Group discount rates are available upon request.

Please note that we aim to offer personalized care for every guest so they can have the space to immerse themselves fully in their process and have the support they need to do so.

We also believe that ultimate healing happens not only in isolation but also in community. Therefore, we keep our groups rather intimate, and have a high facilitator-to-guest ratio. We currently hold ceremonies for a maximum of 6 people per retreat.

For any questions or to make reservations please contact us today.

• A $250.00 Non-Refundable deposit is due to reserve your retreat dates. Full payment is due to confirm your retreat dates.

• Full payment is due 4 weeks prior to arrival.

• 50% refund if cancellation occurs 21 days prior to retreat date.

• 30% refund if cancellation occurs less than 21 days before retreat.

• Rescheduling one (1) time within 10 months allowed at no extra cost.

We hold ceremonies in a ceremonial hut called the Choza, which is a 10 min drive away from the main retreat home and a 10 min hike deep into a riverside traditional Shuar communal choza.

We spend the night alongside the Jurumbaino river immersed in the sounds of Nature. We have a full functioning facility equipped with running water, bathrooms and a beautiful ceremonial fire that will help us heal and keep warm through the night. During every ceremony both healers will be present and hold circle and assist with traditional and intuited healing modalities.

Prior to each ceremony you will have an opportunity to share with the Uwishiin (Shaman) your intention to work with medicine and we will help guide you on how to work with Sacred Medicine during the ceremony.

We are strong believers that healing is collaborative, and that each person carries their healing within.

Our shaman cares for their own Ayahuasca and Chacruna plants. They collect the ingredients and prepare the medicine in the community. Medicine is made about a week before the arrival of our participants. Prayers and songs are shared during the making of medicine as it has been done traditionally. There is also a period of fasting that goes into preparing the medicine.

Ayahuasca is generally extremely safe when taken responsibly. The information below is a guide, and specific cases are discussed during our clearance call, before the retreats begin. This is by no means an exhaustive list but rather guidelines to help ensure your safety.

Medications that can be unsafe with Psychedelic medicines:

• Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs)

• Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants (and sleeping pills)

• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

• Anti-hypertensives (blood pressure medications)

• Other Antidepressants

• Antibiotics

• Recreational drugs:

• Cannabis

• Amphetamines

• Cocaine

• Ecstasy

• Any psychedelic drugs

Other medications that should be discontinued;

• decongestants

• cold medications allergy medications

• antihistamines

• sedatives

• tranquilizers

• amphetamines (including Adderall)

• some hypertensive medications

• sympathomimetic amines (including pseudoephedrine and ephedrine)

• carbamazepine, methylphenidate (Ritalin)

• macromerine

• phenylalanine

• tyrosine

• tryptophan

• asarone/calamus

• some asthma inhalers

• diet pills

If you suffer from any of the following psychological conditions, please discuss this with staff before the retreat begins:

• Borderline disorders

• Bipolar disorders

• Psychosis

• Schizophrenia

• Family history of mental health problems

Physiological conditions that should be discussed with staff:

• Chronic high blood pressure

• Heart conditions

• Diabetes

Each medicine has its own journey. Each person experiences that journey very uniquely.

Ayahuasca tends to peak at the 30-60 min mark of ingestion and have a duration of 4-6 hours for most people.

San Pedro tends to peak at the 45-90 min mark of ingestion and has a duration of about 15-24 hours for most people.

What is a Dieta and what are the requirements for diet in preparation for my time at La Vida Divine Healing Institute?

A “dieta” is essentially a list of restrictions that is implemented before your journey with certain Teacher plants. The dieta assists us in physically preparing our bodies by purging and detoxing as well as decreasing the distraction that certain foods can produce in the mind and body.

When we shift the focus on foods that are more geared towards whole body healing and nourishment, we are also preparing for what medicine does as well.

Upon registration, you will have access to an information packet which will include our dietary and guidelines to prepare you for your journey with us.

Many of our guests who come to us have had little to no experience with psychoactive medicines and have found deep and profound healing working with Plant Teachers. In fact, less experience can sometimes be more beneficial, as it can make it easier to enter into the experience without prior expectations.

Working with Plant Medicines is a process. Creating a safe environment where your first experiences are able to be processed with assistance in a nurturing environment can be highly beneficial for both the first time participant as well as our more experienced journey seekers.

Oftentimes, just one ceremony can open up the work, but be insufficient to get significant benefits from and then be able to have a chance to energetically close what has been opened. It is for this reason that we recommend those journeying for the first time to opt for the 8 day retreat at minimum. We have found that at least three ceremonies, along with integration support during and after to help guests process and integrate what has come up, allows for a deeper level of healing to occur.

You can check out the following page of our website for resources to help you get a better ides of these medicines and how they work. Our Gift To You

What is the process for booking?

We offer 6, 8, or 10 day retreat stays. You can click into each retreat page option to read more about each program, see pricing, and also see a list of available dates as well as lodging options depending on the date.

From there, you can pre-register by clicking on the button and filling out a brief registration form and scheduling your clearance call. This call also serves as a space to connect to our staff and there you can ask more details about your desired retreat experience.

Upon clearance, you will receive an email with a link to the next steps in the process such as placing a deposit, preparation, and packing lists. Your booking will not be confirmed until we have received and reviewed a medical intake questionnaire for you. If for any reason it is deemed medically unsafe for you to attend the retreat with us, we will have an opportunity to discuss steps on how to get where you desire.

It is imperative during this process that you inform us if you are taking any prescription medications or have any specific medical diagnoses. Please fill out our medical form and we will be happy to review this information with our intake coordination team to determine whether an ayahuasca retreat is right for you, or any necessary tapering schedules for medications. We also recommend that you review this decision with your doctor if you are currently on any specific treatment plan or medications, particularly before changing or tapering any medications, as they will have a more complete picture of your medical history. The total health and safety of our participants before, during, and after attending a retreat with us is of the utmost importance to us.

You will need to fly into Quito (UIO) airport. We are located in the city of Macas in the province of Morona Santiago. To get to us from Quito airport it is approximately 6.5 hours by car.

We offer to assist with transport to and from the retreat. Average cost for private/shared shuttle is $190-$225, most people opt to share the shuttle with other participants arriving on same date. This is discussed in our WhatsApp group set up 2 weeks prior to retreat start date.

Options on how to get to us are via car or by taking two buses from Quito’s main bus terminal.

Yes. The retreat center has Wi-Fi available but the cell service depends on your cell phone carrier. We have electricity as well.

In the Choza where our ceremonies take place, there is no electricity or Wi-Fi, however we only spend ceremony nights at the Choza. This is to ensure that we are fully present in the ceremony experience, free from the distractions of the outside world.

In the Shuar culture it is believed that during the menstrual cycle you are going through a powerful time of purging and opening your energy. Our Shaman will provide a special prayer and ritual to keep you safe during the ceremony.

Our retreats are led in English and we require all guests present in our retreats to speak at least a conversational level of English. Our facilitation team is able to translate between English and Spanish for any communications with the healers. The healers also speak in their indigenous tongue of Shuar.

Purging occurs in many ways and may be experienced physically, emotionally, mentally, and/or spiritually. During purging we process the negative energy out of our body as well as physically cleanse what no longer serves us.

Physical purging can occur in the form of vomiting, defecation, shaking, swearing, crying, laughing, meaning, screaming, etc.

We provide each person with a bucket for purging as well as having bathroom facilities available for purging. We are here to assist you to the bathroom as some Medicines tend to affect balance.

We will give you some feedback and advice on how to best use the purging time to your benefit.

The majority of our retreats are open to all. We do hold specific dates for BIPOC only retreats. We post these dates on our availability page. We believe in having a safe space for people of color to heal and we are very specific on that during our clearance call.

The majority of our retreats are open to all individuals. We have a few dates specific for our LGBTQIA+ community. You can find these dates on our availability page. We believe in having a safe space for healing for our community and are very specific on sharing that with all those who desire to join our retreats.

Most of our retreats are open to ALL. We are specific in discussing that we do hold a focus on BIPOC and Queer safe healing spaces. We ask all that visit our center to be aware and accepting of the space we have created for all.

We do have specific retreat dates where children will be welcomed. However they will not be able to participate in the ceremony.

Yes we do! We have members of the 4 legged (dogs and cats) and 2 legged family (chickens and ducks)

We have pre and post retreat coaching sessions available at a discounted rate. We understand that support is needed to prepare and also as we reincorporate ourselves back into our regular life.

We understand that the work being done is still controversial for many of our folks. We ask that you find at least one person you can share about your journey safely so that they can create a safe container for your return.

We have created a scholarship foundation to give access to Medicine to individuals in our Communities in financial need.

It is our mission to promote inclusion and equity in our retreats. For scholarship info call schedule here.

If you are called to donate towards our fund also schedule a call

We do offer a 2 day max stay before or after the retreat. This has an additional cost and it is on a case by case basis.