A Practical Approach to a Profound Experience
At Eleusinia, we offer a different kind of DMT retreat. One that prioritizes safety, clarity, and grounded exploration. While many guests arrive with experience using other psychedelics, DMT is often new territory. It is fast, intense, and short-lived. When introduced thoughtfully, it can become one of the most impactful parts of the journey.
Although Eleusinia is primarily known as a psilocybin retreat, DMT plays an important and unique supporting role within our program and larger framework. We have found that the combination of the two offers a synergistic experience which helps guests build sensitivity and deepen their response to both DMT and psilocybin.
We do not sensationalize psychedelics. Instead, we design experiences that help guests feel prepared, supported, and empowered. Alongside our guided psilocybin sessions, each retreat format includes both guided and self-directed DMT sessions. These allow guests to build comfort, understand the unique mechanisms and effects of each substance, and develop confidence in their ability to engage with them over the long term.
The Structure of Our DMT Retreats
In the 8-day retreat format, guests receive the fullest experience with DMT. It begins with a two-part introductory session in our garden, guided by two facilitators. The first round is a light, preparatory dose. After a short pause, the second round invites a deeper dive. This structure allows guests to ease into the experience and build confidence before exploring more independently.
Later in the week, guests move into a second DMT session designed for autonomy. Set again in the garden, these independent sessions allow guests to choose their own location, pace, and preferred level of facilitator involvement. Some prefer solitude. Others appreciate a nearby presence. The goal is to help each guest find their own rhythm. The 8-day retreat also includes access to an onsite DMT extraction class, which provides additional opportunities for hands-on sessions and practical skills development. Most guests in this format end up with six or more DMT experiences, each building sensitivity and familiarity to the effects of psychedelics.
In parallel to the DMT sessions, guests participate in curated psilocybin macro and minidose dose sessions. These are structured with care and are often significantly enhanced by the groundwork laid in the DMT sessions. Together, these modalities support a richer, more integrated experience.
The 4-day retreat format offers a more concentrated structure. Guests begin with the same guided DMT introductory session, and later in the day, those who choose to participate in the DMT extraction class have the opportunity to fit in a more individualized, independent session in the garden. While there is less time overall, we make sure guests who join the class get a chance to explore on their own terms. It is an important step in preparing for future home practice. This 4-day retreat format also includes one full psilocybin macro session, giving guests a solid foundation to build upon.
Our 7-day alumni program mirrors the 8-day format in its structure, while adding more advanced practices such as combining DMT with sensory deprivation. Designed for returning guests, it supports deeper, more customized exploration of both psilocybin and DMT.
How the Sessions Work at our DMT Retreat
Each DMT experience at Eleusinia is administered using a vaporizer, allowing guests to titrate the dose in real time. A typical session lasts about 10 to 15 minutes. That is long enough to be immersive and short enough to feel approachable. On DMT days, the garden transforms into a calm, dreamlike space where guests recline in hammocks or lounge under trees, gently navigating the inner world with their vaporizers in hand.
The first session is always guided and structured. The second gives guests room to explore. This combination of structure followed by freedom is what helps guests find their own personal groove. Some experiment with different positions, eyes open or closed, or various levels of intensity. The goal is to discover what feels right for you, not to chase someone else’s experience.
Building Sensitivity Through Repetition
One of the most fascinating effects of DMT is how it sensitizes the system with repeated use. Guests often report needing significantly less of the substance to reach the same depth after a few sessions. This is particularly valuable for those coming off antidepressants, which can initially dampen psychedelic effects.
One guest, for instance, required 12 puffs on their first DMT experience to reach just a light effect. By the end of the week, they only needed four for a full takeoff. That same pattern showed up in their second psilocybin session. Previously muted, now vivid and responsive. This gentle, repeated exposure allows the body and mind to catch up and open up. We describe the process as “dusting off” the receptors or a process by which healthy exposure to repetitive sessions makes those receptors more responsive and reactive.
We also often use DMT as a bridge for guests who initially struggle to connect with psilocybin. It is quick, easy to titrate, and can help activate responsiveness, making the later psilocybin sessions more impactful.
Why N,N-DMT?
At Eleusinia, we exclusively use plant-based N,N-DMT. This form meets our standards for safety, sustainability, and ethical alignment. It is non-addictive, has a strong safety profile, and is easy to produce independently. These are important qualities for guests planning to integrate DMT into a long-term personal practice.
We do not work with 5-MeO-DMT, a much stronger compound often derived from toads. In addition to the ethical concerns of sourcing it from animals, 5-MeO-DMT poses real safety risks when used independently. Its overwhelming intensity can cause loss of consciousness and interfere with the body’s natural reflexes, including the ability to protect one’s airway. For these reasons, it does not fit within our standards of care at the retreat.
For a deeper comparison of these two forms of DMT, see our article N-DMT vs 5-MeO-DMT: A Comprehensive Comparative Analysis.
Short, Clean, and Accessible
Guests are often surprised by how approachable DMT feels when it is introduced in a professional and thoughtful manner. One man arrived at Eleusinia focused entirely on psilocybin and initially planned to skip the DMT session. After his first DMT experience, he changed course completely. “It was so profound, but only 15 minutes,” he said. “It is something I know I will actually use in the future.”
The short duration of DMT makes it a powerful tool for regular practice. Combined with the ability to self-administer and adjust the dose in real time, it offers a level of control that many find empowering. For those interested in understanding more of the therapeutic potential of DMT, we recommend exploring The Neuroprotective Effects of DMT, which outlines emerging research into its health and cognitive benefits.
A DMT Retreat That Grows With You
A DMT experience at Eleusinia is not about intensity for its own sake. It is about insight, sensitivity, and the slow, powerful work of getting to know yourself better. And it works best when paired with the broader psychedelic journey, particularly psilocybin. Together, they form a balanced and flexible approach to inner exploration and lasting results.
Through a combination of structured guidance and space for self-direction, our guests are able to develop a practice that is not only transformative but sustainable. Whether you are new to DMT and psilocybin or returning to deepen your relationship with them, Eleusinia offers a safe, ethical, and supportive space infused with knowledge and education so that you can explore on your terms and take what you have learned back into your life.
