We are stewards of sacred medicines and practice ancient ways of wisdom-keeping and healing as a way of remembering and reconnecting with our true divine nature.
Gathering at the retreat house, we find solace in each other’s presence, embracing the tranquility of this sacred space here at Union Tribe Church Psychedelic Retreat in Washington, D.C.
Highlights
We operate our retreats on 120 acres of wild, indigenous land that includes lush forests, local hikes, a tiny pond, and access to the Potomac River.
Our retreat space has a mini-farm with friendly goats, sheep, and chickens who roam freely on the grounds.
We have a beautiful glass temple space in the forest that is designed to follow the trajectory of the sun throughout the day.
We host small, intimate group ceremonies and private retreats that allow for individual attention and group coherence.
Our facilitators are committed to ongoing personal development and training to maintain integrity, consistency, and skillfull care in the ceremonial space.
We prioritize facilitators who are women, BIPOC, and trained with indigenous lineage-holders.
Processes
Substance sourcing
Our medicines are sourced by our facilitators, who work with local growers or procure the medicine from indigenous sources. The sourcing and processing are different for each medicine and each facilitator.
Nurturing Bonds and Creating Connections: Sharing Circle Moments that Define Our Retreat Experience here at Union Tribe Church Psychedelic Retreat in Washington, D.C.
Intake / Prescreening Process
We have a lengthy and confidential screening form that all participants must fill out in full. This allows our facilitators to understand participants’ previous experience with medicine (where applicable), medical history and diagnoses (where applicable), intentions for their retreat, existing support framework, and consent to participate.
Most of our facilitators also require individual or group intake calls to discuss any concerns or questions, share more about required protocols and preparations, and create a safe space for the group to begin familiarizing themselves with the medicine and practitioner well before arriving. If there are any red flags or concerns about any participants at any stage in the process, facilitators will reach out to the client to discuss privately or, in cases where the safety of the individual or group might be compromised, remove them from the process or retreat altogether.
Preparation
This process is contingent upon the medicines offered in the retreat. Still, for the most part, we require an individual or group call to answer questions, address concerns, and introduce the participant(s) to the facilitator(s) leading the retreat.
This allows the facilitators to share more about their lineage, process, and what to expect from the experience and medicine and give clients personalized and specific preparatory instructions in advance.
We also provide clients with PDFs and packing lists that outline dietary protocols, preparation instructions, and packing lists to support them in coming prepared for the retreat.
Once on-site, we have conversations with the clients about consent, agreements, how to navigate interactions with others in the space while on medicine, and what to do in the case of an emergency or issue.
We also take participants on a tour of the land so they know where they are allowed to explore. Lastly, we guide participants through intention-setting and land-offering rituals so they call in the support of the elemental and ancestral forces to offer additional healing while in the ceremony.
Ceremony
The flow of the ceremony and what clients will experience depends upon the medicine offered and the specific facilitator they are working with. Generally, there is an intention-setting circle to open the retreat before everyone ingests the medicine.
The participants have access to both the indoor and outdoor spaces and depending on the facilitator’s guidance, might be allowed to explore the grounds OR will stay indoors to complete the ceremony.
Some facilitators will channel messages and plant spirits, conduct energy cleansings, and offer blessings for participants as needed during the ceremony.
Some facilitators will offer shamanic experiences such as prayer fires, icaros, or song circles, additional supportive medicines such as Hapé, Sananga, or Kambo to assist participants in clearing and opening their field, and vision walks in the wilderness. Retreats can be 1-3 days long and include multiple servings of medicine.
After the ceremony(ies) have been completed, there will be a closing integration circle and additional resources offered by the facilitators to support people and anchor the medicine as they move back into their daily lives.
Integration
All facilitators offer a closing integration circle to participants on the last day of the retreat. We also offer a monthly virtual drop-in integration circle that is free to all Voyager members of Union Tribe (membership is 20 USD/month).
Accommodations
Depending on the season, participants have the option to sleep inside the home in one of two communal shared spaces or bring their own camping gear to sleep outside on the grounds.
The retreat space has two indoor shared washrooms/bathrooms with showers, toilets, and sinks as well as towels for guests.
Discover True Relaxation in Every Corner of Our Retreat House – It’s More Than a Stay, It’s a Comfortable Escape here at Union Tribe Church Psychedelic Retreat in Washington, D.C.
The retreat space is a gorgeous home with stunning 1970s architectural features that include a 3-season porch, an outdoor porch, a mini-farm with sheep, goats, and chickens, and plenty of lush private outdoor areas to roam and explore.
Culinary Oasis at Our Retreat Center: Where Every Meal is a Work of Art here at Union Tribe Church Psychedelic Retreat in Washington, D.C.
We require all guests to pay a deposit that amounts to half of the retreat costs upfront. These deposits are refundable up until 2 weeks before the retreat, after that participants forfeit their deposit for last-minute cancellation EXCEPT in emergencies (as determined on a case-by-case basis). Deposits are made through Venmo and PayPal and are refunded through these platforms as well. Union Tribe Church is not responsible for nor covers any additional service fees on the part of the payment platforms.
Our retreat fees cover accommodations in the communal living area (if you wish to sleep outdoors you MUST provide all your own gear), the medicine, vegetarian meals and drinks, and the facilitator’s time and travel expenses. Some supportive medicines such as hapé, kambo, or sananga are offered for an additional fee.
We are located about 30 miles (~ 60 minutes) south of Washington D.C. in a private neighborhood and protected wildlife preserve alongside the Potomac River. We are about 15 miles (~30 minutes) south of Ronald Reagan Airport, which is the closest international airport. We do NOT provide pickup or drop-off services but can help arrange carpools or connect participants who are driving in from the city and have room in their cars for additional passengers. There is no local bus or metro near our location. The closest bus /metro is about 30 minutes north in Alexandria, VA. Participants will need to arrange for a taxi or ride share (Uber, Lyft) for the remainder of the trip. Once on-site, we recommend calling a taxi for pick-up service as our location is somewhat remote.
Inner Light Dark retreat hosts darkness retreats, a unique type of spiritual tradition, in Colorado. Darkness retreats are an ancient, advanced spiritual practice. Individuals enter...
Mushroom Tao offers a 7-night psilocybin retreat in the hills outside Dominical, Costa Rica. Mushrooms brought salvation to our founders, Leti and Chi. Plant medicines...
