14 Best Ayahuasca Retreat Washington 2024

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For deeper insights into what makes up a safe and quality plant medicine retreat, check out the results from our recent plant medicine retreats survey.

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1. If you’d like a holistic understanding of your opportunities to improve your quality of life, take this self-diagnostic.

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2. If this is your first time with Ayahuasca, this short quiz will help you assess your level of mental, emotional, and spiritual readiness for this powerful and sensitive work.

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3. If you’d like to understand more about the nature of psychedelic healing work, human potential, and who and what you really are, watch the video below.

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Like most things in life, there are a broad variety of Ayahuasca retreat options, and a number of factors that effect the safety, quality, and cost of an ayahuasca retreat:

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1. Safety First: Unfortunately, many small retreat centers are not in a position to make meaningful investments into screening and safety. Even if you're fine, someone else on retreat might not be, which can affect the overall experience. Our recommendation is to choose a retreat provider that does in-depth conversational, medical, and psychological screening to protect your safety and well-being.
2. Legality: Experienced practitioners who have dedicated their lives to plant medicine typically live in locations where the work is legal, so they don't have to live in a state of uncertainty about their work Our recommendation is to travel to legal locations where you can benefit from legitimate healers who operate above the radar, so you can truly relax on retreat.
3. Size of the group: It's common for retreats to have 20, 50, even 100 people in ceremony, which can be chaotic to say the least. In such large groups you are less likely to receive a sufficient level of attention from the facilitators. Our recommendation is to choose a retreat with an intimate group, in the range of 8-15 people.
4. Length of the retreat: Shorter retreats feel rushed, do not support the cultivation of meaningful relationships, and can limit what can be achieved in time available. We recommend you spend at least a week for an ayahuasca retreat to give your mind, body, heart, and soul the attention it deserves.
5. ‍‍Comfort: We recommend you choose a retreat where you are confident that you will be physically comfortable and have your own private bedroom to decompress and integrate, especially if this is your first time. Go for the full jungle mosquito immersion another time, your future self will thank you later.
6. Alignment: Select a retreat that feels aligned with your values and allows your own subjective experience to unfold naturally. There are many different worldviews out there and having a different worldview pushed on you through the retreat may not be in your highest healing interests. This is also particularly relevant for first-timers.
7. Holistic approach: Work with an organization that takes a holistic approach to working with plant medicine, and has options to support and guide your mental and emotional evolution alongside a retreat. If a provider implies that "medicine will solve all your problems", proceed with caution.
8. ‍Service: Select a retreat that you believe can meet your individual needs. Are you being treated as a human, or as participant #22 in their fourth retreat this month? Consider whether or not they've taken the time to get to know you and understand you, or it's more of a take it or leave it retreat center.
9. Booking process: Take the time to speak with the provider before finalizing your booking. If the provider does not have a screening process in place during the booking process anyone could be sitting next to you in ceremony. Some people are not in the right place to work with this powerful plant medicine, and it is the responsibility of the organizers to ensure that only people who can handle ayahuasca are accepted onto the retreat.
10. Expertise: Find an organization that emphasizes healing, and you believe has the breadth and depth of expertise to guide your transformation. Look for facilitators and healers who have a lightness of being and a sparkle in their eyes. Healing work is all about the transmutation of energy, so you are looking for people who have the energy you aspire to. If they aren't able to keep their energy right, that tells you quite a bit about either where they are at and their capabilities.
11. Reputation: At a minimum, Google the provider, you may be surprised by what you find. If there's not much information, that is also information. A reputable retreat center will have a professional online presence with testimonials from previous retreat attendees. This is essential for you to see that they are a legitimate organization who you can trust to contain this powerful experience.
12. Volunteers: Please support ethical plant medicine work by selecting an organization that pay their team. Unfortunately, it is common practice for retreat centers to cycle through young, eager, and worn out volunteers and/or not pay healers fairly. If the people supporting your retreat aren't living their best lives , they're not going to be able to lead you to yours. Don't be shy to ask this question directly when you speak to prospective centers.

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Who you choose to attend an Ayahuasca retreat with is undoubtedly one of the most important decisions in your life, especially the first time.

We encourage you to take the time and energy to do your research, follow your intuition, and to know why you are choosing a specific retreat.

If our recommendations above resonate with you, and you'd like to explore a transformational journey with Behold, click on "Begin Your Journey" below to request a complimentary Discovery Call with one of our Medicine Guides.

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Want to know what a well-run retreat is like? We asked some of our past guests to do the impossible and summarize their retreat experience with us in 1 word.

Watch the video to get a sense of the magic that's possible.

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The world is changing. Are you?

As the market for Ayahuasca tourism grows, so does the number of institutions that offer it as a service for soul seekers. Traditionally, an Ayahuasca tourist seeking divine healing was required to travel as pilgrims to the jungles of Costa Rica or Pucallpa in deepest Peru to undertake their spiritual transformation. Now, as demand grows, there is more availability closer to home.

It isn’t always easy to determine the good from the bad, the genuine shamans from the imposters.

We at Behold have spent hours researching the ayahuasca healing opportunities and psychedelic experiences in the USA so that you don’t have to.

A decade ago, the ayahuasca healing industry was virtually unknown inside the US. Only a small number of low-key ayahuasca churches conducted ceremonies. Now, as more people are interested in ancient remedies and ayahuasca tourists span the globe, business is booming.

Due to the presence of DMT, a class A drug, Ayahuasca is illegal in the USA. Several exemptions to this law have been issued on religious grounds. The Church of Santo Daime and União do Vegetal are both considered a legal ayahuasca church operating in the country. Both of which require membership to their organizations before individuals can participate in healing ceremonies.

The decriminalization of other plant-based drugs has presented a glimmer of hope. But until the issue is solved, there are still risks surrounding participation on US soil.

Ayahuasca is an ancient South American hallucinogenic tea with extraordinary healing properties brewed by mixing the banisteriopsis caapi vine and the psychotria viridis bush. The effects of the Ayahuasca brew are similar to other hallucinogens like psilocybin mushrooms, ketamine and peyote.  People liken the experience to finding a pathway to the divine. Recent medical research conducted by some of the country’s top Universities has concluded that there are clear healing benefits to hallucinatory therapies.

Further information relating to all things ayahuasca, please reference our comprehensive guide. You can find an in-depth guide to choosing the most suitable wellness retreat here.

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The Legalities of Ayahuasca in the USA

Now, it's important to keep in mind that DMT (the active component in Ayahuasca) is a Schedule 1 drug, and illegal in the USA. That being said, you don't need to travel all the way to Latin America to experience a sacred ceremony. A handful of Ayahuasca retreat centers in the USA operate under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), a legal safeguard giving protection to ceremonies performed for religious purposes within the context and beliefs of that tradition. While the RFRA does give some protection to facilitators and guests, the majority of expert practitioners prefer to work outside of these limitations, choosing instead to travel to destinations like Costa Rica, Mexico, or Iquitos or the Sacred Valley in Peru.

There's no right or wrong here, but in our experience, people benefit greatly from working with sacred plant medicine in a context aligned to (or at very least not in contradiction with) the world in which they live.  Indigenous healers are naturally more equipped to work with the needs of indigenous people, which may not always be relevant or useful for people from the West who are more inclined towards issues of depression, anxiety, PTSD, relationship issues, stress, disconnection from nature, etc.  On the other hand, working with someone who comes from a long lineage of healers can be a once in a lifetime experience.  It's all about your intention - what is aligned with your heart's true calling?

Regardless of what you choose, we highly recommend speaking with the healing center to ensure that you feel confident and comfortable, beyond just reading many ayahuasca retreat reviews online.  Follow your intuition.  There are many great centers out there, but maybe only one that's great for you.

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‍Top Ayahuasca Retreat Washington and nearby

If you're looking for a retreat that offers spiritual healing, personal growth and a connection with nature, you might want to consider visiting one of the top retreat centers located near Washington, USA. 

These retreats provide an opportunity to explore the powerful healing potential of plant medicine, such as ayahuasca, under the guidance of experienced shamans and facilitators. 

Whether you're seeking to overcome personal challenges, deepen your spiritual practice, or gain a greater understanding of yourself and the world around you, these retreats offer a unique and powerful way to do so. In this article, we will be highlighting the top ayahuasca retreat Washington that specializes in plant medicine and spiritual healing in their healing center.

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1. Behold Retreats in Costa Rica & Mexico:

Because of the legal grey areas, Behold Retreats doesn't facilitate Ayahuasca in the USA, but we do offer some very close-by options. As we mentioned, there are very few places in the USA serving Ayashuca legally, so if you're willing to take a short flight, Behold Retreats offers a holistic and modern approach to plant medicine refined over serving 1,500+ clients. Our organization curates and facilitates life-changing plant medicine journeys with an emphasis on client goals, preparation, and integration.

Guests of Behold Retreats can also choose between a variety of other entheogens, locations, and options, for example a small group retreat overlooking the jungle in Costa Rica, on the dutch country side with Psilocybin in the Netherlands or perhaps a culturally immersive encounter in the golden mountains of Mexico with 5-MeO-DMT (Bufo).

For those who do choose to attend a retreats in the USA, Behold Retreats offers high quality coaching before and after your retreat, and we can point your in the direction of a trusted retreat within the country.  Apply for a free consultation with a plant medicine expert to share your individual needs and preferences, and to understand whether (or not) there is a mutual fit.

Group retreat sizes are smaller than most retreat centers - typically no more than 10-12.

Client safety and confidentiality are given the highest importance, and healers, facilitators, therapists, and coaches have decades of experience under their belt.

Find out more information, or apply for a free consultation.

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2. Behold Private Retreats

Behold Ayahuasca Retreats

Behold retreats are as versatile as they are dedicated. With their private retreats, every individual can be catered for no matter what guidance they need and all aspects of the ayahuasca ceremony can be tailored. Allow Behold’s team of experts to craft the perfect wellness retreat designed specifically for you.

Their private retreat gives you the freedom to specify the psychedelic therapy to be used, the spiritual leaders involved, the size and composition of the group, and even the location where the healing will take place. And with partners across the globe and a large team of knowledgeable staff, you can undertake your journey wherever you desire. You could have your ayahuasca vine experience in the exotic city of Iquitos in Peru or even in your own home.

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3. Cosmic Valley Native American Church

Ayahuasca Retreat Washington

Cosmic Valley Native American Church conducts healing ceremonies in Seattle Washington as well as in Oregon and California. Retreats occur every three to four weeks, but it’s best to check the website for availability due to high demand.

Cosmic Valley Native American Church provides indoor ceremonies spread over three days, with accommodation and meals provided. Groups are relatively small, generally consisting of eight to ten members, with two facilitators. In order to attend, you must be a member of the Native American Church and have a CNAC approved application. You can find details of the application process on their website.

Not considered to be traditional shamans, the Cosmic Valley Native American Church uses up-to-date methods with guidance provided by highly trained staff.

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4. The União do Vegetal (UDV)  

Ayahuasca Retreat Washington

Along with Santo Daime, UDV is one of two organizations to receive an exemption for the use of ayahuasca (referred to Hoasca in UDV) on religious grounds. Following a strict religious doctrine based around Christianity and Reincarnationism, the Hoasca tea drinking ceremony is ingrained deeply into their doctrine. Boasting 21,000 thousand members in 11 different countries, UDV has seven Churches in the USA. They have one church in Seattle Washington.

Like ayahuasca, the hoasca is brewed into a sacred tea using the banisteriopsis caapi vine and the psychotria viridis bush, which they use to reach a higher spiritual plane. Ceremonies are deeply sacrosanct and adhere to strict religious tenets. As such, the healing session is not open to the general public. Only members of the church are able to attend.

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5. Church of the Holy Light of the Queen

Ayahuasca Retreat Oregon

Based just over the border in Oregon, Church of the Holy Light of the Queen (CHLQ) is a member of the Santo Daime religious organization. Like UDC, Santo Daime went to a great deal of effort to ensure their followers can legally practice the ayahuasca ceremony within the USA.

Another member-only affair, CHLQ is decidedly more relaxed than the UDV churches. Rituals take place in a large, comfortable tent on the grounds of the CHLQ farmstead, set in a small orchard. Food and accommodation are all catered for.

The ritual itself spans four days, involving three days of daime (ayahuasca) ceremonies and one day of hymnal work. Santo Daime practitioners and churches generally keep a low profile and may prove difficult to contact.

6. Origen Sangrada Retreat

Ayahuasca Retreat Warner Springs, California

Based out of Warner Springs, California, Origen Sangrada is dedicated to improving the wellbeing of all who come seeking spiritual guidance and healing. Through the power of natural medicines, their aim is to assist individuals in locating a path to improve their lives.

The Origen Sangrada wellness retreat takes place at an exceptional ranch in Warner Springs with access to the picturesque local countryside. The ayahuasca ceremony is facilitated by husband-and-wife Abuelo Claudino and Abuelite Bernadita Perez, who are traditional spiritual leaders from the Colombian Muray tribe. The retreat typically lasts for three days and includes two cups of ayahuasca tea, traditional music and herbal plant blessings. The session will culminate with a period of self-reflection.

7. Oklevueha Native American Church of the Peaceful Mountain Way

Kentucky Ayahuasca retreat

Oklevueha Native American Church is a multi-disciplinary retreat offering a multitude of life-improving workshops. As well as the ayahuasca ceremony, attendees can immerse themselves in tai chi, kung fu, yoga, qi gong, and many other practices. In addition, they offer instruction on diet, nutrition, and herbology.

Considering itself to be a spiritually adopted, independent faction of the Oklevueha Native American Church, they are on hand to serve the spiritual needs of soul seekers hailing from all parts of the world.

The ayahuasca church offers different kinds of a psychedelic experience, including ayahuasca, peyote, San Pedro, and marijuana. Interested parties can apply for membership via their website.

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8. New Haven Native American Church

Ayahuasca Retreat Missouri

New Haven is a legally established independent Native American Church dedicated to protecting and restoring the practices of the Native American People. Run by indigenous communities, they are well versed in a number of ancient psychedelic substances, including, but not limited to, ayahuasca, peyote, breathwork, sweat lodges, and sacred breath ceremonies.

The ayahuasca Church follows ancient Native American philosophies but stops short of providing religious teachings. As such, anyone of any faith system is welcome to join the fold.

Due to the current legislative restrictions, ceremonies are not advertised but are conducted on an invitation-only basis. Contact them via their website for more details.

9. Pachamama Sanctuary

Ayahuasca Retreat New Hampshire

Working on a donation basis, Pachamama offers a weekend sacred ayahuasca retreat in New Hampshire. The three-day event includes 2 ceremonies, integration, workshops, and breathwork. Additional, ongoing, and indefinite integration is provided at no extra cost. Meals and accommodation are all included.

Rather new to the scene, Pachamama was founded in 2019, but despite not being as established as their counterparts, the fully qualified team has over 20 years of ayahuasca experience between them. Rituals are conducted by Ecuadorian mystic Freddy Larossa and Colombian mother and son outfit Maima María Manesita Queta and Taita Luis Alberto Quetaof the Cofan tribe.

Pachamama prides itself on providing a safe, loving, and respectful environment for attendees to achieve their spiritual potential. Consequently, they are happy to work with people from all walks of life to help find their inner peace.

10. Medicine Wheel, Austin, Texas

Ayahuasca Retreat Texas

Based out of Texas, Medicine Wheel has made it their mission is to explore the vast potential of sacred plant medicines and shamanic energy practices. On offer are a wide selection of sacred plant medicine therapies, including ayahuasca, tobacco tea, cacao, and Hapé and Sananga.

Led by the experienced and knowledgeable Shaba Ambro, who has spent many years working alongside the South American Shamanic community, Medicine Wheel promises to facilitate your spiritual journey in blissful comfort. With a key focus on safety and spiritual awakening, Medicine Wheel could prove to be the perfect balance between the rigid dogma of the strict religious Churches and the cowboy Shamans mixing ayahuasca brews in run-down trailer parks.

The retreat center itself is situated in the heart of nature, to allow for maximum spiritual wellbeing. Coupled with the eco-friendly accommodation, the location will provide the perfect atmosphere for your ayahuasca odyssey.

11. Muaisa Hale Pule ("As I Aum" Sanctuary)

Ayahuasca Retreat Hawaii

If you’re keen to undertake your ayahuasca journey in a tropical paradise but are reluctant to leave the comfort of the USA, Hawaii could be the option for you.

Muaisa Hale Pule (“As I Aum” Sanctuary) is an off-the-path, shamanic refuge on the healing Kona Coast of Hawaii's Big Island. An official chapter of the New Haven Native American Church (NHNAC), Muaisa Hale Pule is a temple without walls, admission fees, and religious or New Age dogma.

Nestled in a tranquil pocket of heaven on the slopes of Mauna Loa, removed from Earth's major landmasses, and situated in the middle of world's largest ocean. The retreat center inhabits an area infused with the Spirit of Aloha, a location the ancients knew as "The Pathway to the God."  

As I Aum utilizes the indigenous psychotropic plant teachers of Hawaii in their ceremonies, which are comparable, if somewhat less physical than ayahuasca.

With no “fees” to speak of, applicants must provide a minimum required “donation” to participate in ceremonies. A variety of retreat options are available to suit the needs of all spiritual voyagers.

12. Vine of Enlightenment Tribal Church

Ayahuasca Retreat Arkansas

Deep in the mountains of Northwest Arkansas lies the Vine of Enlightenment Tribal Church. Dedicated to the truth, knowledge, wisdom, and love of mother ayahuasca, Vine of Enlightenment promises “spirituality to all who seek its truth.”

The expertly led healing sessions blend modern knowledge and ancient ayahuasca shamanism to provide the perfect mindset for your soul quest.

Ceremonies are held every third Saturday of each month, with sacrament reserved for tribal members only. However, non-members are welcome to participate in the non-hallucinatory aspects of the ceremony.

Modern shamans Gene and Tara run the retreat, with over 10 years of experience conducting ceremonies. They draw upon their strong beliefs to guide ayahuasca users as they find direction on the spiritual journey.

13. Sanctuary of our Lady Ayahuasca

Ayahuasca retreat Mexico

Priding itself on providing intimate ceremonies at a stunning beachside location, Sanctuary of our Lady Ayahuasca offers legal healing retreats across the border in Mexico.

Based out of the beautiful sun-drenched Rocky Point, the Sanctuary offers traditional ancient therapies and modern amenities. Ceremonies are conducted by ordained minister Alexis, who has over 15 years’ experience working with ayahuasca.

Visitors can expect two ceremonies held over four days, ceremony-compliant meals and comfortable accommodation. An experienced mental-emotional therapist is on hand to help prepare your mind and integrate you into the ayahuasca experience.

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14. Super Charged Pure Amazónica Sacred Plant Medicine Retreat

Ayahuasca Retreat Utah

Super Charged offers an integrative approach coupled with their signature ancient, indigenous sacred plant medicine recipe, which supports the rise from death to life with complete confidence and safety.

Run by modern shaman Bernice Anderson, the four-day retreat includes: Ice bathing in ayahuasca and other Fresh Plants and Herbs, two Evenings of the Amazonian ayahuasca shamanic ceremony, a one-day psilocybin mind and nature journey. The retreat finishes off with yogic body and breath work and QHHT (Quantum Healing Hypnosis Technique) past life regression.

The retreat is headquartered in Utah, but ceremonies are also available in Florida, Peru and Mexico.

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The Washington State is home to a variety of retreat centers and ayahuasca retreats that offer spiritual healing and personal growth opportunities through the use of plant medicine, specifically ayahuasca. These Ayahuasca retreat Washington and nearby, led by experienced shamans and facilitators, provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals to explore their inner selves and experience profound healing and transformation. 

Retreat centers are found in Seattle and other locations that are convenient to Washington, and they offer a wide range of programs that draw on the traditional practices of South American indigenous cultures. 

Ayahuasca retreat Washington provides a unique and powerful way to overcome personal challenges, deepen your spiritual practice, or gain a better understanding of yourself and the world around you. Seattle Washington is particularly known for the availability of these retreat centers and ayahuasca retreats that are easily accessible to residents and visitors alike.

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Still neeed some help choosing a retreat?

We would be honored to guide you in choosing the best retreat for your needs. Behold Retreats coordinates expertly guided retreats with Ayahuasca, Psilocybin, and 5-MeO-DMT (Bufo Alvarius) with highly experienced facilitators. Reach out to us to set up a complimentary discovery call and we can point you in the right direction.

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Read further...

5-MeO-DMT in Tepoztlan, Mexico

Ayahuasca in Costa Rica

Psilocybin in the Netherlands

5-MeO-DMT in Portugal‍

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