This article is a submission for the Ayahuasca Awareness Program, an initiative by the Spirit Vine Center in Brazil. The program aims to help increase awareness of the potential of ayahuasca by sponsoring free ayahuasca retreats every month for people who feel the call for spiritual development with ayahuasca and other methods.

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Why the plant?

What brings me here?

I feel like these past years have been a long process. 

It gives me vertigo when I look into how my body, my habits and thoughts have changed since 2014.

It started when my mother got sick and many feelings rose. Little by little taking me away from drinking and partying to numb myself, I took tiny steps to get to know myself. I started to question my surroundings. To be a better person for my mum, who was sick, and for myself. 

Loosing her and learning to let go was the strongest spiritual moment of my life.

These experiences have molded me. I decided to spend more time taking care of my body, through yoga and sports. Also by eating in a more respectful way, for myself and the planet. Since then I became a cook, and feel great on this path to being more independent and mostly, more connected to my life and what surrounds me. I want to be able to understand my body better, and have the most energy, for myself and others.

Also, this past year and previous years I took time, read and traveled to understand my mind and spirit better. To see how my emotions arise, where they come from and how they control my actions and thoughts. 

I went to meditate in Thailand and have been spending lots of time in Asia to dig into this philosophy – to know myself. That has been mainly forgotten in the western world.

Several readings (Siddartha, the Alchemist, How to Change Your Mind…) have led me through this train of thought.

The more I search, the more unknown parts appear to me. Sometimes I still wake up holding heavy melancholy. Not knowing where it comes from. Why it burdens me like this. A podcast I recently listened to by Stephane Alix and his recall of Ayahuasca therapy really amazed me. He saw someone else’s soul in his body, someone else’s death burdening him. But the most important to me, was how he got out of the experience. 

With the strong will and belief he could and should cure himself.

I share this belief. We have it in ourselves to discover everything within us. I’m sure the plan can show us and give us access to deep knowledge, deep shared knowledge, through all living beings. This opportunity I hope, when properly guided and integrated, can unfold so much in a person. To know how and why we act, think, fear certain things is the first step to get better. Then follows action. 

Gnothi Seauton was the prerequisite of good life and happiness in ancient Greece, thank you for giving me the opportunity to broaden my consciousness.

Author: Constantin Pliard
A cook from France, looking to make the world more delicious.

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Spirit Vine COVID-19 Update

Last Updated: 9th August 2022

We have established guidelines to ensure that we provide the maximum amount of safety to all participants who attend the retreats.

We are following the guidelines provided by the Brazilian government which you can find below and have added some necessary precautions suitable for the retreats.

In the Itacare area, where we are located, there are very low number of COVID cases.

We will update this section when new information is available.
Content listed here is subject to change.

If you have any questions, please contact us.

Brazilian Government Recommendations for COVID-19

The current guidelines from the Brazilian government state that anyone who wants to enter Brazil must present a Covid vaccine certificate. You do not need to take any other vaccines to enter Brazil. These guidelines may change in the future.

Travelers must also fill out an affidavit 24 hours before departure acknowledging the health measures that must be complied with during the period that they will remain in the country. You can find the affidavit here.

Prior to leaving Brazil, depending on the requirements of your destination country, you may be required to present an RT-PCR or Antigen test. If you need a PCR test we recommend you to budget the required time of 6 hours to take the test and get the results at Sao Paulo Guarulhos airport. Antigen test can be taken in the town of Itacare near our center before you go to the airport or at the airport in Sao Paulo.

Please note that Itacare and Ilheus do not have RT-PCR testing centers.

Spirit Vine Guidelines for COVID-19

We require that vaccination must be done at least 2 months prior to drinking ayahuasca. This is for the safety of participants to make sure the vaccine doesn’t have any reaction with the ingestion of ayahuasca. 

We also require all visitors to provide a valid Covid-19 test prior to entering the Center. The Antigen test is only valid for 24 hours and PCR test is only valid for 72 hours. A valid negative test result must be sent by email prior to entering the Center.