As a church, our ayahuasca ceremonies focus on a caring, helpful setting from which participants can surrender to divine love.
For more on our church and ceremonial activities visit our Facebook discussion group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/390101401189349/
Founding Date
Incorporated as a non-profit church in June of 2015
3 Reviews on “Arizona Yage Assembly”
I had a very traumatizing experience attending a ceremony with this group. I haven’t even been able to talk about it until now. I’m experienced with various plant medicines and that was not the trauma outside of feeling trapped and not being able to leave the space and get away from these people once we all were in the medicine. And as another reviewer mentioned, everyone is in the medicine including the facilitators. Who then is to help in case of emergency? The group was very entitled and largely catered to their “clique” of facilitators and company. I’ve never felt less of a warm welcome coming into a space I’d expect to be the complete opposite. There was no welcome actually. I had to search and find anyone who was a point of contact as people just looked at me as I walked around asking whom I should speak to and for the person I’d been corresponding with. It was very strange and if I hadn’t traveled so far, paid a large non refundable amount of money and was there without a personal vehicle, I would have left immediately on instinct alone. Painful but very valuable lesson learned.
There were so many red flags, but I’ll try and be brief. They had one bathroom for a very large amount of people 30+? Someone defecated in the plugged up shower and it was left there for some time until brought up. There weren’t any areas for anyone to go and be alone and have space. During ceremony, the facilitators who were also in the medicine became nearly like a high school group of bullies commenting to each other about participants in the room fairly loudly. It was shocking, disturbing, I could hear and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one. In ceremony after taking the medicine, people were dancing, singing, screaming (!), there was running at one point and walking around a lot which is very distracting and something I wish had been explained beforehand, especially not having a place to go to get away from this. I understand everyone will purge and will react differently, but this was distracting from the experience and very overstimulating. I felt watched by the facilitators from the moment I got there and during ceremony was no different. I told myself it was likely to be sure everyone was safe while in the medicine, but I wasn’t doing anything besides sitting or laying down and silently and journaling, and it didn’t feel like warm, friendly or concerned attention. It was uncomfortable. I was grateful for a couple of kind participants I connected with the day after ceremony before leaving. The facilitator’s behavior was abhorrent and I would never recommend this place to anyone.
I have sat with groups 4-5 times and have had only great experiences with them. I have also recommended friends and spouses a few people to sit with this group.
This was my first experience with Ayahuasca 5 years ago. Since then I’ve been to the Peruvian Amazon and worked with the Shipibo tribe which has taught me a lot about authenticity and what kind of people should be serving this sacred plant medicine.
With this group, the lack of integrity, humility & responsibility for the participants bordered on neglect. It was obvious the facilitators and person serving the medicine were not properly trained & inexperienced.
What stood out the most as a red flag was when I went up to get a second cup. The american gentleman serving the medicine was completely intoxicated. He could not comprehend that I was there and in need of assistance. I never did get that second cup.
There were other instances but this one in particular really bothered me.
This was 5 years ago so hopefully this person has been replaced with an authentic shaman. Someone who respects the medicine as well as the participants and has had years of indigenous training.
Overall, I would definitely not recommend.
As always, do your own homework and listen to your intuition.