Terms & Conditions
TERMS OF SERVICE
OVERVIEW
True Nature Retreat Center VOF (“True Nature”, the “Company”, the “Organizer”, “we”, “us” or “our”) welcomes You to its website www.true-nature.be and any other websites owned and operated by us now and in the future (the “Sites”). Our Sites contain, among other things, information regarding our Psychedelic Retreats and various related services. Use of our products, software, services and Sites (referred to collectively as the “Services”) by our visitors and participants (collectively, “Participant”, “You” or “Your”) is subject to these terms and conditions (the “Terms of Use”) and form a binding agreement between You and us. Please review the following Terms of Use carefully. Each time You access the Sites or use the Services, You are agreeing to be bound by these Terms of Use. If You do not agree to all of these Terms of Use, True Nature is unwilling to grant You access to the Sites or Services, and You must cease access to the Sites and Services immediately. Use of www.true-nature.be, including all materials presented herein and all online services provided by True Nature Retreat Center VOF and its Subsidiaries (“Company,” “we,” “us”, “our”) is subject to the following Terms and Conditions. These Terms and Conditions apply to any services, material, content, or resources made available through the Site (collectively, the “Services”). These Terms and Conditions apply to all site visitors, customers, and all other users of the Site. By using the Site or Services, you agree to these Terms and Conditions, without modification, and acknowledge reading them.
CHANGES TO THESE TERMS OF USE
We reserve the right to amend these Terms of Use at any time. All such changes will take effect once they have been posted on the Sites and You will be deemed to have accepted any such changes by Your use of the Sites after such time.
To contact True Nature, please email us at greg@true-nature.be.
USE OF THE SITE AND SERVICES
To access or use the Site, you must be 18 years of age or older and have the requisite power and authority to enter into these Terms and Conditions. Children under the age of 18 are prohibited from using the Site. Information provided on the Site and in the Services related to retreat experiences involving the use of psychotropic substances, including psilocybin containing truffles provided by legal smartshops in the Netherlands, and other related information is subject to change. True Nature makes no representation or warranty that the information provided (the “Content”), regardless of its source, is accurate, complete, reliable, current, or error-free. True Nature disclaims all liability for any inaccuracy, error, or incompleteness in the Content and reserves the right to correct errors in descriptions and pricing from time-to-time.
USE OF WEBSITE
The content of the pages of this website is for your general information and use only. It is subject to change without notice. Neither we nor any third parties provide any warranty or guarantee as to the accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness or suitability of the information and materials found or offered on this website for any particular purpose. You acknowledge that such information and materials may contain inaccuracies or errors and we expressly exclude liability for any such inaccuracies or errors to the fullest extent permitted by law. Your use of any information or materials on this website is entirely at your own risk, for which we shall not be liable. It shall be your own responsibility to ensure that any services or information available through this website meet your specific requirements. This website contains material which is owned by or licensed to us. This material includes, but is not limited to, the design, layout, look, appearance and graphics. Reproduction is prohibited other than in accordance with the copyright notice, which forms part of these terms and conditions. All trademarks reproduced in this website, which are not the property of, or licensed to the operator, are acknowledged on the website. Unauthorized use of this website may give rise to a claim for damages and/or be a criminal offense. This website also include links to other websites. These links are provided for your convenience to provide further information. They do not signify that we endorse the website(s). We have no responsibility for the content of the linked website(s). You may not create a link to this website from another website or document without the prior written consent from True Nature These terms and conditions are in the English language. If these terms and conditions are translated into any language other than English, the English language text shall prevail in the event of a conflict or difference between the English version and the translated version.
APPLICATION PROCESS
In order to participate in the Activity, Participants are required to complete a Screening Questionnaire and to provide personal and medical information. We will send to you an email to confirm receipt of your application and to provide other details concerning your application, including to schedule an intake call and to provide details about registration for the Services, including retreat experiences. In the event that there is an error in this email confirmation, it is your responsibility to inform us as soon as possible by emailing greg@true-nature.be. The first step to be part of our programs is to complete an application process. Any information about yourself that you provide to us will be correct, accurate, and up to date. If we have any questions about your application influencing our approval of your participation, we will schedule an intake call (via Zoom). Once your application is approved, you will receive our confirmation by email. In case there is an error in this email confirmation, it is your responsibility to inform us as soon as possible by emailing greg@true-nature.be. When your participation is confirmed, you can pay the full amount of the program for your participation on the Retreat date which is still open for participants. Your seat at the date of the program you want to participate, is secured as soon as your payment is confirmed.
ACCEPTANCE BY EMAIL
We will confirm acceptance via email. Please ensure @true-nature.be is on your contact list so our emails don’t go to your spam folder.
REFUSAL OF SERVICE
The Services are offered subject to our acceptance of your application and payment. We reserve the right to refuse to service any person or entity, without the obligation to provide an explanation. We may at any time change or discontinue any aspect or feature of the Site or Services, subject to fulfilling our previous responsibilities to you based on acceptance of your payment.
BOOKING
To secure a booking True Nature requires a completed booking form and the full payment within 30 days. Clients booking will be deemed to have agreed to the following three conditions:
they have read and accepted our Booking Conditions and general information pages, contained on our website and other related documents True Nature posted or emailed the client.
they appreciate the risks involved in the use of psilocybin.
they do not suffer (or has ever suffered) from any pre-existing medical condition which may prevent them from actively participating in the retreat.
A booking is accepted and becomes definite only from the date True Nature receives your deposit payment. It is at this point that a contract between True Nature and the client comes into existence. Before your booking is confirmed and a contract comes into force, True Nature reserves the right to increase or decrease prices. True Nature reserve the right to decline any booking at their discretion.
LATE BOOKINGS
We emphasize the importance of making a booking at the earliest opportunity, because of the small group nature of our retreats. For bookings received within 6 weeks of departure we reserve the right to pass on any extra costs incurred. For bookings received within 6 weeks of departure the Contract between True Nature and the Client comes into existence once full payment has been made and received by True Nature.
PAYMENT
You acknowledge that True Nature reserves the right to offer sales or discount on the full retail price of their products and services without compensation if you paid a higher price. Payment plans must be paid in full before attending the retreat. If a payment is not made 2 weeks past the due date, True Nature reserves the right to cancel the reservation linked to the payment plan and the monies paid are not eligible for a refund.
CHANGES
True Nature reserves the right to make any changes deemed necessary to our retreats. In the rare event of a cancellation on the part of True Nature, we will offer a transfer to another retreat or a refund. True Nature is not responsible for any injury, loss, expenses or damages, either direct or consequential, or for any loss of time or inconvenience which You may incur as a result of trip cancellation including visas, passports, travel documents, vaccination charges, preparation costs, gear purchases, airline tickets, airline taxes, airport fees (including but not limited to visa, passport and vaccination charges, or departure, gear purchases, airport and airline taxes).
CANCELLATION POLICY
“Cancellation” is defined as not attending your scheduled retreat, including postponing or rescheduling. All monies received from customers are non-refundable with no exceptions regardless of the reason for cancellation. True Nature cannot make any exceptions to this payments and cancellation policy even if the cancellation is due to illness or medical issues; family or personal matters; revocation, cancellation, or expiration of Your visa; travel bans; deportation; any laws, regulations, orders, or policies concerning immigration and refugee status that may impact Your ability to travel; change in Your immigration status; scheduling conflicts; travel delays; a force majeure event (including, but not limited to, an act of God, war, terrorist activity, labor dispute, civil unrest, utility outage, etc.); or any other reason whatsoever.
INSURANCE, VISAS & VACCINATIONS
For protection, we require attendees to purchase travel medical and trip cancellation insurance. For example, some of the most popular travel insurance providers are Allianz, GeoBlue and Travel Guard. Your credit card or employer may also provide certain coverage.
NON-TRANSFERABLE
We furthermore permit customers to transfer retreat reservations and other service reservations to third parties in the event they are unable to attend a booked retreat.
SCREENING & DISCLOSURE
Each Participant will be required to complete and sign a screening questionnaire / intake form and a participation fitness declaration, and a participant release & waiver of liability.
PSILOCYBIN
Psilocybin (4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine) is a tryptamine compound that naturally occurs in species of mushrooms (Psilocybe sp.), such as P. cubensis and P. mexicanus. Psilocybin was first isolated and identified from Psilocybe mexicana by Albert Hoffman in 1957 (Passie, Seifert, Schneider, & Emrich, 2002). Once ingested, psilocybin is converted by the liver into four metabolites, of which psilocin (4-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine) is the main psychoactive compound (Passie et al., 2002). For the sake of simplicity and consistency with prior studies, the term psilocybin will be used in this protocol to indicate both the ingested and active substances. Acutely, psilocybin causes profound dose-related alterations in perceptions, emotion and thought in humans, leading to its classification as a hallucinogen or psychedelic drug (Passie et al., 2002). The psychedelic effects of oral psilocybin begin about 30 minutes after ingestion, peak after another 1-2 hours, and last another 1-2 hours more (Nichols, 2004; Passie et al., 2002). The oral bioavailability in humans is 50%, with about 20% variability (Hasler, Bourquin, Brenneisen, Bär, & Vollenweider, 1997; Hopf & Eckert, 1974). It can be administered intravenously with a much shorter half-life and duration of subjective effects, 20 and 15-30 minutes, respectively. Once in the bloodstream, psilocybin and its metabolites are renally cleared (Passie et al., 2002). Psilocybin acts primarily as an agonist of serotonergic receptors, particularly presynaptic 5-HT2A and 5-HT1A receptors (Nichols, 2004; Passie et al., 2002; Vollenweider & Kometer, 2010). Activation of 5-HT2A receptors is believed to be the source of hallucinogenesis, as ketanserin, a selective 5-HT2A receptor antagonist, blocks the psychotomimetic effects of psilocybin (Nichols, 2004; Vollenweider, Vollenweider-Scherpenhuyzen, Bäbler, Vogel, & Hell, 1998). Other serotonergic hallucinogens, such as LSD, mescaline, and dimethyltryptamine (DMT), also directly bind 5-HT2A receptors (Nichols, 2004). However, unlike LSD, psilocybin has no affinity for dopamine D2 receptors though a D2 blocker, such as haloperidol, has been shown to reduce the acute effects of psilocybin, indicating known overlap between the serotonergic and dopaminergic circuits in the brain. (Passie et al., 2002; Vollenweider, Vontobel, Hell, & Leenders, 1999).
SAFETY OF PSILOCYBIN
Psilocybin mushrooms have been used ritually by native peoples in Mexico in religious ceremonies and for healing from as early as 3000 years ago up until the 16th century, after which the Spanish prohibited their use (Schultes, Hofmann, & Rätsch, 2001). Historical accounts of psilocybin-associated fatalities involve situations that are clearly compounded by other factors: accidental over-ingestion by a child, concomitant heroin overdose, and psychological disturbance (e.g. jumping from a window with the belief one could fly) (Nichols, 2004; van Amsterdam, Opperhuizen, & van den Brink, 2011). The effective oral hallucinogenic dose of psilocybin ranges from 4 to 20 mg (0.06 to 0.3 mg/kg), whereas the LD50 for oral psilocybin ranges from 12.5 mg/kg in rabbits to 285 mg/kg in rats and mice (Nichols, 2004; Passie et al., 2002; Usdin & Efron, 1972; van Amsterdam et al., 2011). Therefore, the LD50 in humans is likely on the order of grams (Passie et al., 2002). There are no human cases describing birth defects or complications of pregnancy associated with the use of psilocybin. In a report of one woman who took psilocybin every two weeks during pregnancy, there were no detrimental effects to herself or her baby (Leary, Litwin, & Metzner, 1963). Furthermore, as with other hallucinogens (e.g. LSD), psilocybin is non-addicting (Nichols, 2004; van Amsterdam et al., 2011). A recent summary of 227 experimental psilocybin sessions in 110 healthy subjects demonstrated safety and tolerability of psilocybin with no evidence of increasing risk of subsequent drug abuse, persisting disorders of perception, prolonged psychosis or other long-term impairments of functioning (Studerus, Kometer, Hasler, & Vollenweider, 2011). The study reported that fatigue, headaches or head pain, lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, a “gone” feeling, lack of appetite, and heavy or tired legs were the most frequent adverse events experienced in the 24 hours following a session with oral psilocybin (Studerus et al., 2011). Other unpleasant somatic effects include dizziness, nausea, flushing, increased heart rate, and elevated blood pressure (M. Johnson et al., 2008).
RISKS RELATED TO PSILOCYBIN
While research shows psilocybin to be quite safe, some risks have been reported in the literature. There are rare but potential long-term side effects of hallucinogens such as psilocybin including disorganized thinking, mood changes, paranoia, and/or visual disturbances. Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD) occurs when a person experiences hallucinations or visual disturbances long after using the drug. These are also known as “flashbacks” and can be mistaken for a brain tumor or a stroke.
Side effects may include:
Amnesia
Anxiety
Depression
Difficulty breathing
Hallucinations
Inability to move
Increase in blood pressure, heart rate, and/or body temperature
Loss of coordination
Loss of memory
Mood swings
Numbness
Panic
Psychotic symptoms
Seizures
Speech difficulties
Suicidal thoughts or attempts
Weight loss
unusual behavior such as jumping out of a window or other dangerous actions.
If the mushrooms they have taken were contaminated or mixed with other drugs, they may show signs of poisoning including tachycardia (heart beating too fast), hypertension (too high blood pressure), hyperthermia (body tissue becomes too hot), nausea, or vomiting
MEDICAL INFORMATION
April 2021 - https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2032994
Potential of psilocybin to increase wellbeing from flagship academic studies worldwide, including research from the pioneering Johns Hopkins Psychedelic Research unit on the lasting prosocial behaviors and increases in wellbeing that are occasioned by having mystical-type experiences with psilocybin. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0269881117731279. In one study by the John Hopkins Psychedelic Research Project, psilocybin facilitated mystical encounters so profound that, over a year later, volunteers ranked their trip among the “most meaningful and spiritually significant experience of their lives.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5772431/. Psilocybin given at the full dose can be expected to alter affect (mood), cognition (thought) and perception. Psychedelics [psilocybin (magic mushrooms), mescaline, dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and D-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)] are substances that reliably induce transient, dose-dependent, profound alterations in mood, perception, thought and self-experience. There is a renewed focus on the therapeutic potential of psychedelics. Psychedelics administered in a controlled environment with psychological support have shown improvements in mood, anxiety, and quality of life. Clinical studies of psychedelics with psychological support have shown promise across a range of disorders, including depression, anxiety, alcohol and tobacco addiction, and anxiety associated with cancer. In parallel, there is a growing interest in supported psychedelic retreats, particularly in the Netherlands. Preliminary studies suggest that psychedelic retreats, echoing the clinical studies, may positively influence mood/anxiety, social/environmental connectivity and creativity and wellbeing. However, psychedelics are not universally beneficial and individual responses are highly variable even in healthy people in supported environments. Psychedelics can lead to acute and transient paranoid and disordered thinking, which can be distressing.
SIDE EFFECTS
Common side and adverse effects of psilocybin are listed in “Safety Pharmacology” in the Pharmacology section, and include anxiety, changes in thought speed or content, depersonalization, derealization, dizziness, fatigue, inattention, impaired concentration, labile mood, nausea, paresthesia, altered time perception, altered visual perception, and unusual thoughts. Psilocybin also produces pupillary dilation and can produce changes in blood pressure and heart rate. These effects are transient and are generally gone approximately six hours after drug administration. People in previous human studies have tolerated doses of psilocybin equal to or greater than the doses employed in this study. Like other serotonergic psychedelics, psilocybin can produce a number of psychological adverse events, most of them related to increased anxiety or psychological distress. The likelihood of these effects occurring during a controlled study is far lower than during nonmedical use (Halpern and Pope 1999; Hasler et al. 2004). However, the investigators will whenever possibly take the steps below to further reduce or prevent their occurrence. Panic attacks, severe generalized anxiety, or persisting insomnia Psilocybin can produce anxiety and/or panic response, and less commonly, a prolonged unpleasant experience (or “bad trip”), as can other serotonergic psychedelics, such as LSD. Medical case reports and case series specific to consumption of psychedelic mushrooms (Hyde et al. 1978; Musha et al. 1986; Peden and Pringle 1982) report that emergency department admissions after use of psilocybin-containing mushrooms report transient anxiety or panic. The most commonly reported adverse events described in a survey of 44 individuals admitted to hospital after psilocybin use were dysphoria that lasted for an average of 3.8 hours, followed by nausea or vomiting, occurring in almost half the admissions (Peden and Pringle 1982). The occurrence and intensity of anxiety or panic responses can be reduced through providing participants with information on potential drug effects, supervision, and monitoring of participants for the duration of drug effects and using ascending dose designs. The goal in this study is to treat participants undergoing anxiety or panic reactions first by verbal and psychological interventions and using anxiolytic medication only after verbal and psychological interventions have failed, and if participants are endangering themselves or others. In case of insomnia the investigator may prescribe a benzodiazepine or zolpidem as a “rescue medication” for the day or night after an experimental session. Residual symptoms will be addressed during the frequent follow-up psychotherapy visits with the investigators.
RECKLESS OR SELF-INJURIOUS BEHAVIOR
People who have taken serotonergic psychedelics, as LSD, in uncontrolled settings may engage in reckless behavior, such as driving while intoxicated. The risk of reckless behavior occurring during controlled studies can be prevented or greatly reduced through continued supervision by the researchers and requiring all participants to remain at the practice for 23 hours after each drug administration. MAPS: S Kumar PI Clinical Study Protocol PCA1 Final December 1, 2007 Confidential Page 40 of 83 Psychosis, suicidal thoughts or impulses As is true of the pharmacologically similar compound LSD, psilocybin use is associated with transient and sometimes prolonged psychotic states in users (Benjamin 1979; Halpern and Pope 1999). Researchers who reviewed case series and reports that associated LSD or serotonergic psychedelics more generally with subsequent occurrence of psychosis note that diagnosis of psychosis is made only after drug use, and not prior to it (Strassman 1984). After examining the literature, Strassman concluded that LSD might trigger psychotic episodes in people already vulnerable to psychosis but that it did not directly cause psychosis in people not susceptible to it. Two large studies surveyed clinicians or researchers who had conducted LSD research or LSD-assisted psychotherapy (Cohen 1960; Malleson 1971) and found the prevalence of psychiatric symptoms after participation to be very low. None of the participants in recent psilocybin studies experienced psychotic states, though some participants exhibited transient paranoia or some loss of insight into the situation during the course of psilocybin effects (Gouzoulis-Mayfrank et al. 1999b; Griffiths et al. 2006; Vollenweider et al. 1997). These findings suggest that while psilocybin can provoke psychosis or other psychiatric symptoms in a very small percentage of people, it does not do so often, and that receiving a psychedelic drug as part of a research study is extremely unlikely to trigger transient or persistent psychosis. The occurrence of transient or persistent psychosis can be prevented or further reduced by screening subjects on the basis of past and current mental health. Subjects with a personal or family history in first-degree relatives of psychosis (bipolar disorder or schizophrenia), or suicide attempts will be excluded from this study. If a participant should become psychotic or suicidal for a time exceeding the duration of drug effects and the investigators are unable to ameliorate these symptoms, arrangements will be made for him or her to be admitted to the nearest inpatient psychiatric facility at the clinic. Chronic neuropsychological effects Earlier studies found changes in personality or neuropsychological function after frequent chronic LSD use. However, a review of these studies concluded that they all shared a number of methodological flaws (Halpern and Pope 1999) that included retrospective study design, failure to account for effects of other drugs, possible pre-existing morbidity, and the association of LSD with subcultures that valued specific personality types. In their review and analysis, Halpern and Pope concluded that long-term changes in personality or psychological function, if they existed at all, were liable to be subtle or not clinically significant (Halpern and Pope 1999). It is notable that two months after psilocybin administration, investigation in psilocybin-naïve individuals, investigators found that friends or relatives of the study participants stated that after participants received psilocybin, they underwent positive changes in their attitudes and behavior (Griffiths et al. 2006). Some people who have used serotonergic psychedelics, such as LSD or psilocybin, experience persistent and distressing alterations in mostly visual perception that last from weeks to years after use. This condition is now diagnosed as hallucinogen persistent perception disorder (HPPD), and is not referred to by the term “flashbacks,” which better describes an experience more akin to traumatic recall of an intensely upsetting experience, as a “bad trip.” By contrast, HPPD involves changes in visual perception rather than a re-experiencing of feelings or memories first experienced while under the influence of a psychedelic. There is a paucity of data concerning the prevalence of HPPD due to psilocybin use. To date, there are no reports describing prevalence of HPPD in the general population, but an examination of previous reports and estimates of use of LSD and other serotonergic hallucinogens use in the US suggests that HPPD is very rare (Halpern and Pope 2003; Johnston et al. 2003). Halpern and Pope note that many to most previous studies were affected by selection bias. These reports also contained information supporting alternative explanations of flashbacks or HPPD, such as use of other drugs or the presence of other mental disorders, and these same reports found some people who had not used psychedelics also reported experiencing similar perceptual disturbances. In a 2003 NSDUH survey, 9.7% of respondents reported at least some lifetime use of LSD, (Johnston and O’Malley 2004), and 0.2% reported using LSD at least once in the past year (NSDUH, 2004), suggesting that if HPPD were a common outcome of LSD use, it would be reported more often in the literature. Preliminary data collected by Baggott suggests that no more than 1% of 1000 hallucinogen users surveyed experience HPPD (Baggott 2006). The risk of HPPD occurring after psilocybin administration can be reduced by screening participants for potential risk factors such as substance dependence and through excluding people reporting HPPD after prior use of hallucinogens. Reproductive and Developmental Risks Pregnant women will be excluded from participation in the proposed study. Women of childbearing potential enrolled in the study must practice a reliable method of birth control, and they must have a negative pregnancy screen before undergoing each experimental session. Although there is no evidence that psilocybin is teratogenic or mutagenic (see below under “reproductive toxicity” in “Chemistry and Pharmacology” and in the IB), the exclusion of women who can become pregnant from this study is a general ethical commitment. Potential for
DRUG/ DRUG INTERACTIONS
There is scant literature on potential drug-drug interactions between psilocybin and other medications or psychoactives, and a review addressing the pharmacology of psilocybin fails to mention any interactions of note (Passie et al. 2002). Research studies in humans demonstrated that drugs that antagonize the 5HT2A receptor may attenuate or eliminate most of the subjective effects of psilocybin, very likely including therapeutic effects (Carter et al. 2007; Vollenweider et al. 1998) and that D2 receptor antagonists, as haloperidol, attenuate effects on positive mood and increased anxiety (Vollenweider et al. 1998). Surveys of recreational users of serotonergic psychedelics, including psilocybin, suggests that selective serotonin uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may at first enhance psychedelic effects, but that chronic SSRI treatment attenuates drug effects, and that treatment with MAOIs also attenuates the effects of LSD in humans (Bonson et al. 1996).
MAPS: S Kumar PI Clinical Study Protocol PCA1 Final December 1, 2007 Confidential Page 42 of 83 By contrast, a chronic course of tricyclic antidepressants may amplify the psychedelic effects of serotonergic psychedelics, likely including psilocybin (Bonson and Murphy 1996). Early research in rats found that opioid agonists attenuated LSD-associated behavior in rats, such as changes in body posture and disruption of operant conditioning for food reward, while opioid antagonists enhanced these behaviors (Domino 1986; Ruffing and Domino 1981). As noted in “Drug Description and Dose” above, Charles Grob MD, the principal investigator conducting the study of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in people with advanced stage cancer, reported that opiates attenuated the effects of psilocybin, but otherwise produced no adverse drug-drug interactions (Grob 2007). This pilot study of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy may contribute to knowledge of the safety of psilocybin in a medical setting, but based on the existing literature, we are taking appropriate cautions.
SSRI: For SSRI’s, we recommend taking the lowest possible dose that your doctor recommends. If you can be off for the retreat and about 2-3 week prior this is best. However, we are not a medical staff and can’t make those requirements. Guests who have a long history of SSRI use may need more psilocybin and more time than others because this medicine is trying to work on the same receptors in the brain and after years of SSRI use, the receptors become overwhelmed and need a bit of time to balance out in order to receive the psilocybin. Again, we are not a medical staff and cannot make these recommendations, however, we know through past guests that its better to be off of these medications in order to feel the full effects of the medicine and therefore cannot guarantee any feeling, result, healing, or response to the psilocybin.
Benzodiazepines: Psychedelics and benzodiazepines while not dangerous to combine, you will need to taper and discontinue chronic benzo use as it will optimize therapeutic potential of experience. Continued use will significantly lessen the effects of the psilocybin. Due to the serious potential risks of withdrawal with benzodiazepines, the risks of discontinuation in chronic users may outweigh benefits of a psychedelic experience in certain situations Intermittent and sparing use of benzodiazepines in the week after PAP sessions may be helpful in managing anxiety or insomnia, especially in persons with previous benzodiazepine exposure
CODE OF CONDUCT / PARTICIPANT CONDUCT AT RETREATS
For the benefit of everyone on your retreat, True Nature reserves the right to accept or reject any participant at any time without liability, and in the event, it determines, in its sole and exclusive discretion, that a participant is disruptive to the harmony of the retreat, it may without any obligation to pay a refund or any other amount whatsoever, expel such participant from the retreat. We reserve the right to remove attendees who do not comply with the proper registration, security procedures or requirements of attendee conduct outlined below at any point during a retreat without a refund. The Organizer reserves the right to expel any guest without prior notice, responsibility for a refund, or providing accommodation outside of the retreat center. True Nature reserves the right to remove anyone who disobeys any requirements, procedures, policies or regulations of a retreat. You must not defame, abuse, harass, harm or threaten others, make any bigoted, hateful, or racially offensive statements. You may not advocate illegal activity or discuss illegal activities with the intent to commit them or cause injury or property damage to any person. You may not post or distribute any material that infringes and/or violates any right of a third party or any law or post or distribute any vulgar, obscene, discourteous, or indecent language or images. If we deem any online, social networking, or other media reference post, article, photo, or video regarding a retreat inappropriate, the offender is required to take down the material immediately upon our request for removal. If the posting is made during a retreat, this may be grounds for dismissal from the retreat, removal and preclusion from the Sites and future involvement in True Nature.
Without limitation of the foregoing, True Nature may, in its sole and absolute discretion, remove You or any other attendee from a retreat, without explanation, either before or during a retreat, if such attendee engages in any unlawful, unauthorized, prohibited, improper, or unethical activities, or any other acts or omissions that we deem worthy of Your removal from a retreat.
CODE OF CONDUCT
The Participant agrees to the Code of Conduct, during the Retreat. The Participant agrees that by participating in any one of these Intolerable Offenses, they can be sent away without question and without refund at the sole discretion of the Organizer. The Participant is responsible for any additional travel fees incurred.
The golden rule of “Respect”
Respect the agents and traditions we work with
Respect and follow indications and guidelines given by the True Nature team
Respect the healing process of yourself and others in the group
Respect the personal boundaries of others in the group
Respect that everyone is undergoing their own experience, and deserves to have their own space, peace and quiet
Respect all guests and staff. We have a zero-tolerance policy against sexual harassment. Please do not vocalize your experience or touch other people during ceremony.
Respect that engaging in sexual activity including with the self as well as married couples is prohibited. Please note that disregarding any of these will result in being given a warning or being asked to leave at the discretion of a member of the facilitation team without reimbursement.
The Intolerable Offenses
Sexual harassment toward guests or staff, including verbal/non-verbal insinuation as well as direct physical contact
Behavior that puts your own or others’ safety at risk including carrying travel tools such as pocket/utility knives
Repetitive disruptive behavior inside or outside ceremony that creates discomfort for other guests, or significantly interferes with the healing process of other guests
Leaving ceremony before it is over whether partaking of the brew or not
Bringing any form of recording equipment including a mobile phone to ceremony.
We have zero tolerance to the use of any substances, recreational or otherwise without the explicit consent of the lead facilitator, inclusive of painkillers, antidiarrhea or any other medication plant or pharmaceutical.
Leaving the retreat grounds without prior arrangement or explicit consent from the lead facilitator.
DATA AND INFORMATION PROTECTION WE COLLECT OR YOU PROVIDE US
Personal information is collected when a Visitor of the Sites provides such information knowingly through registration or a contact form, from third parties and referrals, and passively through technology such as cookies. Personal information includes personal data, contact information, company and business information, and interpersonal information. “Personal Data” means data that allows someone to identify or contact You, including, for example, Your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, as well as any other non-public information about You that is associated with or linked to any of the foregoing data. We may collect Personal Data from You, such as Your first and last name, gender, e-mail and mailing addresses. If You order Services on the Sites, we will collect all information necessary to complete the transaction, including Your name, credit card information, billing information and shipping information. If You provide us feedback or contact us via e-mail, we will collect Your name and e-mail address, as well as any other content included in the e-mail, in order to send You a reply. To make the Sites and Services more useful to You, our servers (which may be hosted by a third party service provider) collect information from You, including Your browser type, operating system, Internet Protocol (IP) address (a number that is automatically assigned to Your computer when You use the Internet, which may vary from session to session), domain name, and/or a date/time stamp for Your visit. We also use cookies and URL information to gather information regarding the date and time of Your visit and the information for which You searched and which You viewed. “Cookies” are small pieces of information that a website sends to Your computer’s hard drive while You are viewing a website. We may use both session Cookies (which expire once You close Your web browser) and persistent Cookies (which stay on Your computer until You delete them) to provide You with a more personal and interactive experience on the Sites. Persistent Cookies can be removed by following Internet browser help file directions. Except as set forth below, the only people who have access to personal information collected on the Sites are our employees who have a need to know and who are bound by nondisclosure agreements and our privacy policy. We have physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards to protect the personal information that we store. The only information we would share (solely during introductions or referrals) would be Your name and email. Also, please note that the Sites may contain links to third party websites. These third-party websites may send their own cookies to collect data and solicit personal information. Therefore, we cannot guarantee Your privacy when visiting such third-party sites, nor the accuracy or acceptability of any services provided by such third parties. When users submit sensitive information via the Sites (such as credit card numbers or social security numbers), that information is encrypted and is protected with SSL encryption software.
USES OF YOUR INFORMATION
We use the Personal Data that we receive to operate the Sites, produce our Events, and in certain other ways, including:
to facilitate the creation of and secure Your Account on our network;
to identify You as a user in our system;
provide improved administration of the Sites and Services;
provide the Services You request;
improve the quality of experience when You interact with the Sites and Services;
send You a welcome e-mail to verify ownership of the e-mail address provided when Your Account was created;
send You administrative e-mail notifications, such as security or support and maintenance advisories;
respond to Your inquiries related to employment opportunities or other requests;
to make telephone calls to You, from time to time, as a part of secondary fraud protection or to solicit Your feedback; and
to send newsletters, surveys, offers, and other promotional materials related to our Services and for our other marketing purposes .
We do not rent, sell, or share Your personal information with any other entity, except when:
We have Your permission; or
We respond to subpoenas, court orders, or other legal process; or when we must exercise our legal rights, protect our property, defend against legal claims, or otherwise comply with the law, or
We believe it is appropriate in order to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding suspected illegal activities, fraud, threats to personal safety, or violation of these Terms of Use.
You book a retreat and other products or services online at the Sites, and Your order is processed in collaboration with a third-party company, which are instructed to not share or sell Your information.
In the unlikely event that True Nature is acquired or transferred, or changes entity status through any type of transaction (including an asset sale, merger, or bankruptcy), the personal information will be among the transferred assets.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
OUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
The Site and Services contain intellectual property owned by True Nature Retreat Center VOF, including trademarks, copyrights, proprietary information, and other intellectual property. You may not modify, publish, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale of, create derivative works from, distribute, display, reproduce or perform, or in any way exploit in any format whatsoever any of the Site or Services Content or intellectual property, in whole or in part, without our prior written consent. We reserve the right to immediately remove you from the Services, without refund, if you violate this intellectual property policy.
UNAUTHORIZED USES OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
You may not copy, reproduce, republish, download, post, broadcast, record, transmit, commercially exploit, edit, communicate to the public or distribute in any way the content of the Sites or our materials provided or displayed at an Event, other than for Your own personal use. Subject to the above, You may download insubstantial excerpts of the Sites’ content to Your hard drive for the purpose of viewing it provided that no more than one copy of any information is made. We retain the rights to all staff photography and video footage during an Event. Any use other than that permitted under this clause may only be undertaken with our prior express authorization.
PHOTOGRAPHY
In the course of participation in a program, photos or video may be taken by participants or facilitators. These images may be used in any materials, website, Facebook, etc., unless participants specifically request to the photographer or in writing to us, to not use any material your image is depicted in. Otherwise, permission is granted to us to perpetual, royalty-free, worldwide, irrevocable license to use such images for publicity and promotional purposes.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RISKS AND ASSUMPTION OF RESPONSIBILITY
Although True Nature has taken reasonable steps to ensure safety, You acknowledge that activities You agree to take part in have risks, including certain risks which cannot be eliminated without destroying the unique character of the activities. The same elements that contribute to the unique character of the activities can cause loss or damage to You including accidental injury, illness or in extreme cases, permanent trauma, disability, or death and also can cause damage to or loss of property. Activities may vary from trip to trip and may include but are not limited to: yoga, swimming, hiking, boating, kayaking and being physically active in a variety natural environments with a wide range of surface and atmospheric conditions as well as wildlife. True Nature retreats can involve travel to remote places, often times many hours from medical facilities. Transportation, evacuations, and medical care can be significantly delayed; communication can be delayed, limited or not available. Environmental risks and hazards include rapidly moving, deep or cold water; insects, snakes, and predators, including large animals; falling and rolling rock; lightning, flash floods and unpredictable forces of nature, including weather which may change to extreme conditions without warning. Possible injuries and illnesses include hypothermia, frostbite, high altitude illnesses, sunburn, heatstroke, dehydration and other mild or serious conditions. Throughout the retreat, participants are responsible for their own safety. With your booking of a retreat, You acknowledge and understand that True Nature activities include risks of injury or death to participants. You understand the description above of these risks is not complete and that other unknown or unanticipated risks may result in property loss, injury, or death. You agree to assume responsibility for the inherent risks identified herein and those inherent risks not specifically identified. You acknowledge that participation in activities is purely voluntary, no one is forcing participation and participation is elected with full knowledge of the inherent risks. You therefore assume and accept full responsibility for any injury, death, loss of personal property, and expenses suffered because of those inherent risks and dangers identified above, and those inherent risks and dangers not specifically identified and because of my negligence in participating in this activity. We are not medical doctors, so all guests must consult their medical practitioner to ensure they in are appropriate physically and mental condition to participate in the retreat activities and any additional activities guests choose to purchase. We cannot guarantee that all services, amenities, or activities will be available at all times of year. True Nature is not responsible for any losses or damages incurred due to unavailability of services, amenities, or activities. True Nature is a retreat facilitator, we work with retreat leaders to create retreats. The beliefs or attitude of the retreat leader do not reflect the beliefs or attitudes of True Nature. True Nature holds no responsibility for the actions or omissions of third parties or independent contractors, including if they modify the nature of a service on a retreat as compared with the advertised nature of the service.
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: DURING USE OF THE SITE, RETREATS & OTHER SERVICES
True Nature disclaims liability arising out of use of the Sites, attendance at a retreat, or any other True Nature affiliated service or activity. In no event will we or our officers, employees, directors, parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, agents or licensors be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or exemplary damages, including but not limited to, damages for loss of income, lost booking fees, goodwill, use, data, or travel interruptions or other intangible losses (even if such parties were advised of, knew of or should have known of the possibility of such damages, and notwithstanding the failure of essential purpose of any limited remedy), arising out of or related to Your use of or access to, or the inability to use or to access, the Site or the services (including Your attendance at one of our retreats), regardless of whether such damages are based on contract, tort (including negligence and strict liability), warranty, statute or otherwise. We will not be liable for any damages arising from the transactions between You and any third-party merchants or service providers or for any information appearing on third party merchant or service provider sites or any other site linked to our Sites. Without limiting the foregoing, we do not accept any liability for damage to Your computer system or loss of data that results from Your use of the Sites and We cannot guarantee that any files that You download are free from viruses, contamination or destructive features. While we use all reasonable endeavors to correct any errors or omissions as soon as practicable once they have been brought to our attention, we do not warrant that the information on the Sites itself will be free from errors or omissions. We do not warrant that the Website will be available uninterrupted and in a fully operating condition. Access to the Sites may be suspended temporarily and without notice in the case of system failure, maintenance, or repair or for reasons reasonably beyond our control. All content and services on the Sites are provided on an ‘as is’ and ‘as available’ basis. We do not make any representation or give any warranty, and hereby disclaim all express or implied warranties, in respect of the Sites or its content, including, without limitation, any advice given (on a personal or general basis) and statements made by advertisers on or via the Sites, including without limitation the implied warranties of non-infringement, merchantability, data accuracy, fitness for a particular purpose and quiet enjoyment. Any decisions or action taken by You on the basis of information provided on or via the Sites are at Your sole discretion and risk and You should obtain individual professional advice where necessary. True Nature will carry no responsibility or liability for any participant who leaves the trip prior to its conclusion or for any activity undertaken by any participant which is not included on the trip itinerary.
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
YOU AGREE THAT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL TRUE NATURE RETREAT CENTER VOF BE LIABLE FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF YOUR USE OF THE SITE OR SERVICES. ADDITIONALLY, TRUE NATURE IS NOT LIABLE FOR DAMAGES IN CONNECTION WITH (I) ANY FAILURE OF PERFORMANCE, ERROR, OMISSION, DENIAL OF SERVICE, ATTACK, INTERRUPTION, DELETION, DEFECT, DELAY IN OPERATION OR TRANSMISSION, COMPUTER VIRUS, OR LINE OR SYSTEM FAILURE; (II) LOSS OF REVENUE, ANTICIPATED PROFITS, BUSINESS, SAVINGS, GOODWILL OR DATA; AND (III) THIRD PARTY THEFT OF, DESTRUCTION OF, UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO, ALTERATION OF, OR USE OF YOUR INFORMATION OR PROPERTY, REGARDLESS OF OUR NEGLIGENCE, GROSS NEGLIGENCE, FAILURE OF AN ESSENTIAL PURPOSE AND WHETHER SUCH LIABILITY ARISES IN NEGLIGENCE, CONTRACT, TORT, OR ANY OTHER THEORY OF LEGAL LIABILITY. THE FOREGOING APPLIES EVEN IF TRUE NATURE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF OR COULD HAVE FORESEEN THE DAMAGES. IN THOSE JURISDICTIONS THAT DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR THE DAMAGES, OUR LIABILITY IS LIMITED TO THE FULLEST POSSIBLE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. IN NO EVENT SHALL TRUE NATURE’S CUMULATIVE LIABILITY TO YOU EXCEED THE TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE OF THE SERVICES YOU HAVE PURCHASED FROM TRUE NATURE, AND IF NO PURCHASE HAS BEEN MADE BY YOU TRUE NATURE’ CUMULATIVE LIABILITY TO YOU SHALL NOT EXCEED €100.
INDEMNIFICATION
You indemnify and hold us harmless from and against any and all losses, damages, settlements, liabilities, costs, charges, assessments, and expenses, as well as third-party claims and causes of action, including, without limitation, attorney’s fees, arising out of any breach by you of any of these Terms and Conditions, or any use by you of the Site or Services. You shall provide to us such assistance, without charge, as we may request in connection with any such defense, including, without limitation, providing to us such information, documents, records, and reasonable access to you, as we deem necessary. You shall not settle any third-party claim or waive any defense without our prior written consent.
ENTIRE AGREEMENT; WAIVER
These Terms and Conditions constitute the entire agreement between you and True Nature pertaining to your use of the Site and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements, representations, and understandings between us. No waiver of any of the provisions of these Terms and Conditions by True Nature shall be deemed, or shall constitute, a waiver of any other provision, whether or not similar, nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver. No waiver shall be binding unless executed in writing by True Nature
COMMUNICATIONS & NOTICES
All notices, requests, demands, and other communications under these Terms and Conditions shall be in writing and properly addressed as follows:
True Nature Retreat Center VOF
De Nieuwe Erven 3, 5431 NV Cuijk, the Netherlands
GOVERNING LAW
True Nature Retreat Center VOF is based in the Netherlands. Save for the training course, these Terms and Conditions shall be construed in accordance with, and governed by, the laws of the Netherlands as applied to contracts that are executed and performed entirely in the Netherlands. The exclusive venue for any proceeding based on or arising out of these Terms and Conditions shall be in the city of Amsterdam, Netherlands.
SEVERABILITY
If any term, provision, covenant, or condition of these Terms and Conditions is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void, or unenforceable, the rest of the Terms and Conditions shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired, or invalidated.
Should a competent court determine that a part, condition or provision of these Terms and Conditions must be considered invalid or unenforceable, then all other parts, conditions and provisions remain in full force and are in no way affected, impaired or invalidated.
ASSIGNMENT
You may not assign, delegate, sublicense, or otherwise transfer your rights and obligations under these Terms and Conditions. Any transfer, assignment, delegation, or sublicense by you is invalid.
COMPLAINTS
If you have a problem with services offered by True Nature, please inform a member of our team immediately, who will endeavor to put things right. If your complaint cannot be resolved locally, you must advise us in writing on your return within 28 days giving your booking reference number and other relevant information. If you do not follow this simple procedure, we will have been deprived of the opportunity to investigate and rectify your complaint whilst you were on holiday, and this may affect your rights in bringing a claim against us. Please note that we cannot be responsible for the individual behavior of any group member or other guest at your accommodation or circumstances outside of our control
DISCLAIMER
This Site is an informational resource only. Any Content provided on this Site or in any communication with True Nature is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment for a specific medical condition. You assume full responsibility for how you use the Content. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider about any questions you have. True Nature does not guarantee the outcome of following the recommendations provided and any statements about the potential outcome are expressions of opinion only. We make no guarantees about the information and recommendations provided herein. By continuing to use, read, or participate on the Site, you acknowledge that we cannot guarantee any particular result because outcomes are based on subjective factors that are not within our control. Therefore, following any information or recommendations provided on the Site is at your own risk. If you need professional medical advice, counselling, or therapy, it is your responsibility to hire a licensed professional. By using the content of this website or by participating in our programs you acknowledge that we have no influence on your results because your experiences are based on subjective factors that are not under our control. Following information or recommendations from this website or our recommendations while participating in our program, is at your own risk. If you need professional medical advice, counselling, or therapy, it is your responsibility to hire a recognized professional.
CORONAVIRUS CANCELLATION POLICY
In the event that we are forced to cancel or reschedule a retreat due to Dutch government coronavirus restrictions, we will move your booking to alternative retreat date i.e. we will not be providing refunds. We do not accept any liability in the event of you being unable to attend a retreat due to Dutch government, or any other government, restrictions on travel, or any other circumstances beyond our control.
PSYCHEDELIC RETREAT PROGRAMS
We offer legal psychedelic retreat programs in the Netherlands, with a pre-screening and integration process supported by our team of facilitators.