Reflections & Experiences

and the impact of the beauty and miracle of Spirit Vine is still reverberating through my whole mind and body. Never have I felt any “ been there, done that” from the retreats here; I just keep attaining higher levels of gratitude and love and understanding of so many things I previously knew nothing about. Everyone that comes here will tell you about the magnificent Garden-of-Eden-like setting, the delicious food, the roomy bungalows. But it’s the workshops that Silvia puts together, with her decades of experience as a psychotherapist, and her extensive expertise and knowledge of ayahuasca, combined with sacred plant medicine that sets SV apart from the others. Silvia’s love and seemingly boundless insight is the icing on the cake.

Before coming to SV the first time, I did much research on the abundance of retreats around the globe, hoping to sort out and avoid any retreats that may have duplicitous intentions. I feel I’m so very lucky to have found SV. I’m a very different person since coming here, and I’ve seen how SV has helped so many others.

It is also wonderful having Miro there helping out and being so caring and thoughtful.

If you’re looking for a safe place to experience the efficacy and sanctity of plant medicine, this is it.

If you are looking for growth and a safe space to try ayahuasca, this is the place for you. Coming out of this retreat, I feel like an all new person. My depression is gone, my anxiety is much lower and I feel more calm than ever. It’s not only because of the ayahuasca, but also because of Silvia and the knowledge and tools that she shared during the workshops and group sharing. Silvia is so insightful and inspiring! I would definitely recommend this retreat to anyone who is looking to learn and grow!

Before going to this retreat, I was skeptic about all the 5 stars review, but I assure you that those are all real. There is absolutely no way that you can come out of this experience without it being one of the best experience of your life, believe me!

but i’ll start by saying this trip easily exceeded my expectations in every way, and that’s saying something because they were quite lofty.

The entire experience was beautiful and magical. I am in awe and gratitude at the magnitude of healing I experienced. A little background, I struggled most of my life with addiction. I’ve been in an out of treatment centers for much of my adult life and have had lots of various therapies.

While I understood intellectually, the various reasons for my pathologies, this understanding alone was never enough to bring about true change in my life.

Through the workshops (shadow work, inner child, etc) and ceremonies, I am able to bridge the gap between the mind and the heart and feel certain truths in my being vs just understanding intellectually. This has made a world of difference. I was able to let go of a lot of guilt and shame that I carried around since childhood.For the first time that I can remember, much of my anxiety has lifted and I am excited to live life.

What a beautiful gift!

Last thing I will mention is that the group was in such good hands with Silvia and Miro. Everything is thought out to meticulous detail.

The things that struck me most about Silvia are her passion for her work, sense of humor, but above all how she embodies the ideals she strives to instill within the retreat attendees (ie healing, passion, creativity, etc.)

Someone in the group remarked how the Spirit Vine model should be the future of psychotherapy and I would tend to agree..

It is the perfect place for first-timers as well as a favourite of many returnees and it was easy for me to see why from the moment I arrived. Silvia’s warm welcome is followed by a continuous loving, nurturing energy which offers as much space or intervention as you require. The organisation and care is executed effortlessly and puts you at ease the entire time. The surrounding nature is spectacular and provides such a serene environment for your stay. There are so many hidden treasures to this experience that are not only about the Ayahuasca. Miro is such a wonderful addition to the spirit vine team, he was always so thoughtful and helpful whilst also providing great banter at meal times. The food is excellent and plentiful, the chef manages to make it feel like a treat even without salt and sugar. Silvia has a wealth of experience and wisdom and I would recommend seeking some one to one time with her to get further clarity on yourself. At Spirit Vine you are never in any doubt that you are safe and cared for and if you are open to it, it can be a life changing experience.

I had so many moments of awe for the curated, guided experience that Silvia and her team provide. A cutting-edge mix of group psychotherapy workshops and ayahuasca ceremonies and sharing. This was my first time using the medicine and what could have been scary was beginner-friendly. The lodging and food were excellent, as were the grounds in a beautiful slice of Brazilian rainforest. The photos on the website don’t do it Justice. I had just the breakthrough that I needed after feeling severely depressed and blocked this year. Silvia also curated such a great group of diverse people, I made friends for life and it was easy to be intimate and open up with the group. I couldn’t recommend this highly enough. As I told friends and family after, the retreat made me realize I’d been sleepwalking for 20 years and it woke me up. A big fog has been lifted. Thank you Silvia.

so clearly I am a fan. My initial visit was preceded by an enormous amount of vetting and research as I really wanted to be in an experience with facilitators that were safe, extremely experienced with the medicine, working in small groups and catering both in dosage and integration to the individual. I also wanted to know that they made their own ayahuasca and that it was pure.

Spirit Vine is all of that PLUS all of the wonderful things that the hundreds of reviewers say (location, meals, etc). I know it’s hard to believe that there can be this many people sharing the same thing and giving 5 star after 5 star reviews, but it’s true. This is a special place for healing and expansion.

Silvia is quite humble and will not say it herself, but her decades of work with plant medicines, and her expertise specifically with Ayahuasca are a true treasure for those of us wanting to work with this medicine. She navigated the jungles of the Amazon to learn to work with ayahuasca decades before most westerners were even thinking about plant medicine, and prior to that she had an established practice as a Psychologist. She brings vast wisdom about the human psyche and creating real change, the world of shamanism, the realms of expanded consciousness, and the practicality of integrating it to our “real life” here on 3D planet earth. This is a space where she puts it all together in a way that is simultaneously magical and full of mystery and yet highly practical, tangible and helpful to everyday life.

She is the first to say that ayahuasca will not heal you without your committed participation. YOU heal you, but that the portal, awareness, insights and expansion that this medicine provides is beyond anything that I have experienced in my lifetime of spiritual practice and curiosity.

I consider ayahuasca a profound teacher and an integral part of my path. If you are curious and committed, the changes I have seen for myself and others in these circles can be astounding. I also know very well that “set and setting”… the who, how, where, etc of how this medicine is served is beyond important. This is a place that takes that responsibility very seriously.

If you are called, know that this is a place that you can be safely held and trust in the process. I for one will be back again, and I thank Silvia from the bottom of my heart for so tirelessly bringing this healing opportunity to so many people.

and I am writing this in October 2023. So, please know that my review comes from over a year of processing my experiences. I have also attended ceremonies in other settings multiple times since then, so I have comparisons.

Without a doubt, Spirit Vine has been the best experience I have had so far. It changed my life forever. I cannot recommend it enough.

In regards to the retreat experience outside of ceremonies, everything was amazing. The vegan meals are delicious and unique – I haven’t had anything like chef Lu’s food before or since! And of course, there was fresh tea constantly available. I stayed in a 3 person bungalow, and everything was clean and nice. The grounds themselves are absolutely gorgeous and well maintained.

Before the ceremonies, they offered workshops

that help you navigate the journeys, and they were tremendously helpful. Not every retreat is going to provide you with those resources. Furthermore, I liked how they offered yoga in the morning of the retreat and gave us the option of paying extra for reiki and/or massages beforehand. Of course these things aren’t necessary, but I think taking advantage of them helped me.

For the ceremonies themselves, I have found them to be very different from anything else I have participated in. No one is really guiding the ceremony/doing work on you – you’re just in the dark, with the music playing. They are always there to help you if you need it, but will leave you alone otherwise. At other retreats, there might be group singing, a fire, or someone doing rituals that are associated with indigenous traditions including blowing/spitting tobacco, singing icaros, or offering the administration of rapé (Amazonian stuff tobacco). For me personally, I prefer Silvia’s method with fewer distractions. But, everyone is different.

However, the most important thing I should mention is that you are SAFE at Spirit Vine! I have not witnessed such a commitment to protecting the participant’s boundaries since my time there. There was no one wandering around the grounds who did not work at Spirit Vine. Participants are given strict rules about how to interact with each other – especially regarding physical boundaries. I never once was afraid that Silvia or Ti0, or that any of the participants were going to touch me or be in my space at any point. Ever. In the Ayahuasca community, there are so many people who are so delusional in their “love and light” philosophy that they will push your boundaries. This might just be with pressuring you to give/accept hugs from facilitators or participants or more serious in regards to sexual assault. These are real problems within the psychedelic tourism industry, but you do not need to worry at Spirit Vine.

In regards to the effects attending the retreat had on my life…everything has changed for me. I was a weekend binge drinker before, and now I might have 1-3 drinks total a month. Sometimes none! I have an autoimmune disease, and I was in so much pain before. But, now I have invested in naturopathic treatment and getting my lifestyle in order, and my health has taken a 180 turn. Before, I was in contact with a lot of people in unhealthy ways. Now, I am able to draw boundaries better with people.

If it is in your capability to attend this retreat, I would encourage you to do so!

My friends and I had been waiting for over five years to do something like this. We wanted to make sure that we found somewhere that provided a bespoke, authentic and also safe experience for us – and we were not disappointed.

The retreat was magical; a place where all your inhibitions and reservations melt away as Silvia, Noor and the team take you on a journey filled with insights and revelations. You are shown what you need, not what you want. Their knowledge, intuition and emotional intelligence allowed my experience to flourish which is why I am so glad I chose Spirit Vine.

The location in the jungle, the food and drink, the attendees, sessions and the ceremonies were all very important and combined perfectly to make the experience truly unique. I realised how much effort and planning went into this by the team and it made all the difference. You will have everything you need from an accomodation, social and safety perspective. The people I shared the experience with will never be strangers and the retreat felt like a home from home.

The journey itself was incredible. This was my first experience and I can’t really describe it in words, the positive impact it has made. But I can tell you to trust the process, as they have thought of everything.

It was an incredible experience and I hold it in the highest regard. I am forever thankful for the opportunity. It was wIthout a doubt something I will remember until the day I die, and cannot wait to do it again.

I finally found myself. I realized the things that slow me down and I got help to know how to treat and solve my stuff

5 stars for everything – accommodation, food, service, willingness to help…

Amazing place, amazing energy.

Silvia, Noor.. incredibly professional and amazing people, with soul.

Literally nothing needs to be better, everything is beyond perfect.

I can’t wait to visit them again (beautiful Brazil )

spirit vine

Everything is beautiful, from nature to the food and accommodations. But most important, Silvia and her helpers provide such a safe space to enter this journey with the medicine. Her grounded presence, her workshops, and guidance, and the whole setting allow the participants to enter deeply into this experience and give precious tools to integrate it afterward. Taking Ayahuasca is a serious adventure, and I cannot imagine a better place to do it. It was, for me, probably the most intense, healing, difficult, transformative, and mystical experience of my life.