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Ayahuasca and Alternative Healing Center (AyaCenter)
A Heart-Centered Journey in Beautiful Antigua Guatemala
Welcome to our little corner of healing magic in the heart of Guatemala! At AyaCenter, we believe that profound transformation happens when you feel truly seen, safe, and supported. We’re here to walk alongside you on this sacred journey with Ayahuasca and Huachuma (San Pedro), creating a space where authenticity flourishes and healing unfolds naturally.
What Makes Us Different
We’re not your typical retreat center. While we take this sacred work seriously, we also believe healing should feel human, warm, and yes—even fun! You’ll find genuine care, real conversations, and a family-like atmosphere where you can truly be yourself.
Our commitment to you:
- Small, intimate groups (maximum 7 participants) for deeper personal attention
- Comprehensive preparation and integration support
- Year-round availability (10 months annually)
- Personal Zoom consultation to ensure this is right for you
- Ongoing support even after your retreat ends
Your Journey Begins Before You Arrive
From the moment you feel called to sit with us, we’re here to guide you. This isn’t just about showing up for ceremony—it’s about preparing your mind, body, and spirit to receive the medicine’s gifts fully.
What to expect:
- Required pre-retreat Zoom consultation (your safety is our priority)
- Personalized dietary guidelines to prepare your body
- Guidance on setting intentions and mental preparation
- Clear communication about what to expect during your stay
Our Sacred Space
We’ve chosen the peaceful community of San Pedro El Alto, just 15 minutes from Antigua’s vibrant downtown. Here, surrounded by nature’s symphony, you’ll find the perfect balance of accessibility and tranquility. Our ceremonies unfold in a space where you can hear the gentle sounds of the forest while feeling completely safe and supported.
During ceremonies, you’ll have:
- Experienced facilitators who stay present and aware throughout
- Trusted Maestros who read the energy and provide exactly what each person needs
- Healing music and traditional Icaros (medicine songs)
- Post-ceremony integration time with tea, fruit, and gentle sharing
Why Guatemala? Why Not Peru?
Great question! Guatemala has a special magic, as a territory. With its ancient history, and all its diversity of people, landscapes and traditions, we couldn’t help but to fall in love with this land, which has been called “The Heart-Chakra of the World”.
Here’s why it made perfect sense:
- More accessible for travelers from North America and Europe
- Shorter, more affordable flights than Peru
- Authentic, experienced Maestros in a comfortable, safe environment
- Less time-consuming journey, allowing more people to access this healing
- Welcoming to both international visitors and local community members
- We believe everyone deserves access to this medicine, regardless of their budget or time constraints.
Our Retreat Offerings
3-Day Retreat
- 2 Ayahuasca ceremonies or 2 San Pedro
- 1 beautiful flower ceremony
- Integration and meditation sessions
- Perfect for first-time visitors or those with limited time
5-Day Retreat
- 3 Ayahuasca ceremonies, or 2 Aya + 1 San Pedro ceremony
- Integration and meditation sessions
- Flower ceremony
- Relaxing deep tissue massage
- Deeper dive into the healing process
7-Day Retreat
- 3 Ayahuasca ceremonies + 1 San Pedro ceremony or
- 2 Ayahuasca ceremonies + 2 San Pedro ceremonies
- Integration and meditation sessions
- Therapeutic massage
- Yoga and acupuncture sessions
- Flower ceremony and sauna sessions
- Complete mind-body-spirit transformation
Integration: Where the Real Magic Happens
We take integration seriously because we know that’s where lasting change takes root. Every retreat includes one-on-one integration time, and we don’t disappear when you head home—we stay connected and available for ongoing support.
Our integration includes:
- Personal processing sessions during your stay
- Group sharing circles
- Practical tools for daily life
- Continued support after you return home
- Connection to our extended community
A Word About the Medicine
Ayahuasca is indeed a powerful healer of body, mind, and spirit. But here’s the thing—it’s not a magic pill that fixes everything overnight. Think of it as a wise teacher and gentle guide, showing you new perspectives and walking with you toward a more authentic way of living.
Our approach:
- Respect for the medicine’s wisdom
- Realistic expectations about the process
- Focus on integration and practical application
- Ongoing support for sustainable change
Your Peace of Mind Matters
By the time you leave, we want you to feel like you’ve visited family. That’s why we keep our groups small, our approach personal, and our hearts open. Every person who walks through our doors becomes part of our extended family.
What you can expect:
- Genuine care and attention throughout your stay
- Safe, supportive environment for vulnerable moments
- Authentic connections with fellow travelers
- Memories and friendships that last a lifetime
Ready to begin your journey? We’re here to answer your questions and help you determine if this path feels right for you.
Your authentic self is waiting. Let’s help you find your way home.
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RAFAELINA
February 22, 2025 at 8:17 amI recently attended a 5-day Ayahuasca and San Pedro retreat, and words can hardly capture the depth of this experience. From the moment I arrived, I felt held in a safe, loving, and sacred space. The maestros and facilitators guided us with incredible wisdom, compassion, and integrity, ensuring that everyone felt supported throughout the journey.
The ceremonies were profound—at times challenging, but always illuminating. Each moment, from the medicine work to the integration discussions, was carefully designed to help us heal, transform, and gain deeper insight into myself. The bond formed with the other participants was also a beautiful part of this journey, creating a sense of connection that I will carry with me forever.
Now, after the retreat, I feel an incredible shift in my life. The lessons and healing continue to unfold, and I am filled with gratitude for this experience. A special thank you to Ana Sofia and Sasha for creating such a beautiful retreat space. Your dedication, love, and vision have made this a truly sacred and transformative place.
If you are feeling called to work with these sacred medicines, I cannot recommend this center enough. It is truly a place of transformation and deep healing in beautiful Antigua, Guatemala.
Thank you to everyone who made this experience possible!
Angelina
February 11, 2025 at 4:30 pmMy 5-day plant medicine retreat with Aya Center in Antigua was such a deep and unexpected journey. I had a feeling it would be powerful, but I never could have imagined just how much healing I would find. I feel so incredibly blessed to have had this experience.
Sasha and Ana Sofia created such a safe and supportive space – I felt held every step of the way. The wisdom shared by the maestros and the plants was truly an honor to receive. The group was small and intimate, which made the whole experience even more special.
The two Ayahuasca ceremonies were deeply transformative, but I’d also highly recommend the San Pedro journey. It brought everything together in a way I didn’t expect and really helped with integration.
I wouldn’t have wanted to experience this anywhere else. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for guiding and supporting me through this journey.
AaronGolling
January 20, 2025 at 12:28 pmI spent three days at this beautiful retreat in Guatemala and participated in two ceremony’s while there. I didn’t know what to expect going in to it at all.
When I arrived I was shown everything I needed to know about meeting mother Aya. I will tell you when I met her I was thrown in to a dimension behind the one I have been living in for the last 42 years and was shown what I truly look like. I met my soul face to face, mother held me through the whole adventure.
The vale behind the material world is something everyone should experience at least once in their life. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. It revealed to me who I actually am and where I am supposed to go. My path was laid out in front of me and I couldn’t ignore it any longer.
Anna Sophia and Sasha are two of the most lovely people I’ve ever met and will help you find your way. Dive into your journey fully and see for yourself the magic the world has to offer you.
oleiva
January 3, 2025 at 1:21 pmMy intuition was absolutely right about selecting this lovely place. I was welcomed by a team of sincere, caring, energetic true healers. I attended a three days retreat (the last of 2024), and I had great inner revelations triggered by the wise guidance of Los Maestros(as) in the safe comfort of the ceremony room, and during other beautiful activites. I also enjoyed the company of like minded people coming from different places in search of inner wisdom. I’m very grateful with Aya & Alternative Healing Center, and absolutely recommend them to any one looking of self healing.
lucabrando
December 3, 2024 at 3:28 amTruly transformative experience. Before taking the medicine I had read tens of reviews and watched tens of videos to get as informed as possible, but were nothing compared to what I experienced and learned. The role of the Maestro, Ana and Sasha were crucial, without them I could not imagine going through it the way I did, and I can’t imagine people doing these sort of things with other 30 people. This is a wonderful, private, intimate, safe space that I can’t recommend enough. Before deciding to do so I had doubts and reached out to people who did it before me who were kind enough to reassure me that this was the place, if you feel like you wanna talk to someone about your doubts pls feel free to reach out (you can find me on instagram @lucabrando_). Thanks so much!