Participating in ayahuasca sessions are en vogue.
From the psychic healing offered at festivals of spiritual healers to the full on spiritual retreat, by venturing beyond the safe confines of the Western world–or if you’re resourceful, even within them–a dedicated shamanic retreat will serve to introduce your mind, body and soul to a whole new realm of holistic healers.
Ever since Beat generation explorers, like William Burroughs, went trekking into the Amazon in search of ayahuasca treatments, the ayahuasca pilgrimage has emerged as a rite of passage for spiritualist and a necessary border to cross to obtain the bona fide ayahuasca stamp in your new age passport.
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Ayahuasca Retreats Reviewed
How an Iquitos Ayahuasca Ceremony Helped Cure Depression
Experience the journey in this first-person account of how ayahuasca helped an English adventurer overcome his bout with depression. Going to Iquitos, Peru and staying at the Hummingbird Center then breaking away in search of an authentic spiritual healer, our adventurer endures the potent medicine of the Gringo Shaman and ends his journey cured of depression thanks to the worthy power of shamanic medicine.
To read the whole story and to find out what you may encounter on your own Peru shamanic retreat–if you you make Iquitos, Peru your destination–check out this review: Ayahuasca Cures Depression.
How NOT to Find Ayahuasca in Ecuador
Sometimes we don’t have the foresight to prepare for an enlightening adventure; this doesn’t mean that you won’t happen upon some tender ayahuasca treatment.
If there ever was a reason to plan ahead to ensure the safest possible encounter with a spiritual healer like ayahuasca, let this story serve as a warning–it comes to us from the New York based comedian Gabe Pacheco and is a a hilarious, ill-advised sojourn.
See for yourself why it’s important to take the lead in doing a proper background check on your shaman and their shamanic healing reputation, read the full story, How NOT to Find Ayahuasca in Ecuador.
Retreat in Peru with Ayahuasca-Wasi
In depth article from a first time Ayahuasca journeyer who encounters shamanic practitioners in the Sacred Valley of Peru, particularly at the Ayahuasca-Wasi center.
Many people like to go this retreat center for ceremonies because it is easy to get to from Cusco, Peru, one of S. America’s most tourist engulfed cities due to its proximity to Machu Picchu.
So to add an ayahuasca ceremony, for internal landscape viewing, onto a trip of ancient landscapes, Ayahuasca-Wasi may be the right choice. Read the full first-person account here: Retreat in Peru with Ayahuasca-Wasi.
Costa Rica Ayahuasca Healing
These days Ayahuasca ceremonies can be found in many unlikely places around the world. This review concerns an ayahuasca ceremony and retreat center that is based in Costa Rica.
If you don’t want to travel all the way to South America to experience ayahuasca, here is a safe center with a great reputation closer to the United Stated, consider this Costa Rica Ayahuasca Ceremony Center.
Ceremonies in Iquitos Peru
Iquitos, Peru is popularly thought of as the epicenter for the global Ayahuasca tourism trend. There are numerous ayahuasca centers and skilled shamans available for anyone making their way to the center of the Amazon.
One of the benefits of going to Iquitos is the opportunity to experience multiple healing ceremonies with different shamanic practitioners; if you stay for a week to ten days or more, you could have varied experiences by stopping at different retreat centers hosting shamans that facilitate their ceremonies in unique ways.
No matter who you choose to visit in Iquitos, there is one uncanny healer who you shouldn’t miss, and–believe it or not–he is a Gringo. No matter what your expectations are, the Gringo Shaman of Iquitos is sure to annihilate the shamanic fantasies you have accumulated and he’ll blast them to a whole new and unexpected level.
To have one of the most far out shamanic experiences you are likely to encounter on this planet don’t miss this Peruvian Ayahuasca Experience .
Best Retreats & Ceremonies
Ayahuasca Recipe will only list Ayahuasca Centers and facilitators that we have direct links to–via participating in their ceremonies–and verified reports from people we know that have had a good experience there.
The Ayahuasca Centers and facilitators listed here have demonstrated consistent service to the spirit of the plant and ceremony participants over time.
Below you will find a small collection of relatively affordable individuals and retreats, where you can experience ayahuasca safely.
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Kentucky, United States of America
Ceremonies with a Native America Church
| Location | Kentucky, United States of America |
| Website | Aya Quest |
| Contact Name | Charlie |
| Phone (USA) | 502 286 9439 |
| Contact email | Charlie@ayaquest.org |
| Approximate Cost | Varies base on membership and service provided. Click here for their updated pricing page. |
| Related Article | Native American Church Ceremony Experience Ayahuasca in the USA |
Video review of a participant in these ceremonies, you can find more on their youtube channel here:
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Pullcalpa, Peru
Ceremonies with Lucho Romero
| Location | Pullcalpa, Peru |
| Website: | N/A |
| Phone (in Peru) | 942 314 050 |
| Phone (outside Peru) | +51 42 942 314 050 |
| Approximate Cost | "A ceremony with a purgante* or preparatory drink beforehand is US$80" |
| Other | "Get in touch to we can coordinate schedules." |
*The purgante is really no fun so, if you can get your diet correct for about a week beforehand with no pork, no hot chilis, and no alcohol–then you can skip the purgante and enjoy something nicer to prepare your body for the ceremony and spiritual retreats.
Video about the ceremonies here:
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Ceremonies with Don Marcial
| Location | San Jose, Peru | About 26km outside of Pullcalpa |
| Website | Don Marcial Unofficial Site | Don Marcial used to have his own site but it has disappeared |
| Contact email | damian.romas@gmail.com | (grandson checks weekly) |
| Contact email | franchi221@hotmail.com | (son's address, checked weekly) |
| Phone (in Peru) | 061 788 754 | (direct to house) |
| Phone (in Peru) | 09 6190 1114 | (cell phone) |
| Phone (in Peru) | 09 6172 2277 | (grandson's cell phone) |
| Approximate Cost | "Costing about US$20 per a single ceremony." | |
Video of Don Marcial Demonstrating Icaros:
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Iquitos, Peru
Ceremonies with “the Gringo Shaman“
| Location | Iquitos, Peru |
| Website | El Purguero Ayahuasca Healing Center |
| Ron Wheelock | |
| @ElPurguero | |
| Phone (in Peru) | 965 761 626 |
| Phone (outside Peru) | +51 965 761 626 |
| Contact email | ronwheelock@elpurguero.com |
| Approximate Cost | Dependent on stay, contact to verify but at last check: "Ceremonies taking place on Tuesday and Thursday nights every week for about 100 Peruvian Soles per session (about USD$35.00)." |
| Related Article | Ayahuasca Cures Depression |
| Related Article | Iquitos Peru Retreat |
Ron Wheeloch, commonly known as “the Gringo Shaman“, is the most recommended ayahuascero for English only speakers who are venturing into the world of ayahuasca for the first time.
Why?
Because, Ron is ‘the real deal‘–he understands the Western world and is an adept in the Peruvian and Ayahuasca world; this unique mix serves to bridge a major cultural gap that most seeking ayahuasca for the first time encounter.
Also for, those experienced in ayahuasca, the Gringo Shaman is guaranteed to bring you to realms beyond those you have encountered with other ayahuasceros.
See below for a video backgrounder about the Gringo Shaman of the Amazon:
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Cusco, Peru
Ceremonies with Diego Palma
Ayahuasca Wasi’s ceremony room, Cusco area, Peru.
| Location | Sacred Valley near Cusco, Peru |
| Website | Ayahuasca Wasi Retreat |
| Phone (in Peru) | 984 603 603 |
| Phone (outside Peru) | +51 984 603 603 |
| Contact email | diego@ayahuasca-wasi.com |
| Approximate Cost | 7-day Ayahuasca Retreat USD$1,300 per person (flight tickets not included) |
| Related Article | Cusco Shamanic Retreat Review |
Ayahuasca-Wasi is a spiritual healing center near Cusco that facilitates ayahuasca spiritual healing, ayahuasca tea ceremonies, medicine songs, icaros and experience with shamanic plants and other spiritual retreats.
Here is a video with further information about the Ayahuasca-Wasi Retreat Center:
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Itacaré, Bahia, Brazil
Ceremonies with Silvia Polivoy
| Location | Itacaré, Bahia, Brazil |
| Website | Spirit Vine |
| Spirit Vine Retreat Center | |
| Contact email | info@spiritvine.net |
| Approximate Cost | 8 and 9-day Retreats starting at USD$1650 (flights not included) |
| Related Article | N/A |
Video about what you can experience on a Spirit Vine Retreat:
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Cartago, Costa Rica (Central America)
Ceremonies with Kuyay
| Location | "The Farm," 8 km from Cartago, Costa Rica |
| Website | Ayahuasca Retreats Costa Rica |
| Ayahuasca Costa Rica | |
| Phone (in Costa Rica) | 506 8348 8358 |
| Contact email | ayahuascacostarica@hotmail.com |
| Approximate Cost | 7-day Retreat USD$850 (flights not included) 5-day Healing Retreat USD$650 (flights not included) |
| Related Article | Costa Rica Spiritual Retreat Review |
Video of a Costa Rican retreat experience: