Frequently asked questions

Guided psychedelic retreats in the Netherlands (three days) and in Mexico (five days), the Foundation training in two cohorts, and the live event “Lebe deine Essenz” (in German).

All dates

Our offerings do not replace medical or psychotherapeutic treatment.

Whether taking part is right for your situation is something we check in the screening after you book.

In the Netherlands

• Arriving: in the circle of a group that supports one another
• The experience: guided, protected, and unhurried
• Integration: understanding and anchoring what you experienced
• Nature: meadows, a lake, and two temples
• Fully cared for: freshly cooked meals

In Mexico

• Cacao ceremony: opening the heart and arriving together
• Temazcal: a traditional sweat bath for body and mind
• Cenote meditation: stillness in crystal-clear water
• Ice bath and fire: feeling your own strength

Many participants experience the retreat as profound. How it will be for you is very individual.

Psychedelic experiences can be intense and should not take place unprepared or unaccompanied.

What is decisive for safety is careful preparation, a protected environment, and professional guidance.

Before anyone takes part, there is a screening, and on site you are accompanied by experienced guides and coaches, with doctors on the team as well.

After you book, we check in the screening whether taking part is right for you. For this, you will receive a questionnaire by email. Your answers help us accompany you safely and personally. Of course, they are treated confidentially.

Successful completion of the screening is a prerequisite.

Questions about your health belong in this questionnaire, not in the initial consultation and not in the contact form.

A retreat is especially suitable for people who are ready to engage honestly with themselves and to allow inner processes to happen.

Whether a retreat is right for your current situation is something we check in the screening after you book.

In a personal conversation, we clarify all open questions and find out whether this step is right for you at this point.

We place great value on a professional and safe setting. What matters most here is the guidance.

Our team consists of experienced coaches, therapists, and medical professionals with their own experience in this work. This allows us to accompany you with empathy and respond individually to whatever arises during your journey. Our retreats are led by Julius Rössle and Bernadette Langer.

Alongside professional expertise, we pay particular attention to personal maturity, integrity, and life experience. You are accompanied by people who can give you support and orientation. Throughout the entire retreat, someone is always by your side.

The guidance begins before the retreat with preparatory conversations and continues afterward in the integration. The integration coaching after the retreat is included in the price.

On site, we create a calm, protected environment in which you can open yourself to your inner processes. Depending on the setting, we also work with supporting elements such as movement, meditation, music, and experiencing nature.

Psychedelic experiences can be emotionally intense. Temporary anxiety, insecurity, or disorientation can occur. Physical reactions such as nausea or restlessness are also possible.

In rare cases, brief changes in perception can still occur after the experience. These usually subside on their own and can be supported through good integration.

Whether, and in what setting, taking part makes sense with certain previous mental health experiences or burdens is something we check in the screening after you book.

What is decisive for a safe experience is preparation, a protected environment, and professional guidance. This is exactly what we at Reality Upgrade place great value on: before, during, and after the retreat.

At Reality Upgrade, we also use complementary methods to overcome the limitations of everyday consciousness, such as music, deep meditations, or physical exercises. In Sensual Dance, we dance intuitively to a specially compiled playlist. This lightens the mood, especially before psychedelic journeys, and often ends up feeling like a kind of party.

Psychedelic states can also be reached without substances, for example in breathwork sessions through guided breathing techniques. We hold these regularly at Reality Upgrade retreats.

In Mexico, the program includes a cacao ceremony, temazcal, cenote meditation, ice bath, and fire.

We answer questions about substances and the legal situation in writing. Write to us at info@reality-upgrade.com.

Many people are successful by outward standards. But inside they feel: something is missing. And: there is more to life. Many have already explored personal development or spirituality in depth and are looking for the next step.

Reality Upgrade offers a protected, professionally guided setting for this: in retreats, in the Foundation training, and at the live event “Lebe deine Essenz” (in German).

Psychedelics are a group of psychoactive substances with consciousness-altering effects. They influence perception, thoughts, mood, and consciousness.

How a psychedelic experience unfolds depends strongly on your inner state and your surroundings, the so-called set and setting. That is why good preparation and experienced guidance are part of it.

Perception changes temporarily: shapes, colors, sounds, smells, and touch are more intense and different from usual for as long as the effect lasts.

Thoughts change as well. Deeper reflection, an altered sense of time, or an intense focus on inner processes are possible. Many experience a strong sense of connection with other people, with nature, and with something greater. This can open the way to deep self-knowledge and to spiritual, sometimes even mystical experiences.

A psychedelic experience can also be challenging.

In general, putting a psychedelic experience into words is very difficult. Imagine experiencing millions of colors but having only a handful available to paint a picture of it.

Humanity has used plants and mushrooms with psychedelic effects for thousands of years, for example in shamanic rituals. In many regions of the world, they are still part of traditional plant medicine today. Some researchers also interpret cave paintings and cults in ancient Greece as evidence of this.

In the 1950s and 1960s, LSD was researched intensively. After that, most psychedelics were banned and hardly studied for decades. For some years now, research has been experiencing a renaissance.

Classic psychedelics act mainly via the serotonin system. They bind to so-called 5-HT2A receptors, among other places in the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for perception and thinking.

The activity of many brain regions and the way they interact change. This alters how feelings, sensory impressions, and time are experienced. Unlike a dream, these experiences usually stay clearly in memory afterwards.

Thoughts can jump out of their usual grooves. Research is also investigating whether psychedelics promote neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt and form new connections.

The activity of the so-called default mode network also decreases, a group of brain regions closely linked to our sense of self. Many describe this as a relief: you are no longer at the center of everything and take yourself less seriously.

On psychedelic journeys, many people experience deep inner peace: everything is fine, everything is allowed to be. This often comes with a feeling of oneness. Everything is connected, and we are part of something greater: humanity, nature, the cosmos.

Some see their own role in life in a new light or come to terms with the cycle of life and their own mortality. Others experience something mystical, divine, that fills them with humility and gratitude. Everyday worries fade into the background.

Many people also know similar states without substances, for example through meditation, mindfulness, silence, prayer, falling in love, reading meaningful texts, or in seminars and retreats. How it will be for you is very individual.

Research on psychedelics has grown strongly in recent years, at universities and clinics worldwide. The coming years will show whether, and for what, they will be used in medicine and psychotherapy.

Our conviction: a conscious and well-guided approach to psychedelic experiences can also have a positive influence on society, the economy, and the way we treat nature. People who live more consciously often make better decisions.

Nothing we write here is made up or reflects only our subjective view. Nor do we want to talk you into a psychedelic journey. That is why we recommend that you inform yourself broadly and independently: psychedelics are widely covered today, in books, newspapers, documentaries, and on social media.

On our Instagram page you will find impulses about us and our work. Book and film tips are under How do I prepare for the retreat? For fans of good fiction, we recommend the series “Nine Perfect Strangers” starring Nicole Kidman.

You arrange your own travel: by car, by plane, train, and taxi, or by having someone drop you off and pick you up. By plane, you can reach Amsterdam or Düsseldorf and continue from there by train to Leer in Germany or, alternatively, to Groningen in the Netherlands. From either one, you continue by train to Winschoten and finally by bus to Bellingwolde. From the airport, you can also continue by rental car (a drive of about 2 to 3 hours).

If you have a longer journey, we recommend arriving the day before and staying overnight at accommodation in the area. You will receive the site map in the WhatsApp group before the retreat.

Check-in begins at 10:00 a.m. on the first day of the retreat.

When the third day ends is stated in the schedule you receive with your packing list after booking.

No, overnight stays at the retreat center are not possible before or after the retreat. With your documents after booking, you will receive recommendations for accommodation 13 to 30 minutes’ drive away, which you can book yourself.

We also recommend staying in the area for one more day of integration after the retreat and only driving yourself again once you feel absolutely safe doing so.

Stay the way you like, from a four-bed room to a tiny house:

• Four-bed room by the dining hall
• Single room in the farmhouse
• Double suite with two single beds and a shared living room and bathroom
• Double room with a washbasin and two single beds
• Summer house with two double rooms and one bathroom
• Tiny house with a double bed and private bathroom
• Camper and tent pitches

Your room is firmly reserved when you book. We discuss prices and your choice of room with you in the free initial consultation.

Go to the Netherlands retreat

You are fully cared for with freshly cooked meals. The meals are cooked by our own chef: fresh, regional, and mostly vegetarian. We ask about food intolerances in advance.

You will receive your packing list together with the schedule after booking. Mattresses, wool blankets, meditation cushions, and eye masks are available on site.

About one to two weeks before the retreat, we set up a WhatsApp group with all participants and the team. There you can briefly introduce yourself. We share all further information on preparation with you, including your access to the free video course, the site map, and a short introduction to the venue.

A few ideas for further reading: for books, we recommend “Higher Self” by Gregor Hasler, “How to Change Your Mind” by Michael Pollan, and “Warum Ziele Quatsch sind” (Why goals are nonsense) by Stefan Frädrich. “How to Change Your Mind” is also available as a four-part Netflix series. We also recommend the documentaries “Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics” and “Fantastic Fungi.”

Alongside our experienced guides, some retreats also include people who are currently in training with us. They introduce themselves to you at the beginning. The same confidentiality applies to them as to our entire team.

You fly to Cancún (CUN), for example nonstop from Frankfurt, in around 11 to 12 hours. You book the flights yourself. From and back to Cancún, the group travels together by transfer: around 1.5 to 2 hours into the jungle, later around one hour to the sea, and finally around 2.5 to 3 hours back to Cancún.

Cancún is 7 hours behind German summer time and does not change its clocks.

German citizens do not need a visa for stays of up to 180 days. Your passport must still be valid for at least six months on entry. If you fly via the USA, you need an ESTA.

There are no mandatory vaccinations. Which vaccinations make sense for you is best clarified with your family doctor or at a travel medicine consultation.

Late April is the dry season: around 30 to 34 °C during the day, 20 to 23 °C at night, and the sea is 26 to 27 °C. The rainy season and hurricane season do not begin until June. These are guide values. Sun protection and mosquito repellent belong in your luggage.

There is no partial travel warning from the German Federal Foreign Office for Yucatán and Quintana Roo (as of September 29, 2026). The place by the sea is a small, quiet fishing village without mass tourism, and the retreat site lies secluded in the jungle. We work there with hosts we know and trust. The group travels together by transfer and is always on the move with the team.

Please check the current travel and safety advice from the German Federal Foreign Office before your trip.

Yes, bring pesos. The ATM in the village by the sea is not always reliable.

Things that have proven useful are a notebook, a sleep mask, earplugs, an unbreakable water bottle, a travel adapter, and sun protection and mosquito repellent. Your own yoga mat is optional. You will receive your packing list after booking.

The cost depends on the retreat, the room, and the date. We discuss it with you personally in the free initial consultation.

Request a consultation »

Netherlands

Accommodation in the category you booked, full board, the complete retreat program with professional guidance from the Reality Upgrade team, and the integration coaching. Not included: travel to and from the retreat (individually and at your own expense) and overnight stays before or after the retreat.

Mexico

Accommodation at the Awakening Sanctuary near Tizimín and at Casa Awakening in El Cuyo, full board, cacao ceremony, temazcal, cenote meditation, ice bath and fire, guidance from the Reality Upgrade team and integration coaching, shared transfers from and back to Cancún. Not included: flights to Cancún, travel insurance (we recommend travel cancellation insurance), overnight stays before and after the retreat, personal expenses.

You pay 20 percent when you book, 30 percent three months before, and the rest six weeks before the retreat. If you pay everything at once by instant bank transfer, you receive an early payment discount.

If you book at shorter notice, the shares change. The due dates are stated on your invoice, with no interest charged.

You can cancel at any time before the retreat begins. Cancellation fees then apply, graded by timing: the closer to the retreat, the higher they are. The exact scale is set out in your booking documents. We recommend travel cancellation insurance.

In legal terms, a retreat is package travel. There is no statutory right of withdrawal for it, but you can cancel at any time, subject to cancellation fees.

Up to seven days before the start, you can transfer your place if the other person completes the screening. Please let us know in writing in good time.

You can book a double room as a pair, on your own to share with one other person, or for sole use. If you want to sleep alone without a surcharge, book the single room.

The organizer and your contracting party is Reality Upgrade B.V., based in Vaals in the Netherlands.

Cohort 1 starts with the kick-off in Cologne on March 11 to 14, 2027, and cohort 2 on September 4 to 7, 2027. Before that, you complete your self-experience at a retreat of your choice.

All modules and dates

We discuss the investment with you personally in the free consultation, as it depends on your individual situation, among other things. In the consultation, we find the right package for you.

Included are the self-experience retreat with overnight stay and full board, the kick-off in Cologne with meals, the 7-day intensive with accommodation and meals, all online sessions, the buddy system, the final assessment on site, the certificate, and the care package. The online sessions take place live. Not included are getting there and back and the hotel stay in Cologne.

You need to firmly plan for the in-person modules, as they are mandatory: self-experience, kick-off, 7-day intensive, and volunteer assignment. That is where you learn and practice the new material.

Between the in-person modules, there are regular live sessions to go deeper, plus the workbook as a companion book for reviewing the material and for self-reflection.

No. Your first guided experience of your own is itself part of the training.

No, a specific background is not a requirement. Many participants come from helping professions such as coaching, therapy, medicine, or education, while others bring their expertise from entirely different fields. What matters is not your title, but your maturity, empathy, and willingness to devote yourself to this work with seriousness.

After you apply, we look together with you at whether the training is the right next step for you. This includes a detailed questionnaire about your professional and personal history and a personal conversation with one of our trainers. It is not about being perfect, but about clarity for you and for us.

Whether you can take part is something we clarify carefully in the screening before the self-experience retreat.

Yes. Psychedelic work carries a great responsibility: for you, your future clients, and the entire field. That is why we carefully assess your personal maturity, emotional stability, and suitability in the application process. Certain pre-existing psychiatric conditions or acute addiction problems can stand in the way of taking part. If you have any doubts, raise them openly in the introductory conversation, and we will advise you honestly.

You receive a solid foundation and the certificate from Reality Upgrade. Which legal frameworks apply in Germany and the Netherlands is something you learn in detail in the first module.

It takes place in German and, depending on the cohort, can also be held in English, including for international participants.

The final assessment, with a knowledge test, a practical part, and a final interview, takes place on site at the volunteer retreat in the Netherlands.

The training concludes with a certificate from Reality Upgrade.

The final assessment, with a knowledge test, a practical part, and a final interview, takes place on site at the volunteer retreat in the Netherlands. If you do not pass on the first attempt, we will discuss the next steps together, and you will have the opportunity to try again.

A continuing mentorship is planned for after the training.

At the free live webinar on Zoom (in German) with Dr. Stefan Frädrich and other experts, you can ask all your questions. Or you can book a no-obligation consultation.

Go to the live webinar | Consultation