We have been hosting ayahuasca retreats since 1996. Our center is based in the midst of the beautiful Atlantic Rainforest along the coast of Bahia in Brazil. We facilitate a safe and comfortable space for you to achieve harmony in your everyday life by aligning your mind, body, and heart with your true self.
Our 9 day and 11 day ayahuasca retreats are designed to give you a balanced experience. We have ayahuasca ceremonies every other night and in between there are activities to integrate your experiences and insights. There is also ample free time to reflect, to enjoy the beauty of the jungle, to visit the gorgeous beaches, and just to relax, let go, and enjoy the pure bliss of the moment.
Calendar and prices on our website
We have extensive experience integrating ayahuasca, psychology, shamanism, self development, modified states of consciousness, and various other modalities. We are present at all times and are dedicated in supporting you with loving care, attention, safety, and respect.The activities include workshops focused on spiritual development. The techniques covered in the workshops can be practiced even after the retreat to continue the journey of personal growth. Some of the topics include inner child integration, life progression, discovering the source of your blockages and the resources to overcome them. Another very important part of the retreat are the Yoga sessions in the morning which greatly enrich the ayahuasca experiences at night.
Spirit Vine & TheVine Center previously known as Ayahuasca-Healing have been created by Silvia Polivoy. She received her license in clinical psychology and had a private practice in Buenos Aires, Argentina for several years until she began to feel the need to make a transition from studying and healing the mind to exploring the worlds of Spirit. This took her away from the busy city streets to the more tranquil life in the jungle, moving to Brazil where in 2004 she co-founded the TheVine Center, a trans-denominational and inter-faith spiritual center located in the state of Bahia.
The nature of our nonprofit center is philosophical, religious, mystical, spiritual, educational, and cultural. All the retreats’ income’ serves to maintain the center grounds, create employment for the local community, and help preserve the jungle, having replanted thousands of native trees over the years to give but one example.
The retreats take place inside of 39 acres of lush preserved area. It is about 7 miles from Itacaré on the coast of Bahia. Our location is only minutes away from beautiful coastal beaches, which back onto the Mata Atlántica, the second largest rainforest in Brazil.
The experience of sacred tea ceremonies can be challenging for some, deeply religious for others, but profound all around. Please note that we have several programs to offer and the plant ceremonies are always optional and not required to partake in during any of our retreats. The plant ceremonies begin in the evening and go through the night. The group dynamic is very important and there will be facilitators to look after participants throughout. There will be plenty of time for group discussions and also time alone to reflect on the experiences elicited by the spirit vine tea for those that wish to partake in the plant ceremonies.
At the retreat center we grow our own ayahuasca vine and chacruna plants organically! We also have an organic garden to source vegetables for the food prepared during the retreat. We have pure spring water for drinking and also coconut water, juices, and a variety of teas.
During all our programs we follow a strict (though delicious) diet. The meals are completely vegan, gluten-free, and nutritionally balanced, prepared by our in-house chef who has specialized in vegan cuisine and has a post-graduation in functional nutrition. They include plenty of fresh vegetables cooked with delicious herbs and spices, luscious fresh tropical fruits, salads, and grains.
A note about sexual abstinence: this varies from culture to culture; some recommending as long as 30-40 days while others as little as one day or none at all like here in Brazil. For energetic purposes we recommend sexual abstinence during the retreat as well as 3 days before it begins and 3 days after the retreat concludes. As well, a drug free and no salt diet with no red meat, pork or heavy alcohol use for the same amount of time is optimal.
We fully expect you have questions about the retreats, programs and the facilities we offer. Please feel free to explore our website or watch our videos and write to us to come to one of our retreats.
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Recent Reviews
Review of Spirit Vine Ayahuasca Retreat Center by Ayahuasca has been one of the most transformative experiences on my healing journey, and I’m immensely grateful for trying it for the first time at Spirit Vines. What a beautiful place! The retreat’s deep respect for the Atlantic forest and… Read More from hannabanana Apr 30, 07:54
Review of Marosa Healing Center by I spent a week at Marosa and I wish I had booked for longer. This was my first ever experience with Ayahuasca and first time to Peru. I fell in love with the people at Marosa. They were so kind… Read More from Delicy Apr 27, 20:07
Review of Marosa Healing Center by I just spent an amazing week at the Marosa Healing Ayahuasca Center, and this was my second time visiting Peru and doing Ayahuasca at Marosa. Same as the first retreat I did, it was an unforgettable experience. The center is… Read More from lucia333 Apr 27, 10:49
Review of Marosa Healing Center by I just spent one week at Marosa in April 2024, This was my first ever Ayahuasca experience, and it was absolutely the best experience I could have asked for. As a solo female traveller, I felt extremely safe and cared… Read More from Mari-ella Apr 26, 15:27
Review of Avalon by I want to give a big shoutout to Chris & Maggie – my guardian angels. The folks that saved me. They are, without a shadow of a doubt, the kindest, most selfless and nurturing souls I know, and the beautiful… Read More from dawnsunshine Apr 26, 07:34
hannabanana
April 30, 2024 at 7:54 amAyahuasca has been one of the most transformative experiences on my healing journey, and I’m immensely grateful for trying it for the first time at Spirit Vines. What a beautiful place! The retreat’s deep respect for the Atlantic forest and the tradition of the medicine was evident from the start. I chose Spirit Vines primarily due to its clear ethical principles, which were prominently highlighted on the website and consistently demonstrated throughout the retreat.
Ayahuasca has helped me open doors to discover states of being that I’ve often over-intellectualized. It helped me detach from traumas, unhelpful thought patterns and beliefs that have kept me stuck in a victimizing cycle despite the awareness. Instead the retreat has offered me to find trust again, new perspectives and clarity through a carefully curated structure with ceremonies, workshops and group sharing sessions, not to mention the delicious vegan food adjusted to make sure you get the most valuable experience as possible. The team at Spirit Vines, led by Sylvia, was incredibly professional, supportive, informative, and provided a safe environment.
As mentioned, the incorporation of all essential elements including the space itself (see pictures) and a well-experienced team has created a holistic journey that provided me with such a push, hope, and energy to continue my journey of self-work. It has been such a memorable experience so it’s become a milestone I can revisit when I need to redirect myself during challenging times. I could go on and on about the benefits gained from it, but the domino effect finally falls down to the most profound gifts of all; a deeper appreciation for all life and a reawakening of my intuition.
I’m immensely grateful to Sylvia, Gal, Elvis, and the rest of the team for sharing their knowledge and dedicating so much time and energy to help others. They truly made Spirit Vines a magical place. I’m also thankful for the connections made with other participants on similar journeys. It was truly a blessing to meet you all. Thank you.
I’ll definitely be returning.
nuvola tivoli
April 24, 2024 at 7:59 amFrom the moment I had the call to work with this wonderful and special medicine Spirit Vine came in the picture many times. I heard about it from a friend/client -which recommended the retreat and especially Silvia’s knowledgeable and empowering approach to the process of healing with the Ayahuasca brew… which by the way is carefully grown and made by her on the premises-, it came in my dreams, I read articles and found out about Silvia and the center via psychedelic and plant medicine’s articles and talks. So I booked and went there ready for this new adventure into my subconscious. The set and setting of the experience is safe, peaceful, smooth and loving, a beautiful calm natural oasis. The support is incredible, in every single aspect… preparation, hospitality, ceremonies, aftercare, integration. I received everything I was looking for and possibly more! Thank you silvia for your knowledge, your service, support, the commitment, the love and for creating an environment where people can truly let themselves be present and go deep into their healing process. The staff that is lovingly involved in the running of the retreat center and all the activities is wonderful. The food is incredible and wholesome, the yoga teacher and the massage offering is awesomely skillful and everything runs so harmoniously. To the point that I decided to stay for 2 retreats in a row. Best decision ever and I am grateful to Silvia for the opportunity and pushing me into finding my voice, my sovereignty and my inner power. I will go back for sure as I know that Ayahuasca is my medicine and my ally. ♥️
chrisgwill
April 23, 2024 at 11:39 pmThis is my third time at spirit vine and there is a reason I keep coming back to this amazing retreat! I came to spirit vine in search of spiritual understanding and to dig deep within myself because I had lots of trauma from my childhood. Silvia who is the person who started and runs spirit vine has created the safest environment to be able to explore deep within ourselves. I really appreciate the structure of this retreat because to be able dig deep inside myself I need to be able to be vulnerable and I feel safe to do that a SV because of the rules and careful attention to detail that Silvia provides. The facilities are very comfortable at SV and it doesn’t matter if you are staying in a 5 person bungalow or sharing a room with one other person, which I’ve experienced both. The food is absolutely fantastic, honestly some of the best vegan food I’ve ever had and the diet is carefully catered to be safe to take with ayahuasca. Silvia also provides workshops to help with the ayahuasca experience, like inner child workshops or understanding trauma workshops all which help with understanding and integrating the ayahuasca experience. I’ve also really appreciated the group sharing post ceremonies where we have a chance to hear other people’s experiences, which also helps with recollecting our own memories. This is an important part of the process and because Silvia puts so much effort into making sure the retreat is the right place for each participant it’s always been easy to feel open to be vulnerable in these settings. I have plans of returning to spirit vine in the future with my brother and I’ve also shared the experience with other family members as well. I highly recommend this retreat to anyone wanting to learn more about themselves and I can honestly say that Silvia is someone who understands the human heart better than anyone I’ve ever met.
canela italiana
April 15, 2024 at 10:51 amI have been coming to SV for the past 4 years. This is my 5th retreat. I am amazed to see this place grow and getter better every year. This is the safest environment you can find to go deeper in your personal journey of healing past traumas. The center is magical, the food is vegan, diverse, and really healthy. The team is well trained and prepared to help the participants. Silvia has managed to create something special here. From the land to the workshops and the ceremonies. I definitely would recommend this place to any person wanting to start their Ayahuasca journey.
jake95
December 14, 2023 at 9:18 amI wanted to wait a few weeks before posting a review so that I could integrate the experience a little before doing so. First of all, the location is amazing, the pictures on the website don’t do it justice at all. It’s far bigger than I expected it to be and is so beautiful it’s tough to put into words. Staying at Spirit Vine for 11 days, without the Ayahuasca or workshops, would have been amazing by itself. I still miss lying in the hammock and watching the hummingbirds in the tree next to my bungalow every day.
The ceremonies and workshops themselves are very well thought out. I’ve been through psychotherapy before and the best way I can describe the experience as a whole is it’s like years of therapy condensed into 11 days. The ceremonies were very peaceful and the music really takes you on a journey throughout. The Ayahuasca itself was far gentler than I expected when comparing it to other psychedelics I’ve used, although I think a lot of this can be put down to the very clinical approach that Silvia takes in combining her extensive experience as a psychotherapist along with her work with Shamans in the Amazon. It was far more therapeutic than other psychedelics and I had far more clarity on the lessons it was trying to teach me during and after the ceremonies. The workshops were also incredible and opened my eyes to many things I hadn’t considered previously, giving me a lot to think about during the ceremonies themselves. The guidance from Silvia, Miro, Rick, and Elvis throughout the retreat was amazing. I was lucky enough to have one of the facilitators (Rick) as my room mate, who really helped to guide me through the whole experience and is just all around a great guy.
I could go on and on but I highly recommend Spirt Vine if your intentions are in the right place, and you’re ready to do some inner work. Ayahuasca isn’t for the faint of heart, but I left this place a far more centred and conscious person, and now have a road map for how to approach many things in my life going forward. I will definitely be returning and hopefully sooner rather than later.
Fluid with grace
November 30, 2023 at 11:20 pmThis was my 4th retreat I have done with Spirit Vine. Main reason I return here is because I feel very safe doing ayahuasca with Silvia. Spirit Vine has such a lovely vibe and it is a beautiful place to be when working on oneself. Doing ayahuasca for me is about working on myself and the things I learn about myself happen so organically here. For someone who is anxious and worried, I find myself letting go far easier when working with ayahuasca. Also what helps are the conversations with Silvia, as she has insights that help me uncover why I do the things I do and go away with skills to help me create the life I want. The retreat participants are told instructions that help create a safe environment for sharing and helping us uncover more about ourselves.
I find myself healing, and learning from each other. This is the best place I have been for living life the way I want. Anyone who stumbles upon this review, I hope I can leave you with a sense of security that this is the place you want to be at when working on your traumas and any personal issues you have.
Thank you to Silvia and people she has working with her to helping create this safe and caring environment. Miro, Rick and Elvis, obrigada. Thank you all, and hope our paths meet again.
Surfing the Matrix
November 28, 2023 at 1:14 pmI just finished my 6th retreat here 4 days ago, and the impact of the beauty and miracle of Spirit Vine is still reverberating through my whole mind and body. Never have I felt any “ been there, done that” from the retreats here; I just keep attaining higher levels of gratitude and love and understanding of so many things I previously knew nothing about. Everyone that comes here will tell you about the magnificent Garden-of-Eden-like setting, the delicious food, the roomy bungalows. But it’s the workshops that Silvia puts together, with her decades of experience as a psychotherapist, and her extensive expertise and knowledge of ayahuasca, combined with sacred plant medicine that sets SV apart from the others. Silvia’s love and seemingly boundless insight is the icing on the cake.
Before coming to SV the first time, I did much research on the abundance of retreats around the globe, hoping to sort out and avoid any retreats that may have duplicitous intentions. I feel I’m so very lucky to have found SV. I’m a very different person since coming here, and I’ve seen how SV has helped so many others.
It is also wonderful having Miro there helping out and being so caring and thoughtful.
If you’re looking for a safe place to experience the efficacy and sanctity of plant medicine, this is it.
alexallard
November 3, 2023 at 3:07 pmThis my truly the best experience of my life. If you are looking for growth and a safe space to try ayahuasca, this is the place for you. Coming out of this retreat, I feel like an all new person. My depression is gone, my anxiety is much lower and I feel more calm than ever. It’s not only because of the ayahuasca, but also because of Silvia and the knowledge and tools that she shared during the workshops and group sharing. Silvia is so insightful and inspiring! I would definitely recommend this retreat to anyone who is looking to learn and grow!
Before going to this retreat, I was skeptic about all the 5 stars review, but I assure you that those are all real. There is absolutely no way that you can come out of this experience without it being one of the best experience of your life, believe me!
DanSquared
October 24, 2023 at 4:07 pmIt’s difficult to know where to begin, but i’ll start by saying this trip easily exceeded my expectations in every way, and that’s saying something because they were quite lofty.
The entire experience was beautiful and magical. I am in awe and gratitude at the magnitude of healing I experienced. A little background, I struggled most of my life with addiction. I’ve been in an out of treatment centers for much of my adult life and have had lots of various therapies.
While I understood intellectually, the various reasons for my pathologies, this understanding alone was never enough to bring about true change in my life.
Through the workshops (shadow work, inner child, etc) and ceremonies, I am able to bridge the gap between the mind and the heart and feel certain truths in my being vs just understanding intellectually. This has made a world of difference. I was able to let go of a lot of guilt and shame that I carried around since childhood.For the first time that I can remember, much of my anxiety has lifted and I am excited to live life.
What a beautiful gift!
Last thing I will mention is that the group was in such good hands with Silvia and Miro. Everything is thought out to meticulous detail.
The things that struck me most about Silvia are her passion for her work, sense of humor, but above all how she embodies the ideals she strives to instill within the retreat attendees (ie healing, passion, creativity, etc.)
Someone in the group remarked how the Spirit Vine model should be the future of psychotherapy and I would tend to agree..
Guy
October 24, 2023 at 1:45 pmIf you are thinking about doing an Ayahuasca retreat, make Spirit Vine your first choice and you will not be disappointed. It is the perfect place for first-timers as well as a favourite of many returnees and it was easy for me to see why from the moment I arrived. Silvia’s warm welcome is followed by a continuous loving, nurturing energy which offers as much space or intervention as you require. The organisation and care is executed effortlessly and puts you at ease the entire time. The surrounding nature is spectacular and provides such a serene environment for your stay. There are so many hidden treasures to this experience that are not only about the Ayahuasca. Miro is such a wonderful addition to the spirit vine team, he was always so thoughtful and helpful whilst also providing great banter at meal times. The food is excellent and plentiful, the chef manages to make it feel like a treat even without salt and sugar. Silvia has a wealth of experience and wisdom and I would recommend seeking some one to one time with her to get further clarity on yourself. At Spirit Vine you are never in any doubt that you are safe and cared for and if you are open to it, it can be a life changing experience.