- Take a sacred pause to cleanse your mind, body, and spirit with meditation practices, ancient wisdom workshops, purifying plant medicine ceremonies, and sweat lodges (temazcales).
- Learn the value of nutrition as part of healing with delicious food and drinks catered to enhance the detoxification process.
- Let go of impressions and gain tools to stay aligned, understanding that detoxing is not about finding a 'new you' but remembering who you truly are with the help of meditation.
- Sit with the sacred plant medicines of Ayawaska and San Pedro, with our experienced guides leading the ceremonies. You will also be assisted with cleansing your mind, body, and spirit in different ways, such as through sweat lodges, tobacco medicines, daily yoga, breathwork, and nutritious food.
What does the term 'detox' mean to you? Detoxing is not about quick diets or finding a 'new' you. It is about learning how to simplify and care for your mind, body, and spirit long-term, so you can enjoy the adventure of life and stay on track. Take a sacred pause at our Detox & Renewal Plant Meditation Retreat in February 2025 to learn how to do this.
This transformational Ayllu Medicina retreat is all about cleansing, realigning, and staying centered. This starts by taking a pause to allow yourself to go inwards, check in with your inner nature, and make space for new tools. Everything from the ceremonies and food to the ancient wisdom workshops and music is medicine to help you do this.
Purifying your body, mind, and spirit can help you align with your heart, which is why we include different types of ceremonies as part of our detox retreat. These ceremonies are led by our experienced guides, honoring the ancient traditions from which they come.
Plant Medicine Ceremonies
Sit in Ayawaska ceremonies and a San Pedro ceremony. Ayawaska is often compared to a wise Grandmother, and like an onion, she can help you find your center and let go of what no longer serves you.
Grandfather San Pedro is the masculine healing energy, helping you find alignment and open your heart once more, ready to take flight. You can learn more about these medicines on our Ayllu Medicina blog.
We will provide preparation support, and we hold circles during our plant medicine retreats to discuss any questions you may have in advance. After our plant medicine ceremonies, we also have sharing circles, so you can share any pearls from your ceremony experience. Some of our participants have sat in ceremonies previously, whereas, for others, it is their first time meeting with the plant medicines.
Sweat Lodges
There will also be multiple sweat lodges (temazcales) throughout the plant medicine retreat week. Enter the womb of Mother Earth to integrate, purify, and experience rebirth.
Our volcanic grandmother stones are heated in the fire and are placed in the womb, the sweat lodge. Different incenses are placed on the stones before the door closes, and the heat begins to rise as water is poured over the stones. We share prayers and songs to guide each round.
What happens when you finish a plant medicine ceremony or retreat? As our guides say, this is when the ceremony of life begins. Life is full of impressions, which is why detoxing is the perfect way to allow space for healing to occur and integrate.
This retreat gives you the chance to detox and learn ways to find renewal whenever you need it in life. After all, in order to take flight, go to deep spaces in ceremonies, and integrate the work, you need to care for yourself.
This includes cleansing breathwork practices, yoga, ice baths, and meditation. We will also be sharing delicious detox foods and drinks, along with nutrition workshops, to gain more insight into how food can be medicine in your life.
There will also be other workshops to connect to ancient wisdom and remember the ancient wisdom inside you. Workshops include womb technology, meditation, and song circles to learn how to close cycles throughout the year, move energy, and be aligned with your inner nature.
Your plant medicine experience and healing process will be guided by Aime and Hwaneetah. Their purpose is to share medicine, prayers, music, and intention for healing with whoever is called to share in this journey. These two healers are well-known in the region for their music, resonant prayers, and heart-opening medicine.
Aime and Hwaneetah speak fluent English, Spanish, and French and have been working with medicine for over 20 years, along with other healing modalities. Aime a Medicine Man of the Sacred Fire of Itzachilatlan, a medicine family based in the Ecuadorian Andes.
Hwaneetah also runs sweat lodges, is a canupa carrier, and sun-dancer. You can watch her talk on ancient womb technology on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X9LkyK4bHw
The Ayllu Medicina team will be supporting you throughout your retreat week; you can learn more about our medicine guides and facilitators on our website under 'team.' We also have a great kitchen team who will be providing nutritious detox food and drinks throughout the week.
There are certified and experienced teachers holding our yoga classes, meditation, and breathwork workshops.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. We will also be providing orientation support, and there are options for integration sessions post-retreat. You can also choose from other add-ons, such as a moon session with Hwaneetah or a shamanic cleansing with Aime.
Ayllu Medicina is based on the coast of Ecuador, in Manglaralto, situated near the world-famous surf capital of Montañita and the peaceful haven of Ayampe.
Immerse yourself in nature in our retreat space, which is perfect for renewal. It is magical during ceremonies to hear the sounds of all the nature around, from the birds singing to the waves crashing.
You can easily access the beach, which is a ten-minute walk from the accommodation. The accommodation has everything you need to be comfortable, feel at peace, and retreat inwards during your stay, including a swimming pool with ocean views, one of the best spots to enjoy Ecuador's sunsets!
Rooms include air conditioning, large comfortable double beds, internet access, and hot water.
Do you plan to stay for longer? We are happy to offer recommendations for where to stay and where to visit pre or post-retreat.
Call to the four winds & directions to set our main intention for retreat, reconnecting with the Sacred Fire of our hearts. Release old patterns & unwanted energies with a Tobacco cleanse.
Workshops to learn different detox techniques. .
Connect to the purifying medicine of the sweat lodge (temazcal). Through incenses, steam, songs, & prayers, we release stress, tension, and detoxify the mind, body and soul.
Sit with the medicine of Ayawaska, also known as Grandma Ayawaska for her feminine energy. Dive deeper into your inner world during these night ceremonies.
Meet with the Grandfather medicine of South America, San Pedro. Connect to your heart's center and raise your flight with this healing masculine energy.
Start your day with daily yoga and breathwork by certified yoga teachers. All levels welcome.
Learn about ancient womb technology, the feminine principle, and other ancient teachings in our wisdom circles. Learn how women are cyclical in nature and how to connect with the power of the womb.
Integrate your ceremony experiences in our sharing circles.
Connect to the medicine of music and learn some plant medicine songs when we gather to sing. No previous experience required!
Our kitchen will be ready to provide you with local tropical fresh fruits, detox juices, and other homemade snacks throughout the day. Try different drinks native to Ecuador, like Guayusa.
Our local chefs provide plant-based, healthy meals aligned with the plant medicine dietas. Enjoy healthy nourishing plant based cuisine, which will support you during the detox week.
Enjoy Ecuador coastal living with our comfortable accommodation, which allows you to fully retreat inwards. Enjoy ocean views, a pool, & relaxation. Rooms include AC, hot water & private bathrooms.
Enjoy the power of other detox practices you can continue once you return home.
Reset with the medicine of guided ice baths with warm-up and breathwork.
Close the week and directions with your retreat group, so you can begin the next part of your journey!
Speak to one of our Ayllu Medicina team members to discuss preparation advice, your intentions for this retreat and any questions you may have.
It is recommended to fly into Guayaquil airport or Manta airport unless you are already based in Ecuador.
We can arrange transportation for you via taxi. Rates are between $60-$100 depending on location.
- Arrive at our retreat space and settle into your accommodation.
- Enjoy a welcome detox lunch and meet the rest of the group.
- Set your intentions and open the retreat week with our opening fire ceremony.
- Opening sweat lodge to purify (temazcal)
- Dinner
The schedule is subject to change. Before the retreat, you will receive a retreat-specific agenda. We can guarantee there will be time to integrate, rest, and find some quiet time between activities.
- Breakfast
- Yoga, breathwork, & meditation
- Guided Ice Bath
- Light lunch and detox snacks
- Intro to ceremony circle
- Rest time
- Meditation
- Ayawaska ceremony (beginning around 8pm)
- Breakfast
- Gentle yoga, breathwork, meditation
- Sharing circle
- Lunch and detox snacks
- Rest & integration
- Sweat lodge (temazcal)
- Dinner
- Breakfast
- Energizing yoga, breathwork, meditation
- Guided Ice Bath
- Light lunch and detox snacks
- Art and meditation time
- Rest & Restore
- Ayawaska ceremony
- Breakfast
- Gentle yoga, breathwork, meditation
- Sharing circle
- Silent Lunch
- Ancient wisdom workshop for purifying
- Rest & integration
- Dinner
- Breakfast
- Energizing yoga, breathwork, meditation
- Lunch
- Intro to ceremony circle
- Music and art time
- Light dinner
- Meditation
- Rest
- San Pedro night ceremony (starting around 10pm)
- Ocean offering and beach time
- Breakfast
- Songs around the fire
- Farewell celebration lunch
- Rest time
- Dinner
- Breakfast
- Yoga, breathwork, meditation
- Guided Ice Bath
- Closing fire ceremony to close the week and say farewell
- Optional afternoon sweat lodge
The adventure continues...
