Experts in psychedelic care, psychedelic retreat, space holding team, integration coaching, psychedelic integration, midjourney image

An Extraordinary Calling 

Founded in 2017 by Natasja Pelgrom, AWAKEN THE MEDICINE WITHIN is one of the world’s leading legal life-changing retreats and programs with cutting-edge transformational tools in psycho-spiritual healing. 
At ATMW, we provide compassionate entheogenic retreats within a legal or decriminalized setting. In our professionally curated settings, these remarkable plants, fungi, and molecules can be agents of deep learning and potential behavioral change. These teachers have the capacity to restore our sense of awe and higher interpersonal connections; to ourselves, others, and the natural beauty of the wider world.
Our name AWAKEN THE MEDICINE WITHIN is part of our calling to remember our inner healing intelligence, our own ‘medicine’ such as gifts, resilience, beauty, and compassion. We believe, act, and create all our programs from the foundational knowledge of our shared humanity.
We consistently practice:
  • active listening 
  • practice in experiences that blur our disconnect
  • we pursue transcendent together 
  • the power of kindness 
Community and Education: We offer a virtual education and community platform for growth, connection, psychedelic preparation, and integration. Expert facilitators host live digital ceremonies, bodywork, and personal development practices.
Mission: Our mission is to provide high-care transformation while building toward a mycelium inspired heart-centered community. We achieve this mission through our dedicated facilitators and guest teachers that have over 30 years of experience in personal development, and the psychedelic and plant healing movement. Every year, we offer an average of ten in-person retreats. Through all aspects of practice and service, we explore what it means to meet this world and one another with an open, sovereign heart. 

Why We Chose "Entheogen" and "Psychedelics" as Allies and Teachers in Our Communications

  • MYSTICAL CONNECTION

    By using the term "entheogen," we acknowledge the profound spiritual potential of these substances. We honor the ancient traditions and sacred practices that recognize the divine within each of us and the role entheogens can play in facilitating mystical experiences, as they have for countless generations.

  • SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING

    The term "psychedelics" aligns with the growing body of scientific research exploring the psychological, neurological, and therapeutic effects of these allies and teachers. It helps bridge the gap between traditional wisdom and modern understanding, promoting informed discussions and evidence-based approaches to harness their wisdom for personal growth.

  • INCLUSIVITY AND RECOGNITION

    By using both terms, we aim to include a wider audience who may resonate with different perspectives. Some individuals may connect more with the spiritual aspects of entheogens, while others may be drawn to the scientific and psychological dimensions of psychedelics. We recognize the unique paths of each individual on their journey of self-discovery and growth, and we embrace the richness that both perspectives offer on our collective path towards change and transformation.

Approaching Psychedelic Teaching Agents as Teachers and Allies

In the realm of psychedelic exploration, the way we perceive and interact with these powerful substances can profoundly influence our experiences and the outcomes we derive from them. At AWAKEN THE MEDICINE WITHIN, we advocate for an approach that views psychedelic teaching agents not merely as chemicals or substances, but as genuine teachers and allies on our journey of self-discovery and personal growth. Here's why:

WISDOM OF NATURE

Many of these substances are derived from plants and fungi that have existed for millennia. They have evolved alongside human consciousness and have been used by indigenous cultures for healing, insight, and spiritual connection. By approaching them as teachers, we honor the wisdom of nature and recognize that these allies have much to share with us.

RESPECT AND REVERENCE

By viewing psychedelics as allies, we naturally approach them with respect and reverence. This mindset fosters responsible and mindful use, reducing the risk of misuse or harm.

GUIDES TO INNER REALMS

Psychedelics have a unique ability to open doorways to the inner landscapes of our minds. They allow us to explore our thoughts, emotions, and memories with heightened clarity and often reveal aspects of ourselves that were previously hidden. By treating them as allies, we create a relationship of trust and collaboration in our inner journey.

INTEGRATION

After a psychedelic experience, the integration process is crucial. Treating these agents as teachers reminds us to reflect on what we've learned and apply it to our lives. It encourages us to seek guidance and support in making sense of our experiences and their implications.

PERSONAL GROWTH AND TRANSFORMATION

Psychedelic experiences can be deeply transformative, leading to personal growth, healing, and a greater understanding of our true selves. When we see them as teachers, we approach these experiences with a mindset of learning and growth, making it more likely that we'll integrate the insights gained into our daily lives.

EMPOWERMENT

When we approach psychedelics as allies in our journey, we empower ourselves to be active participants rather than passive recipients of their effects. This mindset shift encourages us to take ownership of our experiences and make conscious choices throughout our journeys.

Meet Our Deeply Rooted Space Holding Team

  • Natasja Pelgrom, medicine woman, psychedelic retreat

    Natasja Pelgrom

    FOUNDER & VISION KEEPER

    Natasja Pelgrom is a revered thought leader and accomplished executive who has made indelible contributions to the realms of personal transformation and psychedelics-assisted care. As a sacred medicine woman, visionary leader, and consultant, Natasja embarks on profound spiritual alchemy journeys, providing a compassionate space for self-leadership, behavioral and systems change. Her aim is to empower practitioners and executives to thrive in their services by focusing on impact and change.

    Renowned for her highly intuitive guidance, Natasja has played instrumental roles in over 1000 psychedelic ceremonies, serving as a trainer, facilitator, and assistant. Currently, Natasja brings her wisdom and expertise to executive advisory roles in the (psychedelic) health and wellness industry. Natasja's multifaceted approach is complemented by her extensive background of 20+ years as a serial entrepreneur.

    Curious to hear Natasja's own voice and stories, listen here to interviews with her on one of our partner platforms the Third Wave, and her most recent interview on The Psychedelic Entrepreneur podcast.

  • Henk Doller, psychedelic retreat

    Henk Doller

    EXECUTIVE TRAINER & FACILITATOR

    Henk Doller has a Bachelor's degree in HRM Trainer and Education and he started his career in 1995 as a commercial intermediary. Henk has also developed himself as a project leader for the Information Management Academy, responsible for setting up and executing interdepartmental courses in the field of government and ICT. Since 2010 he serves as interim coach and trainer in the field of career, mobility, and management development.

    In 2012 he was initiated into the Munay Ki healing system. It’s an energy healing system and cosmology of the peoples living in the Andes in South America and Inca shamanism. Over the years he’s had many teachings and a wide range of shamanic lineages and since 2013 led groups and individuals of 1-25 participants in Ayahuasca ceremonies and retreats. His Dutch roots eventually polled him towards Truffles containing psilocybin and has now facilitated over the past 7 years. Henk has 26+ years of experience with one-on-one guidance and 20 years in guiding teams and groups. Listen here to Henk and Natasja on The Awaken Podcast, where they talk about authentic leadership, space holding, and plant medicines.

  • Jessica Grotfeldt, psychedelic retreat

    Jessica Grotfeldt

    MASTER OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE

    For more than 15 years, Jessica Grotfeldt has dedicated herself to providing safe, effective, and meaningful access to transformational healing experiences and sacred ceremonies. She is the founder of Luz Eterna retreats, has organised and facilitate many traditional retreats for western women in the America's. Jessica holds a master’s degree in Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. As a life-long student of ancient and shamanic healing practices, she traveled and worked extensively alongside powerful medicine curanderos from the mountains and jungles of South America to the highlands of Mexico. Now based in Barcelona, Spain Jessica intertwines the wisdom of earth-based medicine practices with modern integration techniques to support profound and enduring change. Listen here to The Awaken Podcast where Natasja and Jessica talk about the Healing Potential of Psilocybin Mushrooms, and Transformative Women’s Work.

  • Mela Mariposa, psychedelic retreat

    Mela Mariposa

    BREATHWORK & CACAO CEREMONIALIST

    Mela, is a breathwork facilitator, spirit coach, and cacao mama, she loves sharing her passion in rituals and ceremonies. The main focus in Mela's work is to accompany her clients/groups into a state of presence and into their heart space, where transformation can take place. She loves working with people who want to develop their potential and fulfill their dreams, people who are ready to go deep and want to dissolve old patterns and habits

    Mela has worked for over 12 years as a nurse in psychiatric clinics, she is a holistic nutritionist and spent years studying the science and practice of traditional yoga. She has lived, trained, and taught in various communities in Asia and Europe. Nowadays she integrates shamanic work, western therapeutic elements, and elements from traditional Yoga & Tantra. Her Cacao Rituals are a blend of everything she does, focusing on the power of intention and connection. She has a deep passion for this sacred medicine and loves sharing it with joy, depth, playfulness, and meaning. She works intuitively with every group, which means no ritual is ever the same.

  • John Newton, psychedelic retreat

    John Newton

    CEREMONIAL MUSICIAN & TRANSPERSONAL PSYCHOLOGIST

    John is a facilitator and artist with a love and reverence for inquiry, and imagination. With extensive experience in the psychedelic wellness industry and psychedelic harm reduction services, John has trained as a meditation instructor in the Buddhist insight meditation tradition with senior Dharma teacher Christopher Titmuss, and has arduously explored the depths of contemplative traditions East and West for more than a decade.

    His entry into this work partly began when he studied Transpersonal Psychology as an undergraduate; encountering the literature on psychedelic psychotherapy, the work of pioneer Stanislav Grof and visionaries such as Carl Jung. John has since explored the diverse tangled histories of psychology, philosophy, and Western Esotericism. For him, this has never been merely intellectual or academic, but intimately connected to an existential desire for collective liberation and experience of growing up in working class Britain, witnessing the shortcomings of mainstream public psychiatric services.

    He believes that live acoustic music is essential to psychedelic ceremony, and feels blessed with the privilege to share his skills as a musician and guitarist in the service of healing.

  • Amanda Morley

    BREATH & BODYWORK FACILITATOR

    Amanda has worked in the wellness industry for many years as a Nutritional Therapist, Breathwork Facilitator, Coach, Yoga & Living Movement teacher bringing together many practices and teachings to offer her clients a holistic and restorative approach to their well-being and personal development. She has explored and studied many spiritual teachings, practices, and forms of breathwork (following a profound breathwork experience in 2015) leading her to bring breathing therapy to much of her work.

    Attending silent meditation retreats led her to find great solace and healing from silence...and, after many noisy decades in London, she now enjoys being immersed in nature on Dartmoor in Devon in the UK. She is passionate about sharing the joy of growing older, bringing simplicity to our lives, and learning how to simply “be”.

    Amanda has found great healing and transformation from psychedelics and brings much life experience, wisdom, and heart to the work.

  • David de Wied

    PSYCHOLOGIST & SCREENING

    David is a psychologist, integration coach and retreat facilitator living in the Netherlands. At 20, his life took a transformative turn with his first encounter with psychedelics, marking the beginning of a deep exploration into the realms of plant medicines. His path led him from an initial pursuit of trying to understanding psychedelic medicines from the perspective of cognitive neuroscience to working as a psychologist with a mindful, compassionate and client centered approach.

    His adventures through South America, engaging with different plant medicines under the guidance of traditional practitioners, not only deepened his reverence for the shamanic way of working but also awakened a profound love for music as a therapeutic tool. This journey enriched his soul and introduced him to the harmonious vibrations of woodwind flutes, singing bowls and handpans.

    Today, David is committed to helping others navigate their inner landscapes with authenticity, compassion, and grounded presence, drawing upon a blend of ancient wisdom and modern psychological practices. He invites you into a journey of self-exploration and transformation, supported by the power of sound and the principles of nature.

  • Emylou

    Emylou Hurley

    COMMUNITY LIAISON

    Emylou, in her role as Community Liaison, plays a vital part in maintaining the highest standard of care across our hospitality, online education, and community services. As your main point of contact, she handles technical support, operational inquiries, and moderates our live online events.

    Emylou's experience is vast and encompasses organizational understanding as well as therapeutic knowledge. Amidst a period of dissatisfaction in her previous industry, Emylou embarked on a transformative journey after discovering psychedelics and plant medicine. Inspired by this newfound purpose, she founded Organic Movement, an ethical yoga wear brand. Emylou pursued Somatic Experiencing, a body-based trauma therapy, driven by a quest for deeper understanding. She's currently training as a Somatic Experience Practitioner.

  • Garo Feslian

    CULINARY STORYTELLER & CHEF

    Garo is a culinary artist and food designer known for orchestrating authentic, vegetable-centric symphonies over open flames, utilizing local and seasonal produce. With a deep passion for crafting unforgettable outdoor culinary experiences, every dish he creates is infused with the essence of nature's bounty. Beyond the kitchen, Garo's expertise extends to hosting retreats, where the crackling fire and communal spirit provide the backdrop for immersive, soul-nourishing moments. He invites you to share stories and join in crafting memorable experiences together.escription goes here

  • Danielle Walkenbach, psychedelic retreat

    Danielle Walkenbach

    MACROBIOTIC & AYURVEDIC CHEF

    For 25 years, Danielle has, in addition to her Shiatsu and Do-In studies, studied cooking vegetarian and vegan food inspired by Macrobiotics, Chinese nutrition Ayurveda and Anthroposophy. You could say that it is her great passion. Kyoko Onishi is her greatest source of inspiration. For years, she received lessons from this Japanese food artist and Kyoko, who has now returned to Japan, still inspires her every day. Cooking with such respect for food and the earth and serving to its wellbeing

    Nutrition is an indispensable element in maintaining health. Nature has everything in it to make and keep us healthy. By eating healthy natural food, you feel better, you become more vital and energetic and you feel more connected to the earth. The earth that feeds and cares for us. For more than 15 years Danielle supports the transformational processes at Buddhist, Do-In, Yoga and plant medicine retreats by cooking the right food for the right moment, intune to what is needed. An enormous creative nourishing connecting challenge every time.

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Meet our venue partners in shine

Yūgen Forest

We are delighted to introduce you to our official Dutch venue for all of our spring and summer retreats, a magical location in the countryside called Yūgen Forest

Step away from the busy pace of everyday life and into Yūgen Forest, a utopian space that brings together the ecological, spiritual, and economic needs of our time where a new vision for vitality, healing, and sustainability is flourishing..

On this land, climate-neutral lodgings, scientific welfare research, and regenerative nature management are given every opportunity to support each other. We are looking forward to working together on our retreats to give people meaningful experiences in an exquisite environment designed for rest, growth, and flourishing.

Nature based retreat, yugen forest, psychedelic nature experience, psychedelic retreat Holland
Nature based retreat, yugen forest, psychedelic nature experience, psychedelic retreat Holland
Nature based retreat, yugen forest, psychedelic nature experience, psychedelic retreat Holland
Nature based retreat, yugen forest, psychedelic nature experience, psychedelic retreat Holland
Nature based retreat, Rose Mountain, psychedelic nature experience, psychedelic retreat Portugal

Rose Mountain

Rose Mountain Retreat Centre is a place for coming home, healing, and transformation. Here you can experience an idyllic setting to tune into your intuition and deepen your connection with your true self. Immerse yourself in the Portuguese countryside with many of the beautiful elements its nature and landscape has to offer.

Heartworkers, dreamers, creators, and owners Bas and Melanie and their talented team are restoring the ecological and energetic value of this ancient land. A great part of the income flows directly back to the center and the land, especially for reforestation purposes, giving back to Mother Earth.

Rose Mountain wants you to experience the best of the simple things in life ⁠— namely natural surroundings, honest and beautiful food,  like-minded people, and belonging in the present moment.  You are warmly invited to join a retreat in this magical place to let your rooted dreams unfold, evolve, and apparate.

Nature based retreat, Rose Mountain, psychedelic nature experience, psychedelic retreat Portugal
Nature based retreat, Rose Mountain, psychedelic nature experience, psychedelic retreat Portugal
Nature based retreat, Rose Mountain, psychedelic nature experience, psychedelic retreat Portugal
Nature based retreat, Rose Mountain, psychedelic nature experience, psychedelic retreat Portugal
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