Hayulima is so special. I first sat with the medicine deep in the jungles of Peru with indigenous tribes, which was a beautifully authentic experience. However, I wanted to find a different place that provided more guidance and one-on-one support, which I didn’t get so much with my first retreat. For my second retreat, I wanted a place that can really answer my questions and where I felt comfortable and safe to deepen my relationship with the medicine. I researched extensively and despite lingering feelings of uncertainty, I am sooo grateful I took the leap with Hayulima, I had never been to Ecuador and how can you really know until you do it?
I am so blown away by the thoughtfulness, the intentionality, the integrity, and the thoroughness of Matias, Amalia, Fernanda, Diana, and Salvador. During the retreat I cried of gratitude for these people and all that they give for the retreat. I paid $1000 more for my retreat in Peru and got so much less in Peru than what I witnessed and experienced at Hayulima. Hayulima’s price is extremely fair for how delicious, flavorful, and filling the meals are. Along with how much the facilitators go above and beyond. The ceremonies lasted until after sunrise, which helped me feel complete and supported during my whole journey.
Plus as the retreat progressed, the lands became more and more beautiful as I softened into the space- seeing wild toucans flying in the trees after a night of medicine and sitting on the balcony in a hammock while looking at the green mountains with humming birds flying around…
The facilitators go so hard during ceremony. Endless medicine music with spaces where the facilitators speak of philosophy and life. Where they offer extensive prayers to nature and the world, and you can stay in your own medicine bubble and be silent, or you can outwardly express your prayers too and be heard and healed in those spaces. As an empathic introvert, I felt I could safely express or not express myself when I pleased. There was opportunity to push myself out of my comfort zone, while also staying safe in my silent loving cocoon.
I had one difficult experience after the San Pedro sweat lodge, and Amalia (along with 2 friends of Hayulima from the local community) sat with me for a very long time after the ceremony was complete and helped guide and ground me. I would never have expected so much support. Especially since they already gave so much during several hours of ceremony. It also felt special to connect with and have people from the local community be apart of the ceremonies. That really meant a lot to me. Thank you Amalia for your love and words of wisdom. Your teachings are something I continue to carry with me.
I recommend Hayulima to any of my friends and loved ones who are interested in plant medicine. Whether it’s your first time or 100th. I’d come back here just to hang out and be present with people who have such a beautiful balance of being human, relatable and real, while also being POWERFUL healers. There isn’t a weird hierarchy among the facilitators. I could go on and on, but I’ll stop here. Hopefully this review helps anyone else out there like me who wanted to find the ‘right’ place. And I hope my immense gratitude is felt by those who give their heart and soul to serve the medicine. Thank you, thank you, thank you.