This review is for The Shamanic School of Initiation’s ayahuasca ceremonies. I have never taken any of their private classes. To be honest, I can imagine that some of those “rituals” can get weird… this school’s approach openly embraces many forms of occult traditions, including their own ties with medicine tribes in Mexico and Peru. That’s not for me. As someone mentioned on here, it is important to remember that you can navigate your own experience. In my experience, this school has never made me do something I don’t want to do. I have declined certain medicines and rituals in each ceremony I have attended. Sananga and Rapeh are not for me! Ha.

My three ayahuasca retreats with this group have completely changed my life. I know how cheesy that sounds, but it’s true. As a complete 180 in my life, I feel confident in who I am and my abilities to navigate my existence. I understand myself and my family in ways that I will never forget. It has been incredibly liberating. I don’t feel cured of the anxieties I went in to retreat for, but I do feel stronger then them now. I feel like I have the space to hold myself and get through anything.

While on my retreats, I felt completely safe and supported by the facilitators. But what stuck out to me most was the way our entire group fused together to share the journey. By my experience, this was a safe circle to experience the full range of human emotions. Even some super human ones. Yes, people definitely lost their minds and it was scary. Ok, I was the one who lost my mind and scared myself and everybody else. But I never once felt judged by the facilitators or the group. I was kept completely safe physically. The next day when I got in my head about losing it, the entire group embraced me. It was the most beautiful acceptance I’ve ever felt.

To be transparent, my friend prompted me to write this review. A few of us, as past participants, are both confused and mortified by these reviews. All we can do is share our own experiences and encourage other people to do the same.