Ayahuasca Retreat Reviews — Helping You Stay Safe with 5,000+ Independent Reviews
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We have been hosting ayahuasca retreats since 1996. Our center is based in the midst of the beautiful Atlantic Rainforest along the coast of Bahia in Brazil. We facilitate a safe and comfortable space for you to achieve harmony in your everyday life by aligning your mind, body, and heart with your true self.
Our 9 day and 11 day ayahuasca retreats are designed to give you a balanced experience. We have ayahuasca ceremonies every other night and in between there are activities to integrate your experiences and insights. There is also ample free time to reflect, to enjoy the beauty of the jungle, to visit the gorgeous beaches, and just to relax, let go, and enjoy the pure bliss of the moment.
Calendar and prices on our website
We have extensive experience integrating ayahuasca, psychology, shamanism, self development, modified states of consciousness, and various other modalities. We are present at all times and are dedicated in supporting you with loving care, attention, safety, and respect.The activities include workshops focused on spiritual development. The techniques covered in the workshops can be practiced even after the retreat to continue the journey of personal growth. Some of the topics include inner child integration, life progression, discovering the source of your blockages and the resources to overcome them. Another very important part of the retreat are the Yoga sessions in the morning which greatly enrich the ayahuasca experiences at night.
Spirit Vine & TheVine Center previously known as Ayahuasca-Healing have been created by Silvia Polivoy. She received her license in clinical psychology and had a private practice in Buenos Aires, Argentina for several years until she began to feel the need to make a transition from studying and healing the mind to exploring the worlds of Spirit. This took her away from the busy city streets to the more tranquil life in the jungle, moving to Brazil where in 2004 she co-founded the TheVine Center, a trans-denominational and inter-faith spiritual center located in the state of Bahia.
The nature of our nonprofit center is philosophical, religious, mystical, spiritual, educational, and cultural. All the retreats’ income’ serves to maintain the center grounds, create employment for the local community, and help preserve the jungle, having replanted thousands of native trees over the years to give but one example.
The retreats take place inside of 39 acres of lush preserved area. It is about 7 miles from Itacaré on the coast of Bahia. Our location is only minutes away from beautiful coastal beaches, which back onto the Mata Atlántica, the second largest rainforest in Brazil.
The experience of sacred tea ceremonies can be challenging for some, deeply religious for others, but profound all around. Please note that we have several programs to offer and the plant ceremonies are always optional and not required to partake in during any of our retreats. The plant ceremonies begin in the evening and go through the night. The group dynamic is very important and there will be facilitators to look after participants throughout. There will be plenty of time for group discussions and also time alone to reflect on the experiences elicited by the spirit vine tea for those that wish to partake in the plant ceremonies.
At the retreat center we grow our own ayahuasca vine and chacruna plants organically! We also have an organic garden to source vegetables for the food prepared during the retreat. We have pure spring water for drinking and also coconut water, juices, and a variety of teas.
During all our programs we follow a strict (though delicious) diet. The meals are completely vegan, gluten-free, and nutritionally balanced, prepared by our in-house chef who has specialized in vegan cuisine and has a post-graduation in functional nutrition. They include plenty of fresh vegetables cooked with delicious herbs and spices, luscious fresh tropical fruits, salads, and grains.
A note about sexual abstinence: this varies from culture to culture; some recommending as long as 30-40 days while others as little as one day or none at all like here in Brazil. For energetic purposes we recommend sexual abstinence during the retreat as well as 3 days before it begins and 3 days after the retreat concludes. As well, a drug free and no salt diet with no red meat, pork or heavy alcohol use for the same amount of time is optimal.
We fully expect you have questions about the retreats, programs and the facilities we offer. Please feel free to explore our website or watch our videos and write to us to come to one of our retreats.
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Sharane
October 23, 2023 at 8:03 pmThis was my second visit to Spirit Vine, so clearly I am a fan. My initial visit was preceded by an enormous amount of vetting and research as I really wanted to be in an experience with facilitators that were safe, extremely experienced with the medicine, working in small groups and catering both in dosage and integration to the individual. I also wanted to know that they made their own ayahuasca and that it was pure.
Spirit Vine is all of that PLUS all of the wonderful things that the hundreds of reviewers say (location, meals, etc). I know it’s hard to believe that there can be this many people sharing the same thing and giving 5 star after 5 star reviews, but it’s true. This is a special place for healing and expansion.
Silvia is quite humble and will not say it herself, but her decades of work with plant medicines, and her expertise specifically with Ayahuasca are a true treasure for those of us wanting to work with this medicine. She navigated the jungles of the Amazon to learn to work with ayahuasca decades before most westerners were even thinking about plant medicine, and prior to that she had an established practice as a Psychologist. She brings vast wisdom about the human psyche and creating real change, the world of shamanism, the realms of expanded consciousness, and the practicality of integrating it to our “real life” here on 3D planet earth. This is a space where she puts it all together in a way that is simultaneously magical and full of mystery and yet highly practical, tangible and helpful to everyday life.
She is the first to say that ayahuasca will not heal you without your committed participation. YOU heal you, but that the portal, awareness, insights and expansion that this medicine provides is beyond anything that I have experienced in my lifetime of spiritual practice and curiosity.
I consider ayahuasca a profound teacher and an integral part of my path. If you are curious and committed, the changes I have seen for myself and others in these circles can be astounding. I also know very well that “set and setting”… the who, how, where, etc of how this medicine is served is beyond important. This is a place that takes that responsibility very seriously.
If you are called, know that this is a place that you can be safely held and trust in the process. I for one will be back again, and I thank Silvia from the bottom of my heart for so tirelessly bringing this healing opportunity to so many people.
Katie USA
October 23, 2023 at 1:54 pmI attended a Spirit Vine retreat with Silvia and Ti0 in February of 2022, and I am writing this in October 2023. So, please know that my review comes from over a year of processing my experiences. I have also attended ceremonies in other settings multiple times since then, so I have comparisons.
Without a doubt, Spirit Vine has been the best experience I have had so far. It changed my life forever. I cannot recommend it enough.
In regards to the retreat experience outside of ceremonies, everything was amazing. The vegan meals are delicious and unique – I haven’t had anything like chef Lu’s food before or since! And of course, there was fresh tea constantly available. I stayed in a 3 person bungalow, and everything was clean and nice. The grounds themselves are absolutely gorgeous and well maintained.
Before the ceremonies, they offered workshops
that help you navigate the journeys, and they were tremendously helpful. Not every retreat is going to provide you with those resources. Furthermore, I liked how they offered yoga in the morning of the retreat and gave us the option of paying extra for reiki and/or massages beforehand. Of course these things aren’t necessary, but I think taking advantage of them helped me.
For the ceremonies themselves, I have found them to be very different from anything else I have participated in. No one is really guiding the ceremony/doing work on you – you’re just in the dark, with the music playing. They are always there to help you if you need it, but will leave you alone otherwise. At other retreats, there might be group singing, a fire, or someone doing rituals that are associated with indigenous traditions including blowing/spitting tobacco, singing icaros, or offering the administration of rapé (Amazonian stuff tobacco). For me personally, I prefer Silvia’s method with fewer distractions. But, everyone is different.
However, the most important thing I should mention is that you are SAFE at Spirit Vine! I have not witnessed such a commitment to protecting the participant’s boundaries since my time there. There was no one wandering around the grounds who did not work at Spirit Vine. Participants are given strict rules about how to interact with each other – especially regarding physical boundaries. I never once was afraid that Silvia or Ti0, or that any of the participants were going to touch me or be in my space at any point. Ever. In the Ayahuasca community, there are so many people who are so delusional in their “love and light” philosophy that they will push your boundaries. This might just be with pressuring you to give/accept hugs from facilitators or participants or more serious in regards to sexual assault. These are real problems within the psychedelic tourism industry, but you do not need to worry at Spirit Vine.
In regards to the effects attending the retreat had on my life…everything has changed for me. I was a weekend binge drinker before, and now I might have 1-3 drinks total a month. Sometimes none! I have an autoimmune disease, and I was in so much pain before. But, now I have invested in naturopathic treatment and getting my lifestyle in order, and my health has taken a 180 turn. Before, I was in contact with a lot of people in unhealthy ways. Now, I am able to draw boundaries better with people.
If it is in your capability to attend this retreat, I would encourage you to do so!
Matt_F
September 9, 2023 at 12:18 pmLife Changing!
My friends and I had been waiting for over five years to do something like this. We wanted to make sure that we found somewhere that provided a bespoke, authentic and also safe experience for us – and we were not disappointed.
The retreat was magical; a place where all your inhibitions and reservations melt away as Silvia, Noor and the team take you on a journey filled with insights and revelations. You are shown what you need, not what you want. Their knowledge, intuition and emotional intelligence allowed my experience to flourish which is why I am so glad I chose Spirit Vine.
The location in the jungle, the food and drink, the attendees, sessions and the ceremonies were all very important and combined perfectly to make the experience truly unique. I realised how much effort and planning went into this by the team and it made all the difference. You will have everything you need from an accomodation, social and safety perspective. The people I shared the experience with will never be strangers and the retreat felt like a home from home.
The journey itself was incredible. This was my first experience and I can’t really describe it in words, the positive impact it has made. But I can tell you to trust the process, as they have thought of everything.
It was an incredible experience and I hold it in the highest regard. I am forever thankful for the opportunity. It was wIthout a doubt something I will remember until the day I die, and cannot wait to do it again.
Yevgen
September 3, 2023 at 11:49 amI had an excellent experience at Spirit Vine. It gave me some very much-needed clarity at a rather tumultuous time in both my professional and personal life.
Overall, the place runs like a Swiss clock. Everything is well thought through and taken care of from the moment you enter the retreat. The workshops are great, and the individual interactions with Silvia, Noor, and Miro have been very helpful in integrating what I learned during the activities. There is a well-structured progression that helped me advance on my journey, at my own pace. I also appreciate having met such a great and interesting group of people – I learned something from their personal journeys as well.
I cannot recommend this place enough, and I believe that everyone could benefit from doing this type of retreat at least once in their lives. You will learn a lot about yourself and be better for it.
twb
September 2, 2023 at 3:22 pmI attended the February 2023 retreat at Spirit Vine. The organisation, food, and pastoral care all were faultless. In the last few days I was cast in a spell of love and healing that was more beautiful than I am able to describe. I am deeply grateful to Silvia, Ti0 and my fellow retreatants for this experience.