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Voice Medicine Retreat

Location icon
Casa Floresta, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
Date
January 10 - 16, 2025

Retreat Highlights

  • Voice Activation; exercises to open your voice and establish a personal vocal practice
  • Voice exploration through emotion
  • Getting started in Harmony; how to find harmonies to accompany the main melody
  • Improvised Song & Sound techniques
  • Vocal Toning & Tuning
  • Song writing & composition
  • Circle singing workshops
  • Song sharing; learn over 20 new medicine songs & chants
  • Forest Path Chanting Concert
  • 4 nights/ 5 days shared accommodation at the lakefront Casa Colibri
  • Casa Floresta Lake Temple
  • Optional Add-on; Ayahuasca Ceremony Jan 17th and 18th With Letizia Xiuh and Shahaf Schvarzman

About this Retreat

Details of this retreat

Join a transformative 5-day retreat led by Hayley Saraswati, Letizia Xiuh, and Shahaf Schvarzman, presenting the unparalleled power of your voice as medicine. Dive into a deep blend of voice work, yin & restorative yoga, ritual, and ceremony, all to unearth authenticity, expression, and connection. In the protective embrace of our retreat community, you'll traverse self-care, intimacy, vulnerability, and the profound depths of music and singing. This is more than just a retreat – it's a journey to unchartered territories of consciousness, rich with inspiration and connection.

This unique retreat is not just about self-discovery. It's about transformation and healing. We provide a nurturing environment that fosters change, helps in shedding old beliefs, and paves the way for new insights. Whether you're bathed in bliss or navigating inner purification, we will support and guide you. As you return to your Self, you will carry away unforgettable memories, soulful music, and integrative exercises to elevate your everyday life and connection to your own voice as a healing tool. 

The retreat welcomes both women and men, regardless of their musical background. Whether you're eager to unveil the beauty of your voice, see vocal exercises as healing rituals, or are a therapist looking to broaden your horizons, this retreat has something for you. Activities range from Vocal Discovery and Sound Baths to Song Circles, all set amidst the serenity of a private cove on the shores of Lake Atitlán. What sets this retreat apart is its unique blend of music, self-discovery, and connection to the earth. It's about liberating your voice, and in turn, your power, all while forging deep connections with your heart and soul. Embrace a journey that will transform fears, ignite love, compassion, and joy, and introduce you to the awe-inspiring beauty of Lake Atitlán. Come, be a part of this magical expedition that promises inspiration and a renewed direction for your life.

 


Highlights of the Retreat;

Voice Activation; exercises to open your voice and establish a personal vocal practice
Voice exploration through emotion 
Getting started in Harmony;  how to find harmonies to accompany the main melody
Improvised Song & Sound techniques
Vocal Toning & Tuning
Song writing & composition
Circle singing workshops
Song sharing; learn over 20 new medicine songs & chants
Forest Path Chanting Concert
4 nights/ 5 days shared accommodation at the lakefront Casa Colibri
Casa Floresta Lake Temple 
Optional Add-on; Ayahuasca Ceremony Jan 17th and 18th With Letizia Xiuh and Shahaf Schvarzman

 


Flow of the Days
8:00 - 9:00 am Vocal Practice

9:00 - 9.30 am Smoothie & Tea Break

9.30 - 11:00 am Morning Workshop

11:00 - 1:00 pm Brunch 

1:00 - 3:00 pm Afternoon Workshop 1

3:00 - 3:30 pm Snack

3:30 - 5:00 pm Afternoon Workshop 2

5:30 - 6:30 pm Dinner

6:30 - 8:00 pm Evening Activity

 
Your Retreat Facilitators

Hayley Saraswati
Hayley Saraswatī embodies the essence of the creative Mother, balancing loving softness with a graceful strength. Her powerful presence inspires and empowers others to step into their full potential, through vibrant authenticity and awakening to the expansive joy of the heart.

Since creating The Yoga Forest, the Conscious Living Retreat Center she founded in 2009, Saraswatī has wholeheartedly offered herself through the path of devotion; offering kirtan, sound ceremonies, voice workshops and singing circles, Forest Path medicine retreats and Sound Ceremony Trainings for the past decade and a half. Her dedication to creating and holding a safe space allows the veils to fall away, inspiring spontaneous expression and the authentic embodiment of the Truth - all is Love. 

Weaving together her passion for ceremony, beauty and natural design, she has since designed and created Kula Maya Boutique Hotel & Spa, and the recently built Casa Floresta family home and Ceremonial Center.

Hayley Saraswatī is also one of seven co-founding members of the Kula Collective, an organization weaving together diverse holistic experiences and educational yoga offerings through combined passions and a collective intention of global awakening.

 


Letizia Xiuh
Born in Venezuela, Letizia Xiuh has been living and sharing her medicine magic in the Sacred Valley of Peru for almost a decade.

A Medicine Woman by blood, she holds 5th generation native medicine lineage from the North of Peru and since training as an Ayahuasquera has sat in and held over a thousand Ayahuasca ceremonies.

Letizia also holds powerful and transformative Sweat Lodges that are guided by the elements, Medicine cross teachings and her own studies and experiences of the Red Road.

Her commitment to the medicine path, is guided by grace and has led her to sit with elders and masters from a vast array of tribes and traditions - giving her an unparalleled depth of insight and wisdom. She has completed a first commitment learning from Grandmothers of the Mexican Moon Dance and keeps learning with elders who hold Peyote Medicine from the Wixarika-Huichol tribe. 

Guided by the Medicine Cross and nature based spirituality, including the 7 Directions teaching in how she lives and serves, Letizia holds a heartfelt mission to heal all our relations. A talented musician and beautiful songstress, she offers ancestral sound healing and song as part of all her offerings. She offers a safe and nurturing sacred space as she guides you to journey into the depths of your being to find your own capacity to heal and connect to your highest potential and purpose.


Shahaf Shvarzman
Shahaf is a musician, medicine woman and a tattoo artist who love to connect with spirit in all forms of art. She has been living in Peru for the past 7 years and recently moved to Costa Rica, working with the medicine for 10 years. As part of her commitment to medicine path, she works with the Amazonian tribes of Peru, Ecuador, and Brazil learning their traditions an music. 

With the Shipibo tribe, she has studying with master plants such as bobinzana, noyarao, chiricsanago through dietas and jungle living. From the Brazilian tribe huni Kuin, katukina, nukini and the Santu daime community learning the ways of nixipa, daime, rapé, sananga and kambo.

She is supporting and holding ceremonies of abuelita and wachuma, with love en respect for all of the traditions and cultures. 

She is also committed to the path of the moon dance and the pipe prayers.

Guiding circles of voice opening as a tool of expansion, connection and expression, 

understanding the power of your voice as a tool connect with divinity. Music is one of her biggest passion, she’s studying and collecting music from different cultures around the world. 

Her original music is shared online and can be found on Spotify. 

Shahaf offers her hand poke tattoos as a ritual of transformation and integration for significant moments in her clients life in a ceremonial and sacred space.
Pricing
Pricing for 6 nights:
USD$1195 Shared Accommodation at Casa Colibri (next door)

USD$1595 Private Accommodation at Casitas Aurora* (next door)

USD$795 Offsite**

With extra 3 night Add-on (2 Aya Ceremonies with Letizia Xiuh & Shahaf Schvarzmann)

$1795 Shared Accommodation (9 nights total accommodation)

$2295 Private Accommodation (9 nights total accommodation)

$1145 Offsite (Temple sleeping)

Schedule

Flow of the Days

8:00 - 9:00 am Vocal Practice
9:00 - 9.30 am Smoothie & Tea Break
9.30 - 11:00 am Morning Workshop
11:00 - 1:00 pm Brunch
1:00 - 3:00 pm Afternoon Workshop 1
3:00 - 3:30 pm Snack
3:30 - 5:00 pm Afternoon Workshop 2
5:30 - 6:30 pm Dinner
6:30 - 8:00 pm Evening Activity
Note: Schedule is approximate and may change

Getting Here

Location icon Forest Path, Casa Floresta, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

Directions

To arrive, take the boat from San Marcos in the direction of Panajachel and be sure to tell the driver Casa Floresta Pasajcap (if they do not know it, say next to Casa Colibri Pasajcap) before you get on the boat, as it will be the first stop. You will need to pay Q5 to the driver.

Accommodation

Shared rooms and offsite accommodation options are available.

9 Night Retreat + Ceremony Extension - SHARED ACCOMMODATION - 1 SPACE LEFT
6 Night Retreat - Shared Accommodation
9 NIght Retreat + Ceremony Extension - OFFSITE

Venue & Amenities

Casa Floresta, Pasajcap, Guatemala

The recently built Casa Floresta is directly on Lake Atitlan in Pasajcap, between San Marcos la Laguna and Tzununa. This is the home of the Forest Path Temple where Sound Ceremony courses and Forest Path ceremonies are held exclusively in Guatemala.
With lake access in a clean and quiet private bay for swimming, Casa Floresta is a beautiful space conducive for the transformational work.

Meals

Menu Types

Vegetarian meals.

What's Included

  • Accommodations, meals and tuition

What's Not Included

  • Airfare, airport transfer, health insurance etc.

Customer Reviews

4.83 out of 5.0 average rating

5.0
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Beyond words...
Jaya and Hayley are angels on earth transmitting love and light through music and medicine. They share wisdom and healing with grace and humility. It is an honor to receive such a sacrament in their noble presence. Their devotion is an inspiration to all of humanity.

5.0
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Utterly life changing
I attended a two night ayahuasca ceremony in Australia and I can honestly say that the experience was life changing for me.
As a 50+ woman with complex PTSD from unresolved childhood traumas and zero experience with psychedelics, I initially felt vulnerable and apprehensive, however I came with a curious mind and an open heart.
Jaya and Hayley provided a nurturing container that I felt completely safe in, they are not people who’ve done a little bit of training in psychedelic therapy, this is their life’s work. Their years of experience, knowledge and commitment to helping everyone in ceremony was abundantly clear from the moment that we sat together.
The ceremonies themselves were intense healing experiences that were thoughtfully guided with music, song, poems and prayers, creating a powerful flow and providing a strong connection to the medicine. It was a deeply spiritual experience for me (and I don’t consider myself particularly spiritual in my everyday life).
The last few years I’ve worked consistently on my healing journey with breath and somatic work, meditation, yoga and traditional psychology, although I had made lots of progress, depression still plagued me and the results gained from those modalities alone, were nothing compared to what I experienced through the healing power of ayahuasca.
I achieved a deep connection with myself, an understanding that had previously been elusive to me and insights that made my life make sense. I was able to unlock doors in my psyche and move old energy out that had been literally stuck for decades, allowing space for a more positive future.
I departed the weekend full of love, light and joy. I will be forever grateful for the experience I shared with this beautiful community. If the medicine is calling to you, then trust that you’re in the right place and Forest Path is without doubt the community to support your journey.

5.0
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The Beauty Way
My time with Haley and Jaya was nothing short of divine perfection. If you are looking for a sign to move forward with an experience with Haley and Jaya, then this is it. My heart beats stronger and with more light due to my time with these two beautiful souls who embody the beauty way with an impeccability I have not seen before. I am deeply grateful and humbled to have had an opportunity to sit in ceremony with them. Blessings to all who come upon this review and to Haley and Jaya.

5.0
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Love & Light Ayahuasca Immersion
I just finished an Ayahuasca Immersion with the Forest Path. I first sat with them in 2021 for a ceremony and attended an immersion in 2023. There's so much I want to compliment: yummy & healthy food, a beautiful, tranquil, comfortable temple space, I enjoyed lovely accommodations next door at Casa Colibri, with the music/sound selections and presentation I feel I'm surrounded by healing frequencies, especially this year as Hayley and Jaya have continued teaching trainings - their dedication to the relationship between vibration and healing continues to provide a deep and transformative experience. Jaya holds a sage-like poetic wisdom that I appreciate - he will also make you laugh! Hayley is exceptionally organized, clean, tender, attentive to all the little details, a true divine light being when she sings. Her nurturing blossoms in song especially within harmonization. Their love is beautiful to behold and they bring others around them with great capacity for love. I felt welcomed, safe, supported and cared for. I enjoyed spending time with our group as everyone was genuine and kind. There was truly a lot of love and light in the room the entire immersion. I would recommend them to anyone who is curious to drink ayahuasca, who wants to experience the healing potential of plant medicine, who loves music and would benefit from more love and light in their life.

1.0
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Horribly disappointed
Look for my article ion my own personal experience in the New York Post (online edition), with a tentative publication of June 11, 2024.
My frustration began with the absolute absence of their follow through on advising me on the subject of pre-existing intake of my RX, Paxil.
I think I was the only Ayahuasca “virgin” in attendance (not 100% yet) and, if so, might should have been the one who they monitored or guided the most. Instead, I was abjectly ignored and not given any advice or guidance.
Every single one of the staff were themselves in such an altered state of consciousness that they could not have been capable of being of service to even the resident kitty cat. I know, because I was as straight as a plank the entire retreat. One of the staff, Maria, came within inches of tumbling backwards off a 8-10 foot embankment while trying to FORCE me to go back inside the building (after I finally couldn’t tolerate one prolonged “song” of tortured wailing. The only participants that I witnessed puking and seemingly out of control were the staff.
My assessment of the group of young people leading this organization’s ayahuasca retreat is they’re living the extremely altered reality of being the kids of some wealthy family and are PLAYING with this plant medicine.
And, they couldn’t be bothered with even replying to my email of complaint about my experience.
Doesn’t matter, already planning my trip to Peru.
However, an estimated 5 million people will read my exposé on my experience with ForestPath.
Peace to you❣️