AYAHUASCA IN TEXAS
Traditional Healing Retreats in USA
AYAHUASCA IN AUSTIN, TEXAS
FINDING THE RIGHT HEALING ENVIORNMENT
New Life Rising is excited to announce our new offerings - ayahuasca retreats in Austin, Texas! Starting in the spring of 2026, we will bring our signature 6 and 8 day retreat programs to the heart of Texas. Our next available retreat is April 15- 20, 2026.
New Life Rising will begin offering ayahuasca retreats in the United States in early 2026. Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to receive updates on our new offerings and locations.
Ayahuasca Retreats in the Texas: New Life Rising's Launch in 2026:
New Life Rising, an established provider of transformative retreats, is set to bring our ayahuasca retreats to the United States beginning in 2026. With over a decade of experience in Costa Rica, we have built our program on the pillars of safety, intimacy, tradition and integration. This expansion aims to make ayahuasca more accessible domestically, eliminating the need for international travel while adhering to legal and ethical standards. New Life Rising's United Sates retreats will offer a unique opportunity for US citizens to experience ayahusca in an authentic way without having to travel abroad to Costa Rica or Peru.
What Sets New Life Rising Apart:
What sets New Life Rising apart is our commitment to the immersion of the experience, approaching ayahuasca with patience, respect, reverence and intention. Healing cannot be rushed, and unlike most ayahuasca retreats in the United States that cram 2 or 3 ceremonies into a weekend, we offer the time to truly process experiences with a day of rest between ceremonies, offering integration circles and continued support after the retreat ends. This approach includes experienced facilitators, group sharing sessions, and post-retreat resources, ensuring participants can integrate insights and sustain positive changes in daily life.
Ayahuasca in Texas: Legal Status, RFRA Protections, and Retreat Opportunities
Ayahuasca, a traditional plant-based brew originating from the Amazon rainforest, has gained increasing recognition for its potential in personal growth, emotional healing, and spiritual exploration. In the United States, its use navigates a complex legal landscape, balanced by protections under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). This guide explores ayahuasca's background, legal framework, key developments, and emerging retreat options, including New Life Rising's planned U.S. expansion in 2026.
What is Ayahuasca?
Ayahuasca is a ceremonial brew traditionally used by indigenous communities in South America for centuries. It combines the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with Psychotria viridis leaves, resulting in a potent mixture that includes dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a naturally occurring psychedelic compound. Participants often report profound insights, emotional release, and a sense of connection during guided ceremonies. While ayahuasca remains classified under federal law as containing a Schedule I substance, its application in sincere religious or therapeutic contexts continues to evolve, offering pathways for safe and meaningful experiences.
The Role of RFRA in Protecting Ayahuasca Use
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), enacted in 1993, plays a pivotal role in safeguarding religious practices involving ayahuasca in the U.S. RFRA prohibits the federal government from substantially burdening an individual's sincere religious exercise unless it serves a compelling governmental interest and is the least restrictive means of achieving it. This legislation has enabled certain religious groups to obtain exemptions for ayahuasca use, emphasizing respect for spiritual traditions while addressing public safety concerns. As a result, RFRA provides a legal foundation for communities to incorporate ayahuasca into their practices, fostering an environment where faith-based healing can thrive without undue interference.
What to Expect
A THOUGHTFULLY PREPARED EXPERIENCE FROM START TO FINISH
From preparation to integration and everything in between, we've considered every element to maximize the benefit of ayhausca through blending ancient healing wisdom and modern therapeutic practices.
Allow yourself to fully retreat into an experience that is designed to nurture you every step of the way.
What's Included:
A SAFE, INTIMATE & TRAUMA-INFORMED HEALING EXPERIENCE
This is deep work, done right with experienced facilitators, small groups, and real support.
New Life Rising is honored to be recognized as one of the top-rated ayahuasca retreats in the world. After hosting transformative retreats in Costa Rica for over a decade, we are now bringing our ayahuasca retreat to the United States to share this medicine with those seeking profound healing and growth.
In exploring ayahuasca offerings across the U.S., one thing stood out: most events are condensed into a single weekend, often squeezing two or even three ceremonies into just a couple of nights! Then, before there’s even time to process, participants are sent back home, expected to jump straight into work on Monday. This model leaves little room for reflection, integration, or genuine support.
That is not how ayahuasca was ever meant to be experienced, nor is it the structure that brings the greatest healing or benefit. It was shocking to see the prevalence of these weekend retreats, and while we understand the temptation to squeeze in a ceremony without disrupting the flow of daily life, cutting corners ultimately does a disservice to your healing process.
With ayahuasca, more does not always equal better, whether in the number of ceremonies or the dosing itself. What matters most is preparation, intention, tradition, time, commitment, and integration. Most important is being held in a safe, ethical container by experienced guides who can lovingly support you through the transformative journey.
Recognizing the need for deeper & supportive healing opportunities, we've decided to bring our signature 6 and 8-day ayahuasca retreats to the United States. These immersions are more than a retreat, it's an experience in reflection, healing, and community.
Join us at New Life Rising Ayahuasca Retreat Costa Rica for traditional ayahuasca ceremonies. It's an opportunity to deeply connect with yourself and heal in a serene environment.
OUR MISSION & VALUES
SINCE 2014
Sharing the magic of this medicine is a great honor and a great responsibility. Ayahuasca has been the catalyst for every great transformation in our lives, and we are committed to guiding others on their journey to healing. We accept people from all walks of life in a non-judgmental environment.
As individuals who have had trauma experiences, we understand the importance of having a safe space that encourages vulnerability for authentic self-reflection and discovery. Healing can be painful, and we are here to support our guests so that they feel seen and held throughout the process.
For more than a decade, we have committed ourselves to this path, and we respect the Peruvian Mestizo traditions that have been handed down from our teacher and his teacher before him. As part of that tradition, we complete master plant dietas that give us the tools necessary to create a protected sacred ceremonial space.
We hope to help you find a renewed sense of peace and joy in your life as you embark on a beautiful journey to uncover your full potential.
SAFETY
PHYSICAL & ENERGETIC
Safety extends beyond the scope of medical considerations. It includes a protected ceremonial space and energetic safeguarding.
Your safety is our highest priority. From our comprehensive screening protocols to the meticulous preparation of the ceremonial container, you are protected every step of the way. We keep emergency medical equipment on site and our staff are trained in emergency response protocols. Using a trauma-informed approach, we create a protected energetic space and have the knowledge and experience to support even the most difficult experiences.
TRADITION
PERUVIAN MESTIZO TRADTIONS
Trained in the ancient Mestizo healing practices, we bring authenticity along with a balance of masculine and feminine to our space.
We honor a spiritual lineage of highly respected shamans, including our teacher Don Ron Wheelock, and his teachers before him: Don Agustin Rivas Vasquez and Don Jose Coral Mori, who also mentored Pablo Amaringo and Eduardo Luna, the authors of 'Ayahuasca Visions'. Through master plant dietas, Jeanae and Matt have gained powerful spirit allies and work in harmony, expertly weaving a playful balance of masculine and feminine energies.
INTIMACY
12 GUESTS - ONE SHARED PATH
The people you share this experience with will forge lifetime bonds and will impact your experience as much as the medicine itself.
Keeping the groups intimate ensures that we are able to provide everyone with individualized attention and create an atmosphere that feels like family. We also keep our groups small to ensure that we can manage the energetic container of each ceremony. Our retreats have a minimum of 4 facilitators: Our Ayahuasqueros Matthew and Jeanae, who lead the ceremony, along with 2 additional helpers: one female to assist the women and a male to assist the men.
INTEGRATION
MAKING THE HEALING LAST
Respectful, intimate group sharing circles begin the process of integration, and the support continues once you return home.
Our share circles are a place where each guest’s experience is honored and held with respect. We listen in supportive silence, and allow each guest to put words to their experiences, to feel their emotions, and to receive the loving support of their community. However, we know the work doesn't stop there, so we offer two follow-up integration calls, ensuring you have the guidance and connection needed as you navigate bringing your experience into everyday life.
THE SHAMAN
Matt and Jeanae have been working with plant medicine since 2014. It was through ceremonial work that they met and where their love was forged.
Together they have been trained through a powerful lineage of healers in the Peruvian Mestizo traditions going back generations. Matthew and Jeanae are deeply dedicated to their path and continue to grow in their work by traveling to the Amazon every year and completing master plant dietas. These dietas allow them to connect with the great spirits and receive insightful teachings and medicine songs called Icaros. They use these tools and songs in the ceremonies to guide the participants through the ayahuasca experience.
Matthew possesses a strong intuition and is highly sensitive to energetic subtleties. These skills allow him to adapt the songs of the ceremony to meet the energy needs of the room. Jeanae has a very gentle and nurturing energy. Her singing and flute playing invite softness into the space. Matthew brings a grounded masculine energy while Jeanae brings a motherly feminine energy, creating a perfect balance and play between the two polarities.
To provide responsible ceremonies, we limit our ayahuasca retreat size to 12 participants so that the energetic space is maintained with respect to each individual's experience. We offer our ayahuasca Texas retreat ceremonies in darkness, promoting an inward journey to heal the soul. Jeanae and Matthew are passionate about this work and lead each ceremony with love, compassion, and a desire to share the beauty of the sacred medicine with all who seek healing.
Your physical and emotional safety are our highest priority.
While ayahuasca is safe when used properly, there are a few medical conditions and medications that are contraindicated with ayahuasca. Every participant is asked to complete a medical questionnaire over the phone to ensure the safety of our ayahuasca retreats. In case of emergency, Matt and Jeanae are certified in CPR and have training with the use of our AED (Automated External Defibrillator). We are 25 minutes from a medical center.
Our small groups enable us to provide quality service and attention to every guest. Each ceremony is supported by 4 team members : Our ayahuasqueros, Matthew and Jeanae, who drink ayahuasca with each group to help guide the experience and 2 additional helpers, who do not drink during the ceremony and are there to assist any participant that may require attention. A male responds to the men and a female responds to the women, ensuring that everyone feels safe and comfortable during such a vulnerable and emotional experience.