To die before you die
Ayahuasca is a brew prepared from the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and the leaves of Psychotria viridis (chacruna). Together, these plants produce a visionary medicine used for thousands of years by Amazonian peoples for healing, divination, and spiritual guidance.
The word "ayahuasca" comes from the Quechua language: "ayahuasca" translates as "vine of the soul" or "vine of the dead" — a reference to its capacity to dissolve ordinary perception and reveal what lies beneath it.
Ashaninka & Yawanawa traditions
Tatiana Aya Tupinambá was trained in the Ashaninka tradition by Juan Salazar Flores at Mayantuyacu in the Peruvian Amazon — one of the great centres of plant medicine on the continent. She also holds connection to the Yawanawa tradition of the Brazilian Amazon.
We do not invent our ceremony. We inherit it, carry it carefully, and offer it with the permission and guidance of our teachers. This lineage is the foundation of the work.
Therapeutic potential
Research from Johns Hopkins, NYU, and MAPS documents significant benefit for depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction, and end-of-life distress. This science confirms what indigenous traditions have always known: the medicine heals.
We do not make medical claims. We do say this: participants at our retreats routinely describe encounters with their deepest pain, their oldest patterns, and — on the other side — a quality of liberation they had stopped believing was possible.
What to expect in ceremony
Ceremony begins at night. Participants lie or sit in the ceremonial space as Tatiana sings icaros — sacred healing songs passed down through lineage. The medicine speaks differently to each person in each ceremony. There is no standard experience.
We ask that participants enter with honesty and humility. The medicine does not respond well to performance or expectation. It responds to sincerity.
Preparation: the dieta
Preparation begins weeks before the retreat. A dietary and lifestyle protocol supports the body's receptivity to the medicine: no red meat, alcohol, recreational drugs, or certain medications. Sexual abstinence is recommended in the week before.
We provide a detailed preparation guide and five weeks of preparatory sessions — meditations, teachings, and group calls — included with every retreat.
Integration: after the ceremony
Integration is the most undervalued part of the work. What is opened in ceremony must be carefully closed, honoured, and woven into ordinary life.
We provide four weeks of integration support after each retreat, including group calls, individual sessions, and access to our private community. The work does not end when you leave the forest.
Who should not participate
Ayahuasca is not appropriate for everyone. We require a full medical intake form for every applicant. The following are absolute contraindications:
- Personal or family history of psychosis, schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder type I
- Current use of SSRIs, MAOIs, lithium, or tramadol
- Severe heart conditions
- Pregnancy
If you are unsure whether you are a suitable candidate, please apply and we will discuss your situation personally.