My Retreat in Ziru Yai
My journey to the Amazon jungle to experience the place where Yagé is born.
It is fashionable to go on spiritual retreats. The world is so stressful that we all need a moment to rest from so much noise and information. That's why we seek out spaces that force us to slow down and take care of ourselves. Urged to disconnect from the hustle and bustle, I went to Ziru Yai, an ancestral medicine retreat in the jungle of Colombia. I have no regrets.
Every spot in the jungle has a gift for my senses
“Within you there is a stillness and sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.”
The offer of retreats is wide. There are silent, sports, gastronomic, spiritual and, ancestral retreats. Which one to choose? The only person who can answer this question is oneself, only if we know what we want, what we are looking for, and what we need. In my case, I love nature, I dream of seeing animals in their wild state, and I am a deep devotee of sacred plants, especially yagé and its sister, ayahuasca. So I started looking for a place to do a Yagé spiritual retreat in the jungle of Colombia and found Ziru Yai.
How to get to an ayahuasca retreat in Colombia
In the waiting room of Puente Aereo, in Bogotá, I met other participants of the Yagé retreat, and a member of the team accompanied us, resolving our doubts in a friendly and diligent manner. We landed at the Villa Garzón, Putumayo after taking a Satena plane. The airport is small and it is not possible to get lost. Outside, the heat of the jungle awaited us and Fausto, who would take us to the Ziru Yai spiritual retreat.
After buying the usual shoes, knee-high black rubber boots that would protect me from snakes as we walked through the jungle, the car began to move into the wilderness. As I looked out the window, I saw the hand of the man disappear. At the same rate, the trees grew and the thicket closed in. The road, now completely uncovered, led us to the adventure of encountering an almost wild part of the planet, something that few have the honor of knowing in this world destroyed by progress. We crossed some rivers, first by bridge and then by water, and after an hour's drive we arrived at our destination.
After spending a few days in Bogotá, I was ready to travel to the jungle. The retreat team bought me a plane ticket.
I arrive by plane. A car takes me to the jungle. From there, the adventure continues on foot among trees, rivers, and animals.
Facilities and amenities at a jungle ayahuasca retreat
The facilities at Ziru Yai are simple and adequate. They have what I need to feel comfortable. A room in the shade, a comfortable bed, a mosquito net, a bathroom with shower, a washing machine, wifi, and light, a dining room where they serve abundant food that follows the diet before taking Yagé, and a magnificent river that sings an invitation to get to know it.
The real luxury of being in this wonderful natural reserve of the Amazon Rainforest is to be able to feel, see, and touch Mother Nature in all her splendor. The geography is intact. Only where the houses and the maloca are, the jungle has been cleared a little, just enough to provide security. That is why the jungle pulsates everywhere. Life flows with a force that penetrates me and I can only open all my senses to receive its gifts, to feed my spirit, and to thank the universe for so much beauty, Ziru Yai for being the port that allows me to approach and me for having allowed me to get there.
Comfort in the Amazon rainforest
Conviviality and community in a yagé retreat
After dropping my things in my room, the first stop is the river. It is three steps from my room and its song will accompany me throughout my journey. On this stretch the Vides River is calm, and on sunny days it looks like a swimming pool. Its crystal clear waters reveal rocks of all colors and no visitor can resist balancing on the stones. We all visit the river whenever we can. It is a place of meditation, of freshness, and also a place to get closer to my fellow travelers: my spiritual family for a few days.
It's funny what happens on a retreat. How many strangers discover that they have a lot in common and the bonds quickly grow stronger. We all accept each other without much demand. No one is superfluous and everyone brings a lesson for the neighbor. It is a blessing to find like-minded people who have also slowed down to rediscover themselves while contemplating the beauty of the planet and all their brothers and sisters: plants, animals, and humans.
The family that welcomes us deserves its chapter. Taita Leonidas, his wife Iyari, and their son Atse are without any doubt the materialization of kindness, warmth, and companionship. I felt comfortable from the first minute. Always attentive to their guests, whether in daily activities or sacred plant ceremonies, they make us feel the security that comes from knowing we are loved, from feeling cared for.
The support team - Oscar, Fredy, Walter, and Melibea - are always close, willing, and kind, providing the necessary pieces to make the spiritual retreat in the Amazon jungle pleasant, and smooth, with an abundant table of fruit, fish, eggs, patacón (never miss the patacón), vegetables, rice, vegetable milk, and juices.
Activities of a spiritual retreat with ayahuasca in the jungle of Colombia
“Mere communion with nature, mere contact with the free air, exercise a soothing yet comforting and strengthening influence on the wearied mind, calm the storm of passion, and soften the heart when shaken by sorrow to its inmost depths.”
The activities are carefully planned, although everything can change depending on the characteristics of the group and the weather, which was explained to us from the beginning. We were lucky that it only rained at night and we were able to do all the activities.
We went to Rincón del Vides, where the river forms a natural pool where you can jump from a great height. I didn't even try it, but several people jumped in with screams and laughter. We also walked to a nearby place where we did the traditional Colombian pot walk. Lunch was prepared on the banks of the Vides amidst deep conversations, photos, and camaraderie.
We arrived at each destination through the Amazon jungle. Huge trees, side by side, the ground covered with leaves and seeds, a dance of greens in all shades that hypnotized those who crossed it in a single file. Birds could be heard in the distance. So many different songs, a symphony joined by crickets, cicadas, toads, and monkeys. A spiritual experience in itself. Although I didn't see many animals, I felt their presence every moment. But I understand. After all we have done, what animal would want to visit us? They prefer to watch us from a distance. We were visited by many insects and they were always welcome. Crickets, beetles of all colors, a huge one with a rhinoceros horn, dragonflies, spiders. Every encounter was a party. Life is so beautiful in all its expressions, and when we are there, we cannot help but notice it.
Halfway through the retreat, we took a creative writing break. That morning in the dining room we found white cardboard, colors, and an activity that invited us to rediscover the play of words and write something related to our intention or the visions of the two ayahuasca ceremonies we had had the previous days.
Ceremonies and Rituals: Spiritual Connection with the Rainforest
The sacred plant ceremonies were the central axis of the retreat. We participated in four yagé / ayahuasca intakes, two inipis (temazcales), a spiritual purge, two baths with medicinal plants, and rituals with mambe, ambil, and snuff.
The first thing we learned as guests of the jungle was to pay our respects to the territory and to be grateful for the possibility of being there. Always, before beginning a ritual, we would take the time to ask permission to enter each natural temple and thank the spirits of the place.
Early the next morning after our arrival we went to the river fasting to do our spiritual purge. There awaited us a huge pot with an infusion of amber water. I received a basin full of the healing liquid and settled on the bank to drink it as quickly as possible. I repeated the operation twice more. At that moment, the purging began. Thanks to the concoction, I relieved my body, mind, and spirit. I was ready for the first yagé ceremony.
In the evening, we all went up to the Maloca for our first ayahuasca ceremony. This cosmic ship is close to the house, up the mountain. A short walk through huge trees leads to a clear field, surrounded by sacred plants and yagé vines. The maloca is large and has enough space to accommodate all our hammocks. Elder Abelino was already waiting for us, a medicine connoisseur, one of the last elders of this sacred culture. After taking the remedy, each one of us went to his hammock to meditate and lived a profound experience of communion with life and the vision of the essential. All around us, the entire jungle was witness to our profound spiritual experience.
The next morning, after a hearty breakfast and a much-needed rest, we found the handicrafts of Abuela Marianita, Abelino's wife, and her family displayed in the common area. A display of colors, textures, and combinations invaded my eyes. We all swirled around the tables exclaiming with surprise at the necklaces and earrings that combined seeds, beads, feathers, cerrillo teeth, porcupine spines, and beetle wings: jewelry that combines the cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples, the gifts of nature, and the limitless creativity of this wise woman who sees, in every drop of landscape, the opportunity to create beauty.
In the afternoon, we return to the river for our first plant bath. The sweetness of the water infused with a mixture of good energy and harmony-enhancing leaves relaxed our spirits, allowing us to better connect with our surroundings.
The day came for the second night ceremony of yagé, with Taita Leonidas Lezama. We went up to the maloca that welcomed us like old acquaintances. Being the first ayahuasca ceremony one of cleansing and healing, in this one I already started to visualize my intention. The night is ideal for making a journey of introspection and finding the keys to what you want to understand, to unravel, and to illuminate.
Full of understanding, I entered the inipi (temazcal) two days later. Guided by Iyari, a medicine woman, we built the altar, greeted the four directions, thanked the grandmothers who were already red for being in contact with the fire, our grandfather, and entered the inipi, which represents the womb of our mother, the earth, to pray for all our relationships.
The two yagé ceremonies that followed were during the day, one with taita Fernando Lezama and the last one with taita Leonidas. More and more connected with my spirituality, with the Mother and with the Father, with all the Grandparents and with Life, I found the path I was looking for in the middle of the yagé visions that unfolded before me in the middle of the jungle; I felt the immensity of my being and I sowed lights that I hope will guide me in this journey I am starting when the darkness surrounds me again.
The farewell inipi found me overflowing with strength and determination. Although I never wanted to leave that shelter of calm and nature, I knew at that moment that I was ready to return to ride the daily life that I left in suspense in the city nine days ago.
Farewell to the jungle and last day of my spiritual retreat
The farewells came. With a wrinkled but full soul, I hugged everyone and looked at the beauty of Ziru Yai Nature Reserve for the last time. I packed my memories, my experiences, my gifts, and my homework. In Faust's car, I drove backward, and the plane brought me back into the cold. Here, with my hot tea, sheltered from the comforts of the city, I meditate on the ayahuasca visions that pierced my being and awakened my consciousness, as I dream of returning to that paradise in the middle of the earth. Interwoven with all that I have received, I hear the sweet melody of my most sincere gratitude.
Ziru Yai: ancentral medicine retreats in Putumayo, Colombia
