Ayahuasca Retreat Reviews

It’s hard to know where to begin. I think starting with the retreat facilitators, Silvia and Tio is a good place. They are nothing short of incredible. Their directness, kindness and insight to one’s soul is exactly what I needed.
From the moment you arrive at the retreat you get a sense of sheer magic. It’s hard to describe but the grounds of Spirit Vine invoke a sense of calm and tranquility.
The bungalow I stayed in was shared with two other guests. My bed was so comfortable and I actually slept!! Something I struggle with. There is something to be said for falling asleep and waking with the sounds of the jungle all around you.
I have to admit I was nervous prior to my first ceremony of 5. Silvia and Tio do an amazing job at making you feel safe and prepared, something that help solidify my decision to attend Spirit Vine, safety. Being a women myself I was comforted knowing Silvia, a women was leading the ceremony.
My experience with ayahuasca and what I learned in those 5 ceremonies has forever changed my life. It is absolutely true that it’s a life time of therapy jammed into one night. Honestly there’s no way I would ever have unlocked the traumas and insight I have with my therapist.
I will forever be thankful I listened when ayahuasca called and am so grateful that I listened to myself and chose Spirit Vine.
My husband and I plan to return next year together as I did this journey alone this time. He has seen the change in me and is wanting to explore it for himself.
Thank you again Silvia and Tio. I miss our conversations and the feeling of community I felt for those 11 days. Can’t wait to be back again next year.
If you are at all hesitant, don’t be. A wise women told me, fear will hold you back from everything exciting that life has to offer.

As this was my first experience with Ayahuasca I was a little nervous but from the moment I set foot at Spirit Vine, I felt instantly serene and knew I’d made the right decision. The energy of the jungle is indescribable, teeming with life and breath-taking. It’s hard to convey how special it feels, it was healing just to be there but when combined with Ayahuasca it takes on a supernatural quality. I could sense throughout the retreat that every detail had been carefully considered: the location, workshops, accommodation (stunning), food (incredible) and activities, all of which made me feel like I was in safe and experienced hands, I kept thinking “this is perfection”. Silvia and Ti0 are wise beyond words, they are so committed and attentive. Their expertise proved invaluable time and time again, it’s as if they speak Ayahuasca, helping us translate our experiences (and often causing us to see them in an entirely new light). I lost count of the number of times a conversation over dinner unlocked something that Ayahuasca would later expand on and vice versa. I also found their workshops crucial to the experience, they provided vital resources so going into each ceremony you feel empowered and safe which freed you to focus on exploring rather than worrying. I would recommend anyone researching retreats to strongly consider how much support you will receive before, during and after each ceremony, it makes a world of difference. I feel so fortunate to have navigated my first Ayahuasca experience at Spirit Vine and I know it won’t be my last. I truly feel like I would not have gained this much at other retreats and I could not have wished for better guidance, support or wild beauty. Thank you for a magical adventure <3

Wow, where to even start as a review for Spirit Vine. I did a TON of research and used the reviews from ayaadvisors to choose Spirit Vine so I figured I should also give guidance for people seeking to absolutely, 100% come to Spirit Vine.
In an overview,
1. The food is exquisite!! It is tasty and beautiful. You do not even realize that you are not consuming salt because every thing you eat has so much flavor. I wish I could hire her to come cook for me every day.
2. The land/housing is beyond beautiful! You are in the beautiful Bahia. Every bungalow is beautifully crafted overlooking acres of gorgeous jungle that Silvia is working to preserve. 3.The workshops are tailored to guide and help you learn tools for both ceremonies and to be used in practice back home.
4. The team especially Silvia and TiO are absolute geniuses with some much knowledge, wisdom, and heart. I felt so safe, seen, and grateful to be able to interact daily with both of them.
5. Everyone participant was absolutely amazing, kind, funny, and had such a story to share and grow from.
6. The massages are OUT OF THIS WORLD.
Let’s just say I almost booked a flight home and I AM SO GLAD I STAYED. My bunkmate, whom Silvia so intuitively pairs you with, convinced me to say. The third night I had 27 years of searching for why come to light. I found so much clarity, understanding, self love, and peace. I wish I could be back now, continuing to learn and grow with the thoughts and guidance from both Silvia and TiO. It is truly a life changing experience. You must go!

It’s the fourth time I’ve been coming in this place to work on my self.
I was always a more practical person than anything else so doing an experience like this was a challenge for me. This “life changing” experience seemed to good to be true but here I am after attending 4 retreats and doing almost 20 ceremonies !
I know that it’s hard to take the step to do such an experience.
From the things you read on the internet about people screaming or purging to the definition of Ayahuasca as a drug, many can be scared to do it.
But it is completely different here. You learn how to work with the plant in order to heal your past traumas from your childhood or any current intention you want to work on.
You are in a dream place, in the Jungle, in Brazil, with really nice bungalows in the property where you have a big pond in the middle where you can swim.
There is are two special vegan chefs that cook really good food with all the different fruits and vegetables Brazil has to offer. I was not vegan at all, I love eating cheese, meat, having wine etc.. food is my passion, but it was never a problem to stop this and do a vegan diet as the cooks here are really talented, and the diet really helps clean your body.
Now, for the actual experience of taking Ayahuasca, you have workshops during the day to learn some tools to heal what you want to heal. You are accompanied by 2 professionals who have been working with people for years and years which has granted them enormous experience and wisdom.
They are the reason I always come back to the same place. I trust them, but mostly they know me and my traumas and they see what I can’t see and this makes the biggest difference in the world. They know exactly how to work with me and so with other people after all those years working with people. After working in finance for some time, I can say that this will be the best investment you will make. Investing on yourself and taking the time to do this experience will be a choice that you will not regret no matter what.
To Silvia and Ti0, forever grateful

Spirit Vine is my new home! I am immensely grateful for the gift Silvia and Ti0 cultivated in me. For starters, the guilt and shame embedded in familial/transgenerational trauma have dissipated, I am even more confident in the direction of my life, I’m more assertive, and even better, I have a joy that’s been ongoing since, and this doesn’t mean I don’t deal with everyday challenges. I came back eager to take on the world!
It is a haven on earth for humans to gain equanimity by the details of it all; from the jungle to the table, to the bungalows, to the birds chirping in unison, to the sound of the rain on your windowpane, to the sun caressing your face, waiting to meet the mystery of it all within yourself. A place so meticulous in the details and the cleanliness made it even more special. The workshops are filled with challenging you in ways you may not have ever dared to, beach days to kick back and relax, yoga classes to stimulate energy through breathing work, and massages to calm the nervous system down. Silvia, Ti0 thank you so much for creating a place I will now call home.

Before writing this review, I wanted to find out what others had said and felt about the experience at Spirit Vine. This was not for a validation of my own thoughts, more so I could try to add a context which might be helpful to you if you are in the process of deciding whether this is something for you. There’s loads been written about the gorgeous, home produced vegan food, the tranquil, tropical location, the healing energy of ayahuasca and the nurturing care you will receive from Silvia and Tio. All this is true and exceeds any expectation one may have, providing an unforgettable experience.
The context that I want to convey to you, fearful/doubt-filled potential spiritual traveller, is the profound effect that it really could have on your life going forward. The therapy, instruction and ayahuasca insights you experience during the retreat really can provide a framework and path ahead. Personally, I have made massive progress in understanding and healing childhood traumas, in eradicating some destructive behaviours and starting to mend relationships previously deemed lost. Sure, it’s just a start and the work continues when you return to your regular life, but Spirit Vine is where this can start.
Note to reader, I am not normally open to much in terms of spirituality and am a stranger to self-care. I am a 48 year old man with emotion and anger issues who was cynical about the trip. I met some incredible people, was privileged to hear some deeply personal stories and shared things that I have not told anyone else on the planet. I now feel 1000% more positive about life and cannot wait to visit Brazil and Spirit Vine again.
Thanks so much Silvia and Tio, what you create is truly amazing x

i learned about spirit vine from someone i met on my travels in patagonia. it should be like that, because my trip should take me to itacare anyway where i wanted to go surfing. I was unsure at first and checked many other retreats and not only did I like Spirit Vine the most, but it also seemed to be a very safe place, which was very important to me in my first experience. and everything came as it was supposed to. silvia and tio are two incredibly great people whose mission is to help other people. no hokospokos here, or any quackery. the retreat is located a few kilometers from beautiful beaches in itacare and has grown into a magical place with a lot of love over the years. all my expectations were exceeded. as a chef i can say that the food was of an absolutely high standard. vegan, gluten, sugar and unfortunately also salt free. Unfortunately, that has to be the case, because ayahuasca doesn’t go well. but it doesn’t matter, because you get to know the real tastes. the experience with the medicinal plant was life-changing and still ongoing. I would come back any time, which I will do as soon as possible. which, by the way, a lot of people do, which actually says everything about spirit vine. buckle up and let the journey to yourself begin. you are in very good hands! thank you silvia and tio from the bottom of my heart
christian

Firstly some context around my decision making in selecting Spirit Vine. I felt the calling to do ayahuasca back in 2017, so this trip has been a LONG time coming. I researched many many retreats extensively before deciding upon taking my first ayahuasca journey at Spirit Vine. Experience and knowledge of Silvia was one of the reasons that I chose to come to Spirit Vine. With her background in clinical psychology as well as extensive work with plant medicine I felt she would be the right person to help guide me on my journey. Also, in terms of location I really wanted to be near the sea for a few days after the retreat (which tuned out to be a great decision). In all, I can honestly say this was one of the best life decisions I have ever made.
Let me first start by talking about the centre itself. Spirit vine is a slice of paradise. The retreat is set in around 40 acres of lush tropical jungle. Upon arrival, what becomes clear is that Sylvia and Ti0 take a huge amount of care in every single detail of the Spirit Vine experience. Ti0 is an incredible being who was there for all of us when we needed him – kind, patient and full of wisdom. Both of them expertly and safely guided us all through this incredible experience. Everything within the retreat is meticulously cared for and considered. The surroundings, the buildings, the accommodation, the food and the workshops. All of the constituent parts that comprise the experience have clearly undergone many years of refinement to get to where they are today. There is deep care and respect for the jungle which is beautiful to see.
The workshops provide a hugely valuable framework for helping to process the numerous insights that flow from the ceremonies. The three workshops were ‘Regression to Childhood’, ‘Spirit Release’ and ‘Victimhood’. Each workshop played a vital role in helping to provide the tools for the participants to work with in ceremony and beyond.
The group dynamic was incredibly powerful. It was incredible to share with such a fantastic group of beautiful people, all looking to work on their spirituality and healing. It is no surprise that there were a few folks on the retreat that had been before. I now understand why.
It is also worth saying that the nearby town of Itacare is lovely. It has a warm and friendly vibe with beautiful beaches, and fantastic food. The perfect place to process the insights and experience post retreat.
In all, this was a deeply profound, life-changing experience that has brought me deep healing and insights beyond all my expectations.
I wanted to say a huge heartfelt thank you Silvia and Ti0 🙏🏼
I will return to Spirit Vine to continue my journey…
Adam

My experience at Spirit Vine Retreat was life changing. I had already decided that I would be visiting Bahia, Brazil. It was just a matter of when I would visit and deciding on my accommodations. For me this was a journey of healing versus my usual more fun based travel expeditions. I came across Spirit Vine due to the high Trip Advisor scores and thought it would be a good spot to stay, however, upon further analysis I realized it was a retreat. I was initially scared to go alone as a solo female traveler but my spirit reassured me it would be okay. Trusting my spirit was the best decision as the facility run by Silvia with her assistant Tio was top notch! Where do I start!The preparation of the delicious organic vegan meals provided the physical nourishment to make the most of the experience. The beauty of the facilities surrounded by nature provided the environment to open your spirit to the healing process. I cannot express fully in words what this experience meant for me but I am grateful and left the retreat receiving exactly what I was seeking. I am still on the journey of healing but the experience provided by this facility has been a catalyst to propel me on my journey of life. Thank you Silvia and Tio and the wonderful staff of Spirit Vine Retreats.

My retreat in December 2021 was my third at Spirit Vine since 2018. On my first visit, I thought there was nothing that could be done to further improve my experience — and yet each time I return, it is even better than the last.
Of course, the experience with the medicine Herself is always extraordinary, providing growth, healing and learning. This medicinal experience has been greatly assisted by the expert facilitation of the center’s owner, Silvia – who has trained in psychology and spent years learning from indigenous shamans – along with her assistant facilitator, TiO. Together, Silvia and TiO offer workshops and group sharing sessions that both help to unearth material for the ayahuasca to work with during ceremonies, and to process the experience after each ceremony. This work is all underpinned by Silvia’s philosophy that each of us has the power and agency within ourselves to change our lives and levels of consciousness — which, to me, has been a major part of the appeal of this center. The ayahuasca plants themselves are grown and brewed on site and Silvia and TiO are meticulous in ensuring each participant receives exactly the right dosage, including by discussing and assessing the dosage with each person after each ceremony.
At each retreat, I have noted an evolution based on feedback from participants: whether it is improvements in the accommodations or upgrades in the food (the vegan cooking is outstanding: the chef makes you feel like you are eating at a five star restaurant at every meal) or the increasing clarity of the boundaries of what is acceptable and what is not, that is shared at the start of each retreat and which contributes to helping everybody at the retreat feel safe and cared for.
What’s more, Spirit Vine tends to draw a very interesting and diverse set of participants who are committed to growth and healing. At each retreat, I have found like-minded people who are not only interested in their own development, but also have sought to support each other, both during and after the retreat.
In short, after testing out other retreat centers in Peru and Costa Rica, I cannot recommend Spirit Vine highly enough for those who are committed to do the hard work of spiritual and emotional healing and growth.