3.0
Verified
Okay, but not great. Not recommended for deep healing or serious work
I decided to wait a while before leaving a review. There is often an afterglow effect with hallucinogens and I wanted to wait for things to settle a bit before making any comments on my experience at Lawayra. It seems more honest that way. I'll also add that the former facilitator and a volunteer left a few months ago, and things are a lot less structured and professional now at this retreat than in the past.
With that being said, my experience overall was just okay. There were a few circumstances that really reduced the quality of the experience. And some things came across as a bit disrespectful to the medicine and the seriousness of this ancient tradition.
Lawayra is cheaper than many other retreat centers. That itself doesn't make the place bad, but I do think that a cheaper price does invite SOME people who may take things a lot less seriously. You can end up with people who do things such as talk during ceremonies, people who bring processed junk food to the center because they refuse to stick to the diet, people who spend all their free time on their phones, etc.
As a participant I had no say over other people's actions, which I accept. But as a paying customer, I expected the environment to be a bit more strict and rigid and to hold the guests accountable so that everyone can get the most from their experience. The people who are a part of your group can really affect the atmosphere at the retreat. The place is quite small for the amount of people who are there at any given time. Ayahuasca opens you up to other energy which is why it's so important to have a solid environment to drink the medicine and work through the processes.
Lawayra was a place full of distractions. WiFi stays on full time and I often saw people occupying their minds with Facebook and Netflix and whatever else. It was frustrating that the people running the facility aren't more strict with such things. Phones and social media can easily be as addictive and harmful as drugs or alcohol. Some people might go to an Ayahuasca center in the hopes of disconnecting for a little while.
Socializing was overly encouraged, rather than quiet introspection and taking time to self reflect. There were times when it was difficult to find a quiet place to rest due to all the loud conversations, music, construction noise, etc. It became more of a social event or party than anything else. People were even playing rap music on a speaker at one point. Something I never expected to experience at an Ayahuasca center. I'm also not sure how we were expected to be able to relax and be well rested, when the ceremonies would often keep us up until 1 or 2am and then construction workers show up at 6am and immediately start using grinders and other loud equipment.
I am not writing this review to trash talk Lawayra or the people who own and operate the place. I only want those who are considering this retreat to have the opportunity to see both sides. I think that it is common for these retreats involving plant medicine that most people who have a less than optimal experience remain quiet rather than say anything bad or negative most of the time, but I'd rather speak my mind.
I didn't walk away from my experience completely empty handed. The medicine is strong and the music is beautiful. The taita is a good guide. But the retreat just didn't really seem optimized for deep work and healing. They appeal more to the crowd who want to experiment or want a cool story or pictures for Instagram. If you're searching for a more authentic experience or somewhere to do deep healing, I would recommend going elsewhere. They often said at the retreat that there are many different traditions related to consuming Ayahuasca and that everyone does it differently. But to me they seemed overly dismissive of getting negative input from the guests (or seeming offended by it honestly). There was a strong my way or the highway type of attitude and that's fine. The inability to handle negative criticism in an empathetic and constructive manner is what made me decide to never return to Lawayra. Thanks for taking the time to read and I hope it was helpful. Good luck on your journey.
With that being said, my experience overall was just okay. There were a few circumstances that really reduced the quality of the experience. And some things came across as a bit disrespectful to the medicine and the seriousness of this ancient tradition.
Lawayra is cheaper than many other retreat centers. That itself doesn't make the place bad, but I do think that a cheaper price does invite SOME people who may take things a lot less seriously. You can end up with people who do things such as talk during ceremonies, people who bring processed junk food to the center because they refuse to stick to the diet, people who spend all their free time on their phones, etc.
As a participant I had no say over other people's actions, which I accept. But as a paying customer, I expected the environment to be a bit more strict and rigid and to hold the guests accountable so that everyone can get the most from their experience. The people who are a part of your group can really affect the atmosphere at the retreat. The place is quite small for the amount of people who are there at any given time. Ayahuasca opens you up to other energy which is why it's so important to have a solid environment to drink the medicine and work through the processes.
Lawayra was a place full of distractions. WiFi stays on full time and I often saw people occupying their minds with Facebook and Netflix and whatever else. It was frustrating that the people running the facility aren't more strict with such things. Phones and social media can easily be as addictive and harmful as drugs or alcohol. Some people might go to an Ayahuasca center in the hopes of disconnecting for a little while.
Socializing was overly encouraged, rather than quiet introspection and taking time to self reflect. There were times when it was difficult to find a quiet place to rest due to all the loud conversations, music, construction noise, etc. It became more of a social event or party than anything else. People were even playing rap music on a speaker at one point. Something I never expected to experience at an Ayahuasca center. I'm also not sure how we were expected to be able to relax and be well rested, when the ceremonies would often keep us up until 1 or 2am and then construction workers show up at 6am and immediately start using grinders and other loud equipment.
I am not writing this review to trash talk Lawayra or the people who own and operate the place. I only want those who are considering this retreat to have the opportunity to see both sides. I think that it is common for these retreats involving plant medicine that most people who have a less than optimal experience remain quiet rather than say anything bad or negative most of the time, but I'd rather speak my mind.
I didn't walk away from my experience completely empty handed. The medicine is strong and the music is beautiful. The taita is a good guide. But the retreat just didn't really seem optimized for deep work and healing. They appeal more to the crowd who want to experiment or want a cool story or pictures for Instagram. If you're searching for a more authentic experience or somewhere to do deep healing, I would recommend going elsewhere. They often said at the retreat that there are many different traditions related to consuming Ayahuasca and that everyone does it differently. But to me they seemed overly dismissive of getting negative input from the guests (or seeming offended by it honestly). There was a strong my way or the highway type of attitude and that's fine. The inability to handle negative criticism in an empathetic and constructive manner is what made me decide to never return to Lawayra. Thanks for taking the time to read and I hope it was helpful. Good luck on your journey.
