Reflections & Experiences

I joined the December retreat (2018) at Spirit Vine. Honestly, I cannot recommend strong enough. This place managed to create the perfect balance between full nature experience and great conditions and facilities to accommodate all needs. Normally, my mind operates 24/7 (!), this place made me forget about everything outside, and purely focus on myself and nature. It was magical. The ceremonies are managed perfectly. I couldn’t imagine a better way to go through this experience. It felt like it was maximizing the therapy potential of the medicine, using workshops during the day to bring to the surface things that are berried deep inside. I stopped taking anxiety pills in order to participate in the ceremonies, and left there knowing I will never take them again.

I went to Spirit Vine in December 2018 after hearing about it from a friend a year prior, I waited over a year to go. I had not done a lot of research on places to go and did not know exactly what I was going to, I was pleasantly surprised. I am an extremely fast pace hard working person and was a bit nervous about the possibility of being bored for a 10 day retreat in the jungle. I was the furthest thing from bored and only wish I had booked the longer retreat. I have been looking for answers to questions about life and my past for many years using different avenues from hypnosis to traditional therapy. Aya through Sylvia is definitely the best way to get in touch with yourself quickly, the best way to describe the experience is 20 years of therapy with 10 of the best phycologist in the world. As this is just not realistic for most of us this is a much better way. Everything from the food, the accommodations, to the nurturing and loving atmosphere provided by Sylvia and Rohan is 5 star. Please make sure you listen to what they say regarding the diet and taking care of yourself, it will make the experience that much better. I have clearly been given the tools I need to love myself and enjoy this beautiful state we live in. You have no reason not to go to Spirit Vine except possibly not wanting to know there is a better way to live.

Silvia created a piece of paradise in the middle of the Atlantic jungle in Brazil. The whole setting in spirit vine is top notch- from the comfort and cleanliness in bungalows, well manicured gardens and the magical pond to delicious food with vegan and gluten free options and amazing service. Every single detail is very well thought of and designed for your comfort and pleasure. Spirit vine is only a short ride away from nice beaches, waterfalls and Itacaré which is a really cute little surf town.

The support that is given by Silvia before and after the ceremonies through the workshops and group sharings is very powerful. Silvia combined her background and years of experience of western psychotherapy with indigenous beliefs and spirituality. This makes the whole difference as ayahuasca retreats are becoming more and more commercial, one thing you can’t find anywhere else is Silvia – she is authentic, special and very professional!

Rohan is the most gentle and patient soul you could ever meet and he is always there to help or just listen to you always with a big smile. With Silvia and Rohan’s continuous presence and guidance in the most beautiful place that almost feels like another dimension, I can’t recommend this place enough to anyone who wants to enjoy the power of their minds and experience it in a safe, clean and a professional environment.

People who came to the retreat were chosen by Silvia and they were the icing on the cake. The music she played during the ceremonies was divine. The entire experience of being there in this setting was a reward and it was very empowering to feel such contentment. Thank you Silvia, Rohan and all my Aya family with whom I shared this special journey. I will definitely be back!

Spirit Vine is Unique in that it incorporates a few modalities in its approach to your healing/ self discovery process. Come here prepared to do inner work. Ayahuasca facilitates this process in its own unique way. It allows you to open the door to many other realms of the subconscious and to the other worlds that dominate our existence. What Silvia and Rohan provide is your absolute perfect set and setting to this transformational experience. I felt safe and secure during my time. The setting is lush and literally the word “Shangra La” is appropriate here. Meals are fully vegetarian and varied. Everyone that works at Spirit Vine carries a supportive energy. There is yoga on non ceremony days as well as massage offered. A beautiful beach is only a 10 min drive from the center on non ceremony days as well. To incorporate your experience sharing sessions are held where things that are learned can be put into place. This place does important work and more centers like this one would be welcome. I’ve been to Peru for Ayahuasca and prefer this overall as it felt shall i say “gentler” in some aspects. The people in my retreat represented 8 different countries and offered some high quality soul input into my experience. Genuinely at the top of its game in many respects. Best of luck in your travels there

I spent 9 insightful days (and nights) with zero distractions around in this beautiful piece of jungle. The center has the great “setting” for focus, clarity, reflection and quietening the mind.

Workshops before ceremonies and sharing sessions afterwards brought so much clarity and opportunity for each of us to share and learn.

I would probably find difficult to process all experiences I had during Aya’s journeys, if there wasn’t a chance to discuss and analyze afterwards.

I thought I was there only to find inspiration and direction in my life, but I discovered the areas where I still needed healing and blockages that were standing in my way.

When the nights were intense, Silvia and Rohan were always by our side, providing support, care and wise words.

I felt safe and looked after, which was very important when person is open and vulnerable.

In addition, I had the great pleasure to share the medicine with individuals who were truly interested in bringing higher consciousness to their everyday life.

If you are ready to meet yourself at levels you never thought possible, in the safe setting and support needed, Spirit Vine is the place!

Thank you for the great journey

Love

I must admit, I had some fears before I started my trip to Brazil. On the one hand to travel alone as a woman, afraid of the possible dangers of Ayahuasca and some more…

But from the moment I arrived at the Spirit Vine Center all my fears disappeared into thin air. Never before have I seen such a beautiful spot on earth, everything was created with love, a small piece of natural paradise.

The bungalows are clean, well-kept and comfortable, the food is plentiful and delicious, although cooked without salt.

At no time did I have the feeling of being left alone or missing anything. The care by Silvia and Rohan before, during and after the ceremonies is incredible. The ayahuasca experience itself is truly mind blowing and totally safe (physically and mentally) throughout the whole experience thanks to the preparation and care of Silvia and Rohan. The workshops round off the whole program, opening up deep insights into the inner self and far beyond.

I have already decided to come back next year and if possible once a year.

The beauty and richness of the Spirit Vine experience cannot be overstated. The first time I visited turned out to be the most profound and transformative experience of my life. I just returned from my second trip and I’m hoping to return annually, if possible. The entire experience is exquisitely crafted on every level: the setting is breathtakingly beautiful, the accommodations are lovely (even better than the pictures!), the food, despite being saltless, is delicious. Silvia is an astoundingly wise and skilled therapist/spiritual teacher and the workshops she provides between ceremonies are incredibly instructive. Her razor sharp insights are always delivered with kindness and humor. Rohan, her assistant, embodies a wonderful combination of staggering intelligence and genuine kindness. Together they create an atmosphere of total safety. I can’t imagine a more nurturing, enriching and positive setting in which to drink ayahuasca. If you have been called to adventure by ayahuasca, then go, no doubt she has something very important to teach you.

Wholeheartedly recommended!

Silvia and Rohan are very experienced Ayahuasca facilitators which benefitted me greatly both during the ceremonies but especially after as they helped during sharing sessions and individual talks to make sense of the experience and how to best integrate the learnings into daily life.

I really enjoyed the group sessions (which were almost as helpful as the ceremonies themselves) which covered childhood traumas, ones shadows and lots of other topics. I learned a lot about myself just from those sessions and from other peoples experiences that they shared.

The accommodation is very comfortable with a beautiful natural property with a lake, nice bungalows that have everything one needs from comfortable beds to clean bathrooms with warm water to hammocks outside the rooms. And i was very impressed with the food prepared which is in accordance with the fairly strict ayahuasca diet (no salt, sugar, meat, milk, avoidance of certain vegetables etc) but far from tasting bland. It was actually some of the best food I’ve had in a long time, prepared with much love by the culinary team.

Overall great retreat center with all the comforts one could wish for and tremendous facilitators to get the most out of your Ayahuasca experience.

A stunning place, green is the G word to describe all this beauty, peaceful space, drowned among palms trees, hibiscus, traveler’s trees… Sweet Sylvia and benevolent Rohan are here to make you feel confortable and at home from day one to the end. My partners in that retreat were amazing people from all around the world and don’t be afraid of no speaking english someone would translate for you… sweet synchronicities of life 🙂

Ceremonies and meeting with Mother Ayahuasca are pretty intense and personal but all the work that we do before and in between the ceremonies are helpful and gives us the tools to connect with MA.

A sweet sweet week I went through during my retreat in august, long swims and sun baths by the pond, enjoying the long talks, walks on the amazing beaches that surrounds the retreat or just painting or reading on the deck.

FOOD IS AMAZING, no salt and vegan food is the FUTURE 🙂

I will highly recommend and Spirit Vine. LOVE

If you’ve landed on this site, one can only assume that you’ve received the call and have been doing your research as to where to get the best experience with the sacred plant medicine so many refer to as Mother Ayahuasca. Although I cannot speak for the retreat centers I have not been to, I can openly and honestly say that my time spent at Spirit Vine exceeded my expectations on every level! When I first began researching, I was under the assumption that in order to receive an “authentic” experience, I had to tough it out in the jungle and follow certain tribal rituals that I didn’t fully align with. NOT TRUE! Although the setting of this retreat is in the jungle, there is no toughing it out. The grounds elude peace, the bungalows provide comfort, and the ceremony room allows for experiencing the language of the wildlife, the scent of the flowers and the sensation of the misty rain…all without the bugs! The food was spectacular. Vegetable dishes, native fruits, whole grains, fresh juices, coconut water and herbal teas were prepared daily as to keep our bodies light and energy centers open in preparation for the ceremonies. And as for the sacred tea itself, the caapi vine and the chacruna leaves are the only two ingredients, both of which are organically grown on the grounds and harvested with love and intention before being brewed in the shamanic traditions.

What I am most grateful for though, is the guidance of Silvia and Rohan. Not only did they hold space for every participant there, but through their workshops, sharing circles, and one on one conversations, they helped us to prepare, understand, process and integrate our journeys on an individual basis. I received so much more than I ever anticipated and I highly recommend this place for all of you who have come to answer the call of Mother Ayahuasca.