CAYA Sanctuary is here, first and foremost, to support the complete connection to ourselves, one another, our ancestors, and to the Divine Spirit of the Creator. CAYA Sanctuary’s mission is to co-create a sacred space of love, compassion, forgiveness and unity for all humanity so we may see each other as a collective, working together in harmony. Traumas endured in this life can, and often do, disconnect us from ourselves, others and with the spiritual aspects of life. This disconnection magnifies the importance of healing the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual parts of our being and to bring them into coherence. When mind and spirit are out of harmony it causes great suffering in our life, when mind and spirit are in harmony we experience peace, comfort and wellbeing. This connection experienced between mind and spirit highlights the inseparable nature of healing and spirituality. Through ceremonies, service to others, applying ancient spiritual teachings and community engagement, we can restore our connection to Divine Love, which is the birth right of all beings.
11 Reviews on “CAYA Sanctuary”
Caya Sanctuary provided the most incredible and life-changing experience. They truly take a holistic approach to healing, from the ceremonies to the intensive integration work, I am completely changed. Throughout my journey, I felt challenged but safely held in caring arms. They will gently push you towards growth and hold you accountable to do the work. I can’t imagine there are other healers offering such a comprehensive approach. Both the people and land are beautiful beyond words, and the accommodations are very well thought out. The caliber of people participating to make this vision a reality is absolutely inspiring! I urge you to take the first step and schedule a call.
I am writing this to comment on my personal experience with Caya and to highly recommend them. Self-disclosure: I am a person in long-term recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder. That being said, there was some initial hesitation to this path.
Because of these reservations, I asked many questions and did a lot of self-reflection before attending my first ceremony at the original CAYA location. During my preparation period, I reached out to Crystal multiple times because of her background in the Behavioral Health field. That gave me comfort and confidence, helping me to come to the decision to move forward.
I met Damian on site, and I immediately saw the Ying to Crystal’s Yang. He is very grounded and wise, his connection with spirituality is palpable. The combination of the two of them helped me open up to the medicine and really gain maximum benefit.
18 months later, after having gone through one of the worst years of my adult life, I felt called back to Caya. I truly believe the lessons I learned with my first journey prepared me for my “Year of Hell”. Having been sober 13 years before the first Caya experience, there were points in my sobriety where I was “white knuckling” just trying not to give into the cravings. Post Aya, I never once had the desire to drink. Not once. In the worst year of my life. It was literally not there. The only difference was my journey with the medicine and having Caya help me process it.
The land at the new location to me is almost as powerful as the Aya journey itself. It definitely enhanced the experience for me personally. Being from a large Midwest city I had never spent that much time in nature before. The support volunteers make you feel safe and like family. The combination all of those factors held space for me to truly be my authentic self.
If you are considering including Ayahuasca as part of your spiritual path I strongly encourage you to research Caya deeply. For me, the integration phase was key to processing the experience of the medicine. Both of my Caya experiences gave me the perspective shift I needed to elevate myself and begin to live my best life.
I am so grateful for the opportunities to grow, the support I was given, and the freedom to make the entire process my choice, every step of the way.
I’ve visited Caya multiple times both to sit in ceremony with the medicine and to offer some assistance in building out this incredible space. I also visited a different retreat prior to my first visit to Caya.
Before my first Aya ceremony, I under-appreciated multiple aspects of the experience: the music, the “space”, the integration, and certainly the facilitators. It is crucial to feel trust in everyone involved, and I can’t imagine trusting anyone more than Damian and Crystal to create a safe and productive space for healing. They bring so much love and compassion while also challenging everyone to examine their intentions and post-retreat integration work. There are people in this “business” who develop a know-it-all, ivory tower mindset over time, but Damian and Crystal sit in the same circle as everyone else and assume no moral or spiritual high ground.
During my first Ayahuasca ceremony before I discovered Caya, I felt my basic needs were cared for, but I kinda had to manage myself and align to their agenda. We’re very vulnerable while on the medicine, and dealing with ordinary tactical problems or uncertainty can negatively affect the experience. I always felt like the guardians at Caya knew what I was going through and what I needed, which allowed me to focus on my journey.
Before Caya moved to the Pacific Northwest, I attended a retreat at its previous location on the outskirts of Orlando. That was an amazing, life-changing experience for me, and it was in a house on a small-ish residential lot. Caya now sits on an expansive, beautiful location in the forest surrounded by hills and a river. While it has all the modern amenities such as electricity, running water (with bidets!), and wifi, it allows you to feel rather disconnected from modern society. It was a great time to be within myself, my Caya family, and where we fit within the natural world.
I never outright recommend Ayahuasca to anyone as it is a very personal decision, but for those considering it, I wholeheartedly recommend visiting Caya Sanctuary. There is no dogmatic belief system pushed, no timeshares peddled, no cult to pledge. Crystal and Damian do not float around the woods in robes speaking only in sage-like riddles. They are very normal people who have built an extraordinary community through their selfless work. If your beliefs make room for compassion, gratitude, respect, and love (or you want them to make more room), you will feel at home at Caya.
I went to Caya and could not have felt more love and support through my experience than I did with Crystal, Damien, and the others there who helped with the ceremonies. They are impeccable with their handling of the guests and the ceremony itself. I had such an amazing experience, and came out of there with such an expanded outlook on life. Ah…I need to go back soon! I highly recommend Caya Sanctuary!
Spent a beautiful weekend with new and old friends at Caya. Much healing and beauty took place. I felt so safe and held by the staff and land. Always felt like I was given personal attention. The grounds are spectacular. Food was nourishing and delicious. Sleeping quarters are cozy. The ceremonies were deeply intimate, uncrowded, not rushed. They’ve consciously thought through all of the details. Damien, Crystal and Steve have built something magical there. I’m so grateful to have spent time with them and myself in such a lovely space.
Caya Sanctuary is truly a magical place. I’ve been fortunate to call Damian and Crystal dear friends for many years, and their warmth and authenticity shine through in everything they do. Having experienced retreats in several places, I can confidently say that I’ve found my tribe at Caya.
From the moment you arrive, you feel welcomed and supported. The ceremonies are beautiful and deeply meaningful, with a genuine focus on healing and integration. Each visit has been not only an amazing experience but also profoundly life-changing.
If you’re looking for a space where you can feel safe, connected, and deeply nourished, I can’t recommend Caya Sanctuary enough. It’s a gift to the soul.
My experience at Caya:
I met Damían & Crystal in ceremony last year.
I was invited into their space and I felt safe and welcomed all along.
I was amazed by the love and peace they both held, unshakeable.
Damian was coming back that same day we started our 3day retreat to a ceremony-ready space, that Crystal prepared with so much devotion for all of us attending. I arrived early and got time to see all her preparations. She has a gift, she’s calm and trusting and the outcome can only be perfect, clean, comfortable.
Damian was coming back from Caya Nw, showing us all, that his visions for finding this land and developing this amazing project, are part of his purpose, and he’s emboding it powerfully, with his own hands.
Both Crystal and Damian have unique skills that can make your ceremony feel safe and loving. Their trust for each other’s roles, before, during and after ceremony, makes the experience effortlessly harmonious and authentic.
They are attentive listeners and there’s light in their words.
Their support and integration are priceless.
And Nico’s music is beyond amazing.
Truly grateful for a super expanding ceremony.
I was blessed to have my first ceremony with Damian and Crystal at Caya. This experience was transformative and will stay with me throughout my life.
Accommodation: the grounds, sleeping quarters, community space, all of it was surreal with how much you could feel the love and care that was put into this place.
Ceremony: The guardians Nico and Tash were most influential in sharing their music medicine with all of us. There were times that their music was all I could lean into to know I was love and light.
Damian and crystal both have an essence about them that feels both nurturing like a loving parent, but also a brother/sister bond vibe. Not to mention their clear and palpable connection to the medicine and sharing that wisdom! The days and space between ceremony were filled with group integration, sharing, and connecting with each other, along with various activities, and plenty of space for just processing or relaxing.
I can’t say enough about the entire experience and how much it has moved me.
If and when I am called back to the medicine I will always know i have a safe, supportive home at Caya.
This place changed my life! Damian and crystal are amazing and caring people.
If you are considering communing with Mother Ayahuasca and want a safe space with genuine, caring, supportive people and an intimate group setting, I simply cannot recommend Crystal, Damian and CAYA Sanctuary enough! That being said, it was the most amazing, life-changing experience of my entire life! For that I am so grateful!!! Ineffable is the best description of the entire experience because no matter how much you try to explain it, there are really no words that do the experience justice. I know this is going to be long but I wanted to answer the questions I had when looking for a place to take this journey for the first time.
After over 20 years of struggling with my mental health and grief and exhausting my efforts with the western medicine way of drugs and talk therapy, which never really cured anything, I can’t express how thankful I am that I found Crystal, Damian and CAYA Sanctuary!
While I’ve known about ayahuasca for over 10 years, it wasn’t until almost 2 years ago that I really felt called to take the journey with Mother Ayahuasca myself. So, I started researching places to go. Making a decision to explore a healing journey like this is not something to be underestimated. Obviously, I wanted to make sure I found a safe place. After a great deal of searching I came across CAYA Sanctuary. My first thought after reading through their website was “This place sounds perfect!”. It had everything I was looking for. However, I didn’t find a lot of reviews, so I was still a bit skeptical. If you’re reading this, you are probably feeling somewhat the same way. I am fortunate enough to live within 2 hours of CAYA, so I arranged an in person meeting and tour of the site with Crystal and Damian. From the moment I arrived I felt like I was on the right path and after meeting them in person I was completely at ease and comfortable. They took their time and answered any questions I had. They are two of the most authentic, genuine, caring souls I have ever met! I decided that day that CAYA was going to be where I would take my journey. They helped me choose the right dates for my ceremony as I had a few high stress things going in my life at the time.
Crystal and Damian assisted me with all the preparation necessary. They did a zoom prep call and helped with my intention setting. One of the things that attracted me to CAYA was Crystal’s background in psychology. I even had a breakthrough realization during my prep call that I hadn’t had in years of therapy. They were available to answer any questions I had leading up to the retreat.
From the moment I arrived for my retreat I felt welcomed and completely safe. Everything was nice and clean without feeling sterile. The beds are super comfortable. The mats they provide for the ceremony are also comfortable. All the food they provided was high quality, healthy and delicious and there was plenty of it! If you need anything all you have to do is ask.
The guardians for my retreat, Fia, Nico and Kris were equally as authentic, genuine and caring! They were all available to you 24 hours a day, if needed. Everyone was very knowledgeable. Before ceremony they did a great job giving orientation and answering any questions. During ceremony it was almost like they anticipated your needs. If I needed something there was always someone right there ready to help. I truly felt safe and supported during the entire experience! With set and setting being so important when communing with Mother Ayahuasca feeling safe is of utmost importance!
The music played during ceremony was wonderful! They provided live music as well as recorded. The icaro sung by Nico was absolutely beautiful! The song selections couldn’t have been more perfect!
Another thing that attracted me to CAYA was the intimate group setting. I had some anxiety about going alone. I also worried, with a larger group, if I would get the care and support needed. I was glad they limit the group size at CAYA. You come as strangers and leave as family!
They say one night with ayahuasca is equal to 10 years of psychotherapy, in my experience, it’s true, if not more! Sitting with the medicine provided more than almost 30 years of prescription drugs and psychotherapy ever has for me! I am not claiming it’s a magic potion that will solve all your problems. YOU still have to do the work afterwards, which is where integration comes into play. They hold group integration discussions the morning after each ceremony which allowed everyone to process their journey and gain insight from others they might not have seen themselves. I wondered if the additional day after the ceremonies was necessary. For me it was and it was much appreciated! The continue to offer weekly zoom integration calls after your retreat that you are welcome to join.
I feel so fortunate to have had such an amazing first experience and hope this review helps others do the same. I hope to be able to attend another retreat at CAYA soon. Thank you Crystal and Damian for all you do!
Caya was my introduction into plant medicine. They provided a beautiful and truly supportive environment for healing. My experience was absolutely profound I’m so grateful to have had this life-changing opportunity that Caya offers. Thank you Crystal!!