- Medicine and meditation have the same root word; learn why during this transformational plant medicine retreat with Ayllu Medicina.
- Develop meditation techniques to help you in the retreat's plant medicine ceremonies, during integration, and to use once you return to the ceremony of life.
- 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.
- Reconnect to your true nature and let go of what no longer serves you by taking a pause on the beautiful coast of Ecuador. Gain a community, learn ancient wisdom, and remember your relationship to the Earth and the elements.
Are you feeling the call to take a pause and connect to your true nature? Join Ayllu Medicina on the coast of Ecuador at our Meditation and Plant Medicine retreat in November 2025, where we join two words that have the same root- medicine and meditation.
We believe that life is a ceremony that can be lived with presence, peace, love, dignity, and joy. However, we need to take a pause and gain some tools to be able to align with our hearts once more. Ayllu Medicina's transformational plant medicine retreats are designed to assist you with taking this intentional pause.
Our November plant medicine and meditation retreat focuses on helping you access the deep state of inner peace that resides within you. You will receive different meditation techniques to aid your transformational journey and access your inner self. We will also focus on the healing power of music to help you connect with your inner rhythm.
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 plant medicine retreats in Ecuador. Our experienced guides lead these ceremonies, 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 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.
Meditation will help you honor the sacred pause of a plant medicine retreat and access a deep state of inner peace during your life. We believe meditation is one of the best medicines we can receive in this lifetime, which is why our November retreat focuses on this practice.
We will be holding daily meditation workshops so you can learn different techniques for becoming the observer, able to stay centered with the ebbs and flows of life. You will have the opportunity to practice these meditation techniques all week, including during our plant medicine ceremonies, where meditation can be an invaluable tool.
There will also be other workshops to connect to ancient wisdom and remember the ancient wisdom inside you. Workshops include womb technology and song circles to connect to your voice and inner rhythms.
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 is a Medicine Man of the Sacred Fire of Itzachilatlan, a medicine family based in the Ecuadorian Andes.
Hwaneetah also runs sweats lodges, is a sun dancer, and canupa carrier. 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 food 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. 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, wi-fi, 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.
Daily meditation and workshops to learn different techniques to connect to the medicine of meditation.
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 Sun and Moon Dynamics in this powerful workshop with Hwaneetah.
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!
Enjoy guided cold plunges, with warm up and breath work to help you prepare.
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 week.
Our kitchen will be ready to provide you with local tropical fresh fruits, smoothies, juices, and other homemade snacks throughout the day. Try different drinks native to Ecuador, like Guayusa.
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.
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 lunch and meet the rest of the group.
- Set your intentions and open the retreat week with our opening fire ceremony.
- Opening sweat lodge (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
- Intro to ceremony circle
- Rest time
- Ayawaska ceremony (beginning around 8 pm)
- Sweat Lodge
- Breakfast
- Rest time
- Sharing circle
-Lunch
- Rest & integration
- Gentle yoga, breathwork, meditation
- Dinner
- Breakfast
- Yoga, breathwork, meditation
- Sharing Circle
- Guided Cold Plunge
- Light lunch
- Art and meditation time
- Rest & Restore
- Ayawaska ceremony
- Sweat Lodge
- Breakfast
- Rest & restore
- Lunch
- Meditation
- Rest & integration
- Dinner
- Breakfast
- Yoga, breathwork, meditation
- Sharing Circle/ Intro to ceremony circle
- Lunch
- Art time
- Meditation workshop
-Dinner
- Rest
- Ocean offering & beach time
- Breakfast
- Detox session & meditation
- Songs around the fire & rest
- Goodbye Celebration Lunch
- Relaxation & individual meditation time
- Dinner
- Breakfast
- Yoga, breathwork, meditation
- Meditation workshop
- Closing fire ceremony to close the week and say farewell
- Lunch
- Check-out (2-3pm)
- Optional afternoon sweat lodge
The adventure continues...
