Luxury is the antithesis of ayahuasca. Ayahuasca teaches us humility, simplicity, connection to nature and to appreciate the little things in life that we often take for granted. These non-tangible connections/experiences/moments are what offer true happiness and joy in life. Luxury does not factor into that equation. As we all well know, money cannot buy happiness.
 

When we think of ‘luxury’ things like excess, extravagance, unnecessary expense, comfort, and pampering to come mind. Ayahuasca teaches us to value the opposite of those things. Healing does not come from a place of comfort or the pursuit of material things. Ayahuasca experiences push us to the edge and then beyond our comfort zones, stripping us down to a raw and authentic self. This ego shattering experience is part of the growth process. It allows us to reflect on life’s struggles and see them from a different perspective. Ayahuasca helps us find a harmonious co-existence with mother earth and a loving acceptance of one’s spirit and being. That is where you will find peace.
 

Yet with the rise in popularity of Ayahuasca, many retreats have opened to cater specifically to the wealthy, promising a holistic healing experience from the comfort of a 5-start resort with a price tag upward of $7000. It seems opposing not only in ideology but in practice, considering the indigenous roots of ayahuasca. It is not hard to imagine what the indigenous people of the Amazon must think of Westerners running off to their luxury resort to have an ‘authentic ayahuasca experience.’
 

Unfortunately, we turned into one of those retreats. For 8 years we rented and worked in a humble but comfortable home with basic amenities. It was steps above a hut in the jungle but a far cry for plush accommodations and stem cell treatments. Then, due to circumstances beyond our control, we were pushed to leave our little retreat and searched high and low for a new place to call home. Finding a 10 plus bedroom place in Costa Rica with an affordable rental price, enough privacy and a ceremonial space is not an easy feat. Through what felt like divine intervention, we connected with a retreat that checked all the boxes, so we signed a contract and jumped in. While we never increased our prices anywhere near what other ‘luxury ayahuasca retreats’ we still found ourselves hosting in a place that felt way too ‘nice’ and didn’t quite align with our values of simplicity, honoring nature and getting back to the roots of our ancestors.
 

Still, we felt we ended up there for a reason, our guests were happy and we were still able to keep our pricing under $4000, less than most of the retreats in Costa Rica, so we justified it to ourselves and persisted. The one thing that was non-negotiable for us was the need to build a separate and designated ceremonial space, to which the owner agreed. Yet, after months of planning, the owner pulled out of the agreement at the last moment. While it felt devastating at the time, we know that all things happen for a reason and was trusted that ayahuasca would guide us where we were meant to be. After spending 3 months in the jungles of Peru, we came to the realization that we had to base our decisions on the integrity of our values and our business, even at risk of failure, so we decided to leave that retreat.
 

The universe, in all its magic, came through for us and we were able to find a much more ayahuasca apporpriate facility, not only in layout but in energy. Moving to the new space felt like a warm embrace from ayahuasca, a comfort of ‘coming home’.
 

We had many lovely ceremonies and had so many beautiful people come through the retreat during our year of luxury, and that’s not to say that healing can happen in that setting. But there is definitely a disconnect, a dissonance to the experience and while guests were happy with the location, many gave feedback that it did not harmonize well with ayahuasca. We’ve lived months in Peru in a hut with no electricity and we’ve hosted retreats in a super luxurious location. All this is to say, we’ve learned a very valuable lesson. and can definitively say that luxury does not belong in the ayahuasca experience.