Aya Healing Retreats
The Journey
Find Deep Healing and step into the new you
Find Deep Healing and step into the new you
Just one simple step and you are on the way to a life changing Ayahuasca Retreat
STEP ONE
What you need to know
It is essential to prepare your body and mind for a life changing spiritual transformation and deep healing. You must exercise the utmost respect for yourself – and let go of the habits that are no longer serving you in the weeks both before and after your Ayahuasca Retreat. Additionally, dietary restrictions are part of an ayahuasca retreat that is setup to optimally maximize the healing potential of each ceremony. Sacred plant medicines take in an intimate group setting, have the potential to profoundly change the quality of our human experience, long after we have left the fireside, but we must prepare ourselves correctly.
Before immersion into the Amazon – you’ll also need to clarify your main intention. This will help you use your ayahuasca journey to adopt a new lifestyle which will aid in spiritual growth. With clear intent, we give the universe permission to deliver to us. When we focus on what we don’t want, then we’ll likely end up with the same drugery. To learn more and find a list of questions to contemplate, view our ayahuasca intentions page.
Our Peruvian Shipibo healers find it much easier to work with individuals who have taken the time to define a clear intent and mental preparation. Another benefit would be to generally educate yourself about ayahuasca, such as how it works, how it is made, or the history of ayahuasca.
Our curanderos or healers are of the shipibo tribe, one of the largest within the Peruvian Amazon and highly experienced with traditional plant medicine. You’re in safe hands with the combined wisdom and expertise to guide you through a powerful healing experience. We’re honoured to have the ancient wisdom of these incredible maestros with us on our retreats.
Your retreat will also be accompanied by a highly trained facilitator who will provide you with individualized attention. The role of our facilitators, is to ensure your wellbeing and help you have a transformative experience with personal growth. Our facilitators will create a loving, compassionate space in which all participants feel safe, respected and free to express themselves authentically. You can find more information on our facilitators on about About Us page.
AYA Healing Retreats is committed to creating a more compassionate, safe and equal world. Which is why we are donating 10 percent of the profits of our sacred medicine retreat to two extraordinary humanitarian projects.
Shipibo Curandero
Shipibo Curandera
At Aya Healing Retreats, we have the highest level of safety standards in the industry. We are committed to providing the safest and most authentic sacred plant medicine healing modalities in the Peruvian Amazon. Together with the International Centre for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Service (ICEERS) we have created the most comprehensive screening process available for our participants. Our dedication to creating the safest possible plant medicine journey ensures that each participant is given every opportunity to reach their true healing potential during their time with us.
Mapacho (Nicotiana Tobacum) is a natural tobacco locally found in the Amazon rain forest. It is much more potent in terms of nicotine than commercialized cigarrettes, containing 15-20 times the nicotine and no tar. It is the tar and chemical additives which are so dangerous in western tobaccos. Although it is well known that nicotine has addictive properties, many shamans insist upon its profound spiritual and healing properties, with large doses creating trance-like states of consciousness.
Ayahuasca Icaros are used to supoort communications with plant spirits and to call in strength, guidance, healing, and protection. A curandero will use different Icaros' depending on the situation. Often, the lyrics are kept secret and the curandero will only whistle the tune. Icaros will help you stay grounded throughout your life changing experience, and provide you with the courage you need to face your deepest fears
A plant bath involves immersing oneself in a bath tub filled with water and the plant ingredients that the curandero believes will be most beneficial to our healing process. Water is then poured over our heads and intentions are made for how we hope the purification process will positively transform us. These baths will normally take place on the side of the river, so as all the negative energy that is lifted from our bodies can be washed out and transmuted by the sea. Plants that may be chosen include Mocura, Piñon Colorado, and Baño de Florecimient, each with unique benefits.
Our 11 day ayahuasca retreats include 5 ceremonies spread out every other day, and start at $3300. Your investment also includes a master plant dieta, a personalized consultation with Don Miguel, personalised treatments, plant vapour baths, transportation from Iquitos, accomodation, and much more. Some of our other retreats which include yoga classes or sound healing or if the retreat is outside of Peru or has additional ceremonies then the price will reflect our increased costs.
According to a survey from the Global Ayahuasca Project, 85% of people go on to make a profound life change after undergoing an ayahuasca ceremony. However, we believe in order to get the full benefit you must go into your ayahuasca experience with the right preparation, intention, and integration.
The Amazonian jungle is the most common place to take ayahuasca, the plant grows natively here, and has been consumed by local tribes for generations in sacred tradition.
There is definitely something to be said about being close to the home and origin of the medicine. Iquitos is probably the most popular hub, with many retreats located within short distance of the city. Other options in Peru include Puerto Maldonado, Pucallpa, and Tarapoto.
Whichever country or city you decide to endeavour in an ayahuasca retreat, be sure to do thorough research to find ethical providers with high safety standards and integration practices.
To read our full Frequently Asked Questions, please click the button below.
The experiences of our participants speak volumes. Over the years, AYA Healing Retreats has been a place of profound healing and transformation, guided by the master shaman Don Miguel and a dedicated team of facilitators. We invite you to explore the reviews from those who have attended our retreats and see how these experiences have impacted their lives. Their testimonials reflect the healing power of our ancestral practices and the commitment of our team to the well-being of each participant.
Interested in flexible pricing options? Speak to our program coordinator today or email info@ayahealingretreats.com
Integrating your Ayahuasca experiences into your daily life is how you create lasting profound changes, long after leaving the healing center. In order to help facilitate this, we offer a free integration support session 30-days after your retreat. Delivered by Atira Tan, who has over 13 years of experience in trauma recovery and working with transformative spiritual retreats. Atira will guide you using Somatic Experiencing principles to help you preserve the wisdom and healing you’ve gained from your journey and help you feel comfortable.
These sessions will offer you the opportunity to discuss your sacred medicine experiences, and to work through tangible solutions to any real-world problems you are facing that are preventing you from fully integrating this work. We also have a private facebook community where individuals help each other work through issues and creatively explore ideas related to their ayahuasca ceremonies in a wonderful online sharing circle. For more on ways to maxmize your growth post retreat, check out our integration suggestions.
Book a free skype session and ask questions, or start your medical screening questionnaire. Prepare to be profoundly changed.
Don Miguel was born into a Shipibo community called Roaboya on the River Ucayali. When Don Miguel was a child, Angel Sanchez Vargas, his grandfather was the community’s curandero. Vargas was an expert in sacred plant medicines and was frequently called upon to heal and share his spiritual wisdom with members of Roaboya. The school built some years later was named after Vargas and Roaboya went on to be recognised as the first indigenous community 114 years ago. Don Miguel grew up surrounded by the Shipibo wisdom and possess intimate knowledge of the sacred plant medicines. At a very young age he began his apprenticeship as a curandero through plant dietas under the supportive guidance of his grandfather. Miguel is also a trained literature professor and thoroughly enjoys teaching the Shipibo language and culture. Since 2012, Don Miguel has spent the bulk of his time leading lectures, workshops, initiation courses and retreats. Don Miguel will lead our Ayahuasca ceremonies, circle discussions and be available for personal consultations whilst on retreat.
Don Miguel was born into a Shipibo community called Roaboya on the River Ucayali. When Don Miguel was a child, Angel Sanchez Vargas, his grandfather was the community’s curandero. Vargas was an expert in sacred plant medicines and was frequently called upon to heal and share his spiritual wisdom with members of Roaboya. The school built some years later was named after Vargas and Roaboya went on to be recognised as the first indigenous community 114 years ago. Don Miguel grew up surrounded by the Shipibo wisdom and possess intimate knowledge of the sacred plant medicines. At a very young age he began his apprenticeship as a curandero through plant dietas under the supportive guidance of his grandfather. Miguel is also a trained literature professor and thoroughly enjoys teaching the Shipibo language and culture. Since 2012, Don Miguel has spent the bulk of his time leading lectures, workshops, initiation courses and retreats. Don Miguel will lead our Ayahuasca ceremonies, circle discussions and be available for personal consultations whilst on retreat.
Maestra Juana was born into the Shipibo community of Pahoyan, one of the most powerful Shipibo healing lineages in the Peruvian Amazon. She is around 60 years old, however her exact age is unknown.She has been studying for more than 35 years under Maestra Manuela, Papa Gilberto and Papa Bejamin, who are all members of the highly-respected curandero family, the Mahua family. Juana began her dieta on the mythical Amazonian tree Noya Rao when she was just 20 years old and has dedicated her life to the path of healing ever since. Juana is also very learned in the workings of the human body, possessing an excellent knowledge of the bones and skeletal system. Juana specialises in bone massage and will be available on the Noya Rao retreat to provide our guests with this unique healing experience. We are delighted to have Juana’s expertise, depth of wisdom and fun loving spirit with us on the Noya Rao retreat.
Maestra Juana was born into the Shipibo community of Pahoyan, one of the most powerful Shipibo healing lineages in the Peruvian Amazon. She is around 60 years old, however her exact age is unknown.She has been studying for more than 35 years under Maestra Manuela, Papa Gilberto and Papa Bejamin, who are all members of the highly-respected curandero family, the Mahua family. Juana began her dieta on the mythical Amazonian tree Noya Rao when she was just 20 years old and has dedicated her life to the path of healing ever since. Juana is also very learned in the workings of the human body, possessing an excellent knowledge of the bones and skeletal system. Juana specialises in bone massage and will be available on the Noya Rao retreat to provide our guests with this unique healing experience. We are delighted to have Juana’s expertise, depth of wisdom and fun loving spirit with us on the Noya Rao retreat.
Each retreat group consists of a maximum of 12-15 participants. Small numbers ensure that we can adequately guarantee everyone’s safety during their time with us. Your curandero or curandera of the Shipibo tradition, two English speaking facilitators and one ceremonial assistant will be present at each plant medicine ritual to fully supervise and support guests through the healing process.
We have taken additional precautions to guarantee the safety of our guests through:
Maestro Shipibo Don Miguel recently discovered a new Tree of Light, Noya Rao, in the Amazon jungle of Peru.
