One of the things that I have come to appreciate from working alongside and learning from a woman who shares Ayahuasca, is that the innately feminine qualities are felt in the care provided for those who come to sit with the medicine.
Comfort has a level of priority that I’m not sure it has in a traditional setting. Of course, I can only speak from personal experience. I know I can feel the masculine energy when I participate in a ceremony guided by the medicine brothers in my community. I feel the masculinity from the force of the rapé that is applied to the ruggedness of the setup. This is not to say that it is bad, I have an appreciation for this style. I am simply stating what I have found to be my preference. My preference has come to be a ceremony style where the feminine qualities are felt. This is one of the things we seek to share at Renacer, a comfortable Ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador.
When someone who is not native to the land and/or is not familiar with the tradition is coming to drink Ayahuasca, feeling comfortable is extremely important.
Feeling comfortable is what makes it possible for one to open up, and being able to open and surrender is key to a profound experience with Ayahuasca.
So what does comfort mean, and what does a comfortable Ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador look like?
There are the physical aspects. Lodging that is clean and comfortable. Comfortable beds, clean bedding. Bathrooms with showers that have hot water. An environment that feels friendly or homey. This physical aspect extends to the ceremony space as well. While some traditions are strict and it is customary to remain seated in a chair all night throughout the ceremony, it is unlikely that this will be possible or comfortable for someone coming from such a different context than the one where the tradition originated.
One of the benefits of joining a more modern retreat, as opposed to going straight for the very traditional experience, is that modern retreats are often guided by individuals who have an understanding of how adaptations and accommodations to what’s considered traditional are helpful and even necessary to make it possible for those who come to sit with the sacred medicine to have a truly transformational experience. While it may not be traditional, mats or mattresses to sit and lie down on, pillows, and blankets are provided to ensure comfort. Everyone has a bucket should they need to relieve themselves, and toilet paper is brought to each person as needed. Whatever someone needs help with, we provide it to make it so that there’s less for the participants to “worry” about as they embark on their journey. We understand that participants are entering into a different state, and sometimes an arm to balance on while walking to the bathroom, or a hand to hold while going through a difficult moment makes all of the difference.
Another aspect related to comfort is safety – emotional and physical safety. For one to open up and allow themselves to become vulnerable, they must feel safe, making the role that facilitators and guides play extremely crucial. Not only is the facilitators’ training important, but so is the level of work they have done on themselves and the consistency with which they do it. Facilitators who embody compassion, empathy, emotional intelligence, and genuine care create an environment where participants can trust they are cared for. As facilitators, we are in service to the participants who put their trust in us to come and embark on this journey. That means it’s our responsibility to think of every aspect and every detail of the experience to ensure that we are doing right by the participant by doing everything we can to support their journey with Grandmother Ayahuasca.
This means we consider everything from before the retreat even begins, with a medical review to ensure it is safe for the person to drink ayahuasca. Then come the logistical pieces about the retreat itself, ensuring the accommodations are adequate, that the food is such that it supports the process that the individual is embarking on, and that the design of the retreat includes complementary activities and workshops that supports both the healing process and the integration of what’s discovered along the journey. Putting thought into these details is just some of what is done to ensure a comfortable Ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador is provided for those seeking to travel here for this experience.