Jungle Tea, Tree Frogs, Shamans, and Transformation Retreats in Peru

 At some point in life, most of us have a golden opportunity to be part of something superlative, or we experience something spectacular that changes the way we think. Many undergraduates have opportunities to travel abroad on a low budget and return to school transformed. Then there are also recreational drugs that can alter the way we think and offer us citizenship for a parallel universe. What if there was something better than all these experiences combined, which you could be part of at will for a week or more? If it sounds exciting or sends a chill down your spine, then a mind and body retreat center in the heavenly Amazon jungle might be precisely the place for you! It's not going to be an extended acid trip or a phantasmagoric magic mushroom dream, it's a well-coordinated trip to a beautiful lodge one hour away from the Amazon's largest city called Iquitos (Peru). 

An authentic Amazonian experience at holistic retreats in Peru

The entire experience, from the US to Lima (capital of Peru) and then via Iquitos to Santa Maria is a package that spreads over three months, starting from before you fly to Peru to guidance after returning. If the thought of South America means drugs and soccer for you, this is something entirely different! You will be eating organic food made with ingredients from local farms and live on a hill where your accommodation has the Amazon jungle in the backdrop and a river view from the front of the lodge. Whether it's called holistic retreats or transformational retreats, the village of Santa Maria will be your home for the duration of your stay in this part of Peru. One of the reasons that many are attracted to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is the jungle which is sadly shrinking in size with fewer trees every year. Another reason is the opportunity to experience Ayahuasca and San Pedro under the supervision of a genuine shaman.

The trip to Santa Maria and stay at the mind and body retreat center in the Amazon jungle can be divided into 'jungle tours' and 'plant medicine.' It's best to do thorough research on both independently. For those who might have tried Ayahuasca in the past, it might not seem like a big deal until you take a walk through the towering trees and stop to watch the wildlife. Two medicines derived from plants are shared by the shaman, i.e. Ayahuasca and San Pedro. But there's also poison from a local tree frog called 'Kambo,' which is introduced into your bloodstream through a peculiar ritual worth experiencing. The substances in these natural medicines first cause discomfort before taking you to a psychedelic wonderland of hallucinations and feelings of being empowered for several hours.

A mind and body retreat in the Amazon jungle

The holistic and transformation retreats in Peru meld your mind, spirit, heart, and body together for a superior understanding of your gifts and weaknesses. Yoga and meditation are a crucial part of the seven-day program and help you delve deep into your conscious and unconscious mind. Some visitors extend their stay beyond seven days and six nights for more experiments with Kambo and Ayahuasca.

The package offered is comprehensive and includes everything that makes your transformation into a responsible citizen of planet earth blissful. Everything, like deluxe shared accommodation, all meals, workshops, two Ayahuasca ceremonies, two Kambo ceremonies, one San Pedro session, jungle tours, yoga, meditation, and logistics for the airport are part of the package. There are two more parts to this program. Before the retreat, there's individual coaching and a group introduction call with around 8 or 9 people. After the retreat, they organize two group coaching and one individual coaching call over two months​. It's all part of their way to ensure self-realization by aligning your heart, body, mind, and spirit. Keep checking the internet for their next program, which is usually announced 2-3 times a year.

Final thoughts

Whether the Incas or Native Americans have intrigued you for a long time, you have the opportunity of a lifetime to be a part of something which will bring out the tribal in you! Exotic food, yoga, meditation, piranhas, dolphins, alligators, and more are all part of this surreal package in Amazon country.