I'm Oliver, from the UK and a teacher by profession. I work in an international university in Barcelona and teach English in the village where I live.
I embarked upon a process with psilocybin mushrooms in 2018. Approaching the age of 50, and feeling restless and adventurous, I took a high dose of mushrooms in a controlled setting with a therapist. Since then I have worked with altered states of consciousness to create a series of changes in my life. I moved to the countryside, got married, started gardening and generally started to value and prioritise relationships in a way that I had not done previously.
I explored practices such as meditation, drumming and chanting as a way of making me more centred in my body and in the present. I have travelled to Mexico to participate in ceremonies with curanderas and also to share knowledge with them. In addition, I started to accompany others who wished to experience a journey with psilocybin mushrooms in a controlled environment and also became active within the Psychedelic Society of Barcelona, helping to organise events and participating in discussions.
More recently I have been exploring a range of therapeutic techniques such as reiki and sound therapy both for personal development and also to accompany others, whether it be on a psychedelic journey or for more everyday therapeutic purposes.
I also take great pleasure in cultivating psilocybe mushrooms.
I’m Carla, a psychonaut convinced of the transformative power of working with expanded states of consciousness and its integration through a spiritual path.
Psychedelics and yoga are two tools that have brought me back home, helping to reconcile me with my body and to live from a more serene place.
I believe in the capacity of psychedelic substances to catalyse change at a collective level to such an extent that it is practically a duty to share what I have learned and I do it in various ways: organising events for psychonauts, holding the space in psychedelic journeys and running a yoga studio at the Catalan coast.
I have no pretensions about guiding you, but rather see my role as accompanying you. I believe that what is fundamental is that each person finds, or creates a container for the experience that does not collide with their cosmovision. Rather, it should adapt to each person's cultural heritage. One must understand what one carries in order to reconcile to it.
Details of this retreat
A two night retreat in a beautiful guest house in an isolated valley of the pre-Pyrenees. The retreat is designed to disconnect you from your screens and the hurly-burly of your day-to-day life and re-connect you to the felt presence of your body and its place in the natural environment.
We will do various activities with the intention of bringing you home to the ease of being embodied. These will include yoga, sound massages, vocalisations and drumming. All meals will be prepared together in order to foster group cohesion.
These activities will also help to prepare you for the mushroom ceremony that will take place on the second day. The ceremony will be held in a carefully prepared space, and you will be accompanied on your psychedelic journey by experienced guides who will keep the ceremony unfolding organically with the help of traditional instruments and song.
There will be an integration circle the next day and a follow up video-call a week or so later to support you in your continuing integration.
The Winter Solstice is a particularly propitious time to do a ceremony of this sort for those wishing to plant the seed of a new project or resolution.
Schedule
Each day will be different, depending on the intention for that day. However, there will be sessions of yoga, sound baths and sound massages and walks in nature There will be group sessions to prepare for and integrate the mushroom experience as well as individual sessions. There will also be plenty of time to simply relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and the company of the other guests.
Nearest airport: Barcelona Airport (El Prat) or Girona-Costa Brava Airport
Nearest train station: Sant Quirze de Besora (L3), 1 hour and 40 minutes from the centre of Barcelona (NB NOT Sant Quirze del Vallès)
Pickup from the train station available
Accommodation
There are five double rooms, four with a double bed in each, the fifth with two singles. The rooms are all en-suite, spacious and with large bay windows providing plenty of light and views of the valley. No one is expected to share a room unless they choose to, unless they are in the room with two single beds. In the case that friends or partners share a double room with a double bed, there will be a small discount in the price for each person.
Price
Venue & Amenities
A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi
Spa
Sauna
Pool
Towels
Free Parking
Kitchen
Tour Assistance
Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea
Cafe
Restaurant
Fitness Center
Yoga Studio
Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent
Retreats are held in a country house situated in woodland on a hillside in the pre-Pyrenees. The accommodation consists in five spacious, en-suite double bedrooms accessible from the exterior. In the downstairs area there is a well-fitted kitchen area and a spacious living area which will be used for retreat activities.
Meals
Menu Types
Vegan
Vegetarian
Pescetarian
Ayurvedic
Includes Meat
Organic
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Nut Free
The food will be healthy and tasty, with a vegetarian option for those who would like it. In general, it will be fairly light except for the final meal which will be rather more hearty.
What's Included
Two nights in a luxury country house
One ceremony with a medium to high dose of psilocybe mushrooms in a contained setting (optional)
One low dose of psilocybe mushrooms in nature (optional)
Yoga with a qualified teacher
Sound therapy techniques designed to create an inter-personal resonance with a qualified practitioner
Other somatic activities designed to re-establish our connection with our bodies
All meals, prepared collaboratively
What's Not Included
Flights
Airport pickup and drop off (extra fee)
Customer Reviews
5.00 out of 5.0 average rating
5.0
Verified
Just WOW✨
My time in the magical and special village of Alpens was one of the most profound, healing, and mysterious experiences of my life. I couldn’t have wished for a better guide than Carla, nor a more nurturing place filled with such warm, feminine energy. There is still so much to integrate, but it already holds a very special place in my heart. I never expected to reach the depth of healing I was able to surrender to. Highly recommend💜
5.0
Verified
Great experience
Oliver was a great guide. He was easy to communicate with, provided a safe setting, and was both knowledgeable and empathic. The setting is beautiful with lots of hiking in nature nearby. The accomodations were also very comfortable. I highly recommend this experience.
5.0
Verified
Perfect first time experience
I did my first mushroom experience with Oliver and it was truly amazing. I felt that I could trust Oliver from the very beginning and felt very safe through the whole journey. The mas anfruns where the ceremony was held is one of the most beatiful places i have been, it's just perfect. Oliver was great guiding me through the session with his musical instruments. Thank you so much Oliver for everything.
5.0
Verified
A tender beautiful soul
Carla played so many roles during the retreat with After the Rains, every one with humble talent, experience, wisdom, humour, care and great compassion. She is a wonderful cook who effortlessly produces delicious meals for a group; skilful at leading us through yoga, stretching and breathwork sessions; listens with kindness and responds with wisdom, humour and humility; and supports with great care, compassion and sensitivity. She is intuitive at somehow knowing what a person needs, both during the Ceremony and outside of it, and I will not forget her soothing presence and physical contact which quietened me during times of emotional release. She also has a beautiful voice, which can be gently sweet or raw with energy, guiding us deeper within ourselves in a way which almost felt other-worldly. Her connection with and respect for nature, and also great experience and expression of humanity, emotion and creativity make her the perfect guide on the retreat journey.
5.0
Verified
A truly inspiring and talented leader
It is hard to find the right words for Ollie - there are so many and yet not enough. From my first call with him he was reassuring and supportive, genuine and open. He has a very calming presence which gently and non-intrusively invites you to open up your most vulnerable places, which he holds with great compassion and care, carefully listening and delicately questioning. His wisdom and experience with plant medicine are clear and were very reassuring to me as someone relatively inexperienced in this practice. His respect for and connection with nature is plain to see and deeply inspiring. His musical talents, beautiful haunting voice and instrumental skill are mesmerising, both during and outside of the Ceremony. His humility cannot hide the empathy, wisdom and care held deeply within a shining old soul. He also gives the best hugs! I felt literally and emotionally held in complete safety and support throughout the entire experience; never judged, always heard, sometimes advised, sometimes gently challenged, but always held with the utmost care and humanity. Ollie is the beating heart of After the Rains and a rare and special human being, and it was a great privilege to have him walk alongside me during my experience. I have been forever changed by the love, guidance and respectful care shown to me by this wonderful man. Thank you 🙏🏻
Select your options
Available Dates
December 19 - 21, 2025
Payments made through Retreat Guru do not include the cost of: plant medicine, psychedelics or similar products.
A preparation course valued at $109 is included with the retreat at no extra cost
Verified
Best Seller
Top Rated
Last Chance
2 Spaces Remaining