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.

You can show your support for the author by sharing the article in your social networks.

Despite what most of us have been lead to believe

Spirituality can be understood as being the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things. It can also be understood as the seeking of a connection with something that is bigger than oneself, whether it be God, the Universe, the Higher-Self, Source, or any other name that has been given to the idea of there being a higher power. There is no one definition that can completely define it, as it can mean different things to different people. Personal growth is the aim; and while considering everything as being sacred, living with purpose and adopting a daily spiritual practice is what it is all about. My spirituality is leading me to discover and live out my divine purpose on earth; to live an authentic life.

Meditation has been, for me, the thing that connects me to my spirituality. Despite what most of us have been lead to believe, meditation is not something that one can practice; it is a state of being. It is the place inside of us; it is a higher state of consciousness. My teachers in India taught us that our breath is our life force; it is the vital energy that flows through us all. In meditation, our breath is what leads us to sink into ourselves and find that inner space of peace and quiet. It is where the mind is silent and the higher self can speak truths….it is where we can listen and hear those truths. The meditation state is one where we can discover ourselves, our true selves.  Our breath is related to our emotions and it has been said that “when you know your breath, you know everything.”

Somewhere along my path, Mother Ayahuasca began calling my name. I long to meet her and be nurtured by visions of her plant medicine. I do not know what will be in store for me when I meet her, whether it is deep healing, truth and humbling, reconnecting to my soul, heart opening, or any of the other beautiful benefits of taking part in the sacred, ceremonial experience. I do know that it is one step on my journey that is soon to come. It is my understanding that the Ayahuasca experience cleanses, activates & aligns our divine 7-chakras to the 5th dimension of Truth of Spirit & consciousness.  In addition, it allows us to face parts of ourselves that are not in alignment so that we are able to reach these higher realms. Ayahuasca is a tool that can aid one in doing divine work within the self. 

This divine work can lead to realizing the I AM Presence, also known as the divine self, the true self. It is the true identity that we are, all of us, as individuals as well as together. Our consciousness can separate us from this identity. The Divine Self communicates with us but we need to tune in, quiet the mind, and listen. The benefits of spirituality, meditation, ayahuacsca, and everything associated with these topics are endless. In my opinion, learning to live in the moment can be one of the greatest benefits that teaches us to enjoy our lives, to let go of worry and fear, change the ways that we react to life, and so much more. The journey is awaiting you and will change your life for the better.

Author: Katrina Elmer

Upcoming Retreats

  • Apr  7 — Apr 17
  • May  23 — May 31
  • Jul  1 — Jul 11
  • Aug  8 — Aug 16
  • Sep  1 — Sep 9

Journey with us

Browse our gallery

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Articles, videos, books, quotes, retreat updates, and more...

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.