Reflections & Experiences

My experience at Spirit Vine helped me work through some past trauma and remarkably, trauma while mid retreat when my best friend of 40 years passed away. Silvia and Ti0 have a way of cutting through the chaff and getting to the core. The ayahuasca does the same, offering me insights in areas I least expected. When I layer the camaraderie of the other participants, the group support and sharing of experience, the group and personal sessions and finally THE FOOD! It’s truly hard for me to put into words how meaningful it all was and is. I look forward to further visits since it felt as if it was more than a home away from home.

I first did a retreat here in 2021. This is now my 4th retreat in less than 2 years. I can probably write a book about my experiences here, and how it has changed my life. Spirit Vine is a miracle, perhaps the most powerful miracle I have ever witnessed. There’s a reason that it has only 5 star reviews. Yes, the food is healthy and amazing. The rooms are nice. The grounds are a paradise. But ayahuasca is truly magic…..magic in that it opens up doorways to enlightenment enabling you to see things that you couldn’t otherwise see. But what is so special about this place is……well, everything, but more than anything else it’s Silvia’s methodology. She uses her extensive background in clinical psychiatry, and her vast knowledge of plant medicines and everything having to do with spiritual growth, combined with the sacred ayahuasca journeys, to reach our higher self, which helps us to help ourselves. It’s not just the revelations that are unveiled to us under ayahuasca, but just as important, it’s what to DO with this knowledge. It takes work, during and mostly after the retreat. But we have the power to change ourselves, and really help change the world. We all suffer from childhood trauma, even those of us born and raised in the best circumstances. We learn how to overcome the trauma, grow, and move on.

I can’t really say enough great things about this special, exquisite, divine place. It really is a miracle that it is here, and I feel so lucky and grateful to have found it. And if you are reading these reviews, I think you are lucky too, because you found it. There are myriads of ayahuasca retreats around the globe now. But they are not all equal. Spirit Vine is the place to go. I actually suffer a bit of separation anxiety when I leave here, and I think about Silvia, Too, the retreat, the things that I have learned, the friendships I have made with other participants, and the miracles that I have witnessed here, every single day.

We all really need this place. All of us. It reminds me of a Terence McKenna Quote:

“I think there is something to be said for admitting that we cannot do it alone. That if you want this spiritual insight, if you want the Gaian matrix to welcome you, then humble yourself to the point of making a deal with a plant. That’s the key.”

When I got there at Spirit vine retreat, I had a nice feeling that it was the right place to be to do my first ayahuasca experience.The place itself looks beautiful and makes you feel a peace. I was nicely surprised by the accommodation and I slept very well. Not to forget about the food, that was amazing 🙂

I was nervous about the ayahuasca experience at first but Silvia and Tio who shines with their authenticity made me feel at ease and I knew I was in good hands. We had some intense workshop where you got to dig deep into your soul and as uncomfortable as it sounds it was worth the trip! It really helped me to understand the root of some patterns I had, why and how to release them. I would definitely recommend this healing place to anyone who wants to move forward in their lives , who wants to growth and to evolve. Thank you Silvia and Tio for making this experience so special.

An experience that changed my life.

The retreat stay in Spirit Vine was a great experience for me, a big step towards healing the soul.

Spirit Vine is a center of a very high standard. Sylvia and Tio are very professional and have extensive experience with Ayahuasca and its psychological activities. Everything is very well organized and I felt very safe there. As for the infrastructure, the resort is beautiful and picturesque, the bungalows are comfortable and clean and the kitchen can be said to be 4 stars. Ayahuasca ceremonies are surrounded by sessions working on yourself, in a group, but also individually with Sylvia. The barriers fall one after another and Ayuhuasca helps to be very aware and present.

One of the most striking aspects of my experience at Spirit Vine was the amount of intentionality that went into every aspect of the retreat. The workshops were tailored very specifically to the challenges we were likely to encounter in the ceremonies, and each one gave me helpful mental frameworks and tools to use. The meals (always gorgeous) followed a very careful diet that helped me prepare physically for the ceremonies. And the ceremonies themselves were always administered with such care, clear boundaries, and individual attention.

What made me feel most confident choosing Spirit Vine was the years of experience, both professional and lived, that Silvia and Ti0 bring to the retreat. Silvia has decades of experience as both a clinical psychologist and a facilitator of ayahuasca ceremonies, and this really shows in how the retreat is structured, in how much I learned, and in how safe I felt. And Ti0 shared more wisdom with me, gained through his personal experience, than is possible for me to put in words.

Additionally, Silvia and Ti0 bring their own cultural backgrounds to the workshops and ceremonies, and I appreciated the way they try to avoid appropriating Indigenous traditions that aren’t their own. That said, I would’ve appreciated slightly more context, integrated into the retreat, about the Indigenous history of the medicine.

In general, I would recommend ayahuasca to those who feel a deep pull towards it and to those who are sincerely looking towards their own healing. I don’t think it is a decision to be taken lightly. That said, it is an incredibly profound resource, and I’m so grateful that I found it at Spirit Vine.

There are so many resources at the retreat center: not only powerful plant medicine but also the advice and friendship of other participants, the large cabinet of relevant books that I spent hours perusing, the patterns of eating that gave me a radical and healthy break from my routine, and the workshops that taught me psychological tools that I will be using for the rest of my life.

I definitely hope to be back, and I have already highly recommended Spirit Vine to my close friends and family.

Overall, I can’t recommend this retreat highly enough. It was one of the most profound experiences of my life, and I truly feel so grateful that Silvia and Ti0 have created a retreat with such intentionality, wisdom, and care.

Having just attended the August retreat i am still in the gorgeous haze that is lingering even now, back to reality in London. I can’t express how wonderful and transformative the retreat has been, all 11 of us experienced profound moments of healing and spiritual growth. The centre is run so perfectly by Silvia and Ti0, it is a sanctuary and the perfect place for this deep work. Every detail is aligned with their intentions and it doesn’t go unnoticed. The amazing food, the beautiful bungalows and stunning location add magic to the incredible experience. For me it was the activities around the ceremony that were so integral – the workshops, yoga, massages, sharing circles and every damn conversation with the other participants and Silvia and Ti0 made this a life changing 9 days. The mind blowing insights and conversations didnt stop and i truly believe it was all these additions that helped us get a lot more out of the ceremonies than what i had imagined possible. It’s these added extras, not just the ayahuasca, that sets Spirit Vine apart.

When i arrived i unfortunately wasnt very well but Silvia, Ti0 and the team took incredible care to make sure i got better and adjusted my dosage accordingly. We received such a bespoke service and i genuinely don’t think this level of care and attention to each individual is on offer at many (if any) other retreats. It was my first experience with Ayahuasca and i am already looking at when i can return, i couldnt dream of going anywhere else after a ‘trip’ like this. On a final note – the other incredible participants cracked my heart wide open and i believe i made deeper connections over those 9 days than a lot of people can in a lifetime. I feel so lucky to have been a part of this and i cant wait to return to continue this transformative, soul enhancing journey. If you are deliberating where to go for your Ayahuasca retreat you can stop right now..

A must do for every human being in my opinion. The retreat is eye-opening. Silvia and Ti0 put together a masterpiece.

I stayed 9 days in this little paradise on earth. Every day of the ceremony we would do a workshop where we would learn tools to use to release childhood traumas, work on our shadow parts. We would then use these tools during our ayahuasca journey later at night.

Then the next day we’d have a powerful sharing session where we would reflect what happened during the journey the night before. It is very very insightful,

The personal journey can be tough sometimes but the next day everything feels so light and so clear.

The group dynamic between the participants is also truly unique, I’ve rarely experienced such an open-minded, non judgmental and caring vibe.

The discussions at meal times are so interesting and exchanging with Silvia and Ti0 is very refreshing.

This was my first ayahuasca experience and I researched numerous retreats thoroughly before deciding to invest my time, money, and trust in Sprit Vine and without a doubt, it’s the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. I gained profound personal insight, healing of long-held traumas, a strengthened connection with myself, as well as inspiration and tools to continue my inner work and growth.

Not only are the retreat grounds gorgeous and meticulously maintained, there is a calming, safe, and welcoming energy that permeates the atmosphere at Sprit Vine. Both the retreat founder, Silvia, and her co-facilitator Ti0 consciously cultivate this energy and are masters at the art and science of guiding participants through what can be a challenging, beautiful, and ultimately life-changing experience. This is achieved through their focus on preparing you for the experience both leading up to your arrival and once your stay begins at the retreat. Prior to the retreat you’ll receive detailed information on how to being physically and mentally preparing yourself by eliminating certain foods, medications and/or supplements, other drugs, etc. from your system. I appreciated the attention to proper preparation that Spirit Vine provides because I believe that if you follow the guidelines, it greatly impacts your ability to have a deeper and more meaningful experience. On the first day of arrival, we received a detailed introduction and open forum with Silvia and Ti0 to answer any questions. Throughout the stay and prior to the ayahuasca ceremonies, there are multiple workshops led by Silvia that guide you in an exploration of your traumas, fears, and inner self on a deep level. These workshops serve as both preparation for, and integration of, your ayahuasca experiences and provide you with tools to continue working on yourself even after your leave the retreat. Silvia’s background as a clinical psychologist coupled with her personal experience in participating in ayahuasca ceremonies for many years before founding Spirit Vine are key assets in her ability to prepare, guide, and support you through your journey. The co-facilitator Ti0 also plays a pivotal role in supporting and guiding all participants during the retreat. He is caring, intuitive, and full of wisdom. I personally had several insightful conversations with him that helped me process things that came up during the ceremonies and he could always be relied on for help and as a comforting presence during ceremonies. Whether you just need help to the bathroom, or are in the midst of a powerful and difficult moment, Ti0 will be there for you. I truly can’t thank him enough for his kindness, assistance, and care of not only myself but of our entire group.

As many others have mentioned, the food is lovingly prepared by chef Lu and despite following the rigorous restrictions of the ayahuasca diet, manages to tantalize you with its stunning presentation and alchemy of flavors and textures. Each meal was something to look forward to and offered a communal experience to chat and share with fellow participants, ask questions to Silvia and Ti0, and just bask in the pleasure of genuine, unadulterated connection with others. The connections I formed with the other participants by learning about each of their backgrounds, and hearing about their experiences during the group sharing exercises that are facilitated during workshops and after each ceremony were invaluable. I am still in awe of how we all opened up with each other. What took place in the group sharing sessions was a beautiful display of courage, trust, vulnerability, empathy and validation of our collective human struggle as we experience and navigate this wild and crazy life.

I could write pages and pages about the amazing time I had at Sprit Vine and how highly I recommend this retreat. If you are truly looking to do deep inner work, heal, grow, and gain tools to help you continue your personal evolution beyond the ayahuasca experience, Sprit Vine is the ideal oasis to step out of the everyday routine and focus on this most important work. If this type of experience resonates with you, follow your intuition and go!

Spirit Vine is the best place to be if you are a solo female traveller who is going to experience psychedelics for the first time. It is also the best place to be for everyone else in my eyes. I felt completely safe and cared after. Tio was a rock through all of the process and Silvia’s wisdom & assertiveness helped me stand in my own power and heal myself. You can see their geniune interest in your healing. All the parts, workshops, sharing sessions, yoga & massages, random conversations in breakfast etc, all of it was absolutely what needed to happen to get the most from ceremonies. The food is just unbelievable and the pond is magnificent. I spent 1 hour every morning just looking at the perfection of the pond & the jungle and meditating. That in and of itself was healing. Itacare was an amazing town and spending time with the group after the retreat was so precious. I feel like I met the most amazing people. I have come, I have seen, I think I will never be able to unsee and I am so grateful for it.

A beautiful experience both due to the very professional structure and organization of the program and the stunning setting where you feel love and connection to nature poured into this retreat and for all those who arrive here. Silvia and Tio give guidance on how to get the most from your experience taking ayahuasca and also teach methods to search deep inside ourselves both when on the retreat and in our daily lives. They are very well tuned into the individual needs of each participant. There is also an incredible energy of total acceptance, respect and care amongst all of the group where each person is on their own journey but not alone. Thank you all so much for this magical experience which has certainly given me some clarity and peace while also opening doors to further exploration.

The retreat also offers comfort with the most amazing food prepared by Lu a specialist chef, well kept bungalows and common areas to relax and a stunning natural pool to enjoy. Allowing us to immerse in the experience without any concerns and connect with being in the present moment.