A cautionary tale of spiritual exploration gone awry, blending ancient rites with modern crises.
Sowilo emerged as a controversial entity within the realm of psychedelic retreats, founded by Bruno Cluzel, a French businessman with a background in real estate in Miami. Transitioning from the corporate world to the domain of alternative spiritual practices, Cluzel established Sowilo near Merida, in the Yucatan province of Mexico, around 2020. The retreat center aimed to cater to the more adventurous end of the psychedelic tourism market, offering extensive programs that included daily doses of powerful psychedelics like 5-MeO-DMT, derived from the Bufo Alvarius toad, along with magic mushroom ceremonies, Samadhi (Syrian Rue), kambo, and breathwork.
Sowilo differentiated itself by providing what it claimed were spiritual-therapeutic sessions led by Cluzel, now going by the name Gabriel, who was presented as a non-duality teacher and guide with over a decade of experience in psychedelics. Initially receiving positive feedback and engaging productively with Retreat Guru, the leading platform for listing meditation and psychedelic retreats, Sowilo quickly became known for its intense retreat experiences.
However, the reputation of Sowilo took a dramatic turn as Retreat Guru began receiving multiple daily complaints about the retreat, alongside other grievances found on platforms like Reddit. These complaints illuminated a disturbing pattern of behavior and practices at Sowilo, leading to its eventual removal from Retreat Guru. This marked Sowilo as the only retreat center ever to be expelled from the platform.
Accounts from former participants painted a picture of a retreat gone dangerously awry, with allegations of manipulation, spiritual abuse, and dangerous practices. Participants described harrowing experiences, including being pushed into extreme psychological states without proper support, manipulation that played on their vulnerabilities, and a disturbing cult of personality surrounding Gabriel, who was claimed to have exhibited messianic delusions.
The stories from Sowilo serve as a stark warning about the risks involved in psychedelic tourism, especially when conducted outside the bounds of safety, ethical practice, and accountability. The case underscores the importance of thorough vetting and oversight in the burgeoning field of psychedelic retreats to protect participants and ensure the responsible use of powerful substances for spiritual and therapeutic purposes.
image via Ecstatic Integration
