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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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TraceyL
January 3, 2022 at 12:51 pmI have participated in three retreats at Spirit Vine retreat center since 2018. On my first visit, I thought there was nothing that could be done to further improve my experience — and yet each time I return, it is even better than the last.
Of course, the experience with the medicine Herself is always extraordinary, providing growth, healing and learning. This medicinal experience has been greatly assisted by the expert facilitation of the center’s owner, Silvia – who has trained in western psychology and spent years learning from indigenous shamans – along with her assistant facilitator, TiO. Together, Silvia and TiO offer workshops and group sharing sessions that both help to unearth material for the ayahuasca to work with during ceremonies, and to process the experience after each ceremony. This work is all underpinned by Silvia’s philosophy that each of us has the power and agency within ourselves to change our lives and levels of consciousness — which, to me, has been a major part of the appeal of this center. The ayahuasca plants themselves are grown and brewed on site and Silvia and TiO are meticulous in ensuring each participant receives exactly the right dosage, including by discussing and assessing the dosage with each person after each ceremony.
At each retreat, I have noted an evolution based on feedback from participants: whether it is improvements in the accommodations or upgrades in the food (the vegan cooking is outstanding: the chef makes you feel like you are eating at a five star restaurant at every meal) or the increasing clarity of the boundaries of what is acceptable and what is not, that is shared at the start of each retreat and which contributes to helping everybody at the retreat feel safe and cared for.
What’s more, Spirit Vine tends to draw a very interesting and diverse set of participants who are committed to growth and healing. At each retreat, I have found like-minded people who are not only interested in their own development, but also have sought to support each other, both during and after the retreat.
In short, after testing out other retreat centers in Peru and Costa Rica, I cannot recommend Spirit Vine highly enough for those who are committed to do the hard work of spiritual and emotional healing and growth.
alexm
December 28, 2021 at 10:58 amSpirit Vine is a fantastic retreat center. I got even more out of the experience than I ever expected. Silvia and Ti0 are two of the best people I’ve ever met, and you will feel 100% safe in their hands. They take extra care to make sure you’re given the correct dosage and check in with you along the way. The workshops were a great addition to the experience, and I loved how we set intentions before each ceremony to help us navigate our journeys. Also, Silvia’s playlists were incredible and genuinely contributed to the ayahuasca experience.
The food was delicious, and the grounds and accommodations were great. The chef even baked me a vegan cake for my birthday (and I wish I got the recipe). I was at ease as soon as I got there. The retreat brought me inner peace, and it feels like I experienced years of therapy in just nine days. I came away with some resolutions and things I didn’t think I’d be able to let go. I also came away with some new friends. If you’re considering an ayahuasca retreat, I highly recommend Spirit Vine, and I think the fact that half of our group had attended before speaks volumes.
TG10XLIFE
December 15, 2021 at 11:51 amI signed up for this trip at the last minute not knowing much about Ayahuasca but looking for an experience where I could do some inner work and hit the reset button going into 2022. This experience exceeded all of my expectations! The accommodations were top tier and though I was out of my comfort zone as a city dweller, I enjoyed every bit of living in the jungle! With this being my first time experiencing Ayahuasca, I felt extremely comfortable and safe the entire time and everything was explained in a way that a child could understand. I was able to do some significant work on my inner self and I left with so much insight that I will be unpacking for some time. I had so many epiphanies and was able to look at significant experiences that shaped who I am. Silvia and Tio were there to guide me through the tough times and by the end I felt nothing but gratitude for my 11 day experience at Spirit Vine. The beach days, art days, and massages were icing on the cake and soooo necessary! The diversity of the group was amazing and despite our varying backgrounds, we left as family! I highly recommend this experience.
MJ
December 10, 2021 at 7:07 pmSpirit Vine is a sanctuary, a piece of paradise on this earth. I’ve done Ayahuasca in other places but Spirit Vine is special. Silvia has created a wonderful and safe retreat for healing, working through my limiting beliefs, traumas, getting me unstuck and getting the answers to my BIG life questions.
I feel Silvia’s well intentions in every corner of Spirit Vine. The food, accommodation, property, workshops all play a role in giving you the support you need. The ceremonies are well planned and Ti0 was an amazing support. I knew I would be alright no matter what because Ti0 would always be there when I called his name.
I can’t recommend this place enough. I will definitely come back.
Katiehemingway
December 8, 2021 at 9:53 amThis was my fourth time at Spirit Vine and it won’t be my last! I come here whenever I can and I recommend to everyone I know because it is simply the best place to come and do some deep inner exploration. Spirit Vine is incredibly safe on every level. I come here because I know I am safe and grounded and therefore able to explore myself and face hard stuff while being incredibly well taken care of, sleeping in comfortable beds, and eating delicious food.
In this most recent experience I was able to tap into the “higher” me or the “real” me and by that I mean I was able to feel and understood that I have control over my own life. I recovered my own power. I identified and let go of things that didn’t belong to me. I also explored my childhood and was able to see this shadow side of myself that desperately needed to be right. I realized that I could give my inner child comfort, validation, and reliability and this need to be right started to lighten. Once my inner child felt taken care of, my creativity really started to flow! I was writing poems all day long and just playing. I got so many new ideas about my business and I’m coming home feeling excited to continue building the life I really want to be living. Following my bliss!