Folks… loving, wounded, curious, wandering souls, It’s a miracle the name Pisatahua has made it onto your radar. But still I understand it’s an unknown blip, a mystery. I went to hell’s length to find the right place to sit with Her, and this is not a decision to be taken lightly. If you end up in the web of an imposter in Iquitos or worse, a predatory being while opening this veil, portal, state, whatever you want to call it… I can’t even imagine, it could be so unfathomably diabolic. But for Pisatahua, allow me to share some words. Let Pisatahua resemble all the good of la divina abuela mother Ayahuasca, and I will assume the role of her cheeky painter assistant Chacruna. I will speak of the organization, amenities, etc, and the ceremony itself. I’m in no way affiliated with Pisatahua, just a humbled awestruck and brought to my knees by what occurred in the jungles of Northern Bolivia.
1. Pisatahua is the real deal. Period. If you’re some party rat that just wants to get high: Don’t Bother. Seriously, stay away from this sacred space. Ayahuasca knows who is ready to receive her lessons, and if you’re prepared, meaning you understand your fragile mind NOT prepared, and if you’re willing to be exposed and probed with all your insecurities, demons, constructs, traumas, and innate beauty, light and power with a pure heart and humble bow, if you’re prepared to let go and surrender, you will be rewarded ad infinitum….
2. Eric, the owner, is the man. But he’s not running the sessions, that’s for the mystical, enchanting, beautiful conduit that is Wara. “Jagwara” I whispered in disbelief as she wielded a hurricane and empyrean of ancestors while singing and bending the space time continuum and repelling all malevolent energy. Wara… What more can I say? But Eric created Pisatahua first and foremost as a conservation project. The area is hectares of virgin jungle by a lake, and man, you are exposed to an awesome power. Trees straight out of Avatar, sounds from Star Wars, sci-fi and fantasy all at once, monkeys, crocodiles, egrets at dawn, just the jungle man. You will be devoured; mosquitos, everything has pacha mama’s blessing to touch you whether you like it or not. All the healing and protection Pisatahua offers is (I will sound crazy to some) recognized and respected by the forest, and so this is the absolute perfect setting to embark on this Journey. It is a place where you have “permission” to journey to these realms. You will be a guest, not a trespasser. I get goosebumps just thinking of that latter scenario.
3. The dieta is incredible. The food is phenomenal. I really can’t understand how some people find this a struggle. You are fed such rich fruit, fish the day after ceremonies, lentils, salads with pomegranate seeds and avocado, juice, etc, bottom line the food’s amazing.
4. The Plant Allies….At Pisatahua you get the privilege to work with other plant medicines that are catered to you personally to aid in your lessons with Ayahuasca. Some receive Lavender, Cacao, bobinsana, coca leaves, and if you’re a guy, it is the greatest privilege to be in the hands of father tobacco. What western society has done to tobacco is nothing short of disgusting. He is an elven god that has been turned to an orc by Marlboro and other companies. The indigenous people say they saw the jaguar gnawing on the vine of death, then tobacco, the eldest master teacher, guided them to combine chacruna. The odds of stumbling on that combination are so low. Bottom line, tobacco is very important to the ceremony for protection, and some people bathe in tobacco before ceremonies. There were times in my session where he was right next to me smoking, a clear as day hallucination, an old man smoking, sighing, filling my nose with smoke, really trippy and cool stuff.
5. The retreat is capped off at ten people. For me this was huge because I really couldn’t handle 20-30 people’s energies all meshing. I got really lucky, my cohorts came from all over the world, splendid individuals. In the ceremony you go into the dark, pitch black. You are inside a maloca with a cozy bed mat, but still the jungle descends upon you. Yes, you do hear lots of vomiting and sometimes moaning and ghastly sounds of others all around, but that’s a part of it. Eventually someone laughs after a really serious span of time and you realize you’re not alone and the fear of death, the great tragedy of life, suddenly melts into a great comedy and everyone sighs.
6. The rooms and beds are great, not luxury, but if that’s your main concern, go to Costa Rica and drop 5K. For the price Pisatahua offers, holy F$#* balls the value is inexplicable. It is a hassle to get to Riberalta. I took the bus from La Paz which was hectic, mostly just long, but Eric will get you there with ease, he’s practically Bolivian at this point. Bolivia is an incredible place, you’ll find that out yourself.
7. For ceremonies, it goes from around 8-1am. I could never sleep after and just sat, looking at the candles all night alone in the maloca. You get the following day to rest and everyone gathers to discuss and integrate, which, if you’ve sat with Ayahuasca before, you understand the significance. We spent virtually all day integrating, It’s incredible to hear the lessons and challenges others faced in the same space. It’s a very vulnerable space, and everyone is unified in this understanding and filled with respect. Wara is just incredible. Pisatahua is like $30,000 worth of therapy, and at the same time $100,000 worth of ski trips, bouldering, skydiving, playing ding-dong-ditch with satan, flying high with Icarus, or getting into some trouble with Prometheus. For me it was so frightening, beautiful, and epic.

I understand that not everyone’s experience is the same. Sometimes the medicine doesn’t work for some immediately. The first night nothing happened to me. It’s a real mystery. But honestly, I can compare it to Poker. There is an element of fate out of your control, but with Pisatahua, you are getting handed Aces every single time and you’re put in the most advantageous and likely position for something transformative to occur. All things within control are maxed out. They source the brew from tribes in the Acre region of Brazil a few hours away from the the Santo Daime practioners (if that matters to you). But know that the brew is strong, concentrated, sticky, holy, and hard to stomach.

I don’t want to make promises or come across as preachy, I can only speak of my anecdotal experience which was very transformative. The fact you’re reading this means you likely hear Her call, and if you wish to answer, Pisatahua is one of the right places to do it. Eric, thank you.