THE PATH OF INSIGHT,
With Taita Juanito, Rick William
& Eli Rechtschaffen

Our retreats are built upon a structure that has been brought to us by the Indigenous tribes. In this particular lineage we work with the Chindoy family of Taita’s from the Inga tradition. The beautiful thing is that these tribes have been drinking this sacred medicine for thousands of years and they have found a natural order that lives in the plants. A way of praying and asking for guidance that brings us back to the source of who we are.

In these retreats we too have asked the plants to show us how to best organize a retreat which would be most supportive for the participants coming to receive this sacred work. These retreats have been built over the years with the Taita’s and Eli in a way that we find the most healing for all. We put the care of our participants first most.

As you step into the field of the Nature Within Retreat’s you will see that there is a big web of support from the beginning. Our retreats are full of different activities carefully crafted to support your preparation and integration around the medicine ceremonies. If you have any questions or concerns, always feel free to reach out to us.

Ayahuasca works in a very beautiful way with us as she starts a dialogue with our heart. There is an investigation that starts to happen from the side of the Ayahuasca and in the same way there is an investigation that is happening within ourselves. In time we may find ourselves there with an old memory from childhood, or with a situation happening in our lives now that we haven’t really been able to confront. In this way the medicine helps us to bring to light what is already in our heart.

Then the journey becomes sweet because we have rediscovered a part of ourself and now we can work on becoming friends. These areas of ourselves that are uncomfortable are small child parts that feel they have been abandoned and are really just looking for love. So, we start to talk with these parts and see what it is that they need. This is the journey of healing as we come into wholeness within ourselves, we then in a natural way live in that wholeness with life.

Our retreats are very safe. However, this is not always the case with all medicine retreats. At our retreats we have a highly experienced team who is supporting you during the whole week. The Taita’s have 30 years of experience, the retreat leader has 15 years of experience and the entire team is well trained. We recognize that it is deep healing work that is happening on our retreats and as a result we need to be held appropriately.

We ensure quality at all levels. As an example, we know where the medicine comes from, who cooks it, how they have prepared it, where they harvested the plants from and most importantly what prayers are going into this sacred brew we will be drinking. You will also see that the Blue Spirit retreat centers is an impeccably held space which gives us a sort of cushion to rest on. The food, longevity center, ocean, massages, and just beautiful spaces all around.

The retreat leaders Rick & Eli are very experienced in many different modalities of self-practice such as meditation, breath work and internal family systems. These practices are woven together around the ceremonies to create an environment that is safe and joyous. Feel free to always reach out if you have any doubts or concerns.

We do have many participants that have resolved all sorts of traumas, physical illness and other ailments. The medicine is a very powerful ally who can support us in this healing process. Sometimes we may leave a retreat with a trauma completely resolved or other times we may leave with new found strength to continue our healing journey.

There are many different traditions which serve Ayahuasca. Each one has their own uniqueness in how their ceremonies are held. Our ceremonies are held through the union of the Inga and Siona traditions. Our teachers are direct descendants of the Inga people but they were brought up in a Siona community and thus we have these two influences.

The Inga people are botanists and so they have vast knowledge of the jungle fauna and how to make remedies for all sorts of ailments whether they are physical, mental or spiritual. Whereas the Siona tribe have a strong understanding in the use of different elements in the Yage ceremonies such as the chondur, wyra, ortiga, cuyangillas and other allies which bring the ceremony together for more healing.

Through this union we have structured our ceremonies in a very particular way. Upon arrival in the ceremonial space, we are all welcomed in and given time to settle. As we enter, we can already feel the vibration of prayer. In some time, one of the team members gives an introduction to the night which goes into full depth of what we should and shouldn’t do. These are practical and spiritual tips to support your journey. We share about the importance of using your breath as a way to calm the nervous system, tips on prayer and ways to connect with the Yage, what is the flow of the evening, and many other pointers.

Always before the night starts the Taita, who is leading the ceremony will offer some ancestral words and then he will pray on the medicine with some of the team. The journey itself will start around 9pm and goes until the sun comes out in the morning. During the night every participant will receive a healing directly with the Taita and team. We also have live musicians playing and there is space to dance. In our ceremonies there is a fire present and there is an area where we can go outside and connect with nature. In the morning time there is space for questions and sharing. The Taita will also have a morning ancestral wisdom talk and then we all go for breakfast together.

In the day we recommend everyone to rest as much as possible. In this lineage we have two ceremonies back-to-back nights because we find this is the way we get the deepest healing. The first night is often more bitter and the second is sweeter so in this way we find balance. In the first night we often have emotions, pains or traumas that surface and the medicine is cleaning this out of our system. In the second night we are lighter and more open to connect with the medicine and we can uncover insights for our life.

If you have never tried the medicine before and there is something drawing you towards it then it’s worth a try. In the end it may not be a path you continue to follow but it could also bring a big shift in our lives. If there is hesitancy around joining also know that you can go at your own pace. As an example, if you feel you would prefer to start with a little bit of medicine then you can share this with us during your consultation with Taita and we will work accordingly. Taita himself always explains that this is a path of patience and so each of us can find a rhythm that feels appropriate.

A different plant medicine ceremony will be facilitated privately for any women on their moon during the drinking nights.

To be read more and understand why, head here.

You can read a full diet explanation here, including dangerous medication mixes and thigns to avoid.