5 Week Hybrid Psychospiritual Immersion (Online/Portland, OR): Embers of the Heart

Our team includes therapeutic practitioners, medicine holders, and spiritual practitioners, each bringing years of experience and unique perspective to our retreats. Each retreat is supported by a novel constellation of team members alongside founder Niko Whitefeather. FOUNDER, CEREMONIALIST Niko Whitefeather, a father, husband, brother, and ceremonialist, is deeply immersed in the realms of plant medicine and sacred traditions. With over 15 years of experience working with psilocybin and a decade of holding space in plant medicine realms, Niko considers it a great blessing to walk alongside others on their journeys of personal growth and healing. His path as a ceremonialist began amidst a deep sense of confusion and pain from a young age, evolving into a clear sense of purpose and service through the use of sacred medicines and earth-based traditions. Niko’s healing journey led him from an in-patient treatment program in Oregon, through South and Central America, where plant medicine ceremonies and indigenous practices catalyzed monumental transformations, sparking a significant shift in his consciousness and igniting his dedication to service and healing. For the past decade, Niko has been deeply engaged in mediumistic Afro-Brazilian traditions, studying, healing, and developing himself while growing in his responsibilities to assist and hold the space for others. Through this sacred journey, he has learned from elders and under the supervision of his mentors deepened his understanding of spiritual practices including energetic healing and prayer. Transitioning to offering therapeutic spaces and healing sessions full-time in 2021, Niko has had the privilege of holding space for well over 200 individuals across the Americas, providing support and guidance through organizations like Psychedelic Passage, legal entheogenic churches, and his independent practice. Currently pursuing a Master's degree in Integrative Psychedelic Therapy through the Ecstatic Mysticism program at AWE Institute, Niko is learning at the intersection of transpersonal psychology and indigenous wisdom. Influenced by lineages such as the Santo Daime, Umbanda, and Spiritism, his approach to healing and transformation is enriched by a deep study of the unseen. Niko's approach to holding space is rooted in compassion, the autonomy of the participant, and the belief that every symptom, whether emotional, physical, or spiritual, signifies a healing process already underway. His guiding question is, "What is blossoming in this moment?" With a grounded heart and deep faith, Niko creates a space of calm and openness, gently coaxing individuals to embrace the truth of their potential. He sees his role as holding space for each person's innate capacity to transform themselves, fostering an environment of open receptivity to the potential in each moment. Each day Niko seeks to bridge heaven and earth within himself first, then sincerely extends that sacred connection to each of the people he serves. Find Niko’s individual offerings at North Star Council, and on instagram at @niko.whitefeather