⭐ Expanded Review / Safety Warning

I am sharing this review so that future participants can make informed decisions. My intention is not to attack anyone personally — I did have meaningful moments with the medicine — but the overall facilitation and safety standards fell far below what I consider acceptable for work of this depth.

The Medicine

The brew itself was strong, and I experienced real moments of clarity and insight during ceremony. I am grateful for those.

Where Things Became Concerning

Despite the strength of the medicine, the emotional, psychological, and medical container around the ceremonies was consistently weak. At times, it felt unsafe.

For context, I have spent the last 30 years working with groups, leadership teams, and business schools worldwide, helping people navigate transformational processes with emotional safety, structure, and responsible facilitation. I also run humanitarian and leadership retreats, where duty of care is non-negotiable.

Because of this background, I am very aware of what it takes to hold a group in vulnerable states. What I experienced here did not meet even the basic standards of trauma-informed facilitation.

Lack of Integration & Emotional Support

There was:
• No meaningful preparation guidance
• No real integration support
• Very limited emotional holding before or after ceremonies

Participants were largely left to manage extremely vulnerable states on their own. With medicine this strong, that is not safe.

Serious Medical Oversight

One participant in our group had Type 1 diabetes and clearly required specialised monitoring and dietary support. Their needs were handled with a casualness that was alarming. The facilitators did not appear prepared for medical conditions of this nature, and the lack of attention could have led to serious consequences.

Public Shaming After Ceremony

Although it did not happen inside the ceremony itself, after the ceremony—while I was still in a highly open, sensitive, and emotionally exposed state—the lead facilitator publicly called me “weak-minded” in front of the entire group.

Even outside the maloca, this kind of comment can be deeply destabilising. When someone is still vulnerable from the medicine, remarks like this can have lasting psychological impact. Instead of creating psychological safety, it actively undermined it.

Pattern of Poor Boundaries & Conflict Management

Throughout the retreat, I observed:
• Imbalanced or avoidant handling of conflict
• Poor boundaries
• Minimal accountability
• A lack of follow-up for participants in distress

All of this contributed to an inconsistent and at times chaotic emotional environment.

My Reflections

I do not doubt the facilitators’ good intentions or their love for the medicine. But based on my experience, they have a great deal to learn about:
• Trauma-informed group facilitation
• Emotional containment
• Basic medical responsibility
• Boundaries
• Holding a safe space for transformational work

Ayahuasca can be profoundly healing, but without a strong container, it can also leave participants feeling fragmented or unsupported. I left this retreat feeling shaken and ungrounded, despite the genuine insights I had during ceremony.

Advice for Future Participants

If you are considering this retreat, I strongly recommend:
• Asking detailed questions about medical protocols
• Understanding exactly what integration support is offered
• Clarifying how facilitators handle conflict and emotional distress
• Ensuring the environment feels safe for your psychological makeup

The setting matters as much as the medicine.

I hope this review helps others make informed decisions, and that the facilitators take this kind of feedback seriously for the well-being of future participants.

Note: This review was edited to remove mention of another website, but has otherwise been left in its original form.