Pachamama Sanctuary

By the time this debacle was over I am out thousands of dollars wasted, days of my life wasted, and utterly disappointed in every way.
I spent weeks looking for a retreat to hopefully help with severe PTSD after sexual trauma.

I found they had an open spot and emailed them asking several questions.
First red flag- my emails got replies of one sentence or less.

I booked it anyway, ($1000) trusting the good reviews i'd seen and taking the critical ones with a grain of salt. I flew from Dallas to Boston, ($500) had to stay the night ($200) then had to rent a car ($450) to drive 2.5hrs to Maine.

I arrived at the building and was greeted by two very nice men who took me inside to the giant single communal closet (second red flag) and was then basically told to pick a mattress and wait untli they started in about two hours. '

These mattresses were generally laid out in rows, with about six inches between them ,and the room was full of them. I glanced around and quickly realized that many of the mattresses had been kinda huddled into littlie. clusters and itw as quite suggestive. (Third red flag)

I was guided to the last row of unclaimed mattresses and as soon as i sart down the person next to me who i had barely glanced at, who had a facemask on (eyes wide shut red flag) but turned out to be a female sat up, shot daggers at me and called over ayoung man. I asked if I had taken someones spot or needed to move and he said no, but she shot up and was clearly agitated. At this point mind you my name had not been tken, i had not registered or been logged in any way. Apparently since I knew the address and showed up, i was going to be let in, (Red flag, red flag, red flag). Between the woman being clearly uncomfortable with me existing within a few feet of her, the "big pile of mattresses", the "big closet we are all gonna share" the apparent single bathroom for thirty people for three days, the lack of any kind of intake or verification I was at a choke point. I had gone from so excited that id booked a flight acros the country within a few minutes of their email, to so uncomfortable that I stood up, went back to getmy backpack from teh big pile, walked right back out the front door, put my shoes back on, and drove back to portland, within about five minutes. I then had to spend the night in portland ($200), then go back to Boston early, get another hotel there ($300) and rebook a flight which wound up being cancelled as well.($500).
I have now spent over $3000 on absolutely nothing.. I have gotten no response to my requests for a refund or my concerns. I will be contesting the charges. I wil be posting this review at every resource I used thusfar.

The most meaningful experience of my life. The leaders, volunteers and facilities are the key to that experience. The work is hard and the work is personal. The folk at Pachamama made space that allowed for that work to flourish with no shame or fear. I am a better person because of the weekend I spend there.

I had a wonderful journey. This place is magical.

First, when you arrive at the Sanctuary and enter the building, you are amazed at the beauty of the inside of the building as well as the energy within. I was greeted by warm and genuine staff and immediately felt welcome and accepted. The ceremonies led by Leandro were beyond expectations. The training and skill of the all those who participated in facilitating the experience were excellent. There were amazing musicians playing music during the event and when they needed rest, there were great soundtracks. They were always there for you taking the time to explain to you any questions or concerns you may have had about anything, and even the during the Ayahuasca ceremony itself. The food provided for required nourishment were all fresh vegetables, fruit and homemade meals such as soup and special dishes. The water provided was from a natural underground source or from a filtered water dispenser, and a fire was always burning in the huge central fireplace. I just booked my next retreat just two days after attending my first one. Namaste, Scott W.

A truly transformative experience! The sanctuary sits on 42 acres of untouched, beautiful land just minutes away from Sabago Lake National Park in Casco, ME. It’s conveniently located for me which is one of the reason I chose it but not before doing my due diligence and researching it thoroughly. While the majority of the reviews are positive, a few are not so favorable. Some call it ‘cultish’ while others call it ‘a business’. Call it what you will but the bottom line is that ‘Ayahuasca’ is none of those things. ‘The Medicine’ is the medicine and the journey is your own, period. This experience is meant for people who have been struggling with PTSD and for those who wish to gain self awareness, better understand their trauma and hold space for whatever shows up. For me, The Medicine didn’t just show me my trauma with intense clarity but also how and why it has affected me and my loved ones. It’s eye opening and humbling. The staff is very loving, supportive and professional. They are there for whatever or however you need them. If you do not ask for help, they leave you alone but they are ever present; always vigilant…(sentinels, if you will)…and responding accordingly if someone is in distress. While I felt wholly supported and cared for, I also felt the heaviness and the sadness in the room (there were 40 participants). With that many people sharing the same space, it is inevitable to encounter dark energy and you need to discern whether that energy is your own or the collective which can be a bit challenging. Initially, the ‘noise’ (purging, crying, loud music, etc.) felt distracting but eventually I was able to focus on my own journey and seek my truth while feeling the unconditional love and compassion from ‘Mother Aya’ and the staff. The integration sessions between each ‘ceremony’ and the breath work are just as important as The Medicine itself. Without it, “you are just getting high with a bunch of hippies” as Derek very candidly stated. However, if you truly want to work on yourself and your trauma, Pachamama Sanctuary is a place where you can achieve it. As others had told me before doing it myself; when you go back home, everything and everyone will still be the same (your family, friends, colleagues, boss) but you are not. You will continue to process for the next couple of weeks and you’re encouraged to journal during your entire experience so as not to forget (trust me, you will not forget!) and continue to build upon and integrate what is revealed to you. Ayahuasca is something everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime (IF, they are able). It is NOT for the faint of heart. My work is just beginning.