Registration is open for this retreat. Only 15 spots available.
When: January 15 - 21, 2023
Where: 2.5 hours from Quito, Ecuador
Cost: $2,000 per person
Includes lodging, food, medicine, accompaniment and live SP-EN translation
*Transportation not included but can be arranged.
When: January 15-21, 2023
Location: Mindo, about 2.5 hrs from Quito
Price: $2,000 per person (not including transfer fees)
Retreat guides: Paulina, Tatiana and other healers renown for their work (see full list)
Price Includes: food, accommodation, ceremonies & accompaniment
Weather: Warm, comfortable days, cool evenings – generally rainy, but in a lush, tropical way (not like winter).
Background on this LGBTQ+ ayahuasca retreat
Along with women’s spiritual retreats, we are starting to organize regular ayahuasca retreats for LGBTQ+ identifying people (now LGBTQIA+). Read more about our reasoning below, as well as details about upcoming retreats.
Hi everyone. Sandra here from Alma Healing Center 🙂 I decided to write this in the first person since I identify so strongly with the topic.
I identify as female, but am masculinized by society and am quite androgynous in my appearance.
In ceremony circles here in South America, I have found that though intentions are usually good, there is a lack of sensitivity and understanding of a gay person’s experience, both in this world and in our internal worlds, where we may grapple with our sexual identities, feelings of shame and connection with our spirituality, the divine – i.e. our spiritual path.
Gender and sexually-diverse people may not feel understood or even accepted in these medicine circles, particularly in fully indigenous-led settings, though also is more modern and seemingly inclusive retreat settings.
Most of these places claim non-judgement, but when an experienced medicine man or woman comes out of the closet, they are quite intentionally removed from their position of leadership – as would happen in a conventional Christian church, or other religious institution.
I imagine other minorities feel the same way and believe safe, inclusive spaces should be available for those that may need them. For this reason, we will start organizing plant medicine retreats for LGBTQ+ people.
The price of this 7 day LGBTQ+ spiritual retreat ($2,000 per person) includes:
- Specialized workshops: The workshops are community and individual work spaces with highly experienced guides of repute, known for the topics they address. As a small group, we can put each of our purposes on the table to work through them accompanied and contained.
- 3 Medicine Ceremonies: 2 ayahuasca and 1 San Pedro
- 2 Temazcal/sweatlodges: Opening and closure
- 1 half day hike (1.5hrs each way) along marked trails to connect with nature and birdwatch
Reserve by emailing: [email protected]
LGBTQ+ ayahuasca retreat retreat description
After living in Ecuador for over a decade and drinking plant medicine for just as long, I have been blessed to meet true healers, in many senses of the word. These are people that believe and practice compassion, open-mindedness, and universal love. They are also people that have walked the spiritual path with plant medicine for decades, understanding how the medicine works and how to hold space for others even in the most difficult circumstances.
What makes these retreats so unique is that not only are they led by healers and workshop leaders that identify LGBTQ+, they are also led in a traditional way, following practices and rituals shared over generations, but discarding the patriarchal and machista beliefs, rules and practices that have taken over even modern-day “authentic” traditional ceremonies among indigenous communities.
The idea for this LGBTQ+ ayahuasca retreat is simply to provide a specific space. In other retreats or ceremonies, LGBTQ+ people may avoid telling their shaman of ceremony guide about their sexual identify, whether or not they are grappling with it. At this retreat, there is also no need to mention it, necessarily, because everyone around you either identifies as LGBTQ+ or is an ally.
Reserve by emailing: [email protected]
Is this retreat for me?
This retreat is open to anyone that identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual/aromantic/agender and for anyone within that spectrum.
This retreat is for anyone that would like to experience:
- Therapeutic spaces to confront shame, guilt and traumatic experiences relating to your sexuality or sexual identify
- The opportunity to address and heal your relationships with the opposite sex, often rooted in relationships with parents and/or traumas.
- The opportunity to learn more about your internal masculinity and femininity, how you choose to present to the world, and how to process feelings and reactions in yourself and by the external world.
- The opportunity to connect with that which is divine (God, Pachamama, the Great Spirit, the universe – anything goes) and to reignite your spiritual path.
- True origins of traditional plant medicine and spiritual practices
- Exploration of your body’s natural sensuality and how you feel in your body, about your anatomy.
The purpose of this retreat is not political, it is spiritual. Though it is done in a group setting – and much healing can from this – the purpose of the retreat is to facilitate introspection for each individual and, thus, healing. In other words, this is not a place for intense political debates or activism, it a place to practice compassion, love (including self love), inclusion, forgiveness.
Reserve by emailing: [email protected]
Retreat healers / hosts
This retreat will involve a group of female healers and 1 male elder (for one of the ceremonies).
The healers come from diverse backgrounds and are highly experienced. Many of them are recognized as leaders in their path or with their medicine. All of them identify either as LGBTQ+ or as allies.
Tatiana Dávila
Activity: Family Constellations Workshop
Family constellations provided a movement that makes it easier for us to free ourselves from transgenerational patterns that are repeated unconsciously, to leave weights that we carry from our ancestors, to order our family clan so that love can flow between its members and to receive strength and the support of our family tree. When in therapy we find “our place” in the family clan, we know what our space is in the world and we can develop and be with freedom.
For 22 years I have been related to this therapy that brought much healing to my life and now it is my desire to share that gift with more people. I started my path in healing 27 years ago. I practice gestalt psychotherapy, art therapy, family constellations, flower therapy, accompaniment with ancestral therapies and the path of plant medicine in various ways. I work with clay, seeds, stones, wood to create instruments that honor the altars and connect us with our deep and divine being.
Paulina Quilla Pakari -Tsunkinua
Activity: Sacred Sensuality Workshop
Paulina received the Chakana altar, Andean table, and Heart of the Carnation altar from the Andean elders. She has been working with ancestral medicines for about 15 years. Founder of the collective group Mujeres de Luna, she works with chants as a prayer for healing of the spirit and body. She is a Leader of the Sacred Fire of Itzachilatlan and a conductor of temazcals.
Bárbara López
Assisting
I have been a vision seeker and sun dancer since I was 13 years old. For more than half my life, power plants have been my companions, advisors and teachers. I have supported and worked in ceremonies for many years and would be happy to show you around the land during a hike since I am also a professional tour guide.
Schedule for 7 day LGBTQ+ Ayahuasca Retreat
The schedule for this retreat is still being defined, but will include the following:
- Opening Temazcal
- Family Constellations Session
- Sacred Sensuality Workshop
- Ceramics workshop – connecting mind and body
- Medicine music workshop
- San Pedro Ceremony in Sweatlodge
- Nature walk/hike (1.5 hrs each way)
- Closing Temazcal
Food, Lodging and Translation
Conscious and healthy food
For seven days we will eat vegetarian, dairy and sugar-free meals rich in local fruits and vegetables. This will help us detoxify our body and cleanse our lymphatic system.
Lodging
During these seven days we will live in a wooden house with all the essential amenities, a kitchen, dining room, living room and outdoor balconies. The rooms are shared between two women.
Simultaneous translation
All events will have simultaneous translation into English. Several members of the team speak English; no event will be held without proper translation.
Location and Transportation
The retreat is located 2.5 hours from Quito airport. We will coordinate arrival and departure transportion according to participants’ itineraries. It costs 70 dollars each way by taxi and if it is shared between up to 4 participants the value is 18 dollars.
What to pack for this retreat
Not sure what to pack for your retreat? Here are a few recommendations:
- Sun protection – sunscreen, hat, sunglasses (remember, we are on the equator; the sun is strong!)
- Clothes to hike in like: short sleeve or lightweight long sleeve shirts, shorts, light pants
- Sweaters – evening can get chilly
- Waterproof jacket or poncho
- 3 full change of clothes
- Head lamp
- Sarong or wrap for entering sweat lodge (optional)
- Flip-flops or sandals to wear when not in hiking boots
- Hiking or trekking boots, closed toes
- Medication you may need
- Kindle, book and/or journal
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Phone for pictures – no photos allowed during ceremonies
- Bug spray
- Cash, especially small change
- Ear plugs & sleep mask – accommodations are shared
Photo Gallery - LGBTQ+ Spiritual Retreat 2022
