About Us
We are Dedicated To:
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Following the teachings in our sacred text, “The Ayahuasca Manifesto“.
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To studying the teaching of our sacred text, “The Ayahuasca Manifesto” on a daily basis.
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To the reading of our sacred text, “The Ayahuasca Manifesto” prior to and following of, every sacred ceremony, every church meeting, every board meeting, or any gathering of members.
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We are dedicated to consulting our sacred text before making any important decisions involving our personal, professional, and/or spiritual lives.
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We are dedicated to serving our members with love, respect, honor, and safety.
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We do not set ourselves up to judge any person’s faith or spiritual path to the Light or to the Dark that resides in us all. We honor and accept that we embody both, and it is good.
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We accept all peoples as they are, without the need to judge or control them.
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We are no respecter of wealth, health, race, sex, orientation, position, or identity. All are welcome equally and equitably.
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We respect and acknowledge all plant spirits as plant teachers, as long as they are used with discernment and respect for their power and consciousness.
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We endeavor to instill in ourselves and in those around us the universal Truth that Love is always the answer.
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We are dedicated to being loving and respectful to all who cross our door and strive always to act in a way that honors the journey of each individual.
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We understand that the call of Mother Ayahuasca is not for every person. All are free to come at go at will in love and light.
39 Reviews on “Leaf and De Vine Church”
Leaf and Devine Ayahuasca Church is a beacon of integrity and care in Colorado’s psychedelic-assisted therapy community. Their commitment to safety and holistic healing is evident in every aspect of their offerings. Unlike many plant-based ceremonies, Leaf and Devine goes above and beyond by providing a dedicated medic on-site. This ensures that participants’ physical well-being is expertly attended to, allowing them to fully surrender to the transformative power of the ceremony with peace of mind.
The church’s approach is deeply respectful of the mind, body, and spirit, fostering an environment where participants feel supported and nurtured throughout their journey and thereafter. The facilitators at Leaf and Devine are not only experienced but also genuinely compassionate, creating a safe space where individuals can explore and heal at their own pace. Their dedication to maintaining the highest standards of care and integrity has rightfully earned them a place of trust and reverence within the community.
Integrations is offered two times a week for any and all church members. Integration doesn’t stop after your “one and done” like most spaces and continues for as long as you’d like to integrate- your experience, but also LIFE.
For anyone seeking a transformative experience through Ayahuasca, Leaf and Devine Ayahuasca Church stands out as a sanctuary of safety, healing, and profound spiritual alignment.
Leave and Devine is a blessing . I have been to many other ceremonies but this was by far the best experience I ever had . They are organized , efficient , kind , caring , genuinely loving , creating the safest environment to heal . Mama bear is a true gift beautiful energy and soul . Ash is pure joy . Gloria an earth angel . Healing is a journey that sometimes can be very dark and hard these wonderful selfless souls shed a little light making easier to go deeper to experience some peace we are all searching for . They are family they are friends they are light they are love . The integration they offer after is amazing . The sense of a true community that is always there cheering you on is priceless . I am for ever grateful ❤️🙏😇 a new family I look forward to be apart of. To experience self growth and healing together with 🥰
What a beautiful ceremony weekend…my heart is so complete and so full of love for you all and Mama Aya. Everyone from the participants and Lightworkers to the nurse to the facilitators did such an amazing job honoring their part in walking eachother home…I am honored and most humbled by your service to humanity by showing up for yourselves and doing the hard work that brings our awareness back to our humanity and our oneness! Until next time my loves…I’ll see you in integration🥰🙏💜
I have sat with L&D 3 times so 9 ceremonies. They start with talking to you about if Ayahausca is right for you. They hold an intake interview to learn of your habits and trama so they are prepared to take care of you while you’re under the medicine. They have 4 pre-ceremony integration zoom meetings. They give you the Ayahausca manifesto to read and a work book to help you learn more about the medicine and what your intentions are. You learn about others that will be going through the ceremony with you. They will advise you to go on a diet of clean food. You have the opportunity to ask any questions you have so you feel comfortable.
The Friday and Saturday night ceremonies are inside. The Saturday day ceremony is outside.(weather permitting) The facilitators and light workers watch over you but also allow you to go through the work. Mama Bear has done and still does a lot of trips/work to learn how to be a top notch medicine woman.
This isn’t a come fix me, one and done kind of medicine. You have to do the work. They give you a beautiful safe space to do that.
I will be back for more ceremonies with Leaf and Devine.
I felt safe from the moment I first contacted Leaf and deVine. It was explained to me that we would be required to fill out an intake form to ensure we didn’t have underlying health issues that would be adversely affected. They also assured me that a licensed medic would be present during the ceremony giving me so much relief since this would be my first experience. What I didn’t expect was the 4 prep meetings that are required before you ever show up. This allowed me to not only get to know the community but also the participants I would be going through this experience with. These meetings helped manage my expectations and well as how to best prepare for the ceremony physically and mentally. It was so comforting showing up to this absolute beautiful and special location already feeling connected to everyone. Mama Bear is the Leader/Shaman of L&D who had just returned from one of her several trips to Peru where she has received extensive training, and her Healing Energy and Unconditional Love was felt by all. She had 9 Lightworkers who assisted throughout the weekend. Each brought their own special energy and talent to the ceremony. Whether it was healing work, making delicious vegan food, playing live music, helping us walk, or just sitting and loving us when needed it the most. With only 12 participants, there were more than enough Lightworkers to help everyone. I can’t say enough about how organized this group was and everything just flowed beautifully. I have never felt so much love and safety in one place. This was a life-changing experience, and I was for once able to let go of my deepest hurts, fears and anger that were holding me back from getting to the core of who I truly am. I was able to finally heal and love myself in a way that I never thought I could. I cannot wait to go back and bring my loved ones. This will not be my last experience with this community. I am looking forward to the integration meetings they provide for us on a weekly basis that we can join as much as we desire.
I sat in a women’s ceremony with leaf and De Vine Church In February of 2023, and had a very beautiful experience. I felt completely safe, totally supported by not only the two shamans, but the group of volunteers who were holding space. There was a combination of live music, which was stellar, and recorded music, which was also perfect. A drummer, and a vocalist and guitar player coupled with the singing of the two medicine people made for such a magical experience. At one point, and was really struggling with feeling very sick and one of the shamans sat over me and helped me get through it. Overall, this is a community of beautiful people, all on a healing journey, all full of love and humility. I am grateful for my experience and highly recommend this group to anyone who is called to the medicine.
I’ve sat with this church for two separate ceremonies now and have had the most profound experience. I appreciate the support structure that’s put in place with mandatory preparation classes that help you start doing the actual healing work that’s necessary for the experience on the mat to be integrated into your life. I appreciate the fact that I can access integration calls for free for the rest of my life whether I ever sit again or not. This sets the church apart from other centers that simply serve the medicine and then leave you to your life on your own. The music was powerful and on point for the experience. It was all relevant with what was coming up in my journey. The helpers were incredibly attentive, making sure I was comfortable, tucked in, warm and even fed after journey. I couldn’t move and loved being brought watermelon and other things to make me comfortable post ceremony while the medicine was still in me. Highly recommended experience.
Couldn’t be happier I found this group, I was welcomed in immediately and this community really cares for each other. Integration exceeded my expectations and everything was conducted in a safe and loving way. Please consider this group for your next visit.
I had a phenomenal experience with Leaf and Devine. The facilitators are very conscientious about preparation which is so important. As a psychotherapist, I am evaluating a ceremony as safe if they have good preparation, opportunities for integration, safe setting and experienced facilitators. Leaf and Devine exceeded my expectations in all of these areas. This is a group that truly cares about the people they serve and it shows! Thank you Leaf and Devine and I look forward to my next ceremony together!
I had a phenomenal and transformative experience through the Leaf and De Vine church. The preparation process was extremely thoughtful and intentional and ensured everyone has the tools they needed to prepare on all levels – I especially appreciate that you are able to meet with and hear other peoples’ stories prior rather than meeting everyone for the first time at the retreat. Gervais, Kathy, and Ash were all intentional about giving guidance and being available to answer question and/or talk through concerns in the weeks leading up to ceremony. Once on site, the location space was beautiful and a great environment for ceremony. Throughout each ceremony I found the facilitators and volunteers extremely attentive and in tough with the energy in the room, thus leading to an even more powerful experience. A mix of relaxing music, energetic music, live drumming, live singing, and event poetry all added their own nuances to ceremony and followed the energy of the group thoughtfully. Gervais (or Mama Bear) is extremely knowledgable about the medicine (which is extremely helpful throughout preparation, ceremony, and in post-ceremony integration) and intentional about checking in with participants throughout the weekend (I found this especially meaningful during ceremony when she helped me get through a challenging loop I was stuck in). I also appreciate the emphasis on integration post-ceremony to ensure folks have continued support and access to community (as much or as little as they’d like). I highly recommend the Leaf and De Vine church – especially if you’re looking for a safe ceremony space for LGBTQ+ folks!
My experience was enlightening to say the least. Really glad I took a leap and decided to try this out. I’ve always been taught not to dig into rumors and have an experience for yourself. When anything is in its infancy expect bumps along the road. I don’t know Gervais or Kat or any of the staff personally and I care to let that happen organically, all I know from what I see is effort and as far as I’m concerned, they try to bring the best experience they know how. So staying off the rumors in the thread this is what I’ve got.
Prep classes give you a chance to get in contact with those you’ll participate with and develop a relationship with a group of people you will be spending some intimate moments of your life with for 2 days. Alot of questions are asked and as I take the facilitators as “matter of fact”, not necessarily rude which is fine with me. My wife had a ton of questions and they seemed to get answered quite well.
Before the ceremony, the asking for firewood and the like was interesting but no issue to me, the way I saw it was you could grab something, or decide not to. I used to be a trainer so I don’t get too caught up over prices of things, prices reflect perceived value of the seller and the buyer so the tag didn’t bother me when considering this ceremony. I thought it was either this or fly to Peru.
The space is fine, If I wanted something private I would’ve paid for a private ceremony. Understanding the variable of being around other humans who can be loud, snoring, laughing, crying kind of helps so you’re not disappointed no matter who you’re next to.
Most of all what I can speak about and what I know is what I saw and experienced. I had some of the most transformative time of my life in that ceremony. I dealt with some things that meant a great deal to me. The volunteers and facilitators work as hard as they know how (which is all I asked for not perfection) any gaps that I noticed I’m confident will be fixed with time, experience, and healthy conversations. Music was enjoyable and when I felt any of it was too much or I wanted to go deeper I had earplugs and a something to cover my eyes available. Understanding that things aren’t perfect and still being okay is the hardest thing we deal with in this new society so I try to take things as they are and if it’s something that needs adjustment offering that criticism face to face.
When it was over, I saw a ton of people talking, crying and being open. Some learned some major things about themselves, others didn’t get much of an experience at all. It was a spectrum and I was okay whether I learned anything or not, expectation is a killer of experience, so I try and spin whatever I can to at least be a lesson for me moving forward.
Hope this helps, safe journeys all!
Everyone here was really kind and lovely! I had such a transformative experience and loved the group setting. Everyone was able to be open and share so much. I do not really agree with the negative comments here. I feel as though some are just written by other ayahuasca ceremony sites to bash competitors. It’s helpful to have prep classes a month before, and integration afterwards. I feel that the music was beautiful and got me deep in the medicine. There was singing, drumming and hape. I found it all really lovely. My journeys over the weekend were definitely not easy, but so healing and worth it. I read these reviews before I signed up, and they almost scared me off. But I am SO glad they didn’t. There is never going to be a perfect organization, but Leaf and Devine does aid in transformative healing for people. I really felt a deep love and care from them. I would recommend them and will be going back for another ceremony with two of my friends.
Posting anonymously due to fear of repercussion from the cults following. My biggest concern is, where does the money go? There is no shaman, only a self proclaimed medicine women, and her helpers. Kathy is consistently rude to the volunteers who do the best they can with the shot show they were handed. $575 paid for this… food that ran out, or was dumped if you didn’t get it fast enough. Inadequate facilities for the number of people that were in attendance, and possibly the biggest red flag is that the ceremony goers were asked to bring supplies (food, paper towels, candles, toilet paper) if it’s “all inclusive” then why are we being asked to bring the items that should be provided. Items were being sold the entire time, bracelets, microdosing, Hape, anyway to make money I guess. This is the second ceremony I have done with this place, and I feel as though I am being pulled away because of all the inconsistencies. As a “for profit” I’m not sure where they are putting their money because it could definitely be used for the betterment of their ceremony users.
I can’t speak to other’s negative experiences, especially since ayahuasca ceremonies can be extremely difficult and I can see how it could be easy to project your experience onto the group and its hosts. Or mistakes could have been made? I don’t know, I wasn’t there. That being said, beyond just my personal experience and journey, which I will not share, I felt the preparation, execution, and integration of the ceremony was top notch, particularly the emphasis on providing people in distress the assistance they needed in the moment, virtually immediately. I have been in 2 previous ceremonies with another group and, while I always felt safe, spiritually and physically, I would not necessarily say I felt supported. I don’t believe this to be out of a lack of care, but rather because they had a different philosophy on how a ceremony was suppose to operate. Not good or bad, just different. I believe both have their place.
While the ceremony may be a bit non-traditional in its nature, I cannot question the organizers intent of creating a loving, understanding space with an emphasis on group healing and creating community. The effort Gervais and Kathy put into after care through their hourly active Facebook messenger groups goes so far beyond any integration services offered else where. Mind you, that component is completely free and even more vital to healing than the ceremony itself. That should not be overlooked.
I plan on volunteering and participating in ceremony indefinitely and will certainly be more aware of the concerns brought up in some of the less reactive sounding reviews, but would encourage folks who have a problem in the moment to be honest with their feelings and pose that to Kathy or Gervais privately, as opposed to blowing them up on a review site and making assumptions about they’re intentions without even bringing this issues up to them first to give them a chance to explain themselves.
I have attended other ceremonies and this one with Lead and DeVine was exceedingly better. This group surprised me by setting up prep meetings, making the ground rules clear and making the ceremonies beautiful and east. I felt safe and cared for. The post-ceremony integration meetings are helping me stay connected to my emotions. This is more than just an ayahuasca ceremony. It’s a true integrative healing – something I did not experience with the other ceremonies held by “official” shamans. I will definitely be doing another ceremony with this amazing group of powerful humans.
“Leaf” and DeVine
Every now and then I jump on here to check out reviews and am sad from what I see. Leaf and Devine is a beautiful safe ceremony with amazing people running it. Yet I jump on here and see bad reviews from people that don’t even use there real names or they have never even sat with Leaf and Devine, However they find it necessary to bash something beautiful. I can not for the life of me understand why people that say they are healing or looking for a place to heal want to bash people and a beautiful Church. It is mean spirited and unfortunate that they have nothing better to do than put others down or speak of things they know nothing about and have never even been a part of So sad especially at a time the entire planet needs to heal. Leaf and Devine is an amazing place to sit with the medicine and heal with like minded people that truly want to heal. It is a beautiful safe scared space..
After doing considerable research, I decided not to move forward with ceremonies at the Leaf and deVine Church as overall, it and particularly its leader, appeared to be rather shady. This is what I discovered. There are no shamans at this facility. Rather it is run by a self-proclaimed medicine woman, Kyra Gervais Wright. She claims, in their website, to hold a Doctorate in Education, though peculiarly, the initials “ABD” follow this statement. “ABD” in fact means that Ms. Wright does not have a Doctorate degree. Rather, the initials stand for “All But Dissertation”. Essentially, Ms. Wright is misrepresenting her educational qualifications. She may have done some coursework towards a Doctorate degree in Education, however, she either never wrote her dissertation in the first instance or she wrote her dissertation but never defended it. Simply, she does not hold a Doctorate degree and has misrepresented her credentials. Conveniently, she also fails to note what university she obtained her ‘fake’ Doctorate from. The dubious nature of her professional qualificatons do not end there. Ms. Wright appears to be licensed as an educator in both Colorado and Texas, however, her Texas license has an “inscribed reprimand” noted on it effective August 14, 2019. Details of why Ms. Wright was disciplined by the State of Texas as an educator are unavailable at present, however a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request has been filed with the Texas State Board for Educator Certification to ascertain the reason. Stay tuned. Word to the wise — DO NOT TRUST ANYONE WHO LIES ABOUT THEIR EDUCATION CREDENTIALS AND HAS BEEN DISCIPLINED IN THEIR CHOSEN PROFESSION! Moreeover, the Leaf and deVine Church is not a church at all. It is not registered as a 501(c)(3), a charity or a church either with the IRS or with the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office, and as such, is not a non-profit. It is instead clearly a “for profit” organization. Along these lines, in 2006 Ms. Wright set up a company in Colorado called “Gervais Ministries” however that company was declared “delinquent” by the Colorado Secretary of State’s office. Also troubling is that in the last 10 years, Ms. Wright has moved around quite a bit – from Colorado to Texas, back to Colorado, to Illinois, back to Colorado, back to Texas, to New Mexico and now back in Colorado. She has lived or used 20 different residential addresses over that 10 year time-frame. Aliases that she has used include Gervais Wright, Krystal Wright, Kyra A. Wright, Kyra Gervais Wright, Kyra M. Wright, Kyra Wright and Kyra Wright Gervais. Despite whatever noble intentions Ms. Wright and her “church” have, the bottom line for them is their bottom line — perpetually advertising on Facebook, selling places in their ceremonies at $575 a pop, selling Ayahuasca micro-doses online, selling hape and cacao ceremonies, selling private Ayahuasca ceremonies, selling and up-marketing additional Ayahuasca ceremonies at their $575 Ayahuasca ceremonies. Quite simply, It’s all about making money for Ms Wright and her “church” and nothing else. Even when it comes to holding their group ceremonies, they encourage their celebrants to bring supplies which they promise are included in the price of admission — “bring toilet paper, bring paper towels, bring fire wood, bring Kleenex, bring trash bags, bring battery operated candles, bring watermelon, bring strawberries, bring blueberries” they beg of their followers. The participants out of the goodness of their hearts appear to eagerly supply whatever is asked for. Anyone who is considering an Ayahuasca journey MUST do research on the providers or facilitators and using plant medicine. Dr Joe Tafur, a medical doctor and the author of the seminal Ayahuasca book “The Fellowship of the River” advised me last week that he has never heard of the Ms. Wright or the Leaf and deVine Church, nor can he vouch for either of them. He stated to me “you should be careful who you sit with” and it is “best to have a personal recommendation”. Additionally, I would suggest that people go to plantmedicine.org and listen to their very informative podcasts, to get a view on, among other things, what one should look for in a reputable Ayahuasca retreat and what people should beware of, particularly in terms of the person who heads the retreat.
Nick- Thank you for sharing your sleuthing details and please update when/if you learn more.
Ultimately, I hope that you’re able to find a ceremony that you makes you feel comfortable and safe. Best wishes.
I have sat with the Leaf snd Devine in April, July, and am fixing to sit in the medicine tomorrow. I feel safe and comfortable in ceremony and I have always been able to reach out to Kathy and Gervias with any questions. Last ceremony Gervais asked what she could do to be of assistant to helping me with my intentions in ceremony.. I’m excited to go into September ceremony and will be back for more!
This “church” offered so much hope for growth and healing, but ended up causing me more trauma. A friend recommended that I go to ceremony here and another participant ended up violating physical boundaries with me. When Gervais and Kathy (who responds to several posts on here to apologize for the church’s shoddy behavior), had me and the other person hold hands and minimized the boundary violation that I experienced. It was super disturbing and now I am going to do a better job at vetting my next psychedelic retreat. They also have this weird Scientology vibe where they want you to volunteer for different boards and activities. Nobody shows up or follows through with the volunteer work. This place seems to be ran by two old ladies who do not have any stable relationships so they started a psychedelic church as a rouse to make friends.
Super misleading place. I sat in ceremony in July. I reached out to the church and they shamed me about my previous experiences in other Ayahuasca ceremonies. Gervais only seemed interested in the cost of the ceremony. It’s very money orientated. You show up and they start pushing chocolates with psilocybin. Doesn’t seem like they are there to help. People in the ceremony space are crying, yelling, and in a state of distress, but there’s no help for those in distress. It ruins the experience for the other people in the space. Kathy filibusters about how she was healed by Ayahuasca, but she does not present well-adjusted. She yells at people and throws temper tantrums throughout the weekend. When people who have addiction problems do not get the healing they were promised, the facilitators says “well individual results may vary.” Don’t expect to meet anyone competent in this church.
My experience with Leaf & deVine has been transformative in a positive sense. I watched Mama Bear and Kathy both work hard to create a safe, honest space that helped me arrive at the best possible outcome. Mama Aya gave me what I needed, not what my ego wanted! After the ceremony, Leaf & deVine provided free services for me to understand my experience. Ayahuasca affects everyone differently. I witnessed people waking up from years of addiction to pure joy and some who seemed to get nothing. That’s separate from all the prep and love that staff put into the event. I felt supported with real feedback with knowledge that helped me further understand my experience. Essentially, they told me the truth: 2% of your transformation happens when you take the medicine. The other 98% once do the work to understand what happened. I’m a big fan and highly recommend Leaf & deVine.
Very underwhelming experience. You spend your hard earned money to go to a ceremony ran by amateurs. During ceremony a singer starts to sing, “You don’t know shit. I don’t know shit.” Very disruptive to the experience you are trying to have. “Momma Bear” is obviously not trained to serve medicine. Then after a half-assed ceremony, you get to share sleeping space with loud people who snore and keep you up all night, then you’re expected to have another journey the next day. Very toxic with the “love and light” cult speak.
I agree about the music. It was way too intense and the lyrics pulled me out of the medicine. It would be better suited for a concert and not an Ayahuasca experience.
My experience with leaf and Divine has been absolutely awesome. When I first began I started to volunteer to help with the ceremonies. I figured that I could get to know the people a little bit more and see what was going on from a bird’s eye view before I sat in the medicine with people that I didn’t know. I started to work with them on the side by helping set up and get to know them outside of ceremony, they are some of the most loving souls that just want to spread the love of Aya and aid in healing humanity. Gervais respect for the medicine and the agape love for each soul that comes to her to be served is a beautiful thing to observe. The setting is awesome. The people are great. And if you’re going for healing, it’s exactly what you’re going to get.
I found Leaf & de Vine in February 2022 and volunteered in March & April then participated in May & July. I just volunteered again for the August Women’s Ceremony. I’ve also participated in other gatherings in between. I have received many blessings, that’s why I keep showing up. It is my experience the preparation is detailed, transparent & valuable. There are plenty of opportunities to ask questions & be as informed as possible. For me volunteering first gave me insight into what to expect, it also made it more affordable for me to participate. I’ve also realized that every single time is different. And every participant has their own unique perspective. I shared this weekend the three things that keep me coming back & remaining engaged.
#1 Safety is the priority #2 The emphasis on community #3 Transparency
There are at least three opportunities a week to integrate & connect with other people who are on a similar journey. For me it’s about being open to curiosity of what I can let go of to make room for something more. I feel supported in my path to live my best life. None of us knows how long we’ve got. To honor those I’ve lost too soon, I choose to live my life to the fullest. I lost my niece recently & I am processing grief. Yet volunteering this weekend I was able to dance, sing, laugh, cry & grow along with a powerful group of women. We aren’t taught that vulnerability is courageous yet it’s something I’ve learned. I am honored to witness that in so many beautiful humans. I am seen, heard & held in this community which gives me a solid foundation to build upon. I gather the spiritual tools and resources to make a positive impact on my life & the lives of those I cross paths with. Mama Bear is one of the most loving & generous humans. And she will tell you, she’s only human just committed to providing a safe space for people to navigate their journey. It’s up to the individual to do their own work. The invitation is there. I keeping saying yes because it feels right for me.
My experience was understanding.
For weeks I spent time on a special diet and participated in prep classes. The leader of the church offered preparation sessions where she spoke about her transformative experience. I read all the readings and did the preparation work. There was no warning or discussion that nothing might happen. I suffer from depression and anxiety, have childhood trauma, and was really hoping that this would help. Nothing. I was told, “well that just happens sometimes” in integration meetings. Feels like they promise “the universe” and then when you follow up, they responds with an “individual results will vary” response. Seems pretty irresponsible and reckless for people desperate for help.
It’s quite troubling to learn Gervais true intentions. I found the following of the younger homeless men she kept around strange. I also felt that she allowed her roommate/best friend Kat, to impose her beliefs and fears on everyone, and try to control a lot of things. I also started to see she’s not about the healing of others and their safety, it’s about the money and profits. It’s strange that everyone left, and they can’t keep a medicine man around. The medicine man they had when I was there, stated he wants absolutely no affiliation with the church. The most troubling thing of all, is that she’s offering $100 per positive review. GERVAIS AND HER FRIEND SHOULD NOT BE RUNNING SOMETHING LIKE THIS!!! Gervais has a ton of healing to do, and needs to gain some major ethics before running a church like this.
Thanks for sharing. Can you upload the “$100 per positive review” offer to this page? That’s scary!
I usually do not respond to such messages. However, when people leave reviews about things they know nothing about I am horrified at there need to lash out. This person that left this review and one other has never had anything to do with The Leaf and Devine Church nor have they ever sat in ceremony with this church so why woukd they even bother to post . It is laughable that anyone would pay $100 for a review and we certainly do not have to as we have beautiful souls that heal with us and open there hearts and post truthful reviews about there experiences. We are on a beautiful healing journey as we wish everyone to be. 🙏
I think Gervais is capable at what she is doing with Leaf and DeVine.
There were prep meetings before the ceremony where all my questions were calmly and respectfully answered. The ceremony itself was under control. I felt respected as a person throughout and the facilitators did a very good job at being aware of the energy in the room, and with respect to paying attention to all of the participants. Also, all of the healing / self understanding that happens points back to yourself (as it should, you got this :)). The facilitators are not making themselves out to be “holy” or “THE way” (This is very important) They are there to guide and make sure things are happening safely. For the two times I was present at the ceremony, they succeeded at this task.
After the ceremony there are regular integration meetings, which help people weave a cohesive narrative with respect to their newly acquired experience and their life in general. I think talking this out with people that had a similar experience is very useful. There are at least two meetings a week, an hour and a half each.
Going forward, I intend to volunteer for a ceremony (or a few who knows), so that I can pay it forward and hold space for others, and also so that I can experience the other role as well.
Overall, I would recommend Leaf and Devine to the person who wants to try Ayahuasca in safe, and understanding environment. You’ll be good.
Ellis
I joined this church in April 2022, and have seen my life change for the better. I attended a ceremony in May 2022, and have noticed that my symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD have left me. Due to a significant trauma, I approach things very carefully, and I really checked this church out before I felt comfortable having a ceremony with them. I feel blessed to have experienced such a loving and safe ceremony!!! Gervais, who is also lovingly called Mama Bear, takes her role seriously as the leader of this church. My experience of her is that she is a person who received a great healing herself, and has now dedicated her life to bhelp bring that healing to others. She has trained, and continues to deepen her skills, with Shamans. She has a beautiful, loving, and welcoming presence for all who come seeking healing. I find Gervais to be humble and invested in supporting people who come to the church. She is open to feedback and willing to adjust things as needed. In my ceremony in May, I was experiencing the release of a significant trauma from my body. It was an intense experience, and at one point I was struggling. Gervais was right there energetically working around me. She touched my arm and whispered, “I love you.” I think spirit guided her to do that, since it was the turning point in my release. That action allowed me to let the love in that I had been incapable of feeling previously. As I felt the love in the room surrounding me, I felt the shadow of the trauma leave my body for good. I have no words to express the gratitude and love that I experienced in that moment. I released a trauma that I had been holding for 30 years, and I will be eternally grateful. In that moment, I experienced a flood of love that permeated the room. I felt it in the musicians, the volunteers, and everyone present. It was a life changing moment for me. I am now off my antidepressants, and I no longer am suffering from depression or anxiety. I recently attended another ceremony and released some long standing blocks in my confidence. I am currently moving forward with a new business and will be involved in supporting the church. This church has changed my life, and I now want to support it in bringing healing to others. I can’t express my gratitude enough!
I have been a member of Leaf and Devine since March of 2022 . Prior to sitting with Ayahuasca in ceremony I attended church on Sundays ,( via zoom, which is a lovely community for conscious people. I was able to get to the know the church leaders as well as communicate with other people who were on similar paths in life. It is grounding and helped me to focus on bettering my self and in turn bettering the world. I attended cocoa and hape ceremonies which I found to be very insightful and the community , for the most part was very supportive. Fast forward , I volunteered as the medic for one the ceremonies and was blown away with the pure, raw , vulnerability and courage of each and every participant as well as the churches willingness to make these ceremonies happen despite the legal ramifications. I came to know that one must have courage , a willingness to learn and train and above all , love unconditionally to make these happen. The sacredness and respect for the medicine is undoubtedly present. The church has mandatory prep meetings for the volunteers the participants and the medics prior to each ceremony . There is a diet that one must follow which is explained in the handbooks provided . There is a group to ask questions and get feedback / recipes for the diet. I sat with the medicine as a participant and went through some tough things , The medic as well as Gervais and another volunteer helped me through the most difficult times while sitting in the medicine and did it compassionately , professionally , sacredly . The church has integration meetings twice a week post ceremony for as long as you wish you to go. I am so thankful to have a church like this available here in Colorado as i may have never had the opportunity to go this deep with my self had Gervais not founded this church. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for having the courage , strength , willingness to accept the calling , to rise above the social norms and to most importantly allow people the opportunity to heal . AHO
I sat with the medicine 5 times prior to sitting with Leaf and Devine, so my review comes with some comparison to a few other personal experiences. Leaf and Devine was the only group that had any type of preparation meetings. These prep meetings helped by educating participants on the medicine, the ceremony, as well as allowing everyone to meet before ceremony which made me feel very comfortable before my arrival. When I arrived at my first ceremony with L&D, all participants were given a urine drug screen for an extra layer of safety during ceremony. Along with this, they have a medical professional present during their ceremonies (an RN, EMT, etc.). They have multiple volunteers present for some extra support- they help participants walk to the bathroom or outside during ceremony, fill their water bottles, change out their buckets, etc. During the ceremony, I felt extremely safe and cared for by the facilitators. Throughout my first weekend it was clear to me that the facilitators genuinely care about the healing of their participants and have a very strong respect for this medicine. At some of my previous ceremonies before finding L&D (all experiences that I am still very grateful for), I felt like just a number on a mat without any support or contact with the groups following ceremony, and I have never felt that with this church. My favorite part about this church is the community that they create, which I feel is extremely helpful in the healing process. This includes events outside of ceremonies and weekly integration meetings. These meetings allow participants to talk about anything that they would like- struggles of the week, wins for the week, or just wanting to listen and support others. I think this helps facilitate the continuation of integrating the experience following ceremony. It also creates a loving and supportive community for members. I have recommended this church to all of my loved ones, which I would not do without a strong sense of trust in the work that they do. If you are searching around for a group, I recommend joining the facebook page and talking to members or facilitators and seeing if it feels right for you!
I can not put into words the gratitude I have for Gervais, Kathy, and all of the people who volunteered and sat with me at my ceremony with Leaf and Devine, every single one of them have helped me begin to transform my life into something better. I will be forever thankful.
Before I made the choice to sit in my first ceremony with Leaf and DeVine, I was headed down a very dark path. I had been dealing with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and Traumatic Brain Injury which lead me down a long path of addiction. I didn’t know what else to do, I was at a loss. They helped me regain what I had lost a long time ago.
Leading up to the ceremony, you are informed that there are weekly preparation meetings, and for good reason. In the meetings you could hear the knowledge and passion Gervais has for what she does, and the respect she has for the medicine. They were very clear and informative. I would have never understood the importance of the Dieta if it weren’t for these meetings.
The ceremony was incredible. Each and every volunteer and facilitator knew exactly what to do when help and guidance was needed. I had never felt such a powerful, unconditional loving feeling in my life. Much of it came through how the ceremony was conducted. The music, the vocals, the perfect moments of pure silence. Everything was done beautifully to help guide you through your journey and connect you with the energy of the room, as if we were one. I can’t truly put it into words.
Each morning integration takes place. Everyone shares what they had experienced throughout their journey, and it is remarkable how you can connect with everyone’s emotions on a level of depth not normally felt. Integration, in my opinion is the most important part of the process, which continues after ceremony if you choose to attend. It has helped me navigate and apply what I learned and experienced throughout my ceremony, and keeps you connected with the people you sat with, the only ones who truly understand that moment and what we all went through together.
Since the ceremony my life has changed drastically for the better. I can’t thank Gervais, Kathy, and everyone involved for all the unconditional love and support that still continues after! I will deffinately sit with Leaf and DeVine again when the time is right.
I’ve had the privilege of sitting in two ceremonies at Leaf and DeVine, and each were exceptionally positive experiences. The ceremony leaders were nothing but caring and offered nothing but love, and made it a point to act in the interests of the participants in everything they did. I felt safe and comfortable from the moment I arrived to the moment I left. The level of expertise and care that Gervais, the main ceremony leader, brings to each session is bar none. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to participate in ceremonies and integration under her guidance. Bravo!
I had a wonderful experience with Leaf and Devine. At first I didnt understand why we would need so many preparation meeting but over time I learned so much and certainly after sitting through ceremony I could see how valuable it was. We have non stop access to Mama Bear and facilitators in case we have additional questions or need any type of support. I was surprised at this, I didnt expect a medicine woman to be so personal and reachable. I remember parts of ceremony where I could just see such love emanating from the volunteers….these people are beautiful wonderful and unselfish ones who are at your beckon call all weekend. Its truly remarkable. These are people who came to serve out of a place of love rather than doing it because it is merely a job. To be honest we had a very eventful night when I sat in ceremony as well as when I volunteered. Ive done both and seen both sides. I was thoroughly impressed by Mama Bear knowing exactly how to handle what appeared to me as difficult scenarios, she handled with ease and confidance, as well as grace. She has more than proven to me as a sceptic that I am, that we are in great hands….she leads with wisdom and love. Mama Bear takes plant medicine seriously and us dedicated to protecting the sacred aspects as well as teaching us how. She has never asked us to call her that, from the moment you friend her you know her real or other name. Plenty of people in the church call her Gervais. I have heard it and noticed she didnt correct them or seem to be affected. Anyone who knows about South American culture knows there are nicknames, spirit names, all sorts of tribe names, this is common practice in the plant medicine world. This has not only been a beautiful experience but has become a 2nd family…100’s of people that love to gather together as a community and share gifts with one another….I highly recommend this church.
I want to start my review by saying Thank you. Thank you, Gervais, and all the church members are helping me immensely. Not only during the ceremony but also during the four weeks of preparations with calls, following ups, and after the ceremony, we still have the calls where we can share and talk over how we are feeling, how things are going, etc.
I have been dealing with severe depression and anxiety for years, it was very hard, and now, after the ceremony, I feel much better. The love existing in this church is GIGANTIC! We were UNITED to spread LOVE and good vibrations towards cure and healing!
We had an event, and my husband thanked “Mama Bear,” aka Gervais, for her help. I saw someone mention how to call her, and it is ORGANIC; nobody is forced or told how to call her. I thank this church for all the hard work; they do everything to make you feel comfortable and safe during this process; I have no words to describe all the hard work I saw- giving us water, guiding us to the bathroom, even holding my hair when I was purging. Everything! I felt like they were reading my mind. I did not need to ask for help; it was there. I had a volunteer right by my mat the whole time, and if he were assisting someone, somebody else would be there “covering” immediately; three volunteers helped me when I felt dizzy. THREE!
I appreciate you guys!
During our last member’s meeting, Kathy asked for volunteers, and I am volunteering for the next ceremony- HAPPY TO! Because I am happy to give back all the blessings I got, all the care they gave me.
Thank you guys so much!
I experienced a beautiful transformative ceremony at the Leaf and DeVine Church two weeks ago and it changed my life forever in the best way. The church leader and medicine-woman Gervais runs a professional safe ceremonial space for all the participants. The setting is peaceful, clean, and sacred in the way it is managed and cared for. The respect for the medicine is obvious and is taught starting weeks ahead of time on weekly and bi-weekly zoom meetings. The Dieta is taught and required before ceremony and there is an ongoing FaceBook group for Dieta information. The church facilitators and board members were available to me at all times as I was training for sitting under the medicine. I was given “The Ayahuasca Manifesto” as required reading and studying weeks before my ceremony. I was also given an in-depth preparation guide with precise instructions about what was expected of me before, during, and after ceremony. There was a professional trained medic at the ceremony. Each participant was given a comfortable mat with clean bedding, pillows and blankets. Every detail was handled for me so that my personal time under the medicine felt safe, even when the more difficult parts of the experience were upon me. There were many healing hands helping me during my difficult times and I felt more love and care than ever before. I feel that the way I was cared for and the way others were cared for affected our outcomes more than I could have known. The way the leaders used singing, drumming, and music was guided by intuitive design and followed the ups and downs of the group experience beautifully. After the ceremony, we were served a lovely spread of fresh delicious veggies and fruits and sometimes nutritious veggie soup and bread. Fresh filtered water was available throughout the weekend. If I ever had a question or concern, all I had to do was raise my hand and immediately a helper was at my side. I had the feeling that the entire ceremony was run like a tight ship with no cell phones allowed and concern for each of us was paramount. After ceremony, we were required to sit together in an integration session where each of us had a turn to speak about our experience. I felt like this part of it was especially healing and connecting. I felt overwhelming love and connection with the staff and with the facilitators throughout my time there. I also felt that kind of love and connection with the other participants. I feel like they are my family for life. There are ongoing integration meetings twice a week on zoom for an hour and a half. I was invited to attend these meetings as often as possible and was told most of the healing after experiencing Mama Aya is in the integration process. I find that this is true for me and seems to be for my brothers and sisters in these meetings as well. I highly recommend the Leaf and DeVine church for experiencing Mama Aya. Medicine-woman, Gervais “Mama Bear”, is a powerful healer and a deeply intelligent caring facilitator of this medicine. Her years of experience are obvious in the way she conducts the ceremonial process. Her love and respect for the medicine is remarkable and has much to do with the overall healing that takes place in her ceremonies. I plan to experience more ceremonies with this church in my healing journey to become the best version of myself. I am forever grateful to this organization for offering me a safe and beautiful way to sit under this powerful medicine.
A very dreadful experience. Once you initiate contact with the Leaf & De Vine church, it becomes apparent that it is “The Gervais Show.” She wants to help but also want to be the center of attention at all times. She insists on people calling her “Momma Bear” with little self-awareness about how re-traumatizing this could be for people with trauma histories. Momma Bear also thinks it is appropriate to engage in physical contact with people under the influence of aya and apparently has little training in how people under the influence cannot give consent to physical contact under the influence. Another participant told me that within 2 minutes of meeting her, she kissed him on his cheek, insisted on being called “momma bear,” and did not seem to have any boundaries.
The church seems to have a revolving door of board members, who eventually call Gervais out on her inappropriate behavior. When board members try to set boundaries with her, they end up leaving the church. Yet the general overtone is that “Momma Aya is cleaning house” and always seems to result in Gervais getting her way. Whenever Gervais wants something or asserts her authority, she always says, “Momma Aya told me…[insert delusion].”
Also it is uncomfortable as a participant to witness the volunteer coordinator yell at participants and volunteers. Usually early Sunday morning, Kathy comes in like a bulldog and starts barking at people who are volunteering. During a ceremony a friend of mine participated in, she witnessed Kathy telling the entire ceremony participants as to why a participant was dismissed from ceremony and she cried about her addiction problems. It was uncomfortable for my friend to see a fellow addict get outed and no self-awareness as to why a participant’s privacy should be protected.
It appears that they mean well, but are practicing outside of the scope of their competency. You have to wonder if this church just exists as a money making scheme for a person who cannot hold down a job.
I have sat in ceremony 3 times, once as a volunteer. This ceremony helped me get past things I did not even realize I was suppressing. The ceremony space is beautiful and safe tucked away. All facilitaters are caring and competent in assisting you though your journey. Truly a life changing experience!
This group of people truly mean well. And I mean that. After working with this church for many months, I got serious concerns about their ability to keep participants safe due to lack of training. This may have changed in the last month since I left to be fair. They are serving medicine purely off the pretense that “mother aya” told me I should and this is not ideal although the church leader Gervais I feel means well. After creating a unsafe work space for its employees(I was told), several have left including board members and the important/vital staff members. keeping shamans working with the organization was difficult as well as they have gone through several of them again this may not be all their fault, but regardless they decided they wanted to go alone and they have. They are solid people, mean well but are misguided and therefore a potential danger to participants that may have previous trauma. I love the people that work there and the participants and hate to “bash” anyone but this is serious work that you need to be trained to do and without that your just dangerous and creating a cult. I hope they turn it around.
One of the most amazing ceremonies I have ever experienced. I love the fact that the groups are smaller and we get the absolute best care possible. The Medicine Woman and facilitators are beyond amazing. The volunteers are so well trained and attentive to all the participants needs and are always there to take care of your every need. I felt so much love in this beautiful scared space. One of the most amazing things about this experience was the fact that they have a medic and Mental health therapist on site. I felt safe and loved throughout this beautiful ceremony. I have attended this ceremony several times my last expierence was June of 2022. This experience was absolutely life changing and I would recommend to everyone.
I find it extremely disheartening that supposed spiritual minded people try to bring down good people when they have absolutely no clue of what happens at The Leaf and Devine Church. I see several people posting here that have had absolutely nothing to do with or been present with The Leaf and Devine for 4 months or longer. I find it disturbing that people have nothing better to do than try to hurt or destroy other people for there own personal agenda. I choose to live in love and light and be at peace with all.
Id like to retract my Rating as they wont allow me to delete it. Im not super comfortable with this format. I dont like feeling like this is a “bash” page. I have not been to the church in months and since then things may have changed. I think we need to try and give people the benefit of the doubt as we all evolve and change. So id like to reword mine to say. My PREVIOUS experience was xyz. I also do see members of the staff here commenting and I think it would be more beneficial to respond to the comments about some of the privacy claims, and touch. Its not trauma informed and this has been brought up and discussed so if this is still happening that is not good but again I have not been there so I retract my comments if things have changed. I do believe they mean well but training is vital. So in closing lets be gentle and allow folks to respond to claims in a professional fashion and Im going to try and have the admins remove my previous comment. Also its a conflict of interest since I also run a aya church. Please give me grace as well.
There are no shamans at the ceremony, apparently they can’t hold on to one. Their staff quit with no announcement as to why they quit as the leader herself, Gervais, was not informed as to why. They had one credentialed member who was on the board of directors, a psychologist, but he has been removed from the Facebook group as a member, again with no explanation as to why he was dismissed (he is still listed as part of the team on the website, however, which comes across as shady.) Vet this place out thoroughly before you commit. There is no transparency and too many inconsistencies. Their intent is to help, but with such small staff (the ceremonies are largely facilitated by volunteers) and so many ceremonies and participants, the cash flow is undeniable. I can’t imagine this church is going to last very long with these practices as its foundation.
I had written a review and then thought of something I thought extremely important. The Leaf and Devine holds prep meetings for participants prior to every ceremony so that they are prepared for ceremony and know what to expect I found this to be invaluable. Also they hold integration for life for all of there participants which is so very helpful and needed. 5 stars across the board for this beautiful Scared Ceremony
I agree with you Kathy – this experience is well planned, properly managed and perfectly safe. I will definitely be coming to another ceremony!
No stability, no shaman even though one was promised, no organization, no transparency.
Groups were too large and facilitators don’t have enough training.
This ultimately felt like a bait and switch. Look elsewhere for Aya. Other safer options are available.
This experience has changed my entire life for the better! The community and family I have gained are hand down the best ever! So much love has been given to me. I check in during integration and feel the light and love shining on me from Gervais and Kathy. Love my new Aya family. Don’t let people with hate filled hearts deter this life changing experience for you! Literally an addict for 6 long years and by the weekend mama Aya gave me the tools, strength, and love I always needed.
Gervais and Kathy work so so hard to do this and succeed beyond measure. So much love and light my fellow journiers!