Confluence Retreats

This journey carried me through another step of healing, to get ready for the next chapter of my life. Together with my dear late wife Beth, we bravely endured the long-goodbye in her decline from Posterior Cortical Atrophy, and I walked with her through that gradual unraveling until I closed her eyes for the last time. I had already done multiple steps of grief counseling, books & podcasts, built community with other PCA spouses, and left no stone unturned. Yet beneath all that effort, I knew there was still something deeper, not intellectual, but existential.

I came seeking clarity. Not just about loss, but about who I am now. I wanted alignment between my subconscious and conscious mind. I wanted to wipe away ego, roles, and the invisible “rules” about who I’m "supposed" to be; remove the fog of loss, and rediscover the core of who I actually am now on my own.

I came to Confluence Retreats because I am navigating life transition. Moving from grief into what I call my “second ascent”, I had carried strength for a long time; for Beth, for family, for responsibility. Yet strength can sometimes calcify into identity. I wanted to strip everything back, hold the past with gratitude, yet start clean into a new beginning.
The medicine gave me what I needed. It dissolved the noise, and softened my ego protection to reveal truth. It helped to remove the expectations and the mental constructs I questioned and was still carrying in duty. What remained was simple and clear: my strengths and vulnerabilities, my love for family and friends, and a deep sense of spiritual grounding, and clarity of my life purpose.

Since the retreat, what has shifted most is clarity and peace. Not dramatic fireworks; yet a distilled certainty. I feel congruent in a way I hadn’t before. The fog of “shoulds” is gone. There’s a calm confidence in who I am and where I’m going. It didn’t add something to me. It clarified what wasn’t aligned with my purpose.

In that clarity, what surfaced was an enlightened sense for what I’ve endured and overcome, a renewal of purpose, gratitude, and a resolute commitment to live fully; a drive for growth, adventure, joy, and utilize God-given abilities to enrich the lives around me and contribute meaningfully in this world.

The support team created an environment that felt safe, grounded, and deeply intentional. They were personable, genuine, and caring; like angels in overwatch or lifeguards as we entered deep waters. The program was thoughtfully constructed. Even the music was curated in a way that allowed the journey to unfold naturally. I still listen to the playlists almost daily and it brings me right back to a grounded space.

Doing this work in a group added something powerful; shared humanity. Even though each journey was deeply personal, there was a collective steadiness in knowing we were held together in that space, and we freely connected deeply with the other voyagers.

Experiencing both a mild dose and a heroic dose made a meaningful difference. The mild journey opened the door gently. It built trust; with the facilitators, the group, and the medicine itself. It allowed insight without overwhelm. The heroic dose went further, it dissolved known structure. It softened protective ego boundaries in a way that allowed true surrender to the process. I don’t believe I would have accessed the same depth of clarity with only one session and without the guided support of the staff. Having both gave me integration, not just intensity.

For anyone considering this work: If you are searching, not for escape, but for your own truth … this space is a powerful container. The medicine doesn’t manufacture insight; it reveals what is already within you. I would not recommend this for people still feeling fragile from trauma or wounds, it may be overwhelming and may reinforce past trauma you may not yet have the tools to face. When you are ready, and if you are willing to surrender your defenses, you may find what I found: peace beneath the noise, clarity beneath the roles, and a renewed connection and beginning to who you are meant to be in your journey forward.

I am fortunate to have attended the Confluence 5 day retreat recently and it changed my life, for sure. Myles and his team are so skilled at what they do and their beautiful hearts enriched every part of the retreat. They brought together a well considered group of us from across the US/Canada and guided us through a set of practices, of deep sharing, as well as safe journeying. I am forever changed. Through my experience, I was able to leave behind so much of what did not serve me in this life and I returned home feeling more at ease with myself, my family, and the world at large. I cannot recommend this experience enough. These are the people to guide you. Don’t wait any longer :).

I recently returned from a five-day, two-ceremony psilocybin retreat at Confluence in Ashland, Oregon, and it was one of the most meaningful retreats I’ve ever experienced. I’ve been attending annual mindfulness retreats for over 20 years, and this one stands out in a very special way.

Myles, Jules, and Anne brought extraordinary compassion, presence, and care to every aspect of the experience. They created a safe, thoughtful container in which all seven members of our group eventually felt comfortable sharing deeply personal material. That sense of trust and community, combined with the plant medicine, allowed each of us to process our inner work in a rich and meaningful way.

The accommodations were comfortable, the setting was grounding, and the catered food was genuinely delicious. From start to finish, the retreat felt thoroughly nourishing — physically, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually.

I would highly recommend Confluence to anyone interested in deep personal exploration and authentic personal growth.

The time that I spent at Confluence was truly life changing for me. I had reached a point in my life where I was feeling emotionally numb and was in an almost daily state of derealization. One of my intentions at the retreat was to regain a sense of connection to myself, something that I felt had been lost decades ago. After my two journeying days, not only did I feel more connected to myself, but I also gained an incredible sense of awe and appreciation for the world around me. I felt an immense sense of calm and lightness and that everything was going to be okay.
The awe-inspiring feelings and reconnections that I experienced gave me the motivation I so desperately needed in my pursuit to better myself and thus incorporate integration practices into my daily life. I am forever grateful for my experience at Confluence and for all of the amazing staff and fellow participants who made it all possible.

I’ve waited to write this.

I was at the October 2025 retreat. Today is January 15, 2026.

During our five days together, Julianna said something that stayed with me: “Don’t make any major decisions for the next 30 days.”

So I didn’t.

Before, during, and after the retreat, I followed Confluence’s guidance. I’m profoundly grateful that I did.

My wife and I talked for years before committing. It’s expensive and we didn’t take that lightly. But after years of trying to “handle it,” we finally understood that this wasn’t a cost—it was an investment for our family.

So, I waited. I let things settle. I wanted to know whether what I felt was real, or just the glow of something new.
What I’ve found is this: the return has been deep and lasting.

I didn’t buy land. I didn’t buy a lake house. I didn’t quit my job and hike the Chilkoot Trail. Instead, I practiced what you gave me. I sit with the parts of myself. I breathe. I remember that I’m not alone.

I let the quiet parts speak.

There’s no need to list everything that brought me to Confluence. What matters is how I move through life now.
I slow down. I leave room for other perspectives. I listen—really listen. I notice which part of me is talking, and I choose when and how it speaks.

The care you put into every step—from the first exploratory call to the group calls afterward—created something I could trust among a group I could trust. I never felt like I had to hide or prove anything. I felt cared for. Protected.

Each of you—Myles, Jules, Cedar, Arin, and of course Thunder Eater—showed up with such honesty and genuine compassion. And the chefs… their care came through in every detail.

It was worth every cent. It was worth every uncomfortable moment. It was worth all of it.

With deep gratitude,
Danny M.