About Ayahuasca Retreats Guide
Honest, independent reviews from someone who’s walked this path—and finished it
Hi, I’m George Remus. I created this site to be the resource I desperately needed when I was watching Netflix’s “How to Change Your Mind” at 3am, terrified but hopeful, trying to figure out if ayahuasca could help me after 30 years of struggling with alcohol.
I wasn’t looking for spiritual enlightenment or mystical experiences. I was looking for freedom. Freedom from a pattern that had controlled my life since I was 13 years old. Traditional therapy hadn’t worked. Willpower hadn’t worked. I’d tried everything, and I was out of options.
My Journey with Ayahuasca
In May 2023, I attended my first ayahuasca ceremony in Alcover, Spain. I chose Spain over Peru because I prioritized safety and communication over “authenticity.” My facilitator was Isabella, a woman with over 15 years of experience who genuinely cared about healing over profit. Our group was small—just 6 people. We spent two full days preparing before the ceremony, setting intentions and building trust.
That first ceremony was profound. But the transformation didn’t happen overnight. When I returned home, I expected everything to be different. It wasn’t. The real change came gradually over the weeks that followed—a slow opening, a shift in perspective, a loosening of the grip that alcohol had on me.
That initial experience opened a door. But I knew I needed to go deeper.
40 Days in the Amazon: Psychonauta Foundation
In June 2025, I traveled to Psychonauta Foundation near Nauta, Peru for a 40-day master plant diet in the Amazon jungle. This wasn’t a tourist retreat. Psychonauta is an off-grid camp deep in the rainforest, working with Shipibo and Matses tribes, following traditional indigenous practices.
A 40-day dieta means complete isolation. Strict dietary restrictions. Daily work with master plants. Multiple ayahuasca ceremonies in complete darkness, Shipibo-style—just you, the medicine, and the icaros (healing songs) woven by experienced shamans.
No phone. No internet. No distractions. Just me, the plants, the jungle sounds at night, and the work I’d been avoiding for 30 years.
Those 40 days changed everything. Not because of magic or miracles, but because I finally had the space and support to do the deep healing work that ayahuasca had shown me I needed to do. The master plants taught me patience, discipline, and how to sit with discomfort without reaching for alcohol to numb it.
The Reality Most People Don’t Talk About: Why People Quit
During my time at Psychonauta, I witnessed something that fundamentally changed how I understand ayahuasca work: most people quit their dietas.
People would arrive full of hope and intention, committing to 20-day, 30-day, or even 40-day master plant diets. But within the first week—sometimes within the first few days—they would pack their bags and leave for Iquitos.
The isolation was too difficult. The darkness of the jungle at night was overwhelming. The dietary restrictions felt unbearable. The physical discomfort of sitting with themselves—with no distractions, no phone, no escape—was more than they could handle.
I watched person after person quit. They’d convince themselves that ayahuasca “wasn’t for them” or that the dieta was “too extreme.” But the truth was simpler and harder: they weren’t prepared for what this work actually requires.
I was one of the very few people who completed the full 40 days. Not because I’m special or stronger than anyone else. But because I understood going in that healing isn’t comfortable. That real transformation requires sitting with exactly the discomfort you’ve been running from your entire life.
The dropout rate wasn’t because people were weak. It was because they arrived with unrealistic expectations, insufficient preparation, and a fundamental misunderstanding of what ayahuasca work actually requires. They thought it would be difficult. They had no idea HOW difficult. And nobody had prepared them for that reality.
Why I Created This Site
Watching so many people quit their dietas at Psychonauta made me realize something critical: there’s a massive gap between what people think ayahuasca is and what it actually requires.
Most information about ayahuasca online is either:
- Marketing copy from retreat centers – romanticized, incomplete, designed to sell ceremonies
- Spiritual bypassing – focusing on mystical experiences while ignoring the brutal work
- Generic travel blogs – superficial experiences from people who did one weekend retreat
- Fearmongering – focusing only on dangers without providing constructive guidance
What’s missing is honest, independent information from someone who’s actually done the deep work—someone who understands both the profound healing potential AND the brutal difficulty of this path.
That’s why Ayahuasca Retreats Guide exists.
What This Site Is (And Isn’t)
What This Site IS:
- Honest, Independent Reviews: Based on my personal experience attending ceremonies at retreats across multiple countries
- Safety-First Information: How to identify red flags, evaluate facilitators, and choose retreats that prioritize your wellbeing
- Real Preparation Guidance: What you actually need to know before ceremony—not just diet, but mental, emotional, and practical preparation
- Integration Resources: Because the ceremony is just the beginning; the real work happens afterward
- Realistic Expectations: The truth about how difficult this work is and what it actually requires
What This Site ISN’T:
- Sponsored Content: I don’t accept payment from retreat centers. Every review is independent and honest
- Spiritual Tourism: I don’t romanticize ayahuasca or promote it as a quick fix or spiritual vacation
- Medical Advice: I’m not a doctor or therapist. Always consult professionals before considering ayahuasca
- One-Size-Fits-All: Ayahuasca isn’t for everyone, and I won’t pretend it is
What Makes This Site Different
1. Real Experience, Not Research
Every review on this site is based on ceremonies I’ve personally attended. I’ve experienced ayahuasca in multiple countries, with different facilitators, in different settings. I understand the difference between a safe, well-run retreat and a dangerous one because I’ve seen both.
2. I’ve Done the Deep Work
Completing a 40-day master plant diet at Psychonauta Foundation puts me in a very small percentage of Western practitioners. Most people who write about ayahuasca have done a weekend retreat. I’ve sat through 40 days of isolation, darkness, and discomfort in a traditional Shipibo setting. I know what this work actually requires.
3. I Understand Addiction & Recovery
After 30 years of alcohol addiction, I’m not approaching this from an academic or tourist perspective. I understand what it means to truly need ayahuasca—not just want an interesting experience. I understand desperation, failure, and what it takes to actually change.
4. Scientific Grounding
I’m attending the ICPR (International Conference on Psychedelic Research) in June 2026 to deepen my understanding of the science behind ayahuasca. I believe in balancing indigenous wisdom with modern research, respecting both traditions and evidence-based practices.
5. No Sponsored Content, Ever
I will never accept payment from retreat centers to influence reviews. The moment I do that, this site loses its value. My reviews are honest, even when that honesty might hurt someone’s business. Your safety is more important than anyone’s profits.
Who This Site Is For
This site is for people who are:
- Seriously considering ayahuasca – not just curious, but genuinely exploring it as medicine
- Struggling with something traditional treatments haven’t helped – addiction, depression, trauma, PTSD
- Willing to do difficult work – not looking for a quick fix or spiritual tourism
- Prioritizing safety – understanding that a bad retreat can cause real harm
- Ready for honest information – even when that information is uncomfortable or challenging
If that’s you, you’re in the right place.
My Commitment to You
Honesty: I’ll tell you what I’ve experienced, good and bad, even when it’s uncomfortable
Safety: Your safety will always be my top priority, above all other considerations
Independence: I’ll never accept payment from retreat centers to influence my reviews
Realism: I’ll tell you what ayahuasca work actually requires, not what marketing wants you to believe
Continued Learning: I’ll keep attending ceremonies, learning from facilitators, and staying current with research
Where I Am Today
I’m still in recovery. Ayahuasca opened the door, the 40-day master plant diet at Psychonauta taught me how to walk through it, but I do integration work every single day. I work with a therapist. I have a support network. I attend ceremonies periodically when I feel called to go deeper.
I’m not “healed” or “enlightened” or “cured.” I’m healing. And that’s enough.
Start Here
If you’re considering ayahuasca for the first time, start with my Complete Ayahuasca Ceremony Guide. It covers everything I wish I’d known before my first ceremony—from choosing a safe retreat to understanding what preparation actually means to integrating afterward.
If you want to understand why I started this journey, read my “How to Change Your Mind” documentary review—the Netflix series that changed my life.
