Have a Good Trip
The Science of Safer, Smarter Psychedelic Experiences
Most “bad trips” aren’t random — they’re predictable. With the FDA fast-tracking psychedelic therapy and millions about to encounter this work, the question isn’t ifyou’ll need this knowledge — it’s when.
For the HeartMind community: a free, legal, science-backed class on what makes the difference between a difficult experience and a transformational one. Cautious about legality, safety, or losing control? Start here.
I sat with plant medicine myself.
As a veteran psychonaut of the 1960’s and 1970’s, I have been searching for the best provider of psychedelic healing retreats to recommend to our community, where there is a growing interest in the healing and awakening potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy and retreats. As most of you know, we have produced four annual HeartMind psychedelic medicine virtual summits since 2022. Based on my research for those summits and the many conversations I’ve had with the leading experts in the field, I have developed a clear understanding of the key requirements for truly beneficial, safe, and ethically delivered psychedelic retreats.
It is critically important that anyone considering participating in psychedelic retreats, therapy, or experiences of any kind does their own due diligence and chooses their provider with the utmost care. These are powerful medicines and need to be treated with great respect.
My ongoing search and research led me to the Colorado-based nonprofit, Ceremonia, founded by Austin Mao.
In January 2026, I attended Ceremonia’s Awaken Retreat with psilocybin mushrooms as a participant. In February, I traveled to Baja California, Mexico for their Heal Retreat with ayahuasca, again as a participant. In April, I joined the next Awaken psilocybin retreat as a facilitator. All three retreats were offered legally by Ceremonia, a non-profit church under the 508(c)(1)(a) framework.
I do not say what follows lightly. The container Ceremonia holds is the most rigorous, ethically grounded, and contemplatively serious psychedelic container I have personally witnessed. I trusted it with my own nervous system. That is not a small statement, and I do not make it casually.
In May, Ceremonia founder Austin Mao, now a HeartMind core faculty member, will offer his considerable wisdom and expertise to our HeartMind community with his free Have a Good Triponline masterclass. With the FDA fast-tracking psychedelic-assisted therapy toward federal approval, the cultural moment is here. For anyone considering the possible benefits of plant medicine experiences, the time has come to learn how to meet them safely. I’m excited to introduce Austin to our community, Tuesday, May 19th at 1 pm Eastern / 11 am Mountain.
Roshi Fleet Maull
Founder, HeartMind Institute
As Seen On
Roshi Fleet Maull opens the session.
Roshi Fleet Maull is a Zen and Vipassana teacher, prison reform pioneer, and founder of the HeartMind Institute. He’ll open the session with a 10-minute frame on why preparation, set, and integration matter for any contemplative practitioner curious about psychedelic-assisted work. Then he hands the floor to Austin for the rest.
Psychedelics don't create something out of nothing. They amplify what's already inside you.
Emotions, memories, beliefs, sensations, and the nervous system patterns that usually stay beneath the surface. Right now, many people are stepping into altered states with:
- No nervous system preparation
- No clarity on medication interactions or contraindications
- No idea how to tell a safe container from a risky one
- No integration plan for what comes up afterward
When things go sideways, they assume: “I guess psychedelics just aren’t for me.”
But that’s often not true. A difficult experience is frequently the result of preventable factors , not personal failure.
The biggest myth: A good trip just “happens.”
In reality: a good trip is designed.
A good trip is designed, not hoped for.
There are specific variables that shape your experience, and once you understand them, you can dramatically reduce risk and increase the likelihood of a safe, meaningful journey.
In this training, we’ll explore the science behind factors like:
- Psychological readiness, your current inner stability, stress load, and emotional capacity
- Nervous system regulation, your ability to stay present when intensity rises
- Set & setting, the environment + relational safety that shapes your brain's threat response
- Facilitator skill & ethics, how support can shift fear into trust
- Medication & contraindication awareness, important safety considerations before any journey
- Integration support, what determines whether insight becomes lasting change
- Expectations vs. reality, what transformation actually looks like over weeks and months
This isn’t about hype. It’s about responsible, science-informed preparation for anyone considering this path.
60 minutes. Nine answers you actually need.
By the end of this webinar, you'll understand:
- What actually causes "bad trips" — and why many are preventable
- Why resistance amplifies intensity (and what to do instead)
- How nervous system regulation changes the entire trajectory of an experience
- What to do if a ceremony goes sideways — how to respond safely and intelligently
- Medication and contraindication awareness (with clear guidance on how to approach this responsibly)
- How to spot red flags vs. green lights in facilitators, retreats, and containers
- The difference between legal, licensed environments vs. underground risk (without legal advice, just clarity)
- What long-term change actually looks like — and why integration is the real work
- How to prepare and integrate in ways that increase safety and meaning
You'll walk away with a clearer sense of what matters most — and what your next step should be.
Reserve My Free SeatThe research is clear.
Studies by Johns Hopkins, Harvard, and Imperial College London revealed immediate and lasting benefits to psilocybin therapy, including:
experience significant reduction in depression symptoms within four weeks
rate their experience as the most meaningful and spiritually significant event of their lives
increase in life satisfaction, feeling more connected to themselves and others
of Ceremonia alumni experience a ‘life changing transformation’
Who this is for, and who it's not.
This training is for you if:
- You're curious about psychedelic healing but want to do it wisely
- You want to reduce the risk of a difficult experience
- You're concerned about legality, safety, or medications
- You want science and structure, not random experimentation
- You want real transformation, not just a peak experience
This training is NOT for:
- Anyone looking for recreational/party use guidance
- Anyone seeking DIY dosing instructions
- Anyone looking for shortcuts or hype
- Anyone unwilling to prioritize safety and responsibility
If you value clarity, preparation, and integrity, you’ll feel at home here.
Austin Mao
Founder & Licensed Psychedelic Facilitator, Ceremonia
Austin is a licensed psychedelic facilitator, keynote speaker, and founder of Ceremonia — the leading legal, non-profit psilocybin retreat in Colorado. He has spoken at TEDx, Mindvalley, Necker Island, and MAPS Psychedelic Science on how connection is the foundation of healing.
He has guided 600+ individuals — from Fortune 500 executives to combat veterans — through transformational experiences. As host of the Modern Enlightenment podcast, he has interviewed Rick Doblin, Robin Carhart-Harris, and Louie Schwartzberg.
Approach
- Internal Family Systems (IFS)
- Somatic Experiencing
- Mindfulness
- Circling / relational presence practices
The Leading Legal, Safe & Non-Profit Psilocybin Retreat in Colorado
As Seen On
What he found at the Heal retreat.
Recorded the morning after Roshi Fleet sat with ayahuasca at Ceremonia's Heal retreat in Baja California, Mexico, February 2026.
Imagine stepping into a psychedelic experience feeling…
- More calm and regulated in your body
- Clear on what's normal vs. what's risky
- Confident about how to respond if intensity rises
- Able to tell the difference between ethical support and unsafe leadership
- Realistic about what transformation actually looks like over time
- Ready to integrate, not just chase experiences
That clarity changes everything.
Because the goal isn’t just to have an experience. The goal is to create lasting change.
Ceremonia Retreats, legal. nonprofit. science-informed.
Some people attend this training simply to become more informed. Others realize they want to take the next step, in a legal, structured, supported environment.
Ceremonia holds retreats in two locations:
- Colorado Front Range , domestic retreats accessible to U.S. participants, held on land near Denver.
- Baja, Mexico , international retreats with extended on-land time, ocean and desert held in the same horizon.
6-Day Awaken Together Psilocybin Retreat
- Legal, ethical facilitation
- Structured preparation, Inside-Out Mastery
- Trauma-informed support
- Integration and long-term change
- Non-profit, science-informed model
What comes after the retreat is what makes change last.
Insights die in isolation. They live in circles. Integration in community is the mechanism that turns a single ceremony into lasting change, and it’s the part most psychedelic experiences skip entirely.
- Weekly facilitated integration circles for the first 8 weeks after a ceremony
- Accountability partners assigned at the retreat
- Monthly alumni gatherings
- A lifelong alumni network of fellow practitioners
Why this is legal, ethical, and grounded in care.
- 508(c)(1)(a) non-profit church based in Denver, Colorado
- Founded by Austin Mao after his own 18-month integration journey
- Clinical-grade safety screening, medical contraindications reviewed for every participant
- Trained facilitators with 5+ year minimum experience in psychedelic-assisted work
- Science-informed protocols built on published research and clinical best practices
Baja, Mexico, Heal Retreat
Cabins built into the land The ceremony altar, prepared with care The open-air amphitheater Held in circle Quiet interiors for resting and integration Pool and quiet outdoor reset
There will be no pressure on the webinar, only clarity. If the path feels aligned, you’ll know what to do next.
Common questions, answered honestly.
Why is HeartMind Institute introducing this?
Roshi Fleet Maull and Austin Mao share a view: psychedelic-assisted work is at its safest and most useful when it sits inside a broader contemplative practice. Fleet's joining the first 10 minutes to set that frame, then Austin teaches the rest.
Is this training legal?
This training is educational and focuses on responsible decision-making. Ceremonia operates as a legal, non-profit organization in Colorado. We do not provide legal advice.
Is this teaching DIY dosing or illegal use?
No. This training is not about DIY dosing or underground use. It's about readiness, safety, and structured support.
What about medications and contraindications?
Medication interactions can be serious. We'll discuss how to approach this responsibly, and we strongly encourage you to consult a qualified medical professional regarding your personal situation.
Is this a sales webinar?
This is a real educational training designed to reduce fear and increase clarity. At the end, you'll have the option to learn about next steps with Ceremonia retreats if you feel aligned.
Who should not attend?
If you're looking for recreational guidance or dosage instructions, this is not for you. This is for thoughtful adults approaching psychedelic healing responsibly.
What if I've had a difficult experience before?
This training will help you understand why difficult experiences happen, what can be done differently, and how integration supports long-term healing.
Power with preparation can transform.
Psychedelics are powerful.
Power without preparation can destabilize.
If you want to approach this path with clarity, safety, and integrity, this is your first step.
Free. 60 minutes. Bring your questions.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 · 1:00 PM ET / 11:00 AM MT
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