It’s been ten months since visit to Lighthouse, at the time called Light if the Shibipo. I should have left this review months ago but so it goes. I’ll do my best to keep this as a review of the retreat and not of my personal experience with the medicine. That being said, if you’re looking for healing and you’re looking for truth the medicine is for you and I can’t imagine a better place to experience it than Lighthouse.

This was my first ayahuasca experience so I tried to keep my expectations to a minimum but there were some things that I did expect. I expected the medicine to be intense, I expected the ceremonies to be powerful, and I expected the entire experience to be transformative. What I didn’t expect were all of the things that make this place special.
First of all, this place and the people here are filled with immeasurable levels of love and compassion, it’s palpable, you can feel it in the air. I know that sounds like romantic non-sense but it’s true. And you get it from everyone you meet; the cooks, the guys working the grounds, the cats and dogs, everyone. Especially Jinho, Christian, and Lady. The interactions and conversations I had with them were among the top highlights of this experience. Jinho is full of so much knowledge and was a constant to source of wisdom and guidance. Christian has such an amazing spirit, it radiates from him and you can’t help but to smile when he’s around. And Lady, I can’t say enough good things about this woman. I had several wonderful conversations with her throughout the week, one in particular stands out. After the third and final ceremony I sat in the Maloka with Lady and we talked for over an hour, it was a powerful moment for me and just as valuable as the ceremony it self. It can’t be overstated that all three of them, and everyone else on site, approached everything with love and compassion.

As far as the accommodations go, everything was great. The room was spacious and had a fan and a desk with a chair if you’re inclined to write or journal. Private bathrooms as well. If you worry about bugs and mosquitos in the room I can say that I never saw them…in the room.

The food was vegan which was new for me but all good. Lots of fresh, local fruits and juices, avocados for breakfast and specialty dishes. Same with lunch. I always felt like it was enough so good there.

The grounds are beautiful and very well kept. I saw lots of colorful butterflies and moths. Nothing terrifying in terms of creepy crawlers. plenty of mosquitos, though I was there during the rainy season ( and experienced one of the most intense thunder storms I’ve ever been through, bonus}.

Speaking of the people, the Shaman was incredible. He was also full of love and compassion, he had a good sense of humor as well. His Icaros were powerful and I always felt perfectly safe with him guiding me through and protecting me in the spirit world and in that vulnerable position in the physical world as well.
You get to sit with the shaman the day following each ceremony and talk about your experience. This gives you an opportunity to ask questions and gain guidance. Very valuable.
The ceremonies didn’t lack and it was great to have both Lady and Christian there as facilitators to lend a hand or give comfort to anyone that needs it.

It took me three years from the time I decided to take the medicine to actually picking a place. There are a lot of options out there and a lot of things to consider. I actually booked and cancelled at two retreats previous to booking Lighthouse. Once I was there I immediately knew I picked the right spot. Coming out of the second ceremony I was convinced that I didn’t choose this place, this place chose me. That’s something that I truly believe.

My only regret is that I stayed for only one week rather than two. This was a truly transformative experience in the best possible place. I’ll be back at the end of January. Maybe this time I’ll meet Josh and Ivan

-Jasen