I stayed in Dreamglade after a lot of research on retreat centres, as I knew that the “set and setting” are extremely important in terms of the experience to be expected. The reviews convinced me that this was the place I should go to, and so I want to contribute my own review as well.

The journey to Dreamglade begins with a set of screening questions as certain medications, health conditions and habits can cause dangerous side effects. Any respectable retreat centre should prescreen visitors and Paul at Dreamglade does that conscientiously.

The setting part is completely taken care of. Dreamglade is in the jungle (they picked you up in Iquitos and take you there in a car), there is little to no reception and electricity only works for a few hours a day – no distractions, just nature to keep you grounded. I woke up with and went to sleep with the sun each day in a small hut with a comfortable bed with mosquito nets. I had the best sleep ever, felt like I was sleeping outside but I was still protected from the elements and had all the comfort I needed.

The food is all fresh fruits and oatmeal or soup (after ceremony nights (soup for breakfast weirded me out at first, but it was just what I needed)) for breakfast and fresh vegetables and rice, chickpeas, beans for lunch and dinner. Some people struggled with the lack of spices (required by the medicine), I loved the food.

The set part is largely up to you, but the people running the centre will do their best to assist you with that one as well. They are all very interested in helping visitors as much as they can, and I still feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude when I think of any of them. Wade and Clarissa lead the share circles and take care of the logistics of running the centre, while the facilitators, hold breathwork, yoga and cacao ceremonies. I had very impactful conversations with all of them. They all have a – for me – rather uncanny ability to read people.

The shamans are out of this world. I will never forget their ceremonies, their singing, their presence. I personally am not a very spiritual person and did not have the type of visions and experiences some people reported. But I did feel the shamans’ presence, their attention to me in the pitch black darkness, and their songs and spirit-chasing practices directed at me when I needed it and this feeling of being protected, of having someone watch over me comforted me and elevated my experience. I am very grateful that I had the chance to attend ceremonies that felt both ancient and authentic and which cut straight to the very essence of the human condition.

After each ceremony night, in the morning we had share circles which were the favourite parts of my stay there. Listening to nine people from all walks of life and from various countries share their visions and see them open up about personal issues that they have been dealing with was a transformative experience that will stay with me for a long time.

I only stayed for three ceremonies, because I wanted to test it out how I would feel. If you have some kind of condition that traditional medicine is unable to treat, or you feel somehow stuck in your life, and you can afford it, I definitely recommend staying for six ceremonies. The first ceremony is meant to open you and the doors of perception up and the last ceremony is there to integrate everything that you learned during your stay and prepare you for the outside world. With six ceremonies that leaves four ceremonies of solid inner work that should take you very far along the way of healing.

As for me, the true healing came during integration, weeks, months after the retreat, when I realized and fixed my unhealthy coping mechanisms, thought patterns and social dynamics. My cohort organizes regular integration zoom calls which we use as online share circles that solidify these realizations and help me see them in perspective.

I think with the medicine offered here, it is very important to participate in authentic ceremonies to get the most out of it and in my opinion, Dreamglade provides just that.