I have been working with medicine for over 15 years and have sat with many different medicine people. I have done dietas in Colombia and Brazil and have assisted in ceremonies many times. Hayulima stands out above every other place I’ve been in terms of close attention and care from the family who runs it. The person who said they are not properly trained is either mixed up and reviewing the wrong place or has very unrealistic expectations for an ayahuasca ceremony. The groups at Hayulima are generally small – one group was 8 people and another was 6 – and they had 4 shamans and two or three helpers in each one. They also spent a lot of time in between ceremonies talking to the guests, making sure they were ok, and walking them through the integration process. I don’t know what else you could ask for. I sat with teachers who would barely speak to the guests, let alone hold their hand during a crisis.

As for the land, it is absolutely stunning. I woke up every morning to birds singing, got to see many humming birds and tucan, and too many beautiful plant species to count. The food was very good for an ayahuasca retreat. Diana was very careful with each meal and accommodates special diet requests. The rooms were simple but comfortable, especially compared to some of the more rustic places I’ve been. The internet was good but you did have to take a short walk to get to the hotspot. I liked this aspect because it kept everyone talking and not staring at phone all day.

Hayulima is magical and I’m grateful for every moment I spent there. I would especially recommend to people who have fear going because this is a very gentle and loving approach to medicine.