81 Comments

1. 

   Amy Elizabeth Haman on April 3, 2019 at 2:20 pm

   I had thought about Ayahuasca for years, I know one of the founders of RHC so when I felt it was my time, there was no question on where I would go. I had no idea how lucky I was! I’ve heard horror stories of bad experiences at other retreats and I can only imagine how hard it must be to make a decision based on online reviews and pictures! All I can say is that this is your place! You can stop looking! There are so many wonderful things to say but overall the feeling of love and instant family is what was so surprising to me. I felt safe and cared for in every way. I was given so much individual attention but also time and space to myself to reflect and process. The facilitators Freddy & Nelson genuinely love and support you every step of the way! They listen, offer advice and are extremely knowledgeable and intuitive. They suggest books to read and help you with your intention for ceremonies. I don’t think I could’ve done this without them🙏🏼 Kristina is the on-site manager but she is so much more than that! She also offers Kambo and is extremely knowledgeable with that process. She just brings a sweetness to the place:)
   Then there are the Shaman… If you ever considered working with Ayahuasca without a shaman please reconsider! Being in the jungle and having the shaman guide you and sing to you during the ceremonies was such a huge part of my experience and journey! They know what they’re doing, they communicate with the spirit and work on every person individually. They work so incredibly hard and are so sweet, happy, gentle and kind. They hug you like you are family and tell you they love you and you feel it. These are not things that can be simulated or faked. This boutique center has a maximum of 8 people to give the best care and attention to everyone. The facilities are somewhat rustic (you are in the jungle) but extremely comfortable and private. It felt rather luxurious compared to what I was expecting ☺️
   This is by far the best gift I have ever given myself! I only went for 7 days but I’m already trying to plan my next visit. I made huge progress in just 3 ceremonies but I can’t wait to dive in deeper and learn more!
   P.S. the food was delicious!😋

2. 

   Dougie on March 21, 2019 at 8:13 pm

   I spent a week at the Rainforest Healing Centre, and did three ayahuasca ceremonies. I was quite sceptical before I arrived, but by the time I left, I was in love with the place, and the wonderful staff who work there.⠀
   The food, the accommodation, the jungle scenery, the shamans and the support and help given by the facilitators was all top notch. Ten out of ten from me!

3. 

   Danielle on March 16, 2019 at 3:05 pm

   I just finished a week retreat at Rainforest Healing Centre in Iquitos, and it was the most amazing, profound, magical, enlightening, emotional, liberating, loving, connecting, intense, relieving, healing, learning, experience of my life.
   The shamans, Esteban & Linda, are two lovely elders, a husband and wife couple, from the Shipibo tradition (originally from Pucallpa). They both have open and loving energies, and spend time with each individual person in each ceremony to help them through their journey and emotions, while singing Icaros to them personally, and using their hands to heal and massage if there is a need. They both also sing different Icaros simultaneously throughout the entire ceremony, which sounds magical. I feel extremely lucky to have had the chance to experience their ceremonies, and I now understand how important the shamans are for the process, and the human need for spirituality and connectedness (I was a spiritual skeptic before I came here).
   The facilitators, Freddie and Nelson, were amazing too, so much love, support, openness, experience, and non-judgment, they do a lot to help and guide you, and create a safe space for everyone. Kristina also does a lot in the background to make sure the centre running smoothly, and brings a lovely energy to the place, and Rhaya was very helpful in the registration process and preparing for the retreat.
   The centre is surrounded by rainforest, so you really feel in touch with nature while you’re there, which enhances the experience; seeing, smelling, hearing the jungle. You also stay your own personal tambo/hut to chill and process your emotions and thoughts freely and in private, without being surrounded by others, as you can’t see or hear other people from your tambo through the forest, so you can really focus on your own journey.
   The retreat groups are no more than 8 participants too, so it’s really intimate and you’re not distracted or overwhelmed by many other people’s energies, and you really have time to connect with everyone, including the shamans, facilitators, and other people attending the centre.
   I was able to work through a number of my fears and anxieties while there, and gained a lot of insight and knowledge, but it would have been better to stay longer, three ceremonies feels like you’re just getting into it. I’m already planning my next trip out there for a longer period of time.
   Going there was the most positive, life changing, and loving thing, I’ve ever done for myself. I got things out of it that I didn’t even know I needed. I would HIGHLY recommend the Rainforest Healing Centre, what a magical place.

4. 

   Carolyn on February 12, 2019 at 8:13 pm

   The Rainforest Healing Center is home. I spent a long time in the process of deciding where I wanted to attend my first Ayahuasca retreat but something kept bringing my back to the RHC, I felt its warmth even through the words and pages online. So I took the leap and am infinitely grateful because of it!! My experience is tough to quantify in words but the people at the center and the space they create and hold is magic for such deep healing. I felt safe, guided, cared for, loved and for the week I spent there it became home. I did three ceremonies and each time was able to really dive deep into my intention with the help of the staff who really became such beautiful family! They were catalysts for such growth and self-reflection and to me, were guides pushing me in the right direction back to myself always respecting the gentle nature of the work. It can be an overwhelming process working with medicine like this but never did I feel I didn’t have guidance. I was also empowered to use my own guidance system and felt lovingly shown how to step into my independence. Because of the intimacy of such a small group we too became medicine for each other, family forever. Love and care are poured into everything, the massively nourishing meals, the integration talks, the helpful tips, and the medicine as its being provided. Everything so well thought out from the day to day activity to the sacredness and attention put into the ceremonies that my only focus was put on why I was there. My healing. The space is beautifully built, peaceful, secluded yet wild and free! It flows with the wild of the jungle and creates a natural, harmonious, freeing, heart filed way of being! The accommodations were so comfortable and I was given my own space for reflection, feeling held and secure yet free and independent with my time to my own. The RHC is home, it is a beautiful sacred space for medicine work. I am grateful for all of the staff, the shamans, the love poured into every piece and part of their mission and for their deep respect and honor of the vine and the traditions. I am forever changed by my Ayahuasca experience with this center and cannot wait to return!! I love you guys!! Thank you for guiding in opening my heart and expanding my mind!!

   I’m also very grateful to be given kambo and really glad I did so for the first time with Kristina who is very knowledgeable at administering the medicine. She is so so sweet and nurturing!! I’m already excited to go back and engage more with this powerful medicine. My senses are sharp and I feel so light!! Thank you!

5. 

   Danielle Cummings on February 12, 2019 at 12:39 am

   Hands down, the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. I’m struggling to put into words how tremendous my experience was. The amount of care and love that has been put into the Rainforest Healing Center is so beautiful and overwhelming. The people who work at the center have the biggest hearts and truly make you feel like you’re home and safe while you’re working through everything.

   Ayahuasca is a tremendous experience by itself, but RHC made it even more amazing. First, the shamans – Olinda and Esteban. Throughout each ceremony, they spend 20-30 minutes on each person – singing to them and working on their stomach to release anything we’ve held on there. In my first ceremony when Olinda was working on my stomach I started crying and she released something I’d been holding on there. The next day I was so light and joyous. They are true magic and they always know exactly what you need. Kristina, who runs the center and administers Kambo, is such an amazing person, great to talk to and knows her stuff when it comes to frog poison! If you’re thinking about doing Kambo you should do it. It’s the most intense experience you’ll probably ever have and it sucks (but only for about 20 minutes), but after that you feel so clean and fantastic. The amazing facilitators, Freddie and Nelson. Wow, I wouldn’t have made it through the week without them. They help set intentions before the ceremonies and really work through to the root of your issues. During the ceremonies they help you with whatever you need – walking to the bathroom, emotional support, whatever. And after the ceremonies they help you make sense of everything that happened. They are so sweet and caring and they’ve changed my life.

   Few more things: private/secluded tambos (jungle bungalows), amazing food, small group (too many people in a ceremony can be a lot of energy running around, so the small 8-person group is perfect!), I made life-long friends here, this experience changed my life.

   I found so much here and couldn’t recommend RHC more to anyone who’s thinking of going. I found my heart here.

6. 

   Jasmine on November 6, 2018 at 7:23 am

   It has been a few months since I was in the jungle. I wanted to wait to write this to share what has changed for me as a result of this beautiful experience and connection.

   Firstly I felt the Rainforest Healing Centre (RHC) is a sacred, safe space – where all of the workers/healers are protective, loving, respectful and know there stuff. The jungle is breath-taking, wild and free, just being there allowed me the space and time to focus on what is important. At the centre the water and food is clean and fresh, detoxing. The centre feels like home and especially with the dogs and cats and a monkey running around 🙂

   I had two ceremonies with the Master Vine. Both times the ceremony space (due to the facilitators and healers), was safe and contained, very reassuring. I also did a Master Plant Diet with Bobinsana, wow! The experience of connecting with these plants and allowing for support and transformation was like nothing I have ever felt. They have allowed me to see different possibilities to situations that were previously thought and felt helpless to change or think differently about. This has been the best gift I have ever received.

   Since being back a situation that dominated my life (in a negative way), has resolved. I believe this is because I was finally able to allow it to, after my experience in the Jungle. I have also resolved a few bad daily habits that were making me unhealthy. Being able to reset in the Jungle helped me to break the cord to these habits just enough to make the change.

   Of course it has not been all smooth sailing and I have gone back and forth with some other bad habits (especially in times of stress). But the lessons from the retreat are not far from my mind. I know that I have something within that I did not have before. So I can keep moving forward and changing what I need to. After the retreat I have also reached out to RHC and received the support I needed which helped me to refocus.

   I would recommend this incredible place to anyone who wants to go. I hope I am lucky enough to go back again. Forever Grateful xx Jasmine.

7. 

   Carrilyn on November 5, 2018 at 3:30 pm

   After my 11 day retreat in the Rainforest Hearing Center, I have no doubts about plan medicine. I went there scared, angry, confused, tired, exhausted almost giving up on life from all the damage & pain experienced since I have memory. After being sexually assaulted by different family members from my mothers’ side, Mentally and physically broken by my own father was enough for my whole being to know that this is not how life should be for anyone. I kept everything to my self for 21 years, bubbling, heating up and getting heavier I had to take a quick decision for my self and that’s when a really good friend had shared about her experience in this magical place. Deciding this 25 birthday was going to be different for me. The retreat started October 20 – October30 and the 31st is my birth date. The energy that surrounds the facility is extremely safe and the employee are truly respectful & helpful. I did 5 ceremonies and 3 of them gave me exactly what i needed physically to get over all the mental damages and traumas. In the first ceremony I was being naive and waiting to feel the medicine after a full cup, but my body was being resistant. Heather nicely told me “you came here to do to work with the medicine if you do not feel her you need to drink a second time to fully work with her” which helped me for my next ceremony. Being alone became natural when noticing that I am part of everything.
   During the days it was super important for me to not be dependent on any company from others as I wanted to be more independent and love my self, enjoy my self for who I am. Ayahuasca helped me find more than I was expecting. She let me understand how staying in the past is throwing your present away and not fully enjoying it to the fullest. The second ceremony was my first glimpse of life as she physically made me feel how she put me apart and fix every part of my heart and body putting me carefully together without hurting. After that night I felt how little by little I was giving me self-love by reading, showering more often, writing and not truly thinking of what happened to me in a negative expression. Last and most important letting go of that horrible past that almost end my life in 2014-2015. I was dancing every morning in my tabu and still dance in my home. Feeding my self the right way at the right time and expressing my love for being alive and brave enough to take this journey.
   Anne such a beautiful soul she truly helped me understand so much of life. She’s extremely loving and can be rough when you need it { I mean this in the most helpful way. sometimes we need to hear the truth from a different perspective that is not yours} she guided me and basically gave me more therapy using such a beautiful vocabulary where you are able to understand and reflect. Heathers energy also helped me in such a different way i felt very comfortable because of her honesty with life experiences. She read my tarot cards and also discussed all my dreams for 11 days!!! I went to RHC for plant medicine and left with a two beautiful friendship that I hope it lasts forever. The staff was so loving and caring. Olinda and Esteban gave me all the attention that I needed because I was lucky to be in a very small group and had 3 wonderful ceremonies alone which the universe granted me. I was grateful for the food and for the creek shower every day where butterflies flew around me constantly making me smile and forgetting about everything.
   Coming back to my reality being grateful for everything that has happened and for all the things that lead me to this wonderful center and plant medicine. I love my self more than ever and now I can truly focus on my life and Partner who has been supporting me since day one. Its hard work and I know from the day I left the center my choices have changed for the better!
   I had the sweet opportunity to meet and connect with Omar it wasn’t long yet I know our paths will cross again in the near future. He was caring and loving I truly can’t wait to see him again.

   I can truly sit here give you 1000 reason why everyone in their lifetime should visit this facility yet I can’t find not one reason on why should you not. Plant medicine is so powerful and enlightening. Clean and REAL but you will only deserve it when you are truly ready to do the work to accept all your flaws and to become a better person for yourself.

   I feel free, light & Happy with my decision! Still apologizing to my self & my body for all those years I spent hurting.
   Thank you Ayahuasca, Rainforest Healing Center and Omar for allowing this place to feel safe for the ones that truly need the safety.

   You will always be part of my heart and journey because of you I can see life for what it is…. BEAUTIFUL

8. 

   Knut on October 15, 2018 at 6:24 pm

   Today it is 2 months and 3 weeks since we left Rainforest Healing Center, and I miss it deeply. I miss the rainforest, the sounds, the smells, the tambo, the maloka, the bucket showers, the medicine and the shamans, the facilitators and our fellow cosmonauts. I miss the unique healing environment RHC provides, I miss the purge, I miss the dieta. I miss being in that SPACE.
   This is it. RHC is such a perfect place to work with plant medicine, I can resommend it without any reservation or doubt. For the most profound experience in my life, this was the perfect setting. I felt so taken care of, so safe and so loved. The attention to detail was incredible, nothing was left to chance. What a gift! My only concern now, is how and when I can return. GRACIAS A TODOS! 

9. 

   Rafa on August 29, 2018 at 1:36 am

   Seriously, your search is over. This place is home; there is simply no other way to put it. This was my first time working with Aya, but I doubt that I will ever work with another centre. Every facet of this place is so incredibly full of love and respect on the highest of levels and this absolutely made my [first] experience with the Vine.

   I can honestly say that my experience with Chakra – the land and all of the people involved here – was just as, if not more so, healing as my experience with the actual plants. I’ve spent a long time pondering this review largely because I don’t feel that human words are an adequate expression of the gratitude that I have for these people and this place. It’s all I can do to resist booking my plane ticket back “home” again, lol.

   From the first point of contact, you can tell just how deeply everyone at Chakra cares about your wellbeing on all levels; expect to be thoroughly questioned about all aspects of your health/life to ensure that you are the right fit for this place and in a good space to do this kind of work, if the application wasn’t already clear on that! Every member of their team treats you with the most genuine love and respect from day one, even the workers.

   This is not just a retreat, you become part of a family that just keeps growing. You are being initiated into a very heart-centred way of being. This place is authentic and deep integrity is at the heart of all the work they do which helps you to let go and trust in your experience on a deeper level, which is so incredibly important. Here, you are held every step of the way while also empowered to find/utilize your own power and independence within this work. We had time with our facilitator pre and post-ceremonies to help thoughtfully prepare for and integrate our work – this was so helpful and they’re definitely doing this right. Same thing goes for the small groups; this allows you to connect more intimately with your fellow humans and your experience. These things were SO key.

   Everyone here holds a deep place in my heart – Omar, Viviana, the workers, the fellow retreat participants – and I won’t go into details but a special shoutout to Eddy and Cristina….wow. These two really have a special way of bridging the gap between professionalism/guidance and friendship. Feeling like I had friends holding my hand along this journey was so very helpful.
   Even afterwards I had found myself in a tough spot on a few levels and I reached back out to Chakra…let’s just say that they helped me more than I ever could have imagined simply out of the goodness of their hearts – again, especially Cris and Eddy. So much wow.

   I could go on for ages talking about how beyond amazing this place is but instead I’ll finish up with a little blurb on the amazing land and our accommodations. Man, what absolute paradise. It was definitely a trek traveling between our tambos and meals, etc., but the walk really helps you to appreciate the healing beauty of the jungle around you. You’re situated out in the middle of the womb of Mother Earth in all her glory. For being out in the jungle, your home for the retreat is unbelievable luxury and peace. Being in the midst of the beautiful chaos of the forest will lull you to sleep every night.

   Long story, short… Just jump. You will be supported. Sending all reading this so much love on your journey.

10. 

    James Guiry on August 16, 2018 at 7:57 pm

    My experience at the Rainforest Healing Center was profound.

    First there is a Connection with the jungle and all the energy and beauty possesses. At the same time you also disconnect from the outside world of social media, internet and distraction. This alone is worth the price of admission.

    You feel like your in another time and place yet there are enough comforts like nice sleeping tambos, private bathing and toilets, clean drinking water, lights ( tambos) and good healthy meals. There is even a bathtub which can be filled with herbs and flowers as you gaze at the stars.
    It took me a few days to really acclimate to the jungle, especially at night. It’s an otherworldly experience being listens to the jungle and it’s night sounds.

    The Maloca( where ceremonies take place) is a work of art, built by a master Maloca builder. You can feel the spiritual energy and is a perfect conducive place for inner work.

    The Shamans Olinda and Estaban ( husband &wife) are blessed with inner abilities and are there to watch , heal and diagnose the plant energy’s. Their presence is key to having a good and healing journey.

    The staff are all there to assist you in making sure you needs are met both on a comfort level as well as an emotional/ spiritual level.

    Now of course it’s the Medicine I came for, but without a set and setting I believe, and many people much wiser than me also agree, is the key to unlocking the wisdom of Mother Aya.

    If you come with Intention, Love, openness and an Active Imagination you will discover, and heal.

    I highly recommend Rainforest Healing Center as your place to connect.

    Peace and Love to all,
    Namaste.

11. 

    Regine on August 8, 2018 at 7:39 pm

    It’s been two weeks now, since I left Rainforest Healing Center after an eleven day Ayahuasca retreat.
    My husband and I also did Ajo Sacha and Kambo. With all my heart I can say this: If you are a novice and are seriously thinking about doing Ayahuasca, then I recommend doing it here. I felt completely secure and taken care of, down to the smallest details. Because the truly important tings for such a serious endeavor are taken care of with such depth and dedication, with LOVE in other words, by everyone at RHC- even the tough moments which are inevitable when one is serious about self healing- became so meaningful and rich.
    Just the place itself, deep inside the jungle felt like such a help. Under the canopy of trees and plants, the sounds and life of everything that surrounds you there are in fact helpers 🙂 I had my own tambo and loved it. I slept like a baby. The bed was very comfortable and the mosquito netting worked perfectly- in fact I didn’t get a single bite my whole stay! Almost weird. The compost WC, the bucket baths- ok, I’m Norwegian and used to simple cabin life with no running water and compost wc- but I can honestly say it was a luxury, very peaceful. The food is prepared with the obvious ayahuasca dieta- restrictions in the lovely kitchen/casa, and the cook does a great job. Writing a review of this place is bit strange, because I feel so much love and gratitude towards the whole staff who made it all possible, because this beautiful place truly deserves its name Rainforest H e a l I n g Center. The dedication of the facilitators and shamans was something the whole group, my husband and I most definitely included, were struck by. We had the luck to participate in the harvesting of chacruna leaves; and partake in the whole process of making the ayahuasca brew we used in ceremony, to replanting the Mother Vine the next day.
    The ceremonies were conducted with the utmost feeling of respect and care. Pre ceremony we all had intention settings one- on- one with our facilitator. I mustn’t gush too much; suffice to say I’m still stunned by how much that helped the whole experience and my personal healing. The solo processing after each ceremony was equally important for understanding and integrating the experiences. Highest quality support are words that can be used to describe this. The shamans… a whole little book could be written about them. Straight people! Totally dedicated, totally natural. They led the ceremonies like the great Maestro and Maestra they are. They even led the ‘Camino del Tigre’ jungle walk and showed us incredible plants. Their knowledge is vast and so is their humor!
    The Ajo Sacha and Kambo ceremonies were such a great additional help, each in their unique way. I’m a kambo lover for life now,
    I miss RHC. I will always cherish it and what I experienced and learned. I hope I can come back.
    Thank you! Thank you Omar, Christina, Anne, Heather… for each being and smile and gesture. Thank you to the staff! Thank you to the dogs and cats and the monkey- and to the majesty herself: The jungle.

12. 

    Sarah Callif on February 9, 2018 at 5:11 am

    I highly recommend Chakra Alegria de Amor AKA the Rainforest Healing Center to my friends, to my family (parents, grandparents, you name it!!!), and – of course – to you! I attended an 11-day retreat, and every step of the process before, during, and after has led me closer to self and to source. After decades of suffering from C-PTSD, I learned to release ALL symptoms. No more panic attacks, night terrors, or avoidance behaviors… just a deep sense of self-acceptance, forgiveness, and safety. Oh – and community!!! The shaman and his apprentice check on my daily, the guests from my retreat cheer me on whenever I need support with integrating, and the administrators continue showing and sharing their love and support. Now, one week after my retreat, many people (coworkers, peers, and even strangers) tell me, “You look so happy!!” Though the joy is palpable, that was never the point. I just wanted to feel *human* – and, fortunately, that was exactly what I needed (all guests get what they need). This healing center will make sure that your body, mind, and spirit are loved and protected. You will have countless opportunities for practicing sustainability, respecting plants and animals, and compassionately witnessing yourself and others. Thanks to this healing center’s facilitators and plant medicines, I am proudly pursuing a heart-centered approach to life, and death, and everything in between 💜.

13. 

    Marco Filice on January 31, 2018 at 8:10 pm

    What else can I say, that the previous reviews haven’t already? This place truly is special, a shining gem in the healing heart of the Amazon, sacred land wherein you will recover what we all seem to lose in the daily grind. I came to the Rainforest Healing Center with something in mind, something I’d wanted to gain; instead, I received something I needed the whole time. I remember having called home immediately after the retreat, and when my family had asked how I feel now, I responded quickly, simply, and honestly with the words, “Like being young again.”

    The facilitators and shaman–along with the group with whom you will share your profound experiences with–will all become your new family. I see mine as my jungle family. But, most importantly, the reason why prospective retreaters will come to the RHC: deep, deep healing. And take it from me, when considering ayahuasca: take the staff’s word for it, if they suggest not to be influenced by the opinions of those who choose to stay ignorant about this remarkable plant medicine. Madre Ayahuasca showed me depths in my soul that, now that I’ve seen and been there, won’t neglect anymore. It’s like climbing out of a cave that was lit only by fire: once you see the sun, the cave recedes into the past. A by-product of a life of having worn inauthentic facades, you will literally breathe sighs of blessed reliefs, unloaded unnecessary weight… and thankful for having found the place.

    I want to personally thank Omar for having it in mind to open RHC, and also for being on the premises for my retreat, because his guidance in overcoming the ego were words of timeless wisdom. The shaman and his apprentice, Don Pedro and Manuel, for their compassion and heart warming words when interpreting our visions. Eddy, who facilitated for the first time for my group, this man with all of his sincere concern for his fellow human beings really made my time in the jungle a memorable one. And Cristina, an exemplar of pure selflessness, love, and compassion, if it wasn’t for her I would not have felt as light and confident as I do now…. and my group: we had many good laughs, you’ll always remain in my heart. Thank you as well to the off-site facilitators. God bless to you all xoxo

14. 

    Paulus on January 12, 2018 at 2:54 pm

    Hi there,

    It’s been over three months since I have left Rainforest Healing Center. This is a very aptly named. These people are serious about healing! For instance there are free bi-weekly integration meetings for past guests over the internet that are very helpful in helping to adjust to our busy lives back home.

    I won’t write much about the amazing facilities and staff, as they are just fantastic and already well-described in other guests’ reviews. Everything is very professionally run by people who genuinely care and love what they are doing, something that really shows. I was really fortunately to receive a very generous family discount, otherwise I would not have been able to attend. Despite this, my opinion is in no way affected by this very kind act. This alone shows to me that this place is set up for helping people and not as a money maker. It shows in all the details of the centre.

    The one word that keeps popping up to describe RHC is ‘sincere’. For a place as alien and challenging to city slickers as the jungle can be, great efforts have been made by the staff to make it as comfortable as it can get. It still is no 5-star luxurious resort and it will never be that. It’s arguably a far richer experience than that! I personally had no issues being comfortable whatsoever.

    I attended the 11-day ayahuasca retreat with added Ajo Sacha dieta for integration purposes. All I can say that it has done more for me than years of trying to find help for my issues (a mix of generalised anxiety, mild burnout and PTSD) here in the West, which I felt is just not available. And where the standard suggestion always seems to be to take some antidepressants, which I have always kindly declined. Deep down inside I knew that the root of my issues was trauma, regardless if it was caused by others or myself while being in a less conscious state. I had enough of these issues hampering my ability to live a full and satisfying life based on my own terms. I realised I had to go deep inside and get a more complete understanding of my condition and being.

    For me the retreat was the way. It is like the reset button has been pressed and I can start rebuilding myself anew—not being hampered by old trauma, and with greater awareness and consciousness. This is the real work that needs to be done and still is ongoing. And although the healing centre could/would never claim that they can heal, for legal reasons, take my word for it that it really does. Thanks to my time in the jungle I have managed to kick unhealthy habits such as drinking too much alcohol and caffeine, having a poor diet, and not exercising.

    I fully realise that I have been given this fantastic opportunity to change my life for the better and am now able to take full responsibility for my own well-being, something that I was not able to do to this extent before. This in itself has been very empowering. I am really grateful for this whole experience and am already able to experience moments of deep happiness and inner peace that I had never imagined possible.

    In hindsight it is the best investment in myself that I could have ever made. Even at full price it would have been.

15. 

    Cuddle Sphynx on January 10, 2018 at 9:53 pm

    Plant Spirit Shamanism in the Upper Amazon of Peru is not just about Ayahuasca. The Shaman and Healers of Peru have access to an entire pharmacy of natural resources and have learned to use them with the depth and potency that Mother Ayahuasca herself is so famous for. I would like to share my experience sitting with the Master Plant: Uchu Sanango in isolation, and how healing for my spiritual and health issues were.

    I undertook an eight day traditional Master Plant Dieta where I was isolated in a small hut in the forest, eating very simple starches only with no salt or oil and drinking rather large doses of the plant.

    Each time I drank the Uchu, I would enter into a state of hot sweats, become dizzy with weak legs and my vision would blur. I would spend hours meditating in a floating state between thought and sleep, shivering and sweating. No mental forms were allowed to remain for long as the plant instructed me to release, release and release them again.

    As these master plants clean us, they go to the vibrational core of our being in order to reset and align that which is off balance and calling illness or preventing our full expression of power, and for me it seems nothing is ever released without being fully witnessed and felt. I realized then these spirits have no definitive forms, they are archetypes of consciousness, shapeshifting across dimensions to share in our experience of the cosmic play. They can be engaged for healing and must be absolutely respected.

16. 

    Eddy Phimphrachanh on November 5, 2017 at 5:04 pm

    The entire team at Rainforest Healing Centre went above and beyond during the 11 day Ayahuasca Retreat. Rather than feeling like a guest, it felt like I was apart of a big family.

    The healing, awareness, and removal of blocks that I experienced during ceremony was so profound that I’ve been inspired to one day right a book. If I could describe the retreat in one line, “50 years of deep therapy in 5 ceremonies” would sum it all up. It’s been almost a week since I last drank and the effects of the medicine is still unfolding. It feels like there has been a huge weight lifted off my soul and I can fully breath to my capacity.

    The Shaman, Don Joel was a 70+ y/o humble man who went out of his way to heal us with extra plant medicines, sacred baths, and special healing rituals. It was a nice bonus that was unexpected. We even got to be apart of the harvesting and brewing of the medicine.

    The facilitators Esadora & Karin, made me feel safe and protected in the extreme jungle environment. What sets RHC apart is their intention setting and post ceremony integration meetings with the facilitator. Sometimes it felt like “1000 bricks” were dropped on my head and I had no idea what just happened. It was nice express my deepest insights, insecurities, and even doubts with someone who I fully trusted.

    The supporting team made sure the tambos (huts) were clean and filtered water jugs filled. The tambos were nestled deep in the jungle for a truly authentic, peaceful and private jungle experience. A big thank you goes out to the extra helpers and chefs that kept us fed on the Aya-dieta and made sure the days went by smoothly.

    I highly recommend RHC to anyone who is seeking deep healing and a transformation on a soul level. I loved the small and intimate feeling of the retreat. After participating in the small group setting (8ppl), I don’t know if I would ever go back to big groups of 25. I left the centre with a big smile, and I’m going to miss everyone!

    -Eddy Phimphrachanh

17. 

    Lena on November 4, 2017 at 9:57 pm

    I recently came back from my very intense Trip into the darkness of my being. I had to deal with a lot that I didn’t expect. My fears, insecurities and doubts. I am so grateful that I had such amazing guides along the way: Isadora, Karin, Amy and Don Joel. The medicine will swipe you off your feet and more…but it’s so worth it.
    Thank you RHC to making this an unforgettable experience.

18. 

    Lea Adjanohoun on October 30, 2017 at 10:11 pm

    To feel the beating heart and the breathing of mother Earth, this is the place to be!
    Come here without expectations, without waiting but just with hope and love. And the utopia will become an eventuality then a reality. By the way, what’s reality?
    It was a painful delivery of my unhealthy ego and the rebirth of my inner guide.
    Thanks thanks thanks to allowed me to cry, Isadora, Amy and Karin you are the best midwifes I know.
    Love.

19. 

    Anette, Mandy und Sven on October 9, 2017 at 8:34 am

    Das sind unsere persönlichen Erfahrungen von

    Anette, Mandy und Sven.

    Wir haben in 10 Tagen eine Reise durch unser ganzes Leben gemacht. Geschützt, beschützt. akzeptiert, liebevoll aufgefangen und sehr liebevoll geführt und betreut. Diese Reise im RHC verbindet uns Menschen 🙂 und trennt nicht unter anderem durch Grenzen, Sprachen, Hautfarbe, Religionen, usw. Im RHC sind wir eine Familie und bei unserem Aufenthalt waren Australier, Holländer, Thailänder, Südafrikaner, New Yorker, San Francisco, Spanier, Peruaner, Mexikaner und Deutsche. Einmal um die Welt herum. Nicht getrennt, sondern in Liebe zusammen. Es hat uns gezeigt, dass Menschen auf der ganzen Erde auf der Suche sind und das RHC ist genau der richtige Ort dafür. Wir waren nur 8 Gäste und sie bekommen die Aufmerksamkeit die sie brauchen und eine Betreuung die sehr wichtig und hilfreich ist.

    Unsere Herzen haben schneller geschlagen, unser Blutdruck ist gestiegen, wir haben geschwitzt und wir haben Angst gehabt und gezittert. Wir haben sehr viel geweint und wir waren sehr traurig. Aber wir haben auch sehr gelacht. Wir wollten weg laufen und wir wollten bleiben, wir haben gehört wie wir noch nie gehört haben, wir haben gesehen wie wir noch nie gesehen haben und wir haben gefühlt, was wir seit langer Zeit nicht mehr gefühlt haben. Wir haben die Welt nicht mehr verstanden, wir haben uns nicht mehr verstanden, wir haben gar nichts mehr verstanden und der Grund ist, Unser Verstand!! Unser Ego kommt da einfach nicht mehr mit, es stößt an seine Grenzen, es findet keine Schublade wo es das Erfahrene hineinstecken kann. Es ist so aufregend und wir haben uns so sehr gespürt, wir haben die tiefsten Orte in uns gefunden und wir wurden mit dem wichtigsten Menschen in unserem Leben verbunden, und das sind wir selbst. 🙂
    Wir haben Licht und Liebe gespürt und unsere innere Schönheit gesehen, unsere unermessliche Größe in diesem Universum und unsere Verbundenheit zu allem in den Visionen erfahren und gesehen. Wir haben gesehen und erfahren, ob wir wollten oder nicht, wir haben erfahren das eine höhere Intelligenz existiert und dir deinen Weg zeigt. Wir haben voller erstaunen und Faszination in den Zeremonien erlebt wie unsere physischen Körper von ganz allein Dinge taten die außerhalb unseres Willens waren.

    Wir hatten das Gefühl nach Hause zu kommen und fühlten uns zu tiefst angenommen, genauso angenommen wie wir waren, auch ohne unsere vielen Masken. Wir fühlten uns nackt ohne diese Masken vor den anderen die mit uns die Zeit im RHC verbrachten und es hat uns nichts ausgemacht. Wir konnten einfach so sein wie wir sind und wurden bedingungslos und liebevoll von allen angenommen. Was für ein neuartiges und wunderschönes Gefühl.

    Es ist ein zutiefst gesegneter, liebevoller, energiegeladener, friedvoller, wunderschöner und einmaliger Ort mitten im Dschungel. Wir sind nicht mehr die gleichen Menschen wie vorher. Unsere Erfahrungen haben uns schon jetzt verändert. Wir sind bewusster geworden. Es ist ein unglaublich wertvolles Geschenk. Auch unsere Reise mit Ayahuasca hat gerade erst begonnen. Wir werden auf jeden Fall unsere Reise mit Ayahuasca fortführen und wie werden mit unseren Möglichkeiten diesen wertvollen Ort voller Licht und Liebe und Ayahuasca in die Welt hinaus tragen.

    Und ja wir sind an unsere physischen und psychischen Grenzen gekommen und das wollten wir auch, denn in einer Welt, in der Matrix, leben wir nun einmal in der Dualität und es ist notwendig beide Pole zu erfahren. Ohne weinen kein lachen, ohne Tag keine Nacht . . .

    Uns ist bewusst geworden welches Potential Ayahuasca hat, und für alle anderen Menschen und die ganze wunderschöne Erde haben kann.

    Wir möchten Euch ALLEN vom RHC herzlich danken für Eure Hilfe, Euren Beistand, Eure Liebe und Euer Dasein. Ihr habt uns sehr dabei geholfen unser Licht in uns wieder zu finden. Wir alle sind Licht und Liebe.
    Wir danken auch für den hohen Standard, der mit Hilfe der Mitarbeiter im RHC, mitten im Dschungel, aufrechterhalten wird. Das Essen ist auch mit der Diät sehr gut und die Tambos sind sehr sauber.

    Wir möchten Karin für ihre Übersetzungen, unsere offenherzigen Gespräche, ihr zu hören, ihre Umarmungen und ihr unglaublich liebevolles Dasein danken.

    Wir danken Euch allen tief aus unserem Herzen und dir Omar für diesen gesegneten Ort.

    Auch wir empfehlen ausnahmslos und ohne bedenken, Chakra Alegria de Amor weiter.

    Wir umarmen Euch Alle mit gaaaaanz viel Liebe.

    Anette, Mandy und Sven 🙂

20. 

    Sarah on September 5, 2017 at 11:12 am

    It is unbelieveable what happend there to me! You are talking to god, you are talking to your soul, you reconnect, you open up, you wake up, you are floated by love!!! <3
    When I came to the Chakra Alegria I was not aware of anything which happend as I had no idea of myself. The reason I went there was because of my brother who is suffering from depression but all turned out different and I went there without him.
    I had no idea how blind I was before and how blocked!
    I was drinking a lot of alcohol and doing anything possible to run away from myself and my past.
    The plant is leading you back to your inner self, she helps you to heal in every way you want to. She is like a walking stick and she doesn't let you go off the path. It can be pretty hard sometimes but it is really really worth it!!!

    There is no running away anymore, I reconnect to all I am, I am finding more and more peace every day, I learn more and more about life and myself every day, I feel more and more love for myself every day.

    I always thought I love myself, now I know I didn't. All my creativity I was missing and knew it was there somewhere, it is flowing threw me.
    I learn every day something new about myself.
    I dream , I dream a lot, I dream like I've never dreamed before. My dreams are teaching me, it seems like I go threw a lesson every night. All I learn is behind my Fears and it is based on pure love.
    All you have ever wanted – it helps you to go there!

    This retreat made all of that possible, because it is a safe place with wonderful caring people!
    I am so greatful for all of you who are part of this project!!!!
    Thank you <3

    I will come again next year cause I feel that my journey with the plant has just started! I definitly will choose this wonderful retreat again!
    You really want this strong, warm hearted people around you when you are experiencing the powerful plant!
    Thank you all <3

21. 

    Linda Ginter on August 1, 2017 at 10:25 pm

    RHC is an amazing healing center~ I have never felt safe in a jungle. RHC is perfect setting with small number of group. I had an amazing group of supportive newly friends that I will forever call my family. I left RHC with an amazing transformational experience.

22. 

    Love Streamer on July 20, 2017 at 1:25 pm

    I did two Ayahuasca ceremonies in the Netherlands and two in Portugal. In June this year I went for the first time to Peru to do a ten day Ayahuasca retreat with 5 ceremonies at RHC Chakra Alegria.
    Both, Netherlands and Portugal, was a nice experience for me but only after Peru I really understand what Ayahuasca can do for you and how powerful this medicine is. It is comparing amateur football with Champions League!
    RHC wants to heal people and that’s why they will only accept maximum 8 guests so that every person can get the full attention of the manager, it’s staff and the Shaman.
    The location is perfect, each Tambo stands alone while they’re spread over the property. A bucket shower is like a blessing, your day will start happy! 😊 Because of the more than 120 plants on the domain, the water is from an unheard quality, your hair will feel softer, your skin looks better.
    It’s not easy to prepare a good and delicious meal with the restrictions of the Aya diet but at RHC they manage to do so, food is of good quality and it is tasty.
    I want to say once more: ‘Thank you very much Murielle’
    Murielle is the manager at RHC and she is a fantastic person, dedicated her life to help others.
    She travelled throughout the world, has passed her exam at the University of Life Cum Laude and in my opinion, that makes her the perfect person to run RHC and help the guests.
    The Shaman was not only a nice person but also very professional, His brew was of high quality and he led the ceremonies in a very good way. Once the ceremony is finished, between midnight and 1 am, everyone sleeps in the Maloca, the Shaman and one of the staff will sleep there as well, so they will not leave you alone. As you can see at RHC they really care about you!
    The rest of the staff and the volunteers, all nice and friendly people, all there to help you, also a big thank you to all of you.
    And don’t forget Karin, she’s the one you will meet first via Skype. I spoke to her for 1 ½ hour, I immediately had a good feeling and no doubts about the quality of RHC. Thank you as well.
    Conclusion: If you’re serious about healing and looking for a professional center I can recommend RHC Chakra Alegria with confidence and with all my heart. You don’t have to look any further.

23. 

    Ali Tyler on July 13, 2017 at 5:54 pm

    I am beyond grateful for everything RHC has done for me. The center is very safe and the staff are friendly. They make time for any questions. The staff are always smiling and I am so thankful for their service. My trip to RHC is the best thing I’ve ever done. RHC also prepares us before, during, and after the retreat. I asked a lot of questions before coming and received so much support. I came with a lot of baggage, became naked spiritually, and left transformed. I defintely am coming back.

24. 

    Dianna Yager on July 13, 2017 at 11:59 am

    I was in the isolation tambo, I was bathed in the love and light. I can see so many spirituality from the deep of the jungles. I can feel them touch me and my body, they are dancing and smoke the smudging that I can smell them. It is very peacefulness and love, the jungles have bought me into healing and peace. And during in my kambo frog, my third eye exploded and brung the beauty out of jungle that left me in awestruck of their beautiful. I want to be lost into their dreams of jungles with the ancestors and the kingdom. Ayahuasca drink that healed and bought me out of my childhood death that won’t let me go, I have been fought for long time. The mother of vine broken the chain and bounded me from the death. I have been freed from the virus since age two. I have been transformed from kambo frog, uchu Sanango and ayahuasca. I feel so wholeness and I am!

25. 

    Jaymie Blake on June 13, 2017 at 1:12 am

    Just booked flights for my 2nd trip back over (from Australia) for this December coming. Considering my 1st stay with you was only 6 months ago, in December 2016, clearly I can’t wait to get back. Last time I was lucky enough to travel over with my bestie and this time I get to bring my partner as well.

    Knowing what the healing space at Chakra Alegria De Amor has challenged and nourished within me, I feel grateful to be returning again and paying it (the love, light and healing) forward so soon. Anyway, in my revived excitement about returning, I felt compelled to revisit and reread your website… through the eyes of a now past guest… and I can tell you it kicked me right in the feels. Why? Because what you write about Chakra Alegria De Amor and how you portray it to be, is actually the truth. How beautiful is that?! See you lot again soon! xx

26. 

    ik on February 11, 2017 at 2:38 pm

    I embarked on this journey after my husband had an outstanding experience with them. What sets Chakra Alegria apart from the other centers is the personal care and affection. Everyone at the center cares about the personal well being and they were there to help, starting from the first moment we contacted Karin, the administrator. She’s been there at our sides not only prior to the “retreat” but also after. She followed up to help us transition and integrate in the “real” world and she was there long after my husband’s retreat was over as well to help him when needed. They just give their time and loving care unconditionally. We had personal sessions prior to the ceremonies as well as after, to process the messages and visions. I would not have been able to do it without Erin’s loving, wise and deep care. She was always there, relentlessly at night or during the day. Everyone’s dedication and love shines through. A special thank you to the most beautiful souls Erin and Karin. Their wisdom, love is so inspiring. Lastly to Juan, our shaman who was like a beam in the darkness. He always knew when we needed him, during or after the ceremony even after everyone was already asleep, he was always there. Such a caring and amazing person and to Omar for creating a real healing center. I’ll never forget them.

27. 

    Andrea on February 8, 2017 at 12:17 am

    i really don’t know how to start…i am completely astonished by the great job these guys are doing! All we found there was coming straight from their heart and their desire of accompany us toward a successful healing process.

    The property itself is blessed with a special glow of peace and the surrounding plants already generously emanate a medicinal air for us to brethe all day long, which aids to the purpose.
    Everybody that works at the center is so devoted and puts the heart in all activities. We always felt support coming from everybody, they went WELL BEYOND the extra mile to make us feel safe and understood, every step of the way. Well organised and knowledgeable too.

    Omar, the owner of the center is an incredible lovable character and once we met him it was clear that the whole idea came straight out of his heart. He shows his genuine interest in helping us finding that self love we all deeply long for.

    Karin, is the first contact we got with the center, she immediately gives out the feeling of being available to help us on keeping up with the commitment, even as a loving mom sometimes. It is incredible how she can always find the right words to make us feel her support.

    Muri, such a good heart and a great help during the ceremonies. One of us. Good managing of the center and well prepared to answer all our technical questions.

    Eren…no words to describe Eren! She works so hard and never lets us down, next to her we did the greatest part of the journey. After ourselves, she’s the first person we relied on, it must have been a whole lot of work for her, but she demonstrated to be so strong and capable of coping with us! She really helped directing our intentions for owr healing process.
    This “counseling” time was really what made a difference in the whole experience!

    Juan….the shaman. I had no idea there could be such a great amount of positive energy inside one man! All you can ask for and more, i feel so lucky he was on our side throughout this journey, making us feel always so safe.

    La medicina if honor her, believe in her, work with her, let her guide you deep inside and up to your HigherSelf, She will never disappoint you. You will be so grateful 🙂

    it is hard to believe somebody created such a wonderful place to go and heal our souls, we all should have the chance to visit Rainforest Healing Center once in our lives.

28. 

    Michael Wilson on February 7, 2017 at 2:53 pm

    Have been back a week now from spending 11 days in the Jungle at Chakra Alegria De Amor, aka Rainforest Healing Center. I’ve scanned the other reviews here, and wholly endorse their enthusiasm. I’ve considered myself almost a professional skeptic most of my life. I was concerned at the time, cost, and various forms of self-denial that this trip would require; mostly concerned that it would amount to chasing rainbows. But desperation drove me to give it a try… and it was all I (the inner me, beneath the skeptic that has run my life) had hoped. In short, it was really, really (REALLY) hard, and so worth it. The people, (Eren, Muri, Omar, Juan) were amazingly genuine, open, caring, and insightful. It wasn’t just singing kum-ba-ya; was real, transformative, work. I have a hard time seeing how a club-med version could deliver the same. Also- the small group size they have at one time was… wonderful. We weren’t cattle, or ‘patients’; we had time to get to know each other, and the staff, which in turn allowed for impactful relationships to form. I’m so thankful to Omar for creating this space, and to Eren, Muri, and Juan for… sharing themselves. They say it’s a non-profit, and it clearly clearly is. It’s a labor of love for them all, and it shows. If you go, you’ll be challenged, but if you’re really seeking healing, and are open to it, you won’t be disappointed. I know in our group, we all have come away knowing this: We were in the right place.

29. 

    Sue Valkenburg on January 11, 2017 at 1:11 am

    I first came to the Rain forest Healing Center in April 2016 to do a diet with Uchu Sanango. The staff are phenomenal! They love what they do and it shows with every detail. Karin is your first link. She conducts an interview with you via Skype. All questions are answered and any doubts or fears you might have had disappear by the end of the conversation. She is Wonderful.

    Omar is a peach. He puts his heart and soul into this place to make sure you feel safe and welcomed. It is absolutely beautiful. The accommodations give you an up close connection to nature at its finest. The sounds of the Rain forest come alive and invite you in. Its peaceful and has a sense of calm to it. WARNING: you might not want to leave!

    Christian was my Shaman and as luck would have it, he had an apprentice named Richard that I got to work with also. I appreciated their dedication to the healing medicines and my journey. They really do an excellent job of taking care of your well being.

    This is some of what I experienced during my diet. My body felt like lead and my head was loopy in the morning hours after drinking the medicine. I felt bored much of the time. I had an angry conversation with God and then gratitude washed over me. I found forgiveness in others and to my surprise, even myself! When the diet was broken with the salt mouthwash, I felt as if I didn’t get much out of the experience. I felt disappointed as if there should have been more. I came there expecting something “magical” to happen. As if I would drink the medicine and all would be right in my world. Hahahahaha. I” EXPECTED”!

    It wasn’t until days later that I started to understand ALL the healing that had and was continuing to take place. Inside me were blockages. Then the medicine taught me to “let go”. To Allow. To Be. It spoke to me and nurtured me. It help me to heal my inner child! I seen her go from a crying, scared little girl, to smiling and skipping. We Hugged. We Healed! To me, that was HUGE.

    While I was there, I also had the privilege to work with Christina and do Sappo. She is very skilled at working with this medicine. She never left my side. She watched over me and made sure I was taken care of. She is very focused and knows what she is doing. I would recommend this medicine and Christina!

    During a San Pedro ceremony, I was able to work with Helen. She guided me to get in touch with my feminine side. She worked with me and showed me movement. She helped me to release the rage of an overbearing creature inside me. As with the rest of the staff, she knows what she is doing. You are always safe, even if you may think you’re not. They take care of you and are genuinely concerned with your well being. They are a well rounded group of people who have your best interest at heart. You cannot ask for a better staff of healers!

    In August, I felt a strong pull from the rain forest and the medicine calling me back. I spoke with Karin and Omar and came back to the healing center at the end of September. Things had changed a little since my last visit. Jairo was the Shaman I would work with to do my Chiric Sanango diet, and Muri was there for Everything else. She is truly an Amazing healer herself. She works hard to make your journey as easy as possible. She Rocks!

    My healing experience this time was intense! The medicine under Jairo worked very quickly with me. Ayahuasca and I did some deep cleaning to start. I was surprised how fast I was able to connect with Mother Vine. It was Incredible! My intentions this time was to not expect anything but instead to allow the healing to happen. What a world of difference this made.

    Chiric Sanango was a lot harder on the body for me. I had a lot of pain in my stomach. Looking back now, I would say that Chiric was working on cleaning out my solar and sacral Chakras. Your mind is always on. You get a thought, and it doesn’t let go. The situation gets repeated again and again. It showed me what Love is and what it feels like. It was amazing! My heart never felt so big and so opened in all my life. Gratitude washed over me in buckets. I feel so thankful for having the opportunity to come back and continue my healing. The healing is still processing as I write this.

    If you’re thinking about partaking in an Ayahuasca ceremony, or a Sanango diet, I would Highly recommend Chakra Alegria de Amor! You’ll be treated with the utmost respect. You will be in safe hands. You will get to work with Amazing Healers and if you allow yourself too, you just might get the healing you need.

    Thank you to all those who made my journey incredible: Omar, Christian, Richard, Jairo, Christina, Muri, Helen, Erin, Jimbo, Juanita, and Leyo. Many Blessings to All of you! I look forward to seeing you again. Much love and hugs,
    Sue 🙂

30. 

    Chris on December 25, 2016 at 1:54 pm

    Professional, safe, supportive and genuine. Those four words would be my summary of my 10 day retreat at the Rainforest Healing Center (Chakra Alegría de Amor, Joy of Love Farm) in December 2016. Highly recommended.

    Even though I am a somewhat naïve person in regard to either therapy or hallucinogens, this experience was profoundly beneficial. Whilst an individual journey, I am thankful for the participant selection process also as I met some truly wonderful people.

    The setting of the Peruvian Amazon is idyllic surrounded by more shades of green than you thought possible to house the fluro-blue butterflies, Mojo the colorful parrot etc etc. Other reviewers have described the carefully thought through facilities, which are accurate.

    Small groups of eight people maximum allow a personal connection with staff and the shaman. I have heard of other groups where the participants number into the teens or even twenties; I find it hard to understand how there can be any personal connection or personal support with such a large group of people.

    The information provided beforehand, whilst not overwhelming, was plentiful and allowed for good preparation. The journey starts when you sign up, not when you turn up. However, once arriving in the middle of the jungle the team very patiently re-iterated the most important information which was key for anyone who felt in unfamiliar territory, either physically in the jungle, or mentally for such an experience. The team offer follow-up afterwards.

    It is not a free-ride. People who take ayahuasca can be referred to as ‘pasajeros’ or passengers, but that is only during the ceremonies. Whilst a magical experience, there are no magic wands with instant solutions, be prepared for some tough mental work. Good setting of intentions is vital, but beware that you may get different answers than what you expect. All extremely positive.

31. 

    tanya fromberg on December 22, 2016 at 7:38 am

    Chakra D’Alegria aka Rainforest Healing Centre has firmly embedded a piece of itself forever in my heart. I came on a private retreat with Rebekah Shaman but this did not stop the centre welcoming us in to be part of the family.
    You can feel the love and attention poured into every detail of the lodge. The tambo’s, moloka and dining areas are understated eco chic. You feel the rawness of the jungle while never being uncomfortable which is so important when you are on such an intense and profound transformational journey. The restrictive diet was not even an issue as Juanita’s cooking is so delicious and made with love.
    Jairo, the Shaman radiated love and compassion and he and Rebekah created a beautifully synergistic relationship between the west and the Amazon, between feminine and masculine both had such powerful icaros we were instantly reaching for the buckets and held a beautifully protected space and were able to care for us when the medicine was working at it’s strongest. Jairo really know’s and loves the forest and has a beautiful story of how he became a shaman.
    The jungle is incredible in the surrounding area with one of the most special trees guarding the property I have ever had the pleasure to hug and the bathing areas bring beautiful moments of serenity and solitude where you can encounter the wildlife of your dreams.
    Since the retreat I can feel all aspects of myself shifting and changing- physically, emotionally and mentally. Rebekah’s processing was phenomenal, her intuition is so sharp she know’s exactly how to bring the best (and worst) out of you so you can give to the jungle all that no longer serves you. My creative expression is radiating, I feel a deep sense of contentment but also observing all the old patterns which are still there but I am in a much better place of acceptance with. I know this is an everlasting journey but the medicine and all the other magic has given me the tools to travel a lot better.
    I have infinite love and gratitude to this amazing medicine, the jungle, the lodge, the staff, Jairo and Rebekah, it really goes beyond words.

32. 

    Anna on November 26, 2016 at 3:49 pm

    My experience at Rainforest Healing Center was wonderful. I came here because a friend recommended it to me. I only had two single ceremonies before, so it was my first plant medicine retreat and the first time working deeply with it. Having had mixed experiences elsewhere, I know it is very very important to choose a center that can provide a safe space for you where you can work (and it is hard work!) and grow. RHC meets that in all aspects… it is a beautiful place in every meaning: the land itself, the tambos and maloka, but most of all it’s the people that make it special. Jairo, the shaman is a very loving, caring and humble, yet knowledgable person. The facilitators are so great, Muri and Cameron, working with all their love and passion and supporting when you need them. I am still in awe and deep respect how much love and energy they gave. All the helpers around are also always very friendly… it honestly feels like a little family for a week! So I definitely can recommend RHC to you… I am very thankful for everything I received here and I hope you will be having a good experience, too! Todo es amor… <3

33. 

    Stefano Baldasseroni on October 16, 2016 at 10:47 am

    I just spent one week at CAA, my second retreat in 8 months.
    It was necessary for the completion of my process and the result was astonishing.
    Stepping into the grounds gave me a warm and welcoming feeling, same as going back home to a warm and tight family. There was less excitement, being my second time there, and that made me more grounded and ready for the ceremonies.
    I realized how attached I was to the first experience, how I was expecting the same people to be there and how any changes reinforced my superego attempt to send me away and forget about healing.
    Attachments are like lead shoes that keep us in the same old place, where everything is known and secure. How can there be evolvement if we don’t move from where we are?
    The staff at CAA helped me very much with accepting the new experience as is and it turned out to be a wonderful retreat where I met new friends and learned a lot about acceptance and surrendering.
    The two facilitators, Cameron and Muri, have been the two corner stones of my experience.
    Their true love for their task was moving, I’ve never seen that much dedication performed without even one hint of resentment.
    I joined a deaf retreat and for me, not being deaf, it’s been a whole world to discover.
    There are so many dynamics that we don’t understand because they are not part of our world and we are too involved in ourselves to even notice it.
    It has been a teaching on being attuned to others on a different level and on better understanding other people’s pain, even when it is expressed differently.
    During the ceremonies I was able to nurture my experience with the Icaros and the sounds of the jungle, I was able to feel the presence of the curandero and the facilitators because I was hearing them. I realized how different the experience must have been for my fellow travelers, a very silent and intimate experience, so silent that could be scary sometimes. This is why they were asking for assistance very often and the two facilitators were there every time, calming them down, sending an immense amount of love.
    My old patterns came back immediately, feeling pissed off because they were ruining MY experience and the Mother Vine talked to me, she made me understand their pain and their fear and how those were my pain and my fear as well. She made me humble and accepting through the blessing that the curandero gave to me. He smudged me, my head, my back, my hands and feet. It made me cry tears of gratitude for these wonderful people who were there for us, to heal us.
    I have done many ceremonies in the last few years, but these last three have been the most connected and revealing. Something shifted in my attitude toward the vine, I wasn’t there for the light show, I was there to learn about myself and i kept asking the Mother to show me the way.
    I was able to see beyond the colors and shapes, what I saw were memories that I had buried because too painful. My mindset became the mindset I had as a kid and I could be that child, I was thinking as that child. I have been finally able to fill the gap I had in my memories and it was terrible. I saw how my life has been a horror movie and how I had to deal with it. I couldn’t hide in a fantasy world anymore if I wanted to grow and become a man.
    I have never felt so connected to myself and I see how I haven’t been able to literally feel parts of my body because of this numbness. My fears, neurosis and reactivity were like spiderwebs veiling my head and I could pick the webs and toss them away, making my head breath and feel lighter.
    The retreat has transformed me from grub to butterfly. I am back to my every day life and I am happy. I smile more, I go slow (whenever possible in this crazy New York life, though) and I truly feel connected to the people around me, I don’t treat them like enemies and I overall love myself like have never been in my life.
    Thank you Cameron, Muri, Jimbo, Eren, Karin, Omar and all the people who supported my journey of transformation and discovery. I wish that everybody, really, everybody in this world would join this path and heal, bringing love and light everywhere.
    Thank you Mother Vine.

34. 

    Meena Julien on October 1, 2016 at 9:02 am

    Initially I had been very nervous about making this trip and what my experience might be like. Karin the administrator who interviewed me before I arrived was very helpful and walked me through my uneasiness and what I could expect once there and did her best to quell any fears that I had. But still for me an unknown which could not match what my imagination could conjuour up and did at times play somersaults in my head. I knew we were somewhere special, when after about an hour’s hike through the jungle’s muddy path we arrived at the Chakra Alegría de Amor healing Forest. Before entering we were smudged on the boundary of the centre. The retreat for me started the moment I first went into the Malloka to discuss my intentions. I felt an energy, presence, vibration? I’m not sure what really, because I struggle with these concepts generally. We were looked after and nothing was too much for the people who ran the centre, I would especially really like to thank Christina, Muriel they continously gave so much of themselves to us. Our tambo’s were amazing 360 degrees of jungle views and sounds, bathing in the jungle was an experience I will always hold in my memory. I don’t think I could have found a way to improve the experience. I came here to work on myself and that was the most difficult part, however the hard work was supported so lovingly by the facilitators and the Shaman who’s icaros was enchanting. He also took us into the jungle to find out about the plant medicines and what they were used for. I went for the 7 days as an introduction course, which consisted of 3 ceremonies. I felt contained and very safe here and my ayahausca journey has just begun and I will be going back again as soon as I can for a longer visit to continue where I left off.

35. 

    Beatrice on September 14, 2016 at 1:51 pm

    I’ve spent 11.5 days in the Rainforest Healing Center for the 10 day retreat in June 2016 (my first time doing Ayahuasca) and would like to share my experience as I hope that this will be helpful for you to decide if this is the right path and center for you.

    My true intention for the retreat was unclear to me at first but there was a deep desire for change in my life.
    At the time I was frustrated with my fear of intimate relationships and a 15 year long dependency on Adderall and various sleep medications and “downers”. I had been wanting to do Ayahuasca for over 6 years but found that the internet was flooded with countless centers offering medicine and friends had urged me to research well as there are quite a few “bad eggs” out there to be vary of.
    I had found out about this center through a friend who had told me that several of his close friends had done retreats there in the past (extremely satisfied) and my gut feeling urged me to go there as well.

    Shortly after submitting my application, Omar contacted me and said that he would like to meet in person for the initial interview. I absolutely loved the process! Interviews are generally conducted via Skype but I appreciated that Omar was willing to go the extra mile and meet me since he happened to be in Los Angeles at the time. It put me at ease that he wanted to be sure that I went for the right reasons and was able to follow the diet and be fully committed.
    Omar was a delight to talk to and I knew I was on the right path already.

    (At this point I would like to mention that the diet is very important for a number of reasons! Start as early as you can and follow it as long as you can after as well. If you are on medications or drugs, don’t wait until the last minute of the “safety window” and this will greatly enhance your experience.)

    The accommodations (Tambos) were super nice and comfortable, you can clearly tell that everything was crafted with love. I felt safe yet connected with nature and the animals around me and I could even see monkeys in the trees. I was quite amazed at the quality of the food we received during the retreat considering how restrictive the diet seemed to be. Juanita is a wonderful cook and she did our laundry on site for a small fee.

    About the ceremonies:
    Our group was small – 7 total plus 2 facilitators plus our shaman. I was a bit scared to drink the medicine at first because I didn’t know what to expect. Cooking our own medicine was a wonderful way to connect and experience. I did 5 ceremonies total and in retrospect I must say that 5 ceremonies were perfect for me personally. I also opted for the Ajo Sacha as well. Kambo was available as well at the time and it really helped me to open up & let go and gave me a much needed push for my final ceremony! So If Kambo (amazing heart opener!) is offered there, I highly recommend to combine it with Ayahuasca if you’re having difficulties to fully surrender or want to experience the medicine to the fullest potential: Kambo will help.

    Christian, our shaman, was absolutely amazing and I loved his presence. The medicine was strong too.
    My final ceremony was the most intense and profound but I would like to spare you the details about my personal experience because I think you will get the best results if you simply surrender and set aside your expectations.
    This medicine is extremely powerful and it works differently on everyone so comparing visions/experiences and results is beside the point as I feel that they happen at a different pace and level of intensity for everyone.
    Trust that your shaman will guide you and the facilitators will help you decide how much medicine is right for you.

    The facilitators will assist you with your intentions and help you process your experiences post-ceremony as well.

    Writing this 3 1/2 months later, I can truly say that Ayahuasca has transformed me on a very deep level. Little did I know that the medicine will keep working with me long after I had returned home, which expressed itself in daily subtle but constant positive changes and very vivid dreams that moved me very deeply on a soul level.

    I’ve been off of Adderall for about 4 months now and I can truly say that I don’t need it in my life and I have no desire to take it ever again. My attention span totally fine and normal now, by the way! I now sleep a full 8hrs a night and feel at peace with myself like never before.
    So if you are currently on Adderall and are wondering if Ayahuasca can help you – I can tell you with certainty that Mother Vine will help you heal so you will no longer need it.

    Amazingly enough, I have not felt any anger or rage since my final ceremony, which I was struggling with since childhood, since I’ve done this retreat. I finally feel at peace, my almost always present sense of restlessness is also gone. I visited my family in Europe last month and they asked: “You are so different now! What happened?” So I told them about Ayahuasca (which I was hesitant to do beforehand). My relationship with my parents and sister has greatly improved now as well.

    Another unexpected perk? I used to struggle with acne for a long time and it simply went away! Crazy!

    I can now safely say that I’m currently the best possible version of me and I have to thank the Rainforest Healing Center and Mother Vine for this! I have also integrated Kambo into my life now – it’s a wonderful medicine.

    I also loved the group and I’ve been staying in touch with everyone.

    By the way …. If you are trying to choose between doing 7 or 10 days, definitely do all 10!

    Ps: If you have a few days to spare, the Cusco/ Sacred Valley area is a wonderful place to decompress and slowly re-enter “reality”. Especially Cusco has many restaurants that offer the Ayahuasca diet.

36. 

    James Golder on September 13, 2016 at 5:30 pm

    There simply aren’t enough superlatives to describe Chakra Alegria de Amor and the beautiful people who run it. My wife and I went there for an Ayahuasca retreat as the focal point of our honeymoon in Peru, to help us heal past pain and prepare for the rest of our lives together, hopefully as parents in the near future. We are forever changed by the amazing experiences we had there.

    The CAA team couldn’t have been more helpful with their online resources in the months prior to going on retreat. Karin in particular was a source of many gratefully-received pieces of advice, and her recommendation of Hotel La Casona was a very good one for the overnight stay in Iquitos, prior to entering the jungle.

    Right from the moment we arrived at CAA, and throughout our time there, we felt loved, safe and protected by everyone (everyone being Christian, Cristina, Eren, Juanita, Karin, Muriel, our host Omar, the jungle workers, the jungle Herself and the omnipresent Mother Ayahuasca). The whole experience was magical and cleansing. The people of CAA work so hard to make it the best possible spiritual journey for the guests, with love at the core of everything they do. They are crusaders of light and wisdom with hearts of pure gold.

    The land is treated with the highest regard, and the Mother Vine is re-planted abundantly in place of that which is harvested. The medicine is brewed and blessed with love.

    The ceremonies themselves are carried out with the utmost respect and integrity. The facilitators genuinely care, and are always there when needed during ceremony. Christian, the shaman, is truly incredible. He has a great wealth of knowledge, experience, and insight. His ritual practices are time-honoured and beautiful, as are his icaros. He has a humble and jovial personality too.

    The medicine is potent and I am still processing everything I went through. Suffice to say I feel my personal healing has been accelerated and I have been shown some profound truths.

    Ajo Sacha was available as an optional extra, again administered with maximum respect for the medicine and its tradition. Kambo was offered and lovingly applied by Cristina. Lou and I love our Kambo scars! They’re a reminder of an amazing journey, both inner and outer. The center also provides Chiric Sanango and Uchu Sanango dietas.

    The food, lovingly prepared by the naturally maternal Juanita, was delicious.

    The tambos are a delight to stay in! The connectedness with nature is unparalleled and the bucket showers are the most refreshing imaginable.

    I would recommend CAA to EVERYBODY, and would also say that it’s a fantastic place at which to volunteer. We met Jimbo while we were there, a volunteer and traveler by trade, who was very happy in his work, and was yet another amazingly friendly, kind and helpful presence.

    Thank you again, CAA. All of you. Lou and I think you’re amazing. We’re deeply grateful and always will be. XX

37. 

    Aaron G on September 9, 2016 at 12:08 am

    It was simply such a blesssing to have found the Rainforest Healing Centre. Making my way to the other side of the planet for this pilgrimage literally took years of preparation, consideration and saving. Originally, I had intended on going to another, more “well known”, retreat. However, once I was in the position to decide, something made me look even further than I already had. I am so glad that I did. Amidst all of the recommendations from North American friends (for whom the distance is not so vast) and internet adverstisements and podcasts there was something about this place that just had me inquire.

    From the first conversation with Karen (the intake administrator) to the first day at the retreat to finally leaving 18 days later (it was an extended stay), the intention and the integrity of the staff involved really resonated with me. Tracey, my partner who also attended, and I felt comtpletely safe and perfectly cared for the whole time. The facilities are very basic (although amazingly constructed) but are just what is needed, no clutter and no distractions, to really let you soak into the jungle. The food was very simple, healthy, prepared with love and amazing!! We still try to emulate a couple of the meals at home.

    The fact that the Healing centre keeps the groups small in number is another testament to the care and attention to healing provided. It was a very personal and intimate space where each person’s experience, and their safety, was optimised. The Rainforest Healing Centre and all of the people involved there (Omar; Christina; Karen; Christian; Juanita; Lao; Clever etc) are an absolute blessing. We are so very grateful for having had the opportunity conduct our cleansing, grounding, re-setting and healing with them at this beautiful centre.

    Many blessings and much love to you all.

38. 

    Christine Roberts on September 4, 2016 at 11:22 am

    Right from the start I felt thoroughly guided and prepared for the ayahuasca ceremonies that were to come. I had good communications with Karin , the lovely facilitator, who answered every query , doubt and worry with love and good sense. When I arrived I was amazed by the beauty and by all the work that had clearly gone into creating such a wonderful place. The food was nourishing, fresh and tasty. I felt completely cared for, informed, nourished and able to be open and trust in all that was happening. Chakra Alegria is run with the utmost love and integrity. It’s a magical and powerful place. I feel huge gratitude to Christina, Muri, Eren, Karin and , of course, Christian. I am still integrating the whole experience but I do know I feel re-charged with love and a stronger spiritual connection. Many thanks and I hope I can meet you all again. xx

39. 

    דני dany on September 3, 2016 at 4:14 pm

    החלטתי שאני הולך לשתות אץ התרופה.
    נחוש בדעתי התחלתי לחפש סדנאות איווסקה ברשת, הרבה סדנאות איכותיות ומטופחות צצו בחיפושים.
    היה לי חשוב שהמקום שאני אגיע אליו יהיה ב בג’ונגל מבודד) הבית של איווסקה ( ושל שאמן ולצוות יהין באמת כוונות טובות.
    מצאתי סדנא וכשכבר היתי בטוח שלמקום הזה אני הולך פתאום הבנתי שמשו לא מסתדר לי שם.
    נהיתי מיואש ומתוסכל, כבר תכננתי פשוט להגיע לפרו ולחפש שאמן בכוחות עצמי (לא חכם בכלל)
    לאחר זמן מה יצרתי קשר עם בחור מהיוטוב והוא קישר אותע ל RHC.
    מהרגע שנכנסתי לאתר חזרו תקוותי ובמיידית יצרתי קשר עם הצוות.
    כשהגתי למקום שמחתי למצוא שאמן ללא פחד בעיניים וחיוך מדבק, צוות שבאמת אכפת לו ובאמת אוהב! המקום מדהים מבודד בג’ונגל בדיוק כמו שצריך לחוות את התרופה.
    דאגו ךנו ל3 ארוחות מפנקות ביום ויש גן בננות!
    קשה לי לתאר במילים את החוויה שלי במקום הזה, ללא ספק אני מבסוט ומושה ליקום שהוביל אותי למקום הזה.
    עבר רר שבוע מאז שעזבתי ואני כבר מתגעגע קשות.:)
    אם אתם קוראים תגובה זו, אל תסעו לחפש ד שאמן בג’ונגל, תלכו לRHC.

40. 

    Josh Wright on August 20, 2016 at 11:36 am

    The rainforest healing center is a beautiful place to heal. It’s tucked far back in the rainforest, the hike in allowed for plenty of time to reflect and prepare. Upon arrival, the other guests and I were warmly welcomed and made to feel like this was absolutely a safe and calm place where we could work on ourselves.
    The accommodations were comfortable (it is the rainforest, so be ready to stay pretty sweaty, especially those of us that are used to cooler climates and air conditioning) the food was good and the staff was very friendly. The facilitators were very patient and helpful during ceremony and in guiding and processing information on the days afterward. I highly recommend this calm and beautiful center as a place to visit and to do the valuable work that the medicine allows us to do.

41. 

    Andrew McLean on July 3, 2016 at 10:33 am

    This amazing process has had such a profound effect upon my life, and shall continue to do so indefinitely.
    I got everything I wanted and more from a 10 day retreat.
    I’ve got a sense of balance and calm inside me that I’ve never had and I feel so strong.
    I’ve also got an unquestionable respect for everything living in this world and absolute gratitude for every second I’m alive experiencing it.
    To everyone involved in making the existence of such a wonderful place possible, I say thank you.
    To all the people out of sight and behind the scenes, I say thank you.
    You have all helped me to start making the changes to my life that will make me smile forever.
    I’d like to say a big special thanks to the lady that washed my clothes and cooked my food, I’m almost tempted to make the six flight round trip just on the off chance you’ll be serving banana pancakes while I’m there.
    The true power of nature is waiting down there in those plants to heal all that come with an open heart, such a beautiful process made possible by such beautiful people.

    Big love to all

    Andrew

42. 

    Dee Thakor on June 19, 2016 at 8:23 am

    Deep inside the Amazon Jungle, there resides a special place some may call it paradise,. Where all are welcome and treated with the same love and respect and this place is called “Chakra Alegría De Amor”.

    What makes this place so special is the staff, the care and attention the love is unparalleled and from the bottom of my heart I cannot thank you enough.

    The Ayahuasca retreat with Rebecca Sharman is truly magical and a unique experience, you will never find any experience like it, this is a hidden gem not to be missed.

    2 Sharmen’s, the balance of female and male energies, singing Ikaros together in perfect linguistic harmony.

    I highly recommend Chakra Alegría De Amor, a place of mystical beauty, love, amazement, animals, true deep healing and a connection you have never felt before. As the transformative energies, cleanse and heal you into a new version of yourself.

43. 

    Jon S on June 17, 2016 at 1:22 pm

    Thank you Chakra Alegria De Amor,

    It was a very emotionally, psychically, and physically intense but beneficial experience and has started me on a new and fresher path again towards being a better person. I very much appreciated the integrity of Omar, Heather, Cristina and Christian. I received great wisdom, help, and support from all of them and am great full for their dedication towards helping myself and group reach our intentions and goals of healing and connection.

    I appreciate you all for the support, help, and patience and I look forward to continuing my healing and learning.

    Before arriving I was very nervous about what it would be like and with whom I would be in the hands of, but this is a legitimate healing space with legitimate facilitators and of course Shaman Christian who has extensive knowledge and pure heart, soul, and family history of Shamanism. My fear was strong but I was able to push past that, you get what you need and not what you want, you are a patient their for spiritual operation with Ayahuasca and Christian as the Dr.’s, trust them, yourself and the staff.

    I would and will recommend this spot to anyone serious about their intention to heal.

    Jon

44. 

    Helen Verco on May 14, 2016 at 7:00 am

    I ended up at Rainforest Healing Centre,after plans to do a retreat elsewhere fell through at the last minute .Rainforest was the first centre to acknowledge my enquiry about doing a retreat at short notice and accomodated me .A week later I was there. The First people to greet us on arrival was the shaman and his apprentice.we were smudged and then permitted to enter the premises.The energy of the centre was pristine.The ceremonies there were intimate and intense.I was one of four guests. In the past at another centre I was one of thirty. At Rainforest I was not permitted to sleep through the ceremony, nor was I overlooked. We were all there to work hard and work we did. The vomiting was violent, and the visions were horrific. Old thought patterns ,old perceptions, bizarre patterns of behavior, ego etc. Basically anything thats not part of your old persona goes. The change is beyond comprehension, but permanent. I walked out of there a different person. The work will continue over the coming months as I reintegrate back into my old life. I would definitely recommend Rainforest Healing Centre if you need results.Everybody works hard, no corners are cut, and you will experience the medicine how it is meant to be experienced.

45. 

    Chrissie on April 19, 2016 at 11:33 am

    When I decided to go to Peru I spoke with several friends who had been on retreats before, but I wanted my journey to be my own. I wanted to find a center for myself, where it would be a clean slate without any expectations. I found CAA online, and I will admit I was a bit nervous about going. It looked wonderful, but I had never worked with Ayahuasca before, and it felt like taking a huge leap of faith to trust a place and the people there without hearing firsthand that I should. But I took that leap, and I am eternally grateful that I did.

    The first thing I really appreciated was the screening process. It gave me confidence that the staff at CAA was as interested in making sure I was a good fit for the center as I was about them. It also helped create the amazing family that I ended up sharing my experience with. Other centers don’t have a screening process. You just have to hope that you end up with a group of people with whom you are compatible. But CAA takes that extra step to ensure that you’re going to be with like-minded people; ones who are there to share their journey with you and support each other along the way. That is exactly the kind of group I ended up with as a result. Plus, Karin is wonderful 🙂 She was so kind and genuine during our interview, and I knew that if the rest of the staff was anything like her that I had chosen the right place.

    I won’t go into details about my personal journey while I was there, because everyone’s is unique and hearing about my work with the Vine isn’t what will help you learn about CAA. I will say that my work was often very difficult for me, and I am so grateful that the staff at CAA is who they are. I don’t know that the experience would have been what is was for me if I didn’t have them. Yes, the journey is an individual one, and ultimately the work to be done was my own. That’s why I appreciate Omar, Matt, and Cristina so much. They allowed me to do the work myself- and pushed me to do it when I needed it- but supported me the whole time. They had such an incredible balance between them as a team. There was softness and compassion, yet they held me accountable and didn’t let me off the hook. They were there to hold my hand when I needed it, and there to support me from afar when I didn’t. I truly felt like they cared about my experience. When I triumphed, they triumphed.

    One of the things I loved about Omar’s approach to the experience, was the incorporation of processing. Working with Mother Ayahuasca can be an extremely intense experience, and I think it is incredibly helpful to be able to process the thoughts and feelings that come up with others. Again, the journey is an individual one at the end of the day. It was important that we all spent time processing on our own. And we did. We were encouraged to spend time on our own and given all the time we needed to do so. But I also think it can be beneficial to work through stuff with other people. Omar, Matt, and Cristina, were always available to talk about things with us. And happy to do so. I never felt like a burden when I asked to speak with them. They were all incredibly patient and spent as much time with us as we needed. I am so grateful for their openness and kindness.

    In addition to having an amazing team of facilitators, I couldn’t have asked for a better curandero. Pedro is one of the kindest souls I have ever met. He is so calm and comforting. He wasn’t removed from us like I know some others can be. He spent time with us. He laughed with us. I felt so safe during ceremony knowing he was there to guide us. He also has the best smile I have ever seen and his laugh will make your heart smile.

    One of my other favorite things about the experience at CAA (there are a million), is that we were involved in every part of making the Medicine. We picked Chacruna leaves, we beat the vine, we cooked the medicine together, putting everything together by hand. We even got to plant new vine for future generations. It really helped me connect to the process and made the experience that much more meaningful. We did all of those things with Pedro, so it helped us connect with him as well. Omar taught us about the medicine and sat with it with us. Matt even sang to it with us 🙂 Cristina helped us plant the vine. They were there for every part of the process. It was awesome that they were all so involved in our experience.

    I wasn’t worried about the facility itself, though I give that the highest marks as well. The tambos were incredibly nice and well-kept. The food that our wonderful and awesomely smiley chef, Juanita, prepared for us every day was delicious and nourishing. The staff was so helpful and friendly. They work so hard and always do it with a smile. And the jungle is just beautiful.

    I will never forget my experience at CAA- I carry it in my heart every day. I am so grateful to everyone there for sharing my journey with me. And I can’t wait to go back 🙂

    So much love to you all!!

46. 

    Peyman on April 9, 2016 at 12:58 pm

    CAA is the right place if you are looking for a safe place with dedicated, reliable, wise facilitators to work with Mother Ayahuasca!
    There may be hundreds of centers around Iquitos and I’m sure many are wonderful places too! Nevertheless each center may have its own energy and purpose to work with Mother Ayahuasca. As for CAA it’s about healing! It begins with the application form. You then have a skype interview with Karin. She asks you about your intention to work with Mother Aya. So the group they select, though divers and heterogeneous, consists of dedicated individuals who want to work on something. The group dynamics is an important part of this CAA-concept. You may not love everybody initially. And you’ll spend a lot of time in and with the group. It’s a great opportunity though to learn that ultimately all is one, you sense the energy exchange and you learn a lot. What you don’t like in others is in yourself and what you love is too.

    The facilitators: Matt, Omar, Christina and Helen are the facilitators and they spend a huge amount of energy to guide you and are always there for questions and for private talks. They are very different and each of them has his/her own approach and method. That makes the process very effective and powerful!!
    On the first day you meet Matt and Omar in the Maloca, to talk about your intention. They are very experienced with Mother Ayahuasca. When after your ceremonies you have questions you can talk to them and from their experience they mostly know where you are and what you are going through and can help you put that into a context. Though the ceremonies are very individual experiences and no two ceremonies are the same, there are certain patterns. So they have a rough idea where you are and by that you always feel safe. Nevertheless you have to do the work. Remember there is no magic bullet! Mother Aya won’t heal you if you’re not present! The whole setting may enhance healing but it’s not just Mother Aya. YOU have to be there and be present and do the “work”! The facilitators are there for gentle guidance and protection.

    The Shaman: The shaman Christian is absolutely amazing!! His Icaros will blow your universe and your ego away. Though he’s quite young, he is very powerful!!

    The jungle: Amazing, amazing place. The maloca is surrounded by jungle, so that all the sounds, all the energy of the animals, the plants and jungle are directly absorbed into the maloca during ceremony. Pretty soon you inevitably merge with the jungle, become a natural part of it.

    The mosquitos and other bugs: I learned that mosquitos can be great teachers in the jungle. If you don’t want them to teach you anything I highly recommend bringing good bug repellent with you. Don’t underestimate that, they’ll literally eat you alive and then you’ll have a hard time focusing on your intention!

    So if you have an intention you want to work on go to CAA, it’s a safe place to do that! And remember that it is not just about Mother Aya. All the elements together make this place so powerful: the sounds and energy of the animals, the shaman, the Icaros, the ceremonies, the facilitators, Mother Ayahuasca, the plants, the jungle energy, the group dynamics, the maloca.
    ALL IS ONE.

47. 

    Carlee on April 4, 2016 at 1:56 pm

    I had never done Ayahuasca before and I’m so glad I chose to have this life enhancing experience at Rainforest Healing Center. I was exploring Ayahuasca because, though I felt I had made tremendous self- awareness progress through my bi- weekly therapy, the occasional yoga class I showed up frazzled and late for, and the sea of self help books I would purchase during torturous layovers at the airport, I was still in a lot of pain and inherently knew I had some healing to do. I’m a very busy 40 year old female executive, and I mention that, because my work identity made it a difficult decision to commit to this trip. Was I going to come back a crazy tree-hugging hippie? I’m far too busy for that. Will I release horrible demons and regress to an angry teenager? That sounded dreadful. I was scared, so safety and legitimacy were my top concerns. The rainforest healing center was, in fact, safe, professional, and very high-touch. I’m so happy with the compassionate staff. Their encouragement and reassurance enabled me to work with the ayahuasca knowing I was in good hands.
    My 5 recommendations
    1. Don’t be scared, just go to Rainforest Healing Center. They’ll guide you, just get there.
    2. The experience may be hard work for you, and you may feel scared or exhausted, but keep going! I did and I’m better for it!
    3. It’s the jungle, not a resort, “one with nature” takes on a new meaning. Bring enough clothes to wear clean things and bring bug repellent.
    4. Try to recognize your ego beforehand, you’re going to need to admit it is there, in order to kick it to the curb, so the medicine can work best.
    5. Spend time with the staff. They are amazing people. Their mission to combat addiction, depression, and help literally everyone with anything, is real! Don’t take ayahuasca with just anyone, at Rainforest Healing Center, they are the real deal, go there, you’ll see.
    Thank you for reading my review. I hope you make this investment like I did. It makes me happy just to think of you going to The Rainforest Healing Center. You can do it!

48. 

    Rae on April 2, 2016 at 10:33 pm

    Chakra Alegria de Amor is the real deal! I just happened to get lucky and pick the highest integrity Ayahuasca retreat there is. Since then I have heard stories, and if you want healing, this is the place. If you’re looking for a place to party and get a “high” this is not your place. You come here to heal.. And you will. They say that 5 ceremonies is equivalent to 15 years of therapy. I spent 7 days at Chakra and experienced 3 ceremonies. Those 3 ceremonies brought more healing, growth, love, and inspiration than 15 years of therapy. From now on, all that money that could go to therapy, goes to the next and the next and the next trips to Peru – To Chakra Alegria. There is no other place to heal. Not only are the elements breathtaking, the air and rain and the sounds are enough to be healing. Then you add the care and attention from Omar, Matt, Christina, Juanita, and everyone. It’s a love bubble. The ceremonies are authentic, genuine, safe and deeply beautiful. All 3 ceremonies were the most spiritual experiences I’ve ever had. I’ve wondered… What would the world be like if everyone did Ayahuasca?! You can trust Ayahuasca to take you where you want to go. You can trust Chakra Alegria to give you the safe place.

49. 

    Antonina on April 2, 2016 at 1:59 pm

    Hola! I’m from Ukraine living in Dubai… Just came back from 7 days retreat in rainforest and would like to share my experience..

    This is a magic place created with love and care.. Nature is amazing and completely disconnect you from this reality.. But also people.. All of them are big magic ayahuasca family and they are spreading their love on everyone) shearing their kindness support care generosity..
    Very important how Mat Omar and Khristina are taking care and helping to all guests..during ceremonies and even after (when you need a guidance to help you understand everything what happened with you)..
    And how powerful and carying is Shaman! It’s unbelievable..?

    My ceremonies were amazing..I had a great experience which is hard to describe with words… There are different ways how ayahuasca is healing and teaching you..she knows what is better for everyone and giving her wisdom and magic generously.. I’m so impressed with atmosphere and still in my dreams I’m coming back to the jungles and feel connection with mother Aya…

    Thank you so much..for everything you’ve done and keep doing..
    Wish you more and more love inspiration and positive energy..

    With love
    Antonina???

50. 

    Stefano Baldasseroni on February 24, 2016 at 12:03 pm

    Total bliss! I’ve spent one week in Chakra Alegría de Amor and my whole self was rebooted from crown chakra to toe.
    It’s going to be hard to put on words the many benefits and good feelings I had and still carry with me after my stay there.
    First of all, Omar, the owner of the center. Omar was a total surprise. He is surely one of the few really enlightened people someone can find in his/her path. He has a deep understanding of human souls and has very detailed insights about people’s healing processes.
    He is a loving, caring man who has time for everybody, guests and workers. It is very difficult not to engage with him and open up and share.
    He has surrounded himself with like-minded people who give an enormous contribute to maintain a serene atmosphere in the center. The curandero, Pedro and the two facilitators, Matt and Cristina, have been a great asset during the ceremonies. They helped me through difficult moments and laughed with me when it was the right moment.
    One great thing about the center is that every time there is a ceremony, there will be 3 sober people there assisting the others.
    The center and the whole experience is totally safe. Guests security is paramount, unlike other healing centers in the same area.
    I had done ceremonies in Spain, not following the tradition, and the experience wasn’t the same. Nobody ever told me how important it is to follow the right diet, for example.
    To be admitted to CAA you have to go through a screening process which will give the staff enough information to evaluate if you are a good fit for the center and vice versa. This is something very unusual, since many places would admit anybody in order to get more money.
    Had I been in a group with the wrong people, I would have had a very unpleasant journey. Instead, my group was made by wonderful human beings, all there in pursuit of healing and understanding of the deepest secrets of their souls.
    CAA is not about making someone rich. It is about healing people and everybody there is committed to this task.
    As Omar said many times, it is not a Club Med, and he is totally right.
    In order to heal, you have to go through pain, you have to overcome your fears and see what’s there for you, at the end of the tunnel.
    Now I am back to my normal life, 13 pounds lighter, more aware about myself, with more compassion and love toward my family, friends and in general, all people.
    Thank you CAA for this life changing journey!

51. 

    Christina on January 29, 2016 at 1:32 pm

    I did a 7 day ayahuasca retreat in January 2016 at Rainforest Healing Center in Iquitos (Chakra Alegría de Amor, The Joy of Love Farm). I had a great experience and highly recommend it. It was my first time, whereas some of my fellow students have done it before, and we all agreed it was an amazing journey. Omar, Christina, and Matt are experienced, caring professionals with a true commitment to guiding their students along the healing process. The shaman Cesar, and his apprentice Jenny, are strong and gentle practitioners of ayahuasca and provided powerful ceremonies for us.

    Choosing the right healing center is critical for a good experience with ayahuasca so I signed up for Rainforest Healing Center based on a recommendation from a friend I made at a 10 day silent meditation retreat (Vipassana) in Thailand two months ago.

    The staff provided excellent support and guidance throughout the entire process. From their informative website, to the Skype interview process with the administrator Karin in Amsterdam (critical for screening out people who would be disruptive, disrespectful, or just looking for a recreational drug experience), their comprehensive pre-departure briefing materials (covering the dieta, the agenda, the facilities, and other frequently asked questions), to guiding us during the ceremonies (reminding us to focus on our intentions, focus on what we were purging), to helping us process our visions the morning after the ceremonies. The information provided was not only comprehensive but also timely (Karin seemed to anticipate when we’d have what questions). The center reminded us several times that they were still available to us as a resource even after we left, they referred to us as being part of their family and we are encouraged to reach out for more guidance on how to implement the wisdom imparted to us by Mother Ayahuasca.

    I did not opt for the ajo sacha but a few in my group did.

    The groups are generally limited to 8 participants but my retreat had 10 people, due to overwhelming demand and also Omar’s interest in bringing the ayahuasca healing to as many people as possible. Because the screening process results in like-minded, sincere and committed classmates, I was happy there were 10 of us.

    The tambos are very large and clean, and the toilet and bathing facilities were also clean and comfortable. The food was good despite the heavy dietary restrictions. Juanita cooks and also does laundry. Leo did a great job looking after our tambos and porting our bags.

    The only unpleasant experience I would report would be the mosquitoes, but, well that’s the Amazon. Bring double or triple the amount of repellent and after-bite than you think you’d need. The 3 kilometer hike through the jungle to the campus wasn’t fun either but most others enjoyed it.

    Christina, 34
    San Francisco, California

52. 

    Richard on January 17, 2016 at 2:55 pm

    If you’re currently looking for an Ayahuasca retreat, stop looking. You’ve found the right place. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience at the Rainforest Healing Center. Thanks to Karin, Omar, the shamans Pedro and Cesar, Juanita, and the rest of the crew, my life was changed. Trust me, this is the real deal. No tricks here, just unconditional love, respect, and a deep connection with the medicine.

    That being said, there’s a reason you found out about Ayahuasca and the Rainforest Healing Center. Trust your gut and go with your intuition. I didn’t find this healing center until last minute, and it was by far the best decision I’ve ever made in my life.

    The healing center is absolutely gorgeous! It’s far from town in the middle of the jungle, which is perfect for meditation and connecting with nature. You’ll only find positive energy and love here. The fresh food, hospitality, and everything else are out of this world. It makes for an unforgettable experience! Prices are more than reasonable compared to other retreats, and everything was done professionally with love and care. I felt safe and well taken care of while I was there.

    I participated in three ceremonies between December 14-20th, 2015. I learned more than I would in ten lifetimes. By the end of it all, I was cleansed of all the negative energy that affected me before. And the effects are still with me weeks later. I’m happy, more grounded with myself and Earth, more calm, and at peace. I have a new perspective on life. When things get rough, I’m always reminded that everything is going to be okay. Mother Ayahuasca will heal you, and guide you to a better life. Afterwords, the last half of the healing process is up to you.

    If you’re ready to change your life for the better, go for it. You won’t regret it.

    I’m so grateful for my experience. A huge thanks to Pedro for helping me as much as he did. And a special thanks to Omar and Don Kucho!!! But that’s another story. 🙂

    Much love,
    Richard

53. 

    Frank de Waal on December 1, 2015 at 12:36 pm

    Sorry Omar for the late response 🙂 !!

    I spent about 7 days at the healing center and it was my first Ayahuasca experience. I have to be honest and say that I wasn’ t really looking forward to going to the healing center. When I was back home I really wanted to do an Ayahuasca ceremony. I was hoping that when I went backpacking through South-America I would get a chance to do it.
    However, when the opportunity finally arose I was very reluctant to do it. My girlfriend really wanted to do it but I was making up all kinds of reasons to not do it. A lot of things were going through my mind like ” what if it is all bullshit, why would I spend so much money on this and what if it doesn’t work”. Finally my girlfriend convinced me to go but I was still having doubts.
    When we first got the healing center my doubts seemed to only increase. The heat, the sweating, the mosquitos the diet and then those scary ceremonies that were still to come. I thought to myself ‘’what the hell am I doing here? I could have been relaxing on the beach!!’’

    During the day of the first ceremony I felt very nervous. I tried meditating and focusing on my intentions for the ceremony as much as I could.
    The first ceremony was very intense and I felt really exhausted the next day. After every ceremony you have a talk with Omar. This really helped me because I wasn’ t really sure what to make of my experience of the night before. After the talk I really felt like something had happened to me, like something had opened op inside me! It also seemed like my mind was clearer and I was able to think better.
    From that day onward I started to really like to Amazon jungle. I also really started to believe in the healing power of the Ayahuasca and other plants.

    I really want to thank Omar for all the talks we had. I feel that these talks were essential for my healing process. Furthermore I want to thank Charlene, Juanita, the shamans and all the people that work at the healing center. They were all very friendly, helpful and did everything they could to make our stay as pleasant as possible. The healing center is located in a beautiful piece of Amazon jungle. There are so many animals like monkeys, humming birds, frogs and butterflies. I even saw a tree anteater one-night, wile walking back to my Tambo. All the Tambos are beautifully made and situated. Mine even had a little stream where I could take my showers.

    I am very grateful for the experience and all the people I met there.
    I will definitely return to the center to do more ceremonies or to do one of their Master plant diets which I am really interested in!

54. 

    Karin de Wit on November 18, 2015 at 5:10 am

    I spent the summer at Rainforest Healing Center as a volunteer and participant, which was a life-changing experience! I’ll never forget how connected I felt to the jungle, to my fellow participants, to the people running the healing center and most of all: to my Self. I wrote a blog about my first impression of Rainforest Healing Center… Enjoy! I cannot think of a more healing and transformative home away from home, run by people with huge hearts. Much love, Karin (Holland)

    Dutch in the Jungle

    The jungle. God, how it agrees with me! Being on an Ayahuasca retreat in the Peruvian Amazon must be one of the most unforgettable experiences I’ve had in my life. Life, indeed! The jungle is teeming with life, it has a heartbeat of its own and it’s beating full of excitement about being ALIVE! It’s hard to miss this pulsation because as soon as I set foot in the lush piece of jungle known as Rainforest Healing Center, I was full of AWE. The thousand shades of green, the dense and high tree tops, the hilarious sounds coming from all kinds of Amazonian creatures, but most of all: the incredibly high vibration it carries. There’s no way around it – the jungle vibrates and shakes and pours down on you with one massive mission: purging the hell out of you so you can start resonating with the higher vibrations and become the most loving version of your Self!

    On July the 7th I flew into Iquitos first thing in the morning. When dawn slowly revealed my first impression of the Amazon, I could barely contain myself. How dense! How green! Lush! How mysterious in the morning light! I started to feel very excited. Just half a day left and I would be living in the jungle! Months of looking forward to ‘Peru’, the word which contained all my future experiences, was now just a hot, sweaty and muddy hike away. As soon as I arrived at the bridge which is the entrance to Rainforest Healing Center, me and my fellow healees were smudged with Palo Santo, or Holy Wood, by Pedro the shaman. He then applied some Agua de Florida on our heads and hands and off we went, bravely embarking on our healing journey. We walked towards the communal area and sat down, taking in the beauty of our new home ¬ the jungle.

    On that first night I quickly realised that the jungle has a language of its own. Before dusk all kinds of animals start calling out to you, telling you their specific jungle tale. It is a tale of being one with all, and each animal is indispensable in this impressive orchestra which is the Jungle at Night. I listened to the referee running wild, trying to tame a cheering crowd of enthusiastic football supporters. The referee is a cricket but for the first week I could not help looking up and wondering what I had done wrong this time around. And now I had also heard the true family of this wondrous species we call football supporters: monkeys! But my favourite sound of the jungle must be the car alarm religiously going off at 5 pm every day, which turned out to be a whooping frog. Yes, understanding the language of the jungle took a little practice but very soon I just sat back and enjoyed this symphony!

    During my final Ayahuasca ceremony this incredible orchestra just blasted me away. All were present: the crickets, the monkeys, the frogs, but also my little green friends the compañeros curanderos médicos (medicinal plant spirits), the moon and the stars, and of course me! The jungle and I were intertwined, like the Mother Vine twines around trees. No, to put it more accurately: the jungle and I were ONE. No, there was no jungle AND I, because I was the jungle too! Hard to put into words but it was simply incredible to experience such interconnectedness, such love and such appreciation… At some point during the ceremony I chanted the gratitude mantra, which had been a steady companion on my journeys. Overflowing with love, I simply expressed and repeated words of gratitude and joy, which went on and on and on. And the jungle was listening, because it responded by showing me an image of me lying in my sleeping bag in the Maloka (sacred ceremonial space), covered in enormous letters that read: APPRECIATION. God, you gotta love the jungle!

55. 

    Thaila Laudy on November 13, 2015 at 9:42 am

    I don’t really know were to start. But the first thing that pops in my head when I think about our experience at Chakra Alegria de Amor (Rainforest healing center) is: WOW..that it was the best thing that happened to me in 3 years of travelling, and even one of the best things in my life. If you are searching around on the web for the perfect Ayahuasca retreat, stop searching further, because you have found it!

    When we arrived in Peru a month ago (October 2015). I could not stop thinking about Ayahuasca. I felt an extremely strong urge to do it. I intensely felt I needed this.
    Of course I was a bit afraid and nervous. You hear and read so many scary stories about other people’s experiences and about dodgy shamans and centers. So I spend a few days researching on the web. Than I found Chakra Alegria de Amor and knew right away this was the place for me to go. An animal rescue center, small retreat groups, English speaking people, Permaculture farm, Jungle huts and an experienced Shaman, this is what I wanted.
    I emailed back and forth with the Lovely administrator Karin (Who is Dutch like me). She answered all questions really quickly and told me everything I needed to know. We were lucky enough that there we two spaces available for the following week and so we started the Ayahuasca diet straight away.

    Omar picked us up from Iquitos and together with the other participant we made our way to the Jungle. I felt comfortable straight away because of Omars caring and funny personality. His workers even helped me carrying my bag to the retreat. Which is about a 45min walk into the jungle.
    We were greeted by Gaja the dog, Mojo the bird and Zoey the monkey, who became my new best friend during our stay.
    Everyone got their own private tamboo, which are placed isolated in the jungle. From the main area, you walk for about 10 mins over beautiful paths to get there. The tamboos are so cool. In the middle of the rainforest, with your own bucket/stream to wash yourself. Surrounded by huge butterflies, bright colored frogs, monkeys and noisy insects.
    Thanks to Juanita we got delicious Ayahusca diet food 3 times a day (2x on Ceremony days). She is such a friendly and caring woman, and even massaged me one day after the ceremony when my muscles felt tense.

    There were two shamans that led the ceremonies. The first two ceremonies Ceassar helpt us healing. In the third ceremony Pedro assisted him as well.
    I am so grateful for both of them. They really knew what they are doing and take the healing very seriously. Ceassars Icaros are the best ever! I could not stop dancing during the ceremonies, even though I was laying on my mat.
    And then Omar..You can see the passion in him to help other people. I don’t know how he does it. How he can listen to everyone’s problems day in and day out, always knows an answer to questions and gives perfect advice to every problem.
    We became good friends during our stay and I hope we will stay this forever.
    The ceremonies were sometimes quit intense for me and Omar or Charlene (the volunteer) were always there to help out, talk to me when needed or help people going to the toilet. I definitely got some important insights out of the ceremonies. In one of them I felt as happy as I never felt before, ever in my life. Happy about myself, happy about others, happy about life in general. In others I had to learn how to let go, stop trying to control life and trust in the universe.
    I am super grateful to everyone who made the experience so unforgettable and I hope I can come back in the future to take the healing to the next level and maybe do one of their Master plant diets.

    Like I said before this is the best place to go to if you are looking to get to know more about yourself, heal and change in a very positive way.

    Thanks everyone!

    Xxx Thaila

56. 

    Gareth Evans on November 8, 2015 at 1:40 pm

    Last month I was lucky enough to go to the Chakra Alegria de Amor – Rainforest Healing Centre.
    I had initially done a lot of research into which centre to go to and from the reviews and overall information from the site I sensed a good vibe about this centre and I must admit I am really happy with my decision.

    I decided to go on the 10-day retreat and what I got from the experience was more than I could have ever imagined. To describe an experience as profound can possibly be seen as an exaggeration, however I had received a lot of healing, dealt with a lot of personal BS that has been holding me back for most of my adult life, and learnt some things that I was not expecting.

    The retreat is well run and I felt reassured after talks about the medicine pre-ceremony, all early concerns and fears were put aside, being that this was my first experience with Ayahuasca I felt relaxed being at this centre. The medicine was highly respected here and in no way did this place offer an ‘Ayahuasca-Tourist’ experience for people to just ‘trip out’. Everyone participating seemed to be there with good intentions and this seemed supported by Omar and his team.

    The ceremonies, performed by Pedro were beautiful, all whilst feeling safe throughout. The aftercare and one-to-one chats offered by Omar were personal and reassuringly comforting whilst trying to process the mental download from the medicine. The information I received from the ceremonies was shocking and liberating at the same time. Omar was very supportive I was able to make some sense of the whole experience through talking to someone who has also benefited from the medicine himself.

    I enjoyed time with the group I was at the retreat with and it was nice to be doing the ceremonies in a small group, this was one of the main reasons for me choosing this retreat as it would allow for a more personal experience and assistance which I thought was super important.

    Considering we were all in the middle of the jungle the accommodation was great and offered a comfortable resting place pre and post ceremony. The food served by the sweet Juanita was pleasantly tasty, considering the diet we have been on for the retreat, we were well looked after and personally I really enjoyed the food.

    It would be hard for me not to recommend Chakra Alegria de Amor as I got so much from my visit. I went with deeply personal reasons and feel that I got more than I could have ever expected, I am by no way healed but I have made a huge step towards self acceptance and understanding of my problems. The centre definitely helped me in getting these results. From my first interactions with Karin regarding the 10-day retreat I had a good sense that the centre had a personal approach and this was true to the end of the retreat.

    The whole experience has been positively life changing. I am hoping to continue the positivity whilst still processing the information given to me from Mother Vine.
    If you have been considering taking Ayahuasca to help with personal healing and looking for a centre has become overwhelming, I believe you can put trust in this place, just like so many others have too.

    Many thanks to Omar and the team.

57. 

    Semiha Oksuz on July 26, 2015 at 11:05 pm

    I had MyJourneyToMyself with 10 days of Ayahuasca & 8 days of Chiric Sanango Master Plant Isolation Diet @ this beautiful magical place Chakra Alegría de Amor Rainforest Healing Center in Iquitos Peru.

    These three weeks have been the most sacred & profound of my life. I am completely transformed. I dived deep into my heart, healed everything I needed to heal & I am reborn.

    Endless gratitude & love from the bottom of my heart to:

    – Omar for the creation & managing of this magical healing center Chakra Alegria De Amor at the sacred location in the Jungle with the beautiful comfortable tambos, the organization of the trip with so much care & attention to all the details, for the conversations & support during my hard times.

    – Angel Tiffany for supporting & encouraging with her being at all times, for her big heart & unconditional care.

    – Huanita for cooking delicious healthy food with so much love – inspiring me to start cooking (was having big resistance to cooking always!) and to finding the love to nurture myself. Not to forget her latina musica was exactly what I needed.

    – All the helpers who kept everything in order and being always very kind and helpful.

    – Beautiful Shaman Soul Rosita for her powerful icaros & support during the ceremonies and her peaceful presence.

    – The Shaman Pedro for his vast plant wisdom, the ceremonies, his powerful icaros and for being always there for me with so much unconditional love, care & dedication.

    – The Jungle for all its magnificence, love & teachings, its beauty, magic, peace & providing us all the sacred plants for our healing.

    These Plant Spirits: La Medicina Mama Ayahuasca & Dr. Chiric Sanango have transformed me beyond my wildest expectations.
    Words are not able to express this strong healing which happened holistically on all levels deep down to the cellular level.
    I felt & experienced & understood my pain, suffering & negativity and could release it all and leave it all behind.

    I found Myself & have gained immense understanding about Myself, life and the Universe: such a huge learning experience.
    I had never felt so much gratitude in my life. I was bathing in gratitude and divine love.

    I am so endlessly grateful that The Mother Vine, La Medicina called me. Love You.

    It was the scariest, hardest, most exhausting & demanding work I have done on myself facing all what was deep down within me & at the same time the most precious divine experience of unconditional love & self-love, bliss, peace and freedom. Not only during the ceremonies, as well as during the entire time there – the learning and expanding was ongoing, as well as after I came back home. The evolvement never ends. And the spirit remains within me.

    For the first time in my life I am falling in love with myself, my life and have the knowingness that I am transformed, healed.
    I forgave everyone, I let go all negativity, suffering and limitations.

    We don’t need to suffer to deserve love! She made me get this into my entire being and accept it!

    Love is our BIRTHRIGHT!

    Endless Gratitude & Love,
    Semiha

58. 

    S.O. on July 2, 2015 at 3:14 pm

    This was like boot camp for my soul. I went into the jungle with these boxes of theories in my head. They were dull, cold, scientific, and lifeless. The jungle medicine cracked opened these boxes, kicked them violently, tossed them aboard, and drowned them all. What was left behind was my inner being illuminated and a knowledge of being intimately connected to the Source, rest of nature and people. The medication healed many years of ignorance, fear and anxiety. Everything made sense and love is the answer. I needed this place to help set me on the right path and mindful of the need to continue working on myself. I am grateful for everyone at the Rainforest Healing Center, Omar, Pedro, Rosita, Tiffany, Zoe and many others who made healing a possibility for myself and others. I left the jungle in one peace (pun intended).

59. 

    Henriett Braun on June 14, 2015 at 4:08 am

    I visited the Rainforest Healing Center last month and I had the most amazing, fulfilling, life-changing experience of my life. Although I did not know much about Ayahuasca and the healing center much, it surpassed my expectations. It is located deep in the virgin jungle away from the city which made it so much more intimate and authentic. The staff was very kind, the shaman was super helpful and the food was delicious. We cooked our own brew from the plants that grow on the territory so I had full trust in the healing benefits of the medicine. The day trip to the Amazon was the icing on the cake to make this trip memorable. I would definitely go back again and again and I would highly recommend it to everyone!

60. 

    Osito on June 12, 2015 at 5:44 pm

    Stop looking! You’ve found it 🙂

    Wow, where to begin on Chakra Alegria De Amor,

    First of all this was not my first ayahuasca retreat centre, but it will definitely be the last. That’s not to say i won’t be going back to Peru, but i believe i’ve found “the one” in this centre, it’s shaman Pedro, and it’s owner/facilitator Omar. My other ayahuasca experiences had been somewhat useful in changing the direction of my life but i had begun to lose faith that the medicine could help me with my emotional, and psychological problems (depersonalisation disorder). This place fully restored that faith and then some. Omar is a beautiful soul and a down to earth dude who is just as much up for a good laugh as he is for a deep conversation about the progress of your healing, he’s now a friend for life. Pedro the shaman is one of the most beautiful uplifting characters i’ve ever met in my life, I was skeptical at first because he is a young shaman (in his 30’s) and everybody’s idea of a stereotypical top shaman is some 80 year old Peruvian who’s been working with the medicine from an early age.
    Pedro blew all of my previous shaman’s out of the water, with the loving, light, youthful, caring and playful way that he conducts a ceremony. it really is beautiful. and no matter whether i can get back to Peru or not in this lifetime, I’ll have fond memories of that man and his icaros with me forever. The centre itself is also something to behold, a little more off the beaten path than most, it resides it virgin jungle and the scenery around the tambos is breathtaking and a perfect compliment to the healing process. Your shower consists of running spring water contained in a stream that had been built to go past all of the tambos, using this living water to bathe in daily invigorates the body and soul, and further helps you connect with the beauty around you. The Maloka is amazing, and the food is light, healthy and fantastic (i comfortably lost about 8kg in my 3 week stay). The centre also offers unique options in the way of isolation diets using sanango plants, and ajo sacha diets all of which are harvested right on the property. I myself completed a Chiric Sanango dieta, which was the toughest and most rewarding mission i’ve ever undertaken in my life. I implore whoever reads this to do the same if you read the outlines of the diet and believe that you’re up to it…
    So to save myself going on about the place for hours i’ll just cut it short here and beg you to do yourself and everyone that you hold close in your life a favour, come to this place, and go back home the human being that you’ve always known you could be. You’ll reach your human potential here i can tell you that much for sure

    Ryan (Osito) from Australia 🙂

61. 

    Алексей on June 4, 2015 at 1:21 pm

    Chakra Allegria de Amor — центр, заслуживающий доверия. Я нашел его через интернет когда искал где мне сделать изолированную шаманскую диету.
    Сложность выбора такого рода центра состоит в практическом полном отсутствии информации о том можно ли доверять людям которые там работают. И это в сочетании с полной предоплатой делает выбор очень сложным.
    В моем случае я искал центр где я бы мог быть полностью изолированным во время диеты.
    Так же я хотел убедится что шаману можно доверять и чтобы он соответствовал моему характеру.
    К счастью у меня появилась возможность встретится с Омаром (владельцем центра) в Икитос перед началом диеты и узнать все подробности напрямую. Это развеяло все мои сомнения в отношении порядочности людей управляющих центром. Омар также предложил съездить в центр на один вечер (группа как раз отправлялась) и увидеть как все устроено собственными глазами, что я и сделал.
    В итоге я выбрал диету учу сананго, руководствуясь советом Педро — шамана центра. Меня поселили в самую дальную хижину, до которой идти порядка 300 метров в джунгли. Кроме полного уединения и панорамного вида джунглей не вставая с кровати, там есть ручей для приема душа (средства для умывания запрешены во время диеты), туалет и простая мебель. Питьевую воду и еду приносит шаман три раза в день. Иными словами там есть как раз то что нужно для шаманской диеты и нет ничего лишнего, что может отвлекать от процесса лечения.
    Я остался очень доволен результатами диеты, и особенно последней церемонией Аяуаски. В моем случае это была практически частная церемония, так как кроме меня в это время в центре был тока один человек. И Педро сделал все возможное чтобы разблокировать мою блокировку, что у него с блеском получилось, в отличие от предыдущих целителей с кем мне приходилось работать.
    Для тех кто хочет попробовать диету учу сананго хочу сказать что это наиболее сложная практика которую я испытал. Это сложный и долгий медитативный процесс когда кажется что ничего особенного не происходит, но на самом деле происходит очень многое. В этом состоит наибольшее отличие от Аяуаски, которая действует очень явным образом.

62. 

    Alexey Simonov on June 4, 2015 at 9:25 am

    Chakra Allegria de Amor is a great retreat to have your healing. I was looking to do an isolation diet and it ticked all the boxes. Its got a perfect balance of comfort to closeness to the jungle. For example it does not have a nice pool, which no-one really needs, but each tambo has its own private stream to have a shower in. All tambos are isolated and you have to walk a 100 yards at least to get to one. Omar and Pedro do things as they should be done. Don’t expect spiritual tourism, expect proper healing.
    I was unsure about the place originally, but I met Omar in person in Iquitos and he suggested I go to the retreat that night, see everything for myself and then decide and pay if I am convinced.
    I ended up doing uchu sanango diet, probably one of the hardest ones. And Pedro looked after me for all these 8 days. I was unsure about Pedro at first but towards the end I realised that he is what a true healer should be — tough enough to fight the condition you have, but empathetic enough to provide the required support.
    The final ceremony was amazing. The medicine did not seem to work at all up until I thought the ceremony has ended. I thought Pedro fell asleep and that would be it. But in the end I have had the most powerful purge of my life and then I realised that Pedro was actually expecting it. He was visibly uplifted by what has happened and proud that the healing was complete. So don’t expect him to give up on you until you get what you came here for!

63. 

    Anne M. on March 18, 2015 at 8:29 am

    I have not visited Chakra Alegria de Amor, but last autumn my son went for his first visit. As a mother I was worried, not being sure what he was going to find, but I found the web site reassuring. My son had been grieving over the fact that his wife had lied and cheated and eventually left him when he discovered the lies. Naturally he was angry and hurting. He had always been spiritually aware and had for along while been studying “A Course in Miracles” (a wonderful book which everyone deserves to read). He knew he needed to find a way to let go and forgive so that his own healing could progress, but grief was hindering the discovery of this path.

    Then he went to the jungle, experienced the healing medicine of Ayahuasca and the gentle nurturing love of Omar, Pedro and all the wonderful people who helped. He returned to me a different person. He didn’t stop smiling for days and although he still realises that there is work to be done, he is a new person. Just to spend time in his company is energising, so I add my grateful thanks to Omar, Pedro and all their helpers, and particularly to the spirit of Ayahuasca.

64. 

    Celeste on January 8, 2015 at 12:32 pm

    If this is new to you and you are feeling skeptical, about whether if it will be a worthwhile experience, then fears claim your thoughts , but the inner knows what we need..
    That was me 3 years ago in 2011, about Peru and Ayahuasca.
    It was the most magical and profound journey I had endured, with no regrets, (maybe at first stage, the other ego is like ” what have I gotten myself into”, )because at times it can be pretty intense at times, at the end… You praise the experience:)
    Off I go again recently in the summer of 2014, and I spent 6 amazing weeks with Omar, Pedro, and all the staff, guests, and animals!
    It was a ride of my life full of events, so much to explain and it’s tough putting it into words.
    I felt surreal, in content with my self, and was able to overcome many fears surrounding me knowing it’s time to face than escape, there were battles of challenges and then there were bundles of peace, my path was assigned as needed by ayahuasca, not what I wanted or think what I needed.
    Everyone had their own journey and it all varied from one and another.
    The guests were also another learning experience of reflecting each other.
    The jungle taught you not to take things for granted and accept what was given on earth, to respect and nurture it in return, by using its remedies, and giving it the roots of life again.
    The shaman- is truly something, I have had other shamans and they are each to their own way different but Pedro is special!
    Omar- is just a hardworking man who thrives for everyone’s happiness,,his efforts exceed far and all the love he has put into the farm reflects it all. He has taught me a lot about the off grid lifestyle,.
    Most of all- his encouragement of me taking the isolation diet is something I am very thankful for.
    I needed that time without realizing and the connection with grandfather medicine was profound.
    Top of all- he’s special too!! Plus Gaia 🙂

    As much I missed home after 6 weeks, I still did not want to leave.
    I will be returning soon!

65. 

    Dave May on December 17, 2014 at 2:45 pm

    I have recently returned from my first Ayahuasca experience and retreat at Chakra Alegria, and it has been one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. The retreat is run with the greatest of love and care, and I was surrounded by the raw natural beauty of the rainforest. The centre is run with sustainability in mind, and it has been built with the greatest of respect for the rainforest. The ceremonies with Pedro are wonderful, he is a great and powerful shaman, and perhaps more importantly, he is a genuine loving person. The ceremonies are properly protected throughout, with great emphasis on safety – I certainly felt safe and cared for. Omar is truly wise, and he was a great help to me. I will definitely be returning, and probably with others! Love and light 🙂

66. 

    David Domes on October 29, 2014 at 5:29 pm

    Simply put, my time at Chakra changed my Life.

    I spent 10 days at Chakra in September 2014. I came in fairly ill and, to a large extent, I came away healed. It was an incredible few days.

    The staff were friendly and welcoming. Omar created a gentle, warm, and supportive atmosphere. I was nervous heading in, especially because I hadn’t met anyone there before, but upon arrival I relaxed immediately. It was a pleasure to meet Pedro, Gabino, and Robinson – the Peruvian construction geniuses – and play some soccer with them.

    The accommodations were even better than I expected. The tambo I was given was very clean and well build. I had an almost 360% view of the jungle and lots of light. Everything was very well maintained.

    As for the ceremonies…….Wow……

    What incredible healing….
    I definitely got what I came for and even more. I walked away from those 10 days feeling the best I had in 6 months. In the time since then, the process continues to unfold. Certain difficult emotional patterns seem to be unraveling and life is flowing.

    I want to thank the jungle, the medicine, Omar, and the remarkable staff who made this possible. I look forward to returning soon. Thank you!

    David

    • 

      Omar on December 3, 2014 at 11:00 am

      Brother from an other Mother!!! David, you are such a bliss soul! Thank you for coming down, and sharing your love and blissness with us. We had a very interesting time and ceremonies, and much love and healing was found along with new friendships.. I know you will be back and I am looking forward to spending time with you again. Please keep in touch and we send you lots of white light!

67. 

    Chris Lewis on May 8, 2014 at 9:34 am

    I was totally blown away by the beauty, power and life changing experience at Chakra Alegria De Amor that was had by my Brother, best friend and myself.

    I have to be honest, I was totally freaking out about heading to the Amazon Jungle and about what would happen when I took the medicine, I basically thought I was going to die and never to be seen again! Little did I know that I was already purging fear. Fear will always hold you back, if you can overcome fear you can conquer anything! And your mind has a damaging way of putting false projections on certain situations based on your thoughts and mental conditioning.

    From the inquiry about the retreat, I was comforted by Tiffany’s informative and wonderful customer service, answering any questions I needed to know about the retreat and putting some of my nerves at ease, I have never met Tiffany (hopefully one day!) however I felt like I was speaking with a dear friend. When I met Omar on the first day, I was put even more at ease by his calming, entertaining and powerful inner light. Omar is such an inspirational and amazing soul, and the work he is doing is changing life’s.

    The property is beyond words, I can’t begin to describe the beauty or the amazing structures Omar and the team have done in such remote jungle. The accommodation (Tambo) would certainly be considered glamping! Clean, comfortable and private. Your own oasis in the jungle, away from the bullshit of everyday life with just your own thoughts and the comfort of the Mother Jungle. Being in such isolation is such a powerful experience, and it allows you to explore your inner self with no distractions.

    The food was some of the best food I have ever eaten in my life! I felt so alive, healthy and glowing by the end of my time at Chakra Alegria De Amor, not one toxin was left in my body! A feeling of health that I never want to leave, and the time spent at the retreat has certainly affected my eating behaviours moving forward.

    I must mention that if you plan to head to the Jungle and work with Ayahuasca, you must treat it with the upmost respect. This was defiantly a self-working holiday, while Ayahuasca can be a beautiful and life changing experience – at times can be a little heavy as you breakthrough negative conscious and subconscious energy blocks, past traumatic experiences and the breakdown of ego. If you’re heading down with the intention of looking for your next high, this isn’t the place for you. Ayahuasca is a medicine, not a drug – so it may not be the right answer for everybody, however you will always get what you need when you take it.

    Also, beware of the media hype and various YouTube documentaries surrounding it. If you would like an honest and educated view on this type of healing, I would highly recommend listening to the Podcast by Joe Rogan with Amber Lyon. These media outlets at the end of the day, are a business and they need viewers/readers to make money, so of course they are going to report on the “dangers of psychedelic tourists”, that is way more enticing then all the benefits. I have worked in PR and have seen the bullshit first hand that these outlets spit out – just trust you intuition.

    Our Sharman Pedro was such a beautiful and wise soul. I felt safe and comfortable through every ceremony, and can’t thank him enough for the powerful transformation he assisted with on my Brother and best friend Tash. Pedro’s intent administering Ayahuasca is so pure and filled with love, he really is an angel on earth.

    I could talk for hours about every phenomenal detail of this amazing place, however I will conclude with a quote – “Great things never came from comfort zones” just step outside of your comfort zone and go, you will not be disappointed! I did with my trip to Chakra Alegria De Amor and it was the best experience I have ever had in my life!

    Much love x

    • 

      Omar on December 3, 2014 at 10:50 am

      Chris!!! Sorry it took so long…. (well more than long) to respond, but I was in the jungle. It was such a pleasure to have you out at the healing center! I will never forget how you just absorb the jungle, and how your relationship was so strong. Please come back anytime you want!!! I truly wish you the best of the best and send you much love!!! The three of you were a PLEASURE to host!! Thank YOU!!!!

68. 

    David on April 25, 2014 at 4:47 am

    Before my journey to Chakra Alegria de Amor, I was already on my personal journey, seeking more knowledge of self. Reading into Rupert Sheldrake’s Morphic Resonance; quantum physics and spending ours on the internet just surfing I bumped into a TED talk which was removed from the TED talk YouTube channel. This was Graham Hancock’s talk in which he mentioned Ayahuasca. I felt immediately intrigued by it and started doing more research which led me too Terrence McKenna’s beautiful mind and all his theories about evolution and consciousness. At one point I just felt I had to experience the medicine myself and I thought it to be appropriate to have this experience in a place where I am surrounded by nature and where the medicine grows naturally, with the proper guidance.

    During this time I was reading into Carl Jung and he really helped me understand that it is OK, and it is just as valid to perceive reality trough intuition and feeling rather than through senses and thinking (which I previously forced myself to listen to). I therefore give credit to Jung for guiding me to Chakra Alegria de Amor, as I cannot rationalize why I decided to go there among all the other options out there. It just felt right, and I started to trust my feeling.

    I will try to give a short impression of my time on and with the land, Omar, Pedro, Tiffany and Corbin & Bradley (who were work-traders while I was there), but I am not able to put in words the amount of gratitude, love and connectedness I felt/feel. This journey is very personal and I felt I connected with mother earth and all of them personally which was simply amazing.

    When stepping on the Airplane in Amsterdam I was actually feeling sick and many people told me not to go. I pushed myself and when I finally landed in Iquitos I could immediately feel the energy of the Amazon, it was intense. Omar picked me up and told me that there were some cancellations and I was to be the only participant which turned out to be very beneficial.

    We carried all the shopping and clothes to the farm and I was really excited about the place and the Tambo that Omar let me stay in [Tambo de Luz]. This was a secluded cabin where I was embedded in nature’s energy where I have seen a lot of monkey’s while I was reading a book (Omar gave me to read) in my hammock, or was writing down my experiences and intentions for the next ceremony. I had my own bathing facility which was a stream of running fresh water.

    The diet (no salt, sugar etc.) did not really bother me and I was actually enjoying the healthy food and the fact that a lot of herbs and fruits which were prepared by Omar and Tiffany came fresh from the farm. The time spent in the kitchen eating was also used for good conversation and reflection. When Omar says this is no club med, it doesn’t just mean that you have to deal with the conditions of the jungle and you miss out on your usual comforts, it also means that you get to spend time with the most awesome and spiritually uplifted people I have ever spend such quality time with.
    p.s. Make sure to ask for the banana pancakes as they are delicious!

    During the ten day retreat, there were five ceremonies. It was apparent that I needed all five of them to complete my healing; it could not have been any better. I was very fortunate to have the presence of both Omar and Tiffany. Omar really helped and guided me through the ceremonies which I really needed. “You are the captain of your experience. You can´t control what you encounter on the way, but you have the power to steer your ship into another direction” [Please correct me if I am wrong] are some of the words that really helped me and it still sticks as I live my life in the matrix. Tiffany is a yoga instructor and did some sessions with me, together with a couple of crystal ceremonies in order to open up my chakra´s and to be more receptive to the medicine and WOW.. I opened up alright! The fact that they did not need to do all of this, but did so out of kindness and love makes their mission and made my experience so much more special than it already was.

    Pedro (the Shaman) is amazing! He is very humble, gives all credit to the medicine and his singing (Icaros) is beautiful and enchanting; I actually regret not recording it. He feels the vibrations perfectly and guides you through the experience and he helps you where needed.

    It felt like I was unplugged out of the Matrix and lucid dreaming in an Avatar like environment.

    The experience was so amazing, beautiful and scary at the same time. I received healing; understanding and perspective which makes me look at and experience life differently. I always had respect for nature & life and felt the connectedness of all life, but now this feeling is “more real” and stronger than ever. This experience has also changed me in the sense that I am much more aware of my surroundings and in practical terms, I am really careful when I open up my mind and with whom I do so, I see the importance of ceremony and I am more alert of energies which I encounter in my daily life. The experience (which includes the environment, rituals, Medicine and diet) has its way of giving you what you need at that certain stage in your life. This has been the “realest” thing I have ever done.

    Muchos, muchos Gracias

    • 

      Omar Gomez on April 29, 2014 at 11:39 am

      David,

      We all involved at CAA thank you so much for having the courage and strength to come down to the healing jungle of the amazon to change your life for the better. Please realize that you are a brother, partner, compadre, and family. We hold you in our hearts as family. CAA will always be your safe haven, your home when needed, your refuge. It is NOT our land, we can’t possibly ‘own’ or posses something that is intend to heal people, and be for all.
      I personally really enjoyed the moments that we shared and they will live and blossom in my heart. I use your quote on a daily bases ( “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try the ‘Vine’, you just might find, you get what you need” ). It was truly magical having you there and having the opportunity to meet such an amazing being.
      We are connected so just think it, and we will get the memo 😉
      Thank you, thank you, for being a lighthouse!

      Lots of bliss to you forever!

      Omar

69. 

    Mark T on March 2, 2014 at 9:27 pm

    I returned to Chakra Alegria for a second time and thanks to Omar and Pedro’s hospitality felt straight away like i was family and at home again in the jungle. They have made huge progress on comfort and construction since my last visit. It definitely has a great feel to the place and I enjoyed an amazing, eye opening, therapeutic stay.

    I initially intended to go into isolation one time and work with chiric sanango but after seeing the progress chose to stay longer and continue with ucho sanango and ajo sacha. I went into isolation 3 times, each time undertaking one of the master plant dietas for 8 days while participating every few days in ayuhasca ceremonies. It was far from easy…the taste and drinking of the medicines and the isolation were very difficult. I was lucky not to have any negative experiences in ceremony this time around and actually had fun with Pedro who is doing an amazing job as the new shaman. I always felt safe and well taken care of.

    It took a lot of commitment and sacrifice and I was skeptical that what I was doing was just a waste of time and money but ceremony for ceremony the medicine worked through my body. I lost things that I was unaware of. Things i didn’t need that were holding me back or chained down. By the time I left I felt like a new person. I was over the the breakup of a relationship that had recently left me in a bad way, stuck with no direction and uncertain about what I was doing and have not looked back since. I lost a lot of body fat and felt much healthier. I learned and realized a lot, became more confident and motivated about the direction I should go in life privately and professionally and set personal goals which are on a very good way to being reached.

    No words will properly describe the changes that I felt weeks afterwards. The best I can do is to say that somewhere inside of me feelings of darkness, even though I wasn’t aware of them before, were replaced with powerful, warm, bright shining light. This immense feeling of bliss blew me away and I often found myself amazed at how much more confident, content, happy better and stronger I felt physically, mentally and spiritually. The feeling of light eventually faded away but I believe it definitely put me in the right direction at the right time. I got so much more out of my stay then I could have imagined and I can’t thank Omar and Pedro as well as all the other amazing people involved enough for their hospitality and all they helped me with.

    It’s not for everyone but the unique experience in the world of shamanism, teacher plants and traditional plant medicines is something I will always be grateful for and never forget. I look forward to making it back one day to visit soon again.

70. 

    Lee Clarke on January 28, 2014 at 8:40 pm

    My time at Chakra Alegría De Amor was nothing short of amazing.

    Pedro the shaman is a highly trained professional and loves what he does, he is such an awesome guy & Gaia the dog is a legend also.

    My time in the Amazonian jungle truly blew my mind in so many ways. Chakra Alegría De Amor is situated on a pristine piece of luscious land which has an abundance of fruit and fauna. The energy I felt from the jungle here was electric.

    Gerik, Omar, Pedro & the all the other crew that have put their time & energy into Chakra Alegría De Amor have done an outstanding job in providing a retreat that is above and beyond.

    Cheers,
    Clarkey

71. 

    lvantaggiato on October 12, 2013 at 5:05 pm

    I first heard about the Mother Vine in 2009, through friends who had spent time in Brazil. For the past 4 years I had watched different documentaries on the topic and heard stories of close friends & family who had spent time at various centres near Iquitos, working with plant medicine. It was always on my to-do list and finally in September my boyfriend Nic and I were given this wonderful opportunity to join Omar Gomez and his awesome gang at Chakra Alegria De Amor, to work with his carefully prepared brew of Ayahuasca medicine and the spirit of the Madre Vine.

    I had not done much research into the individual centres offering this service, however at the time I was thinking about it, and about to get in touch with Gerik Lucien, he randomly reached out to me. Although we have met on a few occasions prior to that we are not in contact on a regular basis. For Gerik to tap into my thoughts whilst he sat in Zurich and myself in Dubai was a pretty big deal and synchronicity at it’s finest hour. This cosmic collision allowed me to recognise the universal sign posts that told me that now was the time to go, and Chakra was the place for me.

    I have been working in the premium service and travel industry for the past two decades and more recently in holistic health and nutrition. I have stayed in 5 star Hotels all over the world and I have to say that Omar’s hospitality is up there with the best! The whole experience was very professional yet personalised, friendly and genuine. We sat with Omar at meal times and had conversations over dinner, like you would with long lost friends or family. Omar had a way of turning the bland options available on the sacred “dieta” into tasty cuisine that we looked forward to each and every meal. Our tambos were serviced daily and even though we were surviving on just the basics, it felt comfortable, clean and civilised. With a 360° panoramic view from my bed of the jungle (endearingly referred to as Emerald City), I was definitely “glamping”. It felt boutique and unique. One day Omar even surprised Nic and I with a romantic lunch for two set up by the Maloca, complete with a vase of handpicked flowers. Talk about going the extra mile and making someone’s day!

    During my time at Chakra I spent the day either reading, getting inspired for my intent at each ceremony, reflecting and writing down my thoughts (think USB uploading onto hard drive at that speed & you have an idea) or playing with Gaia the dog and being Mum to my little baby girl Serenity ~ the orphaned Woolly monkey I fell in love with.

    The ceremonies themselves were beyond description (you’ll never never know, if you never never go), sacred and intimate. There is no epidural for spiritual birth. There is no telling what you will get (so don’t waste your time preparing yourself by reading endless books on the topic), but it will definitely be what you need. I felt confident and at ease by the energy, abilities and experience of both Shaman’s Cesar and his apprentice Pedro, who is a born natural (head hunted by the vine). I was totally relaxed knowing there was always someone not drinking who sat and took care of the incidental stuff, like helping us to and from the toilet.

    Nic and I were blessed to have had just the two of us staying at Chakra that week and I pity anyone who goes to a more commercial place, partaking in ceremonies with large groups. Each night and each ceremony is very individual and no two people will have the same experience. To be surrounded by a mis-match of energy from other peoples trip is something that I am glad I wasn’t subjected to. Omar intends to keep his groups small and this is another reason I highly recommend Chakra Alegria De Amor for anyone considering working with plant medicine in this environment.

    We all have our inner universe, it’s comprised of our thoughts, emotions, fears, worries, ego and memories. Inside this universe at times, these things can collide with one another and at other times our planets seem to come into perfect alignment. Ayahuasca can help reduce  the collisions inside ourselves and connect us more harmoniously with all the peace, beauty  and power of our “ing” and the universe that surrounds us.

    During my stay at Chakra I learnt new things about myself, became clear and focused about my plans for the future and became a lot more open with Nic about my desires. Luckily we were in sync with our thoughts so everyone left a happy glamper. I also had the creative release to complete the copywriting for my business website makeover and can’t wait to have that come to life.

    Everything from the fruit and vegetables grown on the farm, the friendly staff and service, the facilities, the Shaman’s and my experience working with the vine to the backdrop of beautiful blue morph butterflies – was top notch!

    If you are seeking a deeper connection with yourself and all around you, healing, cleansing and/or spiritual transformation and guidance through a direct link to your intuition, then Chakra Alegria De Amor is the place for you. If you are a psychedelic tourist, looking for your next high, then keep searching.

    Omar Gomez has a vision to share the vine’s blissful gifts with others and in doing so protect the people, fauna and flora that have thrived in the Amazon for eons. It is the optimal environment to be embraced by the Mother of the jungle. Nic and I are truly grateful for Omar’s sacred gift and hope that through our voice we can return the love by referring those open to, deserving or in need of his empire of hidden treasures in the tranquil surrounds of Chakra Alegria De Amor.

    Peace, love, light and gratitude,

    Linda and Nic xx

    • 

      Omar on December 3, 2014 at 11:07 am

      I LOVE you guys!!! I LOVE you!!! Congrats on the new baby boy!!!!!! Cant wait to meet him!!!!

72. 

    Michael on July 17, 2013 at 9:49 pm

    The Guests have such an incredible and life changing experience that awaits! I am so proud to be a part of the Love that has been seeded from the inception of Omars Vision! Each person that sets foot on that sacred ground will be forever changed… I find it hard to put in words just how Magical that place is!. Gerik and Omar changed my life with the hospitality, Love, and Patience that they expressed. Again, I am so proud to have shared my life with such an incredible experience.

73. 

    Fabian on March 20, 2013 at 11:34 pm

    better late than never… i arrived at Chakra Alegria de Amor on the 4 of January 2013 with nothing but my carry on bag as the rest of my luggage decided to stay in paris. From the moment i entered this magical place i fell in love with everything about the jungle. My stay, until i left, that feeling never changed.

    I was warmly welcomed by Omar and his son Gael at the airport and felt that i was in good hands immediately. We went shopping for gum boots and into the jungle we went. As we arrived at the property they had already prepared a special bath for us to wash off and fight away any bad spirits.

    The Jungle, one magical place which never sleeps. It is full of wild life and forever sounds like a relaxation cd… so relax we did. One minute u have iridescent blue butterflies flying by the next minute the sound of a humming bird approaching. The pet monkeys are adorable but shy at first. As green as green gets the jungle is the most thriving landscape i have ever seen, trees fall across a river and then the branches grow upwards thick and tall as trees.

    The Purpose, Detox and Heal! I must say even after reading a couple articles on Ayahuasca i had no idea what to expect. To be honest i was rather skeptical at first of the healing powers of Ayahuasca. After some detailed prep talk about how the Ayahuasca works and how it will make me feel i was ready to begin my healing journey.

    The Drink, tastes horrible, probably the least pleasant part of my stay was the drink. The small group of us all drank at the same time with the shaman and then lights out. Nothing but the calming sound of the jungle as i gather my thoughts for whats to come.

    The Visions, i had similar visions drink after drink and were full of amazing colours and patterns, faces, snakes, friends and family and so on. Visions literally out of control (in a good way) with eyes closed or open was the same thing. Any vision having meaning for what i was drinking for.

    The Purge, least pleasant at first but then realising how good i felt after throwing up a big ball of emotional baggage that i’d been holding on to for years made me wanna purge more and more as this really helped me get results.

    The Realisations, once i had finished purging the realisations began, all the pieces of the puzzles i was searching answers for came together and made me feel all kinds of relief. It made me laugh, frown, cry and yawn like crazing but always made me feel better, like i was getting results.

    The Power, the power of the medicine is beyond imagination… I just asked it a question and 30min later it was showing me what i needed to see for me to understand, to grow and to become stronger as a person for being able to just let go. Ayahuasca made me look at everything with a fresh pair of eyes, day after day i found myself appreciating the sheer beauty of nature all over again after living around it for so long i had taken it for granted.

    I went from a really stressful job to a place where all i needed to worry about was waking up and going to sleep. Omar, Gerik and their team made sure our meals were ready, our Tambo’s looked after, during and after our ceremonies they cared for us and escorted us back to our Tambo’s. They were our support when we needed them the most and i am forever grateful for the life experiences i had at Chakra Alegria de Amor.

    Saying goodbye to the Omar, the staff and Cacao (pet monkey) was a sad moment as it was such a peaceful and loving place that i never wanted to leave.

    Many thanks to all at Chakra Alegria de Amor for creating and sharing such a paradise!

    I WILL BE BACK!!!

74. 

    Fini C on February 13, 2013 at 7:00 am

    My stay at Chakra Alegria de Amor was a profound learning experience, a guidance to positive changes and personal growth, and a gift for which my heart feels so deeply grateful.

    From the moment I arrived I felt welcomed and cared for, staff members were waiting for us to help us carry our backpacks for the 1 hour walk into the jungle to the property’s entrance, located in the heart of the jungle, away from modern life stress.

    Once you are there you find yourself surrounded by all this beauty, huge trees, colorful flowers, breathing pure fresh air, you can immediately feel a sense of peace and good energy.

    There are few farm animals like ducks, geese, chickens, guinea pigs, a friendly dog called Gaia and a cute little monkey called Cacao from their animal rescue center, it was such a joy to watch them play. You can ask their friendly staff to take you for small tours around the jungle or the farm, and if you are lucky you will spot many kinds of birds, butterflies, frogs and other small jungle animals.

    Their partially self-sustainable farm, with plans to be full self-sustainable in the future, provides many of the fruits and vegetables used to prepare healthy meals for the strict ayahuasca diet.

    The octagonal shaped lodges or “Tambo’s” are spacious and very comfortable, each one with its own stream shower that makes you feel connected to mother nature. All the Tambo’s are separated from each other so it is only you and the jungle around you.

    The “Maloca” or ceremonial house is located in the middle of the jungle, a tall platform with no walls, just screening to keep the bugs out is a perfect setting for the ceremonies. Every structure is build by their workers using local fallen wood with almost no machinery help

    Chakra Alegria de Amor holds small ceremonies of 8 guests (maximum) at the time, so before and after each ceremony the Shaman came to us to talk privately about our experiences.

    For my first ceremony the Shaman explained what Ayahuasca is and how it works, what to expect and how to handle it, he said “Mother Ayahuasca will show you what you need to know and will cleanse your body and spirit” and explained that purging is the main purpose of taking the medicine.

    This medicine is very strong; I had mind blowing and unbelievable visions. Every time I purged I saw these bad energies getting out of my body, it was hard the first time but the Shaman sang special and beautiful Icaros that comforted me and gave me strength to keep up.

    Mother Ayahuasca showed me what compassion means, that all we need is a small gesture of affection, to forgive myself and others, to face my fears, to treat others the same way we want to be treated. I learnt a lot about myself. I saw long gone family members and I felt their love and how they are still living in every particle around me.

    During the ceremonies the Shaman and a staff member always watched over us, and when the ceremonies were finished we could rest at the Maloca or the Shaman or staff member would walk us to our Tambo’s and every morning after a ceremony the Shaman had flower or herb bath prepared for us that made us feel so blissful and invigorated.

    I feel so lucky for having this wonderful experience, for meeting all these caring, wise and knowledgeable people, for being in such a beautiful place and to feel the connection we all have with each other and the universe.

    I can’t stop thanking Omar, Gerik and all the staff for their dedicated work in this amazing project and I am looking forward for a longer stay on my next visit.

    Thank you Guys <3

75. 

    Mark on February 6, 2013 at 3:35 pm

    Thank you Omar and everyone else involved at Chakra Alegria for your warm hospitality! Very impressed with what you have all achieved. We had a truly memorable experience and really value the opportunity to have been able to visit such a unique and peaceful place. Already miss playing with Gaia 🙂 Hope to come back and visit one day again.

76. 

    Gerik Spiquel on January 19, 2013 at 3:06 am

    So, I’m back in Zurich after spending almost a month in the jungle at the project. Besides being sick with a nasty flu that I must have caught on the plane – spending time there in that magical place, that piece of primary jungle probably millions of years old is just amazing. Being out of touch with no power, no mobile reception or no internet maybe daunting for some at first but believe me once you are out there and you have your first bucket shower on a platform above a small stream you feel revitalized immediately and you lose your inhibitions about it all and relax and connect with the spirit of the place and mother nature. The feeling is just so pure and beautiful.

    You learn to appreciate the sounds of the jungle at night, the insects, birds, monkeys, the drops of rain and leaves rustling. When you look up to the sky at night you see millions of stars, so bright, like you’ve never seen them before. The air is fresh and crisp and pure. It feels great to breath it in, you try to breath so deep just so you can get more in and enjoy it.

    Omar and all our workers have done an extraordinary job. Everything there is so tough, such hard work. Everything is made or done by hand, everything has to be carried in on the backs of the workers from the road, 3km into the jungle. All constructions supplies, nails, screening, piping, kitchen sinks, mattresses, bedding, pillows – I really mean everything. There is no shortcuts and no easy way. Once you’ve walked that track, especially in the wet season you’ll appreciate the place and the workers even more.

    This is even before you start to work with the medicine “Ayahuasca”. Once you do you will understand things about the jungle and about life that may have never even thought possible. Negative thoughts you long forgot about in the back of your mind but still have a haunting effect on your life will come forward and be worked on. It felt like little fish hooks scrapping around in the back of my mind bringing all these little thoughts forward until I purged them out. I was able to work on many things. But I still feel a second trip is needed as I was blocked at the start and it took me a while to accept the medicine and what it wanted to do with me. Others who were there had strong experiences from the first time and kept having them their whole stay. They were able to work on child hood issues, talk to relatives who had long passed away and see events happening at some time in the future. It seems the power of Ayahuasca is unlimited and brings what you need and not what you want.

    I really look forward to getting back there as soon as possible to keep working on the project and working on myself.

    It’s been an amazing experience and I got some good direction in which way I want to lead my life and who I need to surround myself with to accomplish those things.

    If you have any questions or would like to hear about my more personal experiences I will be happy to share them with you in person.

    love through light – Gerik

77. 

    Heidi Scheck on January 9, 2013 at 6:26 am

    I spent about 4 days at Chakra Alegria De Amor in late December, 2012. It was my 3rd time in Peru, and my 4th encounter with Ayahuasca. As soon as we arrived at the farm it was clear to me that this was a very special place. Omar, the property owner, has really outdone himself with this farm. It is beautiful! Everything used to build the place, I mean EVERYTHING, is hiked in on the backs of his workers. The structures are all built from wood planks made with a chainsaw. Amazing! There are ducks, geese, a rooster, guinea pigs, a pheasant – and my personal favorites, the dogs and the monkey!

    Omar and the workers were all great, and having spent most of my time with Omar, I can’t sing his praises enough. He is a true seer, and is doing an amazing service with this property. It is truly an invaluable gift to receive – if you want to go and are able, DO. Even if you are unable for whatever reason, Omar will assist you in getting there in any way possible.

    Anyhow, once we arrived we were given some time to rest, and later we met with Omar and the shaman to discuss ceremony. Cesar, the shaman, is different from any other shaman I have encountered. He took a good deal of time explaining why the ceremonies here would be different than any others we’d participated in. He explained that the medicine we were to drink was very good quality and very strong, basically a “double dose”. He also explained that the location of the farm was of particular importance due to the abundance of medicinal plants in the area. He explained that all these plants would be helpful during our ceremonies.

    The ceremonies started around 8 or 9 at night. The hut where we drank was made of a floor and roof but no walls, so we were totally exposed to the open jungle. This was the first time I had ever done ceremony in this way, every other time I was completely indoors. Also, we were told that we were to be sitting up the entire ceremony, which was also new to me, and initially made me a bit apprehensive. Once the medicine started to work, however, my aversion to sitting up dissolved completely. The medicine came on very strong and fast, and I had definitely never experienced anything like it in my past ceremonies with the medicine. The visions were very strong, and the messages even stronger. I participated in 2 ceremonies, 2 nights back to back. Both of my parents are deceased and they both came to me in my visions. I spoke with them, asked them questions, cried with them. I felt the medicine working on my abdomen, my heart, my head. I had many insights regarding my shortcomings, fears, ways in which I hold myself back or stand in my own way. I also had insights regarding how I can be of service, how I can help others. It was extremely intense, deep, and therapeutic. I can’t do the experience justice with words, really. Everything is communicated so heavily through emotion, there is definitely an air of ineffability to the whole thing.

    I can’t recommend this place enough if you are really serious about working on yourself. This kind of work is not for the feeble-minded – be prepared to meet your true self, you might not like everything you see – but like all problems, acknowledging that they exist is the first step towards resolution.

    Love and light to Chakra and its visitors!!