We believe all of us should have the skills at our disposal to hold safe, psychedelic space for ourselves and our loved ones.
Currently, countless programs are popping up left and right, focusing on training skilled psychotherapists in clinical settings or multi-year programs diving deep into ancestral indigenous use.
Often these programs are focused on professionals and come at a steep ticket price. We’ve created this program for making this deeply powerful information accessible to psychonauts from all facets walks of life.
With this program, we intend to provide psychonauts and, particularly, sacred mushroom enthusiasts with the tools to work with, support, and share the medicine to the best of their capacity.
While the course will reference harm-minimization and medical (therapeutic) use, the intention is to provide you with an excellent grounding in what we could call the ‘Sacred Mushroom operating manual.’
The program will provide you with techniques for navigating psychedelic space and equip you with tools to support others in their journeys. Drawing on the latest insights from psychedelic science combined with ancient ceremonial methods our approach will include breathwork, bodywork, mythology, music and a touch of magic!
We are located in the Guatemalan Highlands, the heartland of ancient Mayan Civilization. You will learn to work with altered states while experiencing the indigenous culture here at Lake Atitlan. This is an uniquely inspiring learning environment.
Become a node in the mycelial network. Collaboration is the foundation of our learning environment. The more meaningful connections there are in a network, the stronger it is. By learning together with everyone, you weave yourself into a global web and form bonds that last.
It's fun to live and learn together if we keep ourselves healthy and centered. Healthy food, yoga, qi-gong, sauna, swimming, walks in nature and meditation are some of the holistic lifestyle elements that help to keep our inner and outer space activated.
Sacred mycology is about creating meaning and purpose in our lives with the help of mushrooms. It’s about learning to interact and listen to nature’s wisdom within and around us. This wisdom has the potential to help us heal and regenerate ourselves
and our environment.
Sacred mushrooms can inspire us to find purpose and a deeply meaningful existence while living here on earth. We envision a global culture that is educated, conscious, and tolerant towards psychedelic medicines and the people who use them.
We shall sit together, people from many different lands and cultures, sharing our space, our experiences, and our questions.
This is a chance for you to connect more deeply with the mycelial network of those who practice the art and science of working with sacred earth medicines.
We will demonstrate ways of holding psychedelic space, learn from techniques of ancient lineages inspired by indigenous wisdom, and discuss findings from the cutting edge of psychedelic science.
We will travel through the landscape of the sacred lake of the Mayan people and through the inner worlds of deep ceremonial practice. We hope you can join us on this journey!
For an optimal learning experience we have limited the group size to 16 students.
To assure our limited spots are available to a diverse range of people, we have decided to work with an application form.
After your application has been accepted by the Fungi Academy Family you are able to secure your spot by paying a $500, non-refundable deposit.
The deposit needs to be paid within 7 days of your acceptance before your spot will be given to the person next in line.
*This price includes accommodation in a dorm or camping.
Limited private accommodation is available for an extra fee first come first serve.
USA
Karena has been a health blogger and influencer since she was 16. Her passion for wellness started at a young age when her parents grew ill due to poor lifestyle choices. When Instragram first released she jumped on board and decided to take the influencer route. She focused her time and energy into using this platform to spread positive and informative health and wellness tips that she learned through helping heal her parents from chronic diseases and illnesses.
She turned this passion into a career becoming 200hr+ Yoga Teacher, a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach in 2016. As medicinal mushrooms became more popular online, she began to incorporate fungi into her practices and teachings, helping demystify and spread the magic of mushrooms
Netherlands
Jasper is a first-grade mycophile. His love for mushroom cultivation started in the Netherlands after growing his first mushrooms from ‘Sacred Mushroom Grow kits.’ Baffled by the mystery of the process, he set out on a journey to learn more!
With 10+ years of mushroom growing experience and more than 2,000 students taught since 2019, Jasper has set out on a mission to make learning mushroom cultivation Easy, Fun, and Exciting!
This Myconaut did not fit in the traditional academic system, AT ALL. Yet, his thirst for knowledge carried him on a path of life-long learning. With the skillset of a self-taught teacher, he aims to make the art and science of mushroom cultivation accessible to everyone aspiring to be a citizen mycologist.
Guatemala City La Aurora (GUA) is the nearest international airport.
Travelling Economically
You can either take a shared shuttle bus or a private shuttle to get to Panajachel (the biggest town on the lake). From Panajachel, you can take a Lancha (public boat) to Tzununa. In Tzununa, you will easily find a TukTuk driver who will happily take you to the Fungi Academy! (Locals know it as the Ashram).
Shuttles to Panajachel can be found here
Private shuttle or car
There are plenty of private options available to take you directly to Panajachel or Tzununa on Lake Atitlan. You can either arrange one yourself outside of the airport terminal or book one through an agency at the airport.
As our student, we can help you organise a private car to the Lake!
Please note that flights and transportation to and from Fungi Academy are not included. Any expenses related to travel arrangements are the participant’s responsibility and are not included in the tuition fee.
Our retreats are jam-packed, so there will not be time during the retreat for you to visit other areas of Guatemala. Whilst we do have some excursions included in our program, if you want to see more of this beautiful country then we strongly encourage you to extend your stay by a few extra days to enjoy the many wonders Guatemala has to offer.
Antigua: A beautiful town not too far from the airport full of art, culture, and amazing food, all surrounded by epic volcanos, including Fuego, Acatenango and Pacaya. You can organise a tour to hike up Acatenango to get up close and personal with lava!
Maya Papaya is a beautiful and clean hostel with private and shared rooms. If you are looking for a spa getaway, we recommend Hotel Santo Domingo.
Our Restaurant list for foodies:
Guatemala City: The location of the nearest International Airport. Hostel Villa Toscana has been recommended by our students who arrive late in the evening or want to stay close to the airport for an early flight.
Lake Atitlan: There is plenty to do on this beautiful Lake! Amazing sunrise hikes, climbing volcanos, swimming or paddle-boarding out on the lake, yoga, ecstatic dance, ceremonies, open mic nights, and so much more! You can take courses in Spanish, permaculture at Atitlan Organics or herbalism at Casa Curativa. You will find lots of variety in Tzununa, San Marcos or the other communities around the lake. Lush, Picnic, Maya Moon, and Eagles Nest, are all beautiful spaces to stay in before or after the course.
Other places to see: The ancient ruins of Tikal, the wonderous pools of Semuc Champey, the surfy town of El Paredon, or the jungly beaches of Livingstone… Guatemala is beautiful, ancient and wild!
For more accommodation options, you can check out Airbnb and Booking.com
Our course price includes shared accommodation in one of our neighbours’ rustic but comfy dormitories or in a tent.
Private accommodation, in a room or a teepee, is available for an additional fee, though it is limited and on a first-come-first-serve basis. If you requested private accommodation and are successful, you will receive an email from us confirming the additional fee.
Please let us know if you snore or are a loud sleeper – we will make arrangements to ensure everybody gets a good night’s sleep!
Accommodation begins on December 1st and ends on December 7th.
You must arrive at Fungi Academy after 12 pm for check-in, but before 2 pm so you do not miss any first-day activities. Checkout is 11am.
Our own amazing jungle property is close to a river, filled with bananas, avocados, dragon fruit, zapotes and all the following amenities:
There is NO smoking, drinking or meat allowed on our property.
Yes! Most of our meals are vegetarian (we get happy chicken eggs from our neighbours’ and local grass fed meat from our friends permaculture properties), and our in-house chef has no problems catering to your needs!
There is no drinking, smoking or meat allowed on the property.
On the first day of the course, only dinner will be served. On the closing day only breakfast will be served.
Please let us know your preference, and we will make sure your belly and body are healthy and happy!
This year we are introducing our new Decompression Package! For an additional fee, you will be able to stay at Fungi Academy for some extra nights to relax and integrate after the course with accommodation, some meals, mind-body classes, massage, sauna and more!
Let us know if this is something you are interested in!
It is also possible that you could be able to stay on as a short-term resident after the course. However, we cannot guarantee your spot until you have arrived at the Academy and we’ve gotten to know each other! If you’re interested in this possibility, make sure to notify us when you arrive!
Guatemala is wild and free! You are coming on an adventure, there will be bugs, the dirt roads are windy and we cannot predict the weather – Come prepared!
It is recommended that you bring a mask (for cultivation), headlamp, walking shoes, toiletries, reusable water bottle, journal/notebook, swimsuit, sweater/rain jacket. It can get wet and cold in the afternoons. Ladies are recommended to bring reusable products, although it is not mandatory.
Yes! There are dogs and cats at Fungi Academy (future new furry friends for you!). If you have allergies, please let us know as soon as you can so we can place you in an appropriate room.
The currency of Guatemala is Quetzal. Currency exchange is available at the airport, any banks, and in some local markets in Lake Atitlan. There is also an ATM machine in San Marcos, the neighbouring town. Please come prepared with some cash, as there will not be much time to visit an ATM once the course has started!
Absolutely not!
If you want to become a psychedelic therapist, then you have to go through proper training. This program is made for people wanting to get more out of their personal experience. We will cover basic peer-to-peer psychedelic support on how to be the best co-journeyer for your loved ones. When it comes to becoming a “shaman” it’s better to search for people who have a lineage of doing it.
There are no more covid restrictions! You can enter Guatemala without a mask, test, or vaccination.
Ready to catch the worm – or in this case, a sweet discount? Early Bird prices are available on a first come first serve basis – whoever pays their deposits first! You will receive confirmation in your acceptance email if you have qualified for Early Bird (sometimes our system takes a second to update, so please wait for our confirmation).
Copyright 2025 © Fungi Academy. All rights Reserved.
