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OUR STORY

 PLANT MEDICINE RETREATS SINCE 2014

Matt and Jeanae are the founders of New Life Rising. They first met in Costa Rica in 2014 while seeking treatment for their respective opiate dependencies using another plant medicine called iboga. Shortly after, they started a small retreat to help others find healing through psychedelic therapy. During that time, they had the opportunity to experience the power of ayahuasca. There was a magnetic pull guiding them, and every step in their journey led them closer to her. While their retreat initially focused on iboga treatments, it quickly became clear that they were connected to ayahuasca in a profound way, so they followed the call and slowly transitioned to working with ayahuasca.

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To deepen their understanding of plant medicine and the spiritual realm, they sought out a teacher in Peru and were introduced to Ron Wheelock, also known as the 'Gringo Shaman of the Amazon'. This marked the beginning of their lifelong journey of doing plant medicine dietas, learning ceremonial songs called Icaros, and learning to heal others.

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At New Life Rising, we have taken great care in creating our ayahuasca retreat program. We have grown in unexpected and beautiful ways since our humble beginnings and every year has been a unique opportunity for us to grow both professionally and personally.  Using guest feedback from the last decade, we’ve modified our retreat to encompass a balance of complementary healing modalities, time for reflection, and community support. We invite you to disengage from the fast pace of the world and fully retreat into a deeper connection with yourself and nature.

JEANAE

After a toxic and emotionally abusive relationship, Jeanae found herself hopeless, depressed, and suicidal. She turned to heroin to numb the pain. After the failure of every traditional treatment program, she turned to plant medicine for help.

MATTHEW

Matthew was confronted with death at the early age of 18 by a rare bone cancer diagnosis. This experience ignited a search for life’s meaning and curiosity with spirituality. However, substance abuse created a roadblock on his path to self-discovery.

COMMITMENT TO GROWTH

A LIFE-LONG HEALING JOURNEY

Our ayahuasqueros Matthew and Jeanae are completely dedicated to their craft. They have been training in Peru since 2015 with their teacher, world-renowned shaman Don Ron Wheelock and complete plant medicine dietas in the heart of the Amazon jungle. 

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Matthew and Jeanae have made a lifelong commitment to working with ayahuasca and their connection to the medicine is clear.

 

Our ceremonies are performed with respect to the Peruvian Mestizo traditions and are offered in darkness. Participants sit in silence while the journey is guided through music and song. Matthew and Jeanae sing Icaros, play the guitar, drum, flute and a number of other instruments to guide the participant through the experience.

Facility
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THE MALOCA

THE CEREMONY HOUSE

The maloca is the heart of the retreat. It is a ceremony house, spaceship, portal, and energy vortex all rolled into one. In 2024, we had the pleasure of constructing a maloca exclusively for our use. The design was thoughtfully and intentionally created to enhance the acoustics of the Icaros while providing a foundation for healing. In the base of the structure are 12 powerful crystals surrounded by Mapacho for protection. Each ceremony adds to the energetic power of the space as we call our spirit allies to support us in our healing.

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