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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Boukje
November 9, 2020 at 11:02 amFor me this was a trip I had been moving towards for a long time. More than once in my life I was drawn towards a more professionally guided Ayahuasca experience and now finally it was time.
With Silvia and Tio I found just the perfect environment. The expertise on the plant medecine, Silvia’s expertise as a therapist and the perfectly organized facility that was built to take care of us.
Although I already knew this (otherwise I would not have traveled to the other side of the world to do so), during the stay it becomes perfectly clear, that the diet, preparation, workshops, sharing, the group work and environment play a huge role in what ayahuasca can bring you. And afterwards you will not be done. The integration of all that in your life will define the real transformation and you will have to do all by yourself. But you get to still share your challenges, progress tips and tricks with the group you started the retreat with, which is wonderful.
I have faced my first challenges and overcome them differently, healthier and quicker than before. I am currently in contact with some of the other participants as well as with Tio.
This makes the journey all the more worthwhile. I have felt safe, cared for, unjudged and comfortable. I applaud everyone at the retreat and am forever thankful for this experience.
leebusiness
November 8, 2020 at 2:54 pmI wish I had the words to describe my experience, but I do not. Simply put, this was a majestic experience. Silvia and Tio are a perfect pair. They facilitated one of the most spiritual and reverent experiences I have ever had. That’s saying a lot coming from a person who has been religious most of their lives and a member of a very conservative church being the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I highly recommend this retreat to anyone, especially if it’s your first experience with Ayahuasca. You will be educated, cared for in the highest regard, and protected throughout the whole experience. Everything about this experience was magical and transformation took place on many levels for everyone involved. Not once was I concerned about COVID or any of the wild things going on in our world. Definitely a place of solitude. Thanks so much Silvia and Tio!
aya2019
October 14, 2020 at 8:49 pmI cannot thank Sylvia and Tio enough for their wonderful support and care during my stay. This retreat is currently rated #1 for a reason. There was not one minute when I did not feel safe and well cared for. The ceremonies were challenging but well worth it. And the support classes were wonderful and very helpful. Going alone to a foreign country where I did not speak the language was a huge deal for me. But I went to Spirit Vine in April 2019 for 9-10 days. I learned some previously unknown truths by exploring my subconscious mind during ceremony. Vivid memories I had long forgotten emerged and were quite shocking to me. But the life lessons did not begin until I arrived home. And they continue to this day. My life has dramatically changed since my trip. I’ve faced big challenges I’ve avoided all my life. I see that I’ve been hiding away from the world for decades! And masking the pain with alcohol and other substances. Anything to avoid the pain and emptiness I’ve felt all my life. What Mother Ayahuasca taught me was to run towards what you fear in order to overcome it. She’s taught/reminded me to care for my body. it’s the only one I have. And I have damaged my health. I’ve stopped all alcohol. And i will continue facing my demons of which there are several. I am grateful for this unexpected blessing I’ve received……the chance to return to health and to myself.
Sincerely,
Barbara
Peace ☮️
danaya
August 10, 2020 at 2:04 pmBeginning of 2020 I participated in the 9-day retreat at Silvia’s magical place in the Bahian jungle. It was a wonderful, safe and very peaceful experience and I can highly recommend it to everyone interested in expanding consciousness or looking for spiritual growth and healing.
ayeshas
June 7, 2020 at 8:05 amSpirit Vine was my first experience with Ayahuasca. I’m grateful to Sylvia and her amazing team (especially Noor!) for cultivating a wonderful energy that made this experience equally beautiful and valuable. Conversations and workshops with Sylvia were key to navigating and translating what ayahuasca is really about – the understanding of which has been unfolding over time. Her deep knowledge of ayahuasca and her history as a clinical psychologist was profound – a combination which, for me, made her an ideal guide. As for the logistics, everything was efficiently arranged with careful attention to detail. The sprawling property in the jungles was gorgeous and food was great everyday. In short, being there was an incredible learning experience, one that exceeded my expectations by far.