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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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Achantal
June 15, 2018 at 7:25 pmI am so happy that I chose Spirit Vine for my Ayahuasca retreat!
I’ve wanted to do Ayahuasca for years because I’ve struggled with trauma-related anxiety and depression. I chose Spirit Vine after doing a ton of research and I’m happy to say that it was the perfect place for me. I always assumed I’d do my retreat in Peru, but I went a few years ago and didn’t like what I saw of its enormous Ayahuasca industry. So many places seemed to prioritize profits over healing, and I worried about being complicit in the erosion of local indigenous communities. Additionally, I heard and read about instances of impure/mixed brews and even sexual misconduct. I didn’t want to worry about any of that during my first Aya experience (or ever!) and at Spirit Vine, I didn’t have to. It’s run by a woman—Silvia—who has decades of experience, extensive spiritual AND psychological knowledge, conducts her work with integrity, and makes your safety—both physical and emotional—a priority. I felt safe, nurtured, inspired, and connected, from the moment I arrived.
Silvia and Rohan are experts at what they do, and they are very wise and kind. I loved all the workshops, which supported the work we were doing at the center and prepared us to integrate what we learned upon returning home. Spirit Vine only hosts one retreat a month with a set number of people, so Silvia and Rohan are very invested in each participant; there’s not risk of getting “lost” in the group, and there’s plenty of personal attention should you want or need it.
Because Spirit Vine emphasizes deep healing, it attracts very committed and interesting individuals. This was important to me, as I wanted to be with people who were taking the experience as seriously as I was. Of course, Ayahuasca isn’t a “party drug,” but I wanted to avoid people who were just doing it for kicks. Our group of 9 was full of super cool people who were wanted to grow and know themselves better and were extremely supportive of each other. We had lots of great conversations and, despite the heavy nature of what we were doing, managed to laugh a lot. Keep in mind that who you’re with is a big part of your experience and you’ll get to know them very well.
The grounds and facilities are GORGEOUS, and the area’s beaches are stunning—it was so nice to be able to play in the ocean on “off days.” I paid extra for a private room (a two-person bungalow, but we each had our own bedroom and bathroom) and it was even nicer than I thought it would be. Like, incredibly nice. While the dorms are more than fine, I appreciated having my own space; that said, the center has plenty of places for relaxation or quiet contemplation. There’s so much space that no one is ever on top of each other.
My time at Spirit Vine was wonderful and beyond profound, and I continue to be grateful for it. While I can’t compare it to other centers, I believe that the cosmic-yet-intentional combination of Silvia and Rohan, the lush, beautiful setting and excellent facilities, and the people it attracts, culminates into an energy and experience that can’t be found elsewhere.
skuntastic
June 7, 2018 at 2:52 pmOne thing I want to really emphasize is the beauty of this center, whereas many places will artificially enhance their photos to make things look more beautiful than they are, the photos of spirit vine don’t do enough justice to the magnificence of this place This was an opinion shared by everybody at the retreat I attended, the place is so much more beautiful to experience than what can be seen in the photos and videos.
This is also representative of the way in which the facilitators Silvia and Rohan run the center, they are very humble and always keep you as the focus of their attention, without bringing themselves into the picture, the expertise with which they make the magic happen left me in awe and truly speaks of the depth of their experience with this work. I felt safer than I ever have to open up go through such a deep and beautiful experience, I feel I have learned some of the most important lessons and it was the perfect way to enter a new phase in my life. I feel unending gratitude and love towards this place and highly recommend it to everyone who has a chance to go there.
Shila
April 18, 2018 at 10:56 amTHE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME!
This was my first experience with sacred plant medicine. Over the past 15 years I have studied yoga, meditation and various healing techniques and now quite unexpectedly Mother Aya was calling.
I researched Ayahuasca on the web and as soon as I discovered Spirit Vine, I knew that this was the place. Some of my friends were shocked and feared for me as a single female travelling alone in Brazil, let alone drinking an illegal brew. However, they need not have feared. I felt cradled and protected by the Universe throughout my whole time in Brazil. This was a spiritual quest that ended up being the adventure of a lifetime.
I arrived at Spirit Vine after a very long travel day involving taxis, buses and a ferry. Driving into a flower filled garden with manicured lawns was heavenly and I immediately relaxed. Everything was way beyond my expectations.
There were 16 of us on the retreat – a full house (11 men, 5 women across 12 nationalities). The group was diverse and very harmonious. Over the next 8 days we opened our hearts, shared secrets, traumatic experiences and deep, deep healings.
I loved the rhythm of each day – on Ceremony days: 7.30am yoga, 9am breakfast, beach, lunch,
workshop, a couple of hours sleep and 10.30pm ceremony (ending at sunrise).
The next day would be a leisurely breakfast followed by an art session, lunch, sharing of our experiences, dinner and a movie.
Silvia and Rohan provide the perfect partnership for facilitating the course. During the workshops, Silvia with her background in Clinical Psychology and extensive experience facilitating retreats would help us to cut to the core of the issues that we each faced, shining a clear light on the source of what, why and how?
Rohan is an old soul full of wisdom, humour and deep insight. He was always smiling and willing to help, yet also firm when needed.
Together, they created a private universe in which we could safely open our hearts and be vulnerable. I felt safe and protected throughout all of my journeys.
Overall this has been, a hugely life affirming experience for which I am enormously grateful and highly recommend to anyone who is ready to do the inner work (which although a powerful and deeply healing process is not necessarily easy). I left feeling open hearted, free spirited and comforted knowing that there is a new tribe of friends with whom I can continue to share and learn.
I walk my path with a firmer resolve and deeper understanding of what I need to do next. The programming kinks from past lifetimes have been unveiled and now I can set to work on them. My heart is open and I feel deeply connected to the Universe.
I am still in awe of how much was achieved in just 9 days. Aya is an amplifier that sheds light on your unconscious shadow state. If you are ready to do the inner work, look no further. Spirit Vine provides the full holistic experience with expert facilitation, luxurious accommodation, delicious food, Atlantic rainforest back drop and idyllic beaches nearby. It really has it all. As I sit here writing this, I’m already contemplating when I might return…..
Noor
March 28, 2018 at 8:26 amWords alone can’t describe my personal experience at the Spirit Vine Center.
What I can say is that the facilities in place are set up with nature in mind. Imagine waking up with the light coming through the trees, birds and crickets singing or some drops of rain caressing the roof and washing away the energies of yesterday to make way for new ones.
From the almost invisible staff making sure you have a feeling of being home to being able to jump in the pond and refresh your senses, everyday feels like a treat.
The ayahuasca ceremonies happen in a beautiful and expansive shelter surrounded by the Atlantic forest trees that sometimes fireflies visit.
Magical.
I felt invited, protected, safe, compassionately allowed to be.
The leaders show honour and reverence for the people and quests of the soul.
This experience will forever be point of reference for my sometimes unfathomable spirit. A spirit that the vine has managed to shake and awaken.
I have already decided to plan another retreat in Itacare.
Samantha
March 26, 2018 at 5:46 pmIt’s been nearly a month since I returned from Brazil from my beautiful retreat at Spirit Vine. It has been by far the most transformative experience I had for 9 days in the nearly 35 years of my life. The place is absolutely beautiful in the middle of the jungles of Itacare. Everything around me was so clean yet prepared with such love and care. I felt “home”. The food was grown in their own gardens, it was delicious and I did not even miss meat at all. I love the workshops that were facilitated by Silvia and Rohan prior to the ceremonies. It was the right food for thought that really helps guide my ayahuasca journeys that brought forth the lasting changes I have today.
I have been observing the following changes in my lifestyle, diet and inner world for the last 30 days after the retreat.
Diet:
I lost all desire to drink even the taste of my favourite beverage, wine. With the exception of 2 glasses of wine that I sporadically ordered to “test” the feeling is constant. This has been progressive since I return from Mexico last year and this time it stopped 100%.
I am drawn to a mostly plant-based diet. 80% of what I consume is mostly vegetarian with the rest in seafood and little meat. I find fruits absolutely delicious nowadays. I will crave for it and when it touches my tongue I think “Mmmmm delicioooous.” If I cook, I don’t really use salt but rather season the food with natural spices. I can feel my body’s immediate joy or distaste for the food I feed it. Prior to this, I love meat and have never cared much for fruits or contemplated having a plant-based diet,
Lifestyle:
I regained my ability to sit in the quiet to read for hours instead of being distracted.
I’m very present and grounded in my daily movements and thoughts. I see that in everything I do from the way I move, talk, picking things up and putting things away. I put things away, shoes, closing drawers, even my footsteps, gently without a sound if I can.
My senses are so heightened. I feel things a lot quicker than before and also get repelled in an instant to bad smells or alerted to bad feelings in other people.
I am drawn to nature and want to spend a lot of time connecting with her and also to look within to explore my inner world through meditation and acute awareness.I relish the moments and it gives me such to be surrounded by nature. I will notice and look at trees and observe the trunk and leaves even in my daily walk through my concrete-filled city.
I feel grateful for my body and the movements and sensations I can have through it. That acute awareness extended to be aware I’m looking through my eyes and I will look up from my book and look around, amused yet grateful that I, we are so blessed with the gift of sight. I look at my hands and feet or just feel the movement through them. I feel the slight wind brushing on my skin, Our senses are such a miraculous thing.
Mind and Heart:
They both float in a white glowing light. Holding space for my inner world. Present, grounded.
My focus of leading a kind, joyful and meaningful life is sharpened and is raised to a higher level of consciousness and I let go of inauthentic expectations of the future or people around me.
I gained more gratitude, love and patience of my family, my loved ones and everything else that is the source of my intrinsic joys while at the same time I let go of everything else that doesn’t serve me in that light.
I feel absolutely grateful and have pure acceptance of who I am and what I have in the here and now.
I am aware of the breath that I take into my body and love the feeling of taking slow deep breathes in the quiet and the sun and feel it coursing through my being and the wonderful effects it has in my mind and heart.
I truly enjoy myself, my being, my light and exploring the vast inner world that has been shown to me.
Every day, the lesson continues and deepens.
Bliss.
Thank you Silvia and Rohan for this wonderful gift. I would love to return.