I stayed at Sinchi Runa a year ago for a 10 day retreat, and more recently left after a 3 month deep immersion stay. I don’t know how to sum up all that was learned, understood, let go of, and more, in writing, for fear it being too long and putting you all to sleep!

I would say that since I grew out of being a baby, and could eat and drink by my self, my time at Sinchi Runa was the most vulnerable I’ve been. I’m very thankful to them that it was their care I was vulnerable. I could give so many examples of where I’m thankful that Sanango was ‘taking’ or ‘leading’ (I’m not exactly sure the word for it) the ceremony, but one that springs to mind was in an Ayahuasca ceremony, I was panicking! I asked for help, and Ananda and Sanango came to my aid and helped me process what I was going through. I recall many challenging Kambo ceremonies (In fact I think they all were) but two in particular, in hindsight, I feel blessed that it was Arjuna by my side. Arjuna was a great teacher to me, being in his presence, watching how he interacts with others, and hearing him speak in group sharing taught me a lot, in particular about my pride.

Initially, in my consultations with Sanango and Ananda, I was apprehensive to be open because I was cautious around Ananda, and this is nothing against Ananda, it was a reaction I am learning to step out of. I started to trust Ananda, I tried to leave no stone unturned in these consultations, because it became apparent that it was a privilege to have these two know me, all of me. That they were offering help if I was reaching out for it. I don’t want to portray Sanango as a mythical figure, a guru, or something along those lines, partly because I know he doesn’t want that, but it also doesn’t feel right to me. He is the wisest person I’ve come across. Every time I had the chance to speak to him I felt excited. Through my eyes He is brilliant. It seems to me He knows a lot about Love. I can’t fully express what it meant for me to have Sanango as my teacher, or ‘curandaro’. He is upholding or maintaining great teachings, or spirits, forces, at Sinchi Runa.

Ananda (tough act to follow) was a great teacher to me and I think he had a great understanding of my ‘process’ and what I was going through. I felt loved by Ananda and he too took great care in protecting my process. We also had a few good laughs. I would say the moments of social interaction with everyone at SinchiRuna were lovely.

The food was top notch, Fiona was cooking most of the time whilst I was there, and she is an amazing cook. I noticed how much care was taken in the cooking of the food, and the prep. My portion sizes were always to my desire, and I think I overate most of the time. Fiona was also significant in my journey, she’s great, and so comforting and caring, she made so much effort to protect and care for my ‘Process’. I’m not sure if this is her intention but she really made me feel at home.

I felt the crux of my work was in my ‘Diets’ or ‘Dietas’. Up to now these Dietas have been the most challenging chapters of my life, and without a doubt the most rewarding, if the reward is ‘spiritual growth’ or knowledge of the unconscious, in my case. In the Dietas I developed an understanding around deep questions such as: what is pride, what is humility, what is compassion, what is gratitude, in what conditions do these arise. An understanding of who I am, and why I behave the way I behave. What am I doing in the human experience, and so on, and I really could go on. The diets were the most significant periods of learning in my life, and it was hard earned, it was also a learning of how to come out of suffering, my understanding arose from my coming out of my suffering. And so these diets were a rollercoaster of suffering, enlightenment, more boredom than I knew I could handle. It was very draining, very emotional and very rewarding.

I do not know of any other facility with the depth of wisdom, knowledge, and care as Sinchi Runa, I don’t think places such as Sinchi Runa are easy to come by, and for me it feels it’s a privilege and a great stroke of luck to have come by Sinchi Runa.

My stay at Sinchi Runa was a magical experience. I was sceptical at first since it was silent and completely cut out from the world. It was giving me anxiety especially not being able to check in on my family. I did feel guilt for doing this, but after speaking to Andrea she said I could share her number and if there was an emergency they could reach me through her. When arriving at Sinchi Runa I was taken aback at how beautiful and peaceful it was. All the guys seemed really nice and on their own journey, so I respected the silence and embraced it myself. The tobacco purge followed by the kambo built me up to my first ceremony to which I had many emotions, but a clear intention to go in with.

The scene of the first setting was perfect, and my first encounter was more overwhelming than I could have ever imagined. By taking advice to sit still and embrace the pain whilst crossed legged and sitting up, at times really helped guide me through tricky times during the ceremony; knowing the only thing real was my breath helped so much.

My visions I got from the 1st ceremony gave me clarity and some form of self-control which wasn’t what I was expecting. I think in life I have obsessed over certain things that were really not worth obsessing about. The things I have done in my life that I have let others down really came out. Feeling other people’s pain and seeing it through their eyes really got to me and showed me so much clarity. After the sunrise and the ceremony inside came to an end we had to go back to our tents which seemed impossible to walk with the rain and through the mud and grass. When I got outside, I felt compelled to take off my socks and feel the land on my feet. I walked around for hours with my thoughts, whilst looking at the birds and the beautiful nature trying to figure everything out.

It was the most amazing experience of my life. I was the warrior of the land! The food was AMAZING, I thought I would miss meat, but I can honestly say it was the best food I have had in my life. The silence was bliss and the practice of meditation whilst sitting up following your breath when thoughts become too loud, is the key to peace and living life without the worry of technology or what other people think about you.

Everyone was so lovely, it felt like one big family, even the dog, cats and crazy (but very sweet and loving) chicken!

I would highly recommend anyone considering coming here to go, you will not be disappointed.

I will be back soon one day with friends and family ❤️

I entered the ayahuasca retreat with the weight of unresolved issues—family wounds, fears, regrets, and guilt. One of my core intentions was to explore my relationship with my son. I wanted to break the generational cycle of trauma passed down from my parents and theirs, and make sure I wasn’t repeating the same patterns.

Over the course of three ceremonies, the experience unfolded in three distinct phases: discovery, healing, and stillness.

Ceremony One: Discovery

The first ceremony was powerful. Almost immediately after the journey began, I felt something shift. Without any intention or prompting, I just knew—I no longer needed alcohol or recreational drugs. I realized this was the experience I’d been chasing all my life. That need for excess, the constant search for highs—it all fell away. Since that night, I haven’t touched a drink, nor felt the urge.

The experience was emotional in every sense. I moved through shame, joy, sorrow, fear, compassion—every feeling, every nuance. I relived moments with my son—times I could have responded with more love but chose frustration or anger instead. I cried deeply. I also experienced pure joy.

For the first time, I truly forgave my parents. I had been trying to do this for years. But in that moment, it finally released. What I learned was simple but life-changing: all I need is to create space—space to respond with compassion, space to be present. That is my truest self.

After the ceremony, walking back to my tent, I felt so light I was almost skipping. Then I burst into laughter—uncontrollable, hysterical laughter—at the absurdity of my old ways. I realized how exhausted I was from constantly leading, deciding, performing. I just wanted to be, to rest. And for the first time in a long while, that felt okay.

Ceremony Two: Healing

Going into the second ceremony, I was apprehensive. The first one had been so intense, and I didn’t know if I was ready for more. But what I received was very different—gentle, powerful healing.

As the medicine took hold, I saw something at the edge of my vision—geometric patterns, colors, dimensions. When I finally turned my attention to it, we locked eyes. It was her—Mother Ayahuasca, or maybe Mother Nature, or God—however you want to define it. She knew I needed healing. She wrapped herself around me, held me, protected me, and told me: Even if you can’t see me, I’m always here. And when you need me, return to nature.

Through that ceremony, I practiced going in and out of deep meditation. Every time I dropped back in, she returned with another message. At one point, I felt like a little boy again—laughing, crying, wanting to be taken care of. That’s what I needed. To just be loved. And that’s exactly what I received.

Ceremony Three: Stillness

My intention for the third ceremony was clear: stillness. I wanted to stay in deep meditation and silence.

And I did. For the first time in my life, my mind was quiet. Truly quiet. I was at peace—completely, effortlessly. No fear. No stress. No noise. Just pure stillness and an overwhelming sense of love emanating from within.

I was honestly shocked by how peaceful I could feel. That this kind of inner calm was even possible—especially considering how fast-paced and demanding my life is. And it came from within me. That was the most profound realization.

Integration: Carrying It Forward

Coming back into the real world, I felt fragile—open, vulnerable. I worried about slipping back into old patterns. But I’ve been using the tools I brought back: the music, the chants, daily meditation. Even if I’m stuck in traffic or standing in a queue, I’ll put on the playlist, breathe, and recenter.

One of the biggest lessons came from that second night—the experimentation. It showed me that staying in this state of peace takes work. Practice. Intention. Stillness. The truth is, all the answers are already within me. They always have been. But accessing them requires quieting the noise of the world, again and again.

Ayahuasca didn’t give me anything I didn’t already have. It just reminded me of who I am—and who I’ve always been beneath the noise. A man capable of love, of compassion, of peace. A man healing for himself, and for his son.

A few years ago, the solid ground on which i believed i was standing, shattered. I didn’t knew anymore what was real and what was fantasy. A frantic search for understanding begun, but more importantly, it was a search for meaning, a search for filling the hole i felt in my chest, a search for love.

One day i was crying uncontrollably in my car, driving back from work, thinking that i can not live this life anymore, but feeling completely trapped, in an unfulfilling job, in an unhappy marriage, living a fake life, feeling fake myself and wanting to run away from it all.

At the same time, i was spending all my free time trying to make sense of it all, reading and researching on all topics that had to do with the nature of existence, from philosophy to physics, to psychology, from aliens to conspiracy theories to channeling to spirituality to psychedelics.

I felt i had a better mental understanding of the world i was living in, but at the same time, that hole, that emptiness i felt inside myself was still there. Covering it up with addictions was not working anymore, not when i knew , theoretically at least at that point, that there is something else out there, a different way of being, a different way of feeling, a different way of thinking.

That led me to the point of this story, my first visit to Sinchi Runa for a 3 week long Ayahuasca retreat. This was happening about 4 years ago, in Autumn, in Portugal.

I still remember my first Ayahuasca ceremony, which was and still is, the most intense, the most unbelievable, the most beautiful experience i ever had in this life. I remember the disbelief, i could not believe that such a thing was possible.

I was crying tears of joy the entire time. I remember after it was finished, i was thinking, if i would have to give everything i own to have this experience, i would do it and it would be worth it.

That first experience and that place i was in, that place of love and acceptance felt more real than anything in this life, more than this, it felt familiar, it felt like i was there before, it felt like home.

Over the years i found that place again, it’s always accessible, by opening my heart, so i want to thank Master Sanango for giving me the tool to do that, that tool being sound, mantras, icaros, music that raises my frequency and connects me to divinity and to my own divinity.

Thank you also, Master Sanango, for everything you do during the ceremonies, for showing us the path with the chanting, for the beautiful smells, for your care of each of us when we are having a hard time. Multumesc Master Sanango.

After that first experience there were many others, during the 3 retreats i had at Sinchi Runa, some were beautiful, some were funny, some were hard to go through, but they were always useful and always what i needed.

Ayahuasca will always show me where the trouble is and how to fix it, but it will not fix it for me, that i had and i have to do myself.

It is hard, painful sometimes, frustrating some others, having to face my fears, to start being truthful to myself, to keep my word to myself, to quit my addictions one by one, to stop judging people, to stop worrying about anything and everything.

It is hard, but the payoff is unbelievable, to be at peace, to see the beauty and the love that is all around, to cry of joy, to feel that emptiness being slowly filled with love, love for everyone and for everything, to be silently aware. Silence is happiness.

Lastly i would like to thank all of you there who were my teachers.

Thank you Arjuna, the statue :), it was a joy chanting with you, thank you for the socks, they kept me warm, even though i put them through war, they acquired some holes :). I hope you will get to see India soon, i think you will love it there.

Thank you Madhava, you were my teacher through your actions, you gave us what we needed, according to our behavior, i had this thought, Kambo is the price we have to pay for Ayahuasca :). Thank you for the beautiful homa fire and for your energy, your presence always makes me smile.

Thank you Ananda, thank you for the discomfort, you helped me learn a very important lesson, the one about chasing pleasure and running away from pain. They are the two faces of the same coin. Thank you for the silence.

To end this, thank all of you at Sinchi Runa, you are family.

Multumesc

Hello👋.

My name is Peter. I came back home from this resort last week.

I highly recommend Sinchi Runa center. An amazing experience, great team, very good service and a high class shaman with a lot of experience👍👍. I felt safe and looked after there. I will definitely go back there next year.

Thank you very much to the whole Sinchi runa crew – You are doing a great thing🙏🙏❤️