The Wizard Mountain Jungle Lodge, located in a beautiful patch of dense forest in the Bolivian Amazon, proved the perfect setting for my first real ayahuasca retreat, and I couldn't be more happy to have begun here.
The retreat itself comprises a few large, and key, huts - a dormitory, bathroom, the kitchen and eating area, and that of the ritual - each of which perfectly served the natural simplicity and beauty of the position and its surrounds. And whether at night or during the day, one could always feel or sense the proximity of a range of beautiful and exotic creatures and flora, with all their strange scents and sounds - something that no doubt contributed to the 'authenticity' of the ayahuasca experience that was to come.
One thing about the way in which Phillip, a warm and personable Chilean, prepared us for the ceremony that I liked was the quiet walk, complete with guided tour of the various plants and animals along the way, that ended with a very tranquil meditation amid the steps of a soft, trickling waterfall somewhere deep in the jungle.
The ceremony:
At no time did I feel unsafe during the ceremony. I felt as if I was in very capable hands and could therefore relax and give myself over to the experience of the ayahuasca. And now, after having undergone several ceremonies, I can say that Phillip definitely did a very good job of leading our group through the various stages of the journey.
One thing that was particular to Phillip's ceremonies, too, that I also liked was the variety of instruments, sounds and icaros (songs) he put to use, each of which brought on and carried us all to new sensations and revelations.
Overall it was a very beautiful and healing introduction to ayahuasca for me, one that I would recommend to anyone. As well, I would also recommend hanging around a bit longer at the retreat afterwards if you can - walking around through the forest, swimming in the river or hiking up the mountain felt great in the days that followed (much better than going straight back to reality).
Thanks Phillip and everyone for everything and I hope to see you again someday!
Andy (Australia)
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