Psychedelics, Altered States & Personal Transformation
An Educational Evening + Experiential Introduction
Wednesday, January 21
Potluck from 6:30 pm | Circle from 7:30–9:30 pm
Wonderful Wednesday Potluck
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Psychedelics have captured renewed attention as tools for healing and personal transformation; but the substances themselves are only a small part of the story.
What truly shapes these experiences is the container: preparation, intention, altered states, nervous-system safety, and the way insight is integrated into daily life.
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Interest in psychedelics for therapeutic and personal growth has grown rapidly in recent years. Alongside promising research, this resurgence has also raised important questions about ethics, safety, responsibility, and discernment.
This evening is an educational presentation and facilitated discussion exploring psychedelics within the broader landscape of altered states of consciousness and healing; including both substance-assisted approaches and non-drug pathways that humans have used across cultures and history.
Rather than centering on substances alone, we will explore what actually supports meaningful and lasting change, and why altered states are most powerful when held within thoughtful, ethical, and supportive containers.
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Evening Flow
6:30 pm | Community Potluck: please bring a healthy food contributionÂ
A shared meal and informal connection to ground the evening.
7:30–9:30 pm | Circle
The circle will unfold organically, guided by inquiry rather than a rigid agenda.
Our intention is to explore:
   •   Psychedelics in historical, cultural, and therapeutic contexts
   •   Current research and therapeutic models
   •   The distinction between recreational, ceremonial, and therapeutic use
   •   Why set, setting, preparation, and integration matter more than the substance
   •   Ethical considerations, risks, and contraindications
The evening will also include a short experiential taste of non-drug altered states, which may involve gentle breath awareness, sound, somatic attention, and guided inner inquiry. This is offered as a felt introduction rather than a full session.
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Topics We’ll Explore
   •   Psychedelics and healing: ancient roots and modern perspectives
   •   Altered states beyond substances, including:
• Breathwork
• Fasting and perceptual reset
• Sound and vibration
• Movement and embodied awareness
   •   Why altered states require containment, pacing, and integration
   •   The role of community and witnessing
   •   When these approaches may not be appropriate
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Who This Evening Is For
   •   Those curious about psychedelics who want grounded, responsible information
   •   People interested in altered states without substance use
   •   Therapists, facilitators, and helpers exploring expanded-state work
   •   Anyone considering deeper inner inquiry and wanting to proceed wisely
No prior experience is required.
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Important Clarifications
   •   This is not a ceremony
   •   No substances are provided, supplied, or facilitated
   •   No sourcing, dosage, or instructional guidance will be given
   •   This evening is educational, with a gentle experiential introduction using non-drug methods only
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About the Facilitators
Mariel Camilleri brings decades of experience in somatic practice, breathwork, and group facilitation, with an emphasis on nervous-system safety, ethical containers, and long-term integration.
Michael Ionesco is a Yoga, Breathwork and Sound Healing practitioner and facilitator whose work weaves, movement, breath, vibration, presence, and attuned listening into spaces of inquiry and transformation.
Together, they emphasize depth over spectacle and integration over peak experience.
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Closing Note
For those who feel called to explore these principles more deeply in an immersive, facilitated environment, information about a separate full-day retreat focused on preparation, inner inquiry, and integration will be shared at the close of the evening.
Attendance at this event does not assume or require participation in any future offering.