Ayahuasca retreats: What to expect
An ayahuasca retreat is a map that allows us to reconnect with ourselves
Retreats are trendy. A wide range of retreats are on offer, with experiences for all tastes. What are we looking for in them? Are yagé and ayahuasca retreats for everyone? What are the benefits of ayahuasca? Read on and clear up any doubts.
An ayahuasca retreat has always a bonfire at night to call abundance and healing
“Nowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul”
Since immemorial times, spiritual retreats have been a refuge for those seeking introspection and connection with the divine. Across cultures and traditions, stepping away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life has allowed people to explore their inner selves, heal emotional wounds, and rediscover their purpose. Whether in indigenous communities, monasteries, or Buddhist temples, these retreat spaces have always provided opportunities to deepen spirituality. Throughout history, retreats have evolved, incorporating new approaches and practices. However, their essence remains a journey toward self-knowledge and inner peace, where participants can disconnect from the busyness and noise of the outside world to reconnect with their deepest selves.
What is a retreat?
Today we can say that a retreat is a time out that allows the soul to breathe without anxiety. A step into oneself, an invitation to let go of the urgent and find the essential. A space where the body calms down and the mind clears, while the heart remembers paths where the being expands and life regains its natural rhythm.
At the end of the 20th century, the longing for spirituality resurfaced. To meet the needs of the times, the leaders of these spaces of recollection and introspection began to incorporate psychological, philosophical, and therapeutic approaches. This gave rise to silent retreats, meditation, yoga, and mindfulness, as well as workshops on self-help, creativity, and connecting with nature. Amid all these adaptations and renovations, indigenous communities continued their ancestral practices, conducting ceremonial retreats using sacred plants such as ayahuasca and yagé to facilitate healing processes.
Some sacred medicine retreats, such as Yagé, integrate different cultures. This enriches the spiritual practices by complementing the healing process of this sacred plant with rituals from other traditions. Each ritual has its place and time in the retreat. An example of it is the syncretism that has brought the prophecy of the condor and the eagle. It is a call to unite the sacred traditions of the indigenous peoples of the Americas to heal and strengthen the connection between human beings and the earth. In the ceremonies, the Condor and the Eagle symbolize the need to integrate the spiritual and the material, the intuitive and the rational, the heart and the mind to achieve a balanced life. These practices seek to restore ancestral wisdom, foster unity and peace, and create a global healing network that promotes harmony among people of different cultures and the natural environment.
Ayahuasca and Yagé retreats offer the opportunity to experience integral healing and a deep encounter with oneself. In a world where fast pace and distractions make it difficult to connect, these retreats create a sacred space to explore repressed emotions, release trauma, and find new perspectives on life. Used for centuries by indigenous cultures, Yagé creates expanded states of consciousness, allowing for the illumination of emotional and mental patterns that hinder the proper development of the self.
What is a Yagé or Ayahuasca retreat?
In ayahuasca ceremonies, the visions come wrapped in whirlwinds of colors
“Plant medicines work beyond the physical response; sometimes, it’s your spirit or emotion that needs healing, and plant medicines can address that also”
To go on an ayahuasca retreat is to answer the call of Medicine (Ayahuasca or Yagé) and enter a path of deep healing and self-knowledge. This experience goes beyond a simple disconnection from everyday life. It is an encounter with oneself and unseen body, mind, and spirit dimensions.
Choosing a Yagé retreat instead of a loose ceremony is a gift to the spirit. Take the time to be quiet and turn off the daily noise. Give yourself a few days to enter into sacred plant frequency. Doing all the pre-and post-ceremony exercises—the plant baths, cleansing, meditations, and word circles—turns this experience into a true opportunity to heal and grow.
In the jungle, there is a total break with routine, which facilitates a true disconnection from the stress of the city. Direct contact with nature allows participants to reconnect with their life force and rediscover what is essential. As the jungle is home to Indigenous communities, the ceremonies are usually led by taitas who have a deep knowledge of the plants and traditional practices, ensuring a safe and respectful environment. They accompany the journey with chants that help navigate the visions that emerge.
The taita sings and offers the preparation of this sacred plant in a ritual that has been performed since ancient times. Participants - guided by these traditional practitioners, also known as shamans - access expanded states of consciousness that can reveal hidden emotional patterns and offer life-changing insights. Yagé ceremonies result in a process of physical and spiritual cleansing, allowing for the release of emotional blockages and stored trauma.
The act of taking ayahuasca or yagé in the jungle is not only a personal process, but also a ritual of reconnection with the earth. Being surrounded by the same nature from which the medicine comes creates a deeper bond with the plant’s essence, enhancing its effects and leaving a transformative imprint on those who experience it. For this reason, a few days before returning home is truly beneficial. Having time to decant what has been seen and felt, to understand the visions, and to organize the tasks that remain to be done to complete the healing that began in the ritual is essential. It can only be achieved when one has given oneself the gift of participating in a retreat.
Upon completion, participants often return home with a renewed sense of purpose, gratitude, and clarity, feeling able to face the challenges of daily life from a more conscious perspective and aligned with their center.
It is important to note that ayahuasca and yagé are two different preparations of the sacred liana Banisteriopsis caapi or yagé. Ayahuasca is most commonly found in Brazil and Peru. In this preparation, the secondary plant that activates the visions is Psychotria viridis or chacruna. Yagé is prepared in Colombia and Ecuador. There the secondary plant is Diplopterys cabrerana or chagropanga. Although the effects are similar, and both are useful for healing, knowledge, and spiritual introspection, some people may find the effects of yagé to be somewhat stronger.
Are yagé and ayahuasca retreats right for me?
If you have been hearing about ayahuasca or yagé for a while; if someone tells you about their experience and says they thought of you during or after the ritual, it could be said that this sacred plant is calling you.
If, in addition, you have a desire to find or clarify the meaning of life; if you want to break the vicious cycle of your addictions; if you want to expand your consciousness and broaden your perception to better understand the world and your connection to others; if you dream of going beyond the usual boundaries of your thinking, emotions, and daily experiences to deepen your self-knowledge and mental clarity; it is possible that life is offering you a perfect tool to achieve any of these things.
If you want to achieve a deep connection with nature and with life, reformat your mind and find a direct path to your heart; if you want to shake your mind and clear it of the cobwebs that cloud your vision; yagé and ayahuasca are for you.
The most important thing now is to find a place where you can trust and feel connected to the taita and his companions. The trust and peace that comes from this is essential for a good experience.
How does one participate in a yagé or an ayahuasca retreat?
In an ayahuasca retreat there are moments to share and also to be alone.
“Coexistence and personal peace are at the heart of global peace and harmony.”
To get the most out of an ancestral medicine retreat, it is essential to prepare both practically and spiritually.
As we have discussed in other articles on our blog, preparing the body and mind for this experience guarantees a better disposition, connection, and therefore result. To discover the step-by-step process of this preparation, you can read our complete guide to the ayahuasca diet. In it, you will discover the steps to follow to have a physical preparation that supports the spiritual experience and facilitates a clearer connection with the medicine.
It is true that in a retreat you are doing a work of introspection, but it is inevitable to share the experience with others. Therefore, part of the success lies in following the rules of coexistence, which are not necessarily explicit but are based on the common sense of community life, to create an atmosphere of respect, calm, and harmony that favors both personal and collective experience.
Silence is usually one of the most important rules, as it invites introspection and allows each participant to connect deeply with themselves without external distractions. Allowing others this space and not overstepping one's boundaries ensures an atmosphere of calm and a balance between reflection and conviviality.
Mutual respect is essential. Each participant is in his or her process, so judgments, criticism, or interruptions must be avoided. This also means taking care of the common space and maintaining order and cleanliness in the common areas.
Disconnection from the outside world is recommended. Although not mandatory, it is good to avoid the use of electronic devices such as telephones or computers to focus attention on the present moment. This allows for full immersion in the experience.
Finally, participants are expected to be open-minded and willing to respect the instructions of the facilitators as well as any traditions or rituals that are part of the process. Living together in a retreat is more than a matter of rules: it is a tacit agreement of mutual care, where every action, word, and silence contributes to creating a safe and transformative space for all.
What is a yagé retreat like at Ziru Yai?
At Ziru Yai retreats, the jaguar's strength is always with us.
At Ziru Yai, we have felt the power of the prophecy of the Condor and the Eagle. We believe in the need to unite the sacred traditions of indigenous peoples throughout the Americas to heal and strengthen the connection between humans and the earth. Therefore, we complement Yagé ceremonies with North American rituals such as Inipi or Temazcal. We work in a way that is true to the tradition. We follow the teachings of the Yagé grandparents and count on the blessings and guidance of some of them, such as Grandfather Guillermo Lusitante and Grandfather Avelino Quenamá.
The spiritual retreats are held in an oasis in the Putumayo jungle, a sacred place and the home of this ancient vine because we want our visitors to feel all of its strength and healing power. All of us who work at Ziru Yai have been working with ancestral medicines for years, and we are available before, during, and after the retreats. We provide the food, the words, and the spaces. Our wish is that your experience is magical and profound from beginning to end.
Let's recapitulate:
An ayahuasca retreat is a path of healing and self-awareness.
The taitas help you enter expanded states of consciousness to release blockages and transform your life.
Yagé combines physical and spiritual cleansing, making it an integral work.
Getting away from the stress of the city allows for deep healing without distractions.
Participants return with purpose, gratitude, and clarity.
For a profound experience, remember:
Physical and mental preparation, including diet, enhances results.
Respect and harmony are essential for positive coexistence.
Silence facilitates introspection and respects the limits of each person.
It is important to take care of common spaces.
Disconnecting from devices allows us to be present.
Keep an open mind and be willing to cooperate in whatever is necessary.
It is important to follow the directions of the facilitators.
Walking the path of yagé or ayahuasca can lead to deep healing and reconnection with oneself, nature, and life. By participating, you open your soul and surrender your heart. To achieve alignment with a more conscious and balanced life, the company of taitas and good quality medicine are essential. So choose your destination carefully.
If you want to learn more about Ziru Yai traditional ayahuasca retreats, please contact us.
