Gaia Sagrada Retreat Center Reviews 

I partook in the Spiritual Retreat early February 2023 at Gaia Sagrada and it was so much more than I expected or even hoped for.
All of the communication before arriving was smooth and easy. Upon arrival I was greeted with love and affection by the staff, the location is amazing, beautiful and peaceful in the mountains with the ideal climate.
All the practical arrangements - room, eating, sleeping, places to hang out chill and chat - worked really well.
The staff and volunteers, all of them without exception, were kind compassionate, knowledgeable and made me feel at home from the first to the last.
All of the Shamen, the fire-keepers and assistants did a wonderful and professional job, greatly assisting the participants in their personal spiritual journeys.
Christine says that she is just a hippy chick from California, but she is so much more than that. Try and spend some time with her, she is a wonderful teacher with a great depth of spiritual knowledge, who wants to share it with as many as possible.
The fact that Gaia Sagrada is run as a non-profit was an important factor in my choosing to attend. When you are there you feel that money is not the motivating factor for Christine and her team, unlike many other places. You feel that the motivating factor is to share the spiritual knowledge with as many as possible and thereby change the world. For me this was like a warm comfort blanket of unconditional love wrapped around me.
If you are considering a spiritual retreat, and I guess you are as you are reading this, be good and kind to yourself and choose Gaia Sagrada, you will not regret it.
Peace - Nique

Gaia Sagrada is a wonderful retreat worth your best. Participating in a retreat here is an incredible opportunity to shift your energy, heal and embrace all that you and the world can be. It's an opportunity for greater peace and actualization. I highly recommend attending a retreat here, especially a retreat lasting twelve days or more.

Far beyond what you could expect beforehand, entering Gaia Sagrada is like passing through a vortex into an earth in an alternate dimension. The soaring mountains, natural environment, wonderful people and powerful energy weave together a wonderful experience of cocreation. Especially if this is your first ceremony, I think it is important that you do it in a natural wilderness setting like Gaia Sagrada with deep links to ancestors and wilderness - not a room in a building in a city. The retreat facilitates an excellent balance between medicine ceremonies and free time for regenerative activities like yoga, hiking, meditation, eating healthy and hanging out. There is generally a rest day between each ceremony which is a fantastic approach that will allow you to better process, recover and integrate the experiences that you have.

Most importantly, the ceremonies at Gaia Sagrada are safe. The hosts provide excellent care before, during and after the ceremonies to ensure that each participant is and feels safe. Arriving at the retreat, safety was my primary concern because it was my first experience with Ayahuasca and San Pedro. Prior to the first ceremony, we had several group meetings that provided all of the information necessary for me to feel safe and ready anr trust in how the shamans and center would care for me during the ceremonies. I also recommend participating in the cleansing offered prior to your first ceremony. Throughout all of the ceremonies, I felt in safe hands and with quality medicine that I could trust in.

The accommodation, food and activities at Gaia Sagrada are just right to encourage a healthy peaceful return to your self and a balance between personal time and retreat events. But most of all, Gaia Sagrada's people are its treasure. The shamans, staff, volunteers and retreat participants make this place truly magical. The opportunity to connect and learn from such wonderful diverse souls in this place is so special and rewarding - this is life changing stuff. Come with an open heart and open mind and you will experience the same.

I appreciated the way that the ceremonies were conducted, especially how the shamans, fire keepers and translator held space and shared their wisdom, songs, challenges and lightness throughout each journey. The english translation for the shamans who spoke Spanish and Portuguese was done very well and appropriately.

For certain, attending a Gaia Sagrada retreat requires dedicated spiritual preparation beforehand. I recommend the ayahuasca diet beforehand to help you prepare mentally and physically. Mental preparation is crucial: meditiatipn, yoga, reading, therapy...whatever you can do to unpack and better know your self and connect with your spirit before you arrive. This preparation is key to embracing the ceremonies and the realizations that they allow.

Experiencing Gaia Sagrada can be life changing, it can light a spark or create a deep shift that moves you closer to your self, your healing and actualization and your peace. It is powerful. But it is not an easy set-it-and-forget-it solution to any troubles that you face. You need to prepare beforehand. You need to be brave and open to your intuition throughout the ceremonies. And last but not least, you need to do your best to remember your learning and remember your truth and bring these back to the world after you return from Gaia Sagrada. That integration back into the outside world is a challenge (and that's okay). You will find post-retreat support in your fellow Gaia retreat participants, and in the people you know (or start connecting with!) in the outside world afterwards. Be as prepared as you can to give yourself the space and support you need when returning to the outside world to actualize the truth that you discover at Gaia Sagrada.

Wish you all the best on your journey.

What a truly magical experience at Gaia, 13 days I won’t ever forget! I loved every moment, even the tough parts of the ceremonies which played a key role in the overall journey. My partner and I stayed in a private room with en-suite. Room had everything we needed and plenty of extra blankets for chilly mountain nights. The mountain views are truly breathtaking!
The food was outstanding, and there was always fruit and lots of snacks, refreshments available at all times. I was surprised by how vast the grounds are and the beautiful areas created for relaxation, such as hot tub, cold plunge, steam room. Big room for yoga, and lots more. The ceremonies were truly magical, and everyone from staff, volunteers, shamans showed so much love and care for everyone. This is perfect retreat for people who have not experienced plant medicine, a very safe environment, with lots of knowledgeable and supportive people around. You won’t regret going to Gaia. Best wishes to you.

The experience I had is beyond words, it took me a moment to process, so now I can share. It was fanominal beyond my expectations, I know I would have some type of cleansing works done, but my cleansing was done on a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level. No amount of cessions at the therapist could bring about this change in six days. I love the company, I felt loved, with no judgement, the food was excellent, the rooms was always clean, there was always someone to talk to if you needed it, I can’t wait to visit again, my goal is to volunteer there. It’s such a magical place, I think everyone should experience these ceremonies at least once in there life, and they will never regret it, it’s an unforgettable experience to cherish, more than any vacation you have ever took. It was well worth everything I had to endure yo get there.

What a beautiful, loving, expansive, transformative, and healing journey. One of the best experiences I've ever had. The people, the food, the accommodations, the love, the ceremonies, the Shamans, the volunteers.... just the best. Thank you Christine and all the staff.

Upon on arrival at GS I was greeted with nothing but hugs and love. This was very strange and bizarre to me. I tend to not play well with others and keep to myself especially since my sobriety. But I have to say this was the most friendliest & caring group of people I have ever met; staff, volunteers and even most of the guests. Most of the guests were already on their “journeys” seeking self betterment. The grounds are amazing (if you like plants you will be very happy) and you are up in the heavens basically. I thought of it as a Garden of Eden.

I went for the 12 day retreat and took part in every ceremony and all the extra ones to. The ceremonies are very well organized and ran with plenty of “Guardians” keeping an eye out for us and helping us like get to the bathroom etc. The ceremonies start and end as a group and no one is left alone while on these powerful medicines. The Shamans, Mama Christine, Fire Keepers & Guardians are very “professional” and I knew that they sincerely cared about all of us, I am a 20 years B2B sales pro and can spot BS right away. I did not sense any of that from the staff.

The food. Yes it is all vegan and my diet normally consists of animal protein like 80-90%. I survived and I have to say none of the food was bad and most of it was very good…… There’s plenty to eat and plenty of snacks. The water is amazing!

After a few days this guy (me) who was around 9.5 months into my sobriety after almost 30 years of Hardcore Drinking and Drugging since the Military that was still coming to grips with feelings, emotions, patience and everything else that gets suppressed with addiction became a happy, hugging, loving social butterfly after many years of Isolation. I came seeking confirmation on things I already knew but just didn’t know for sure. I found most of the answers to the questions I had. I already had my power back so to speak before arrival, I just needed some fine tunning and to knock that last bit of rust off of my spiritual divine self. I accomplished everything I set out to do here and it’s because of what Mama Christine has built there. I wont go into further detail because its just one of those things you have to experience for yourself.

Oh and OMG can some of these folks SING!!!!! Freaking Rockstars hiding out over there…..

If there is one negative thing; I would have to say its negativity from some of the guests, some people are just not happy anywhere they go. Oh and no meat!!!

I very highly recommend GS and I will be returning in a few years.

Tat ta!!!

Go for the healing, stay for the family and love. You are cared for, you are appreciated, and you will meet special people with full hearts and incredible stories. Healing and Love is what you will find here.

I expected the Gaia Sagrada retreat to be meaningful, but it far exceeded my expectations. Not only were the ceremonies deeply transformational, but relationships with other participants developed almost immediately as we all worked through our challenging shared experience. The staff and volunteers could not have been more helpful, the food was amazing, and the facilities were perfect. Thank you Gaia Sagrada!

I had the most amazing time at gaia sagrada!

I decided to go there because of the positive reviews and thought to myself it can only be good, but it even went beyond my expectations.

We are ONE family -

The guests, the volunteers, Christien, the staff and the shamans.

I never experienced such a deep sense of community before and im so grateful to be part of all of that now.

Also the medicine was so powerful and healing - but challenging, its work!

Thank you so much Christine and whole Team of Gaia to give people the opportunity to be part of the tribe and to give them the opportunity to heal themselves.

I will never forget this experience with you and hope to be back at some point.

Aho

I came to Gaia Sagrada for the 6 day retreat in October '22. I cannot recommend this place and experience enough. Gaia Sagrada is beautiful, thoughtfully laid out and constructed to suit the surroundings. I chose Gaia because it seemed most integrated into the community rather than siloed off. I also chose it because they provided the most comprehensive and detailed information re travel, ceremonies, how to prepare, what to bring etc. After signing up, I found the communication to be prompt and addressed my questions as I needed. Accommodations are consistently clean, well maintained, comfortable and well appointed. The food is delicious, healthy and accommodates various dietary needs. Staff and volunteers are patient, helpful, friendly and supportive.There is ample time in the schedule to rest, explore the grounds, do your own thing, do karma yoga, and get to know others because it's really up to you what you want to participate in. I suggest getting your karma yoga in ASAP, but as your time goes on, you may want to instead, rest more, hang with people more or journal more. As for the ceremonies, I appreciate the pairing of Ayahuasca and San Pedro as well as the limpia to start your time. Record what's said in the limpia, take a picture of your cards. This sets the tone for the other ceremonies. The San Pedro really does fortify you to address what Mama Aya reveals. If possible, I suggest you take notes during San Pedro or even in the Ayahuasca ceremonies. When you get home, I suggest finding ways to support the transformation started during your Gaia time.

This place is special!!! Words can’t begin to express the gratitude I feel for the experience I had at Gaia Sagrada. When considering a journey of this nature, set and setting are critical components to a favorable outcome. All aspect of the retreat I attended were perfect! The staff, the volunteers, the other retreatants that I met, the grounds, the accommodations, the food, the workshops, the shamans, and the ceremonies all exceeded my expectations. I felt safe and cared for throughout the duration of my stay. A heartfelt THANK YOU to Christine, Wendy, and all the others that made my stay at Gaia Sagrada so special!

For my first time doing Ayahuasca and San Pedro – I am very thankful I chose Gaia Sagrada. This was the perfect place to experience my first ceremonies.

Christine, the staff and volunteers were incredible. They provided so much loving support and guidance, I really felt looked after and safe. From the time you arrive you are greeted with hugs and are made to feel right at home. For the ceremonies there are always a number of helpers on hand looking out for everyone and making sure you are safe.

The rooms were great. I was in Harmonia in a single room, and this was a great comfortable and peaceful place to rest.

The food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner was a beautiful buffet of healthy vegetarian food which I always looked forward to. You can eat as much as you like and it is all so tasty – a real treat!

There are workshops and activities arranged each day which are free to go along to if you want. There was a great variety of workshops – something for everyone, and allowed me to explore a few different activities that I haven’t tried before which was a bonus.

The people that come to these retreats are incredible. I didn’t expect to meet so many wonderful friends on this trip – yet I did. Every single person was so open minded, kind, supportive and amazing. The conversations you will have here are truly eye opening and the friendships long lasting.

The Shamans and their teams were all so kind, supportive, and skillful. I felt looked after and privileged to be a part of their masterful ceremonies.

The ceremonies themselves are truly beautiful – even just to witness without the medicine would be a treat. For me I really enjoyed the variety of the different ceremonies and the different shamans – over 6 ceremonies – I got to experience 5 different shamans conducting ceremonies which for me was such a privilege.

If I was to write this review to my younger self I would say – if you are wondering whether to do this where you will be safe and have an incredible experience – Gaia Sagrada is the place.

For me this retreat was the most profound experience of my life.

Ayahuasca and Shamanism seem to have attracted a lot of interest recently. If, back in the 1960s, William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg introduced a weird Amazonian hallucinogen, Yagé (another name for Ayahuasca), the fame of the jungle medicine has since been blown out of proportion, with filmmaker Gaspar Noé, among others, explicitly referring to it in his movies. Nevertheless, there is a dark side to that fame. Iquitos is now reputed to be a Walmart of Ayahuasca and a lot of charlatans now pose as shamans. Beware! Men and women have been assaulted and people lost their lives due to disreputable characters trying to make easy money. However, you can come with your mind at ress at Gaia Sagrada. Despite most governments warning against taking part in ayahuasca ceremonies due to the impossibility to know if a particular retreat is safe or not, the fact is that they are wrong. Just like for anything else, insightful reviews cans help make a safe choice. Gaia Sagrada is situated in the mountains near Cuenca, Equador. Not only is the spot beautiful, it’s also surprisingly affordable compared to other places in Peru or elsewhere, the staff is wonderful, the shamans, Antai, Titi, Black Jaguar, Don Mauricio, Christine, are amazing. The personnel also goes the extra mile to make you feel comfortable. The vegetarian food is great and the other guests are all wonderful. As Don Mauricio, said to me, they are two important things: buen lugar, buena gente (Good place, good people). Gaia Sagrada has both. Finally, I also wanted to say I came for healing and found much more. Through ecstatic visions and a trip through parallel dimensions, Mother Ayahuasca and Grandfather San Pedro showed me who I really am, priceless knowledge.

I’ve just returned home to the UK from a 12 day Ayahuasca retreat at Gaia Sagrada.

Mere words can’t begin to describe what a profoundly transformational experience awaits you if you decide to travel there yourself.

This is a very, very, special place. The location is beautiful. The Andean hills create a stunning backdrop to live with for a while. There are none of the buzzy, biting insects you would experience in the sweaty heat of the jungle. The temperature is just the right type of hot during the day – bring sunscreen and hats - but bring some warm layers for the evenings too as at this altitude the air gets a bit chilly. Don’t let that put you off though; there is a seemingly infinite supply of Alpaca wool blankets to wrap up in as you sit around the fire and gaze into the flames!

The staff and volunteers here are beautiful people too and run the place with great dedication, efficiency, and love. They are always on hand for help, advice, and laughter.

The food is wonderful! Even if you aren’t a born again vegetarian or vegan, you’ll soon forget your carnivorous lifestyle!

The ‘medicine’ ceremonies themselves are powerful and authentic. The shamans are the real thing, coming from a culture of long family traditions of training. They conduct the ceremonies with a balance of respectful ritual and good humour. The medicines; Ayahuasca and San Pedro are strong and will take you on great journeys. But be prepared to experience much more than a ‘quick hit’ psychedelic light show. There is a profound spiritual energy being delivered here. It will get under your skin whether you want it to or not, and it will live with you. You won’t regret the experience.

Absolutely incredible and life changing experience! This was my first time working with plant medicines. I didn't know what to expect and I wasn't sure I'd even participate in ceremonies unless I felt really safe and confident. But the moment I arrived, I was greeted by staff and volunteers with warm smiles, big hugs and open hearts. I knew I had arrived to the right place. Such a beautiful, safe place, nestled in the mountains. The shamans there are the real deal. Such incredible, spiritual plant medicine experiences. And I felt very well taken care of by the staff and volunteers throughout my experience. They have thought of every detail and anticipated every need. My room was clean and comfortable. The vegetarian food was outstanding. I love the casual atmosphere. By day 2, I felt like we were one big happy family, so connected to the people there, the land, and also myself. Lots of beautiful walks and quiet spots to journal as well as communal areas and workshops/classes to connect with others. The perfect blend for a healing, transformative experience. I'm already trying to figure out when I can return. Thank you, Gaia Sagrada! What a gift to the world to create and share this magical place and experience!

Let's say I had no real intention to select this retreat for plant medicine, I just wanted to visit Ecuador, do yoga, and read some novels in a beautiful setting! But it came to me through many little coincidences and I knew I had to go AND very glad I did. This is certainly not for the fainted heart as digging in and cleansing our mind, body and spirit, of known and unknown traumas is not easy. But once you step in and become a warrior the rewards are priceless. I won't get into details as this is an individual journey so I will talk about the setting which is beautiful, the staff which is so loving, supportive, and knowledgeable that you can't help love all of them, the food was beautiful and lovingly made, and the people you meet are wonderful because we all are there to be our authentic selves and advance to living out of our highest self and not the stuck child.
Christine Breese is pure love (extremely funny) and genuine. Taking on this very difficult task to create such spaces to heal human beings so we can heal our collective consciousness and hope to move towards peace and harmony for all living beings sharing this beautiful planet with us. While I must say it was not easy, I am now home much lighter in my body and downloading tons of useful information for the short book I have been planning to write. I also appreciate the price not being so ridiculously expensive like many retreats that claim to have the same aim. Thank you, Christine, and thanks to every single beautiful being at Gaia who worked so hard to make our journey as comfortable and rewarding as possible. Love you all!

I don't even know where to begin to sing the praises I have for Gaia Sagrada. I guess foremost I have to acknowledge and appreciate the incredible staff and volunteers who facilitate these incredible journeys. Of course we all come to these retreats for the Medicine, but the medicine is not just in the plants, it's in the incredible Love and Spirit that the Gaia family offers through their humble service.

Throughout every ceremony, staff and volunteers were present, sober and supporting of the participants as we surrendered to the plant medicine. They were so attentive, gentle, and genuinely kind in the way they offered their support. Outside of the ceremonies, they were completely giving of their time and attention, checking in with you personally, sitting down in the grass to have a spontaneous heart-to-heart chats, being completely available in the moment any time you had a question or needed help. Always holding space with complete unconditional love. So thank you so much, familia. 

The shamans as well, so beautifully down to earth and sincere in their giving of their traditions and sacred medicines. What I loved about each shaman was the sincerity, reverence and human-ness they brought into each ceremony, all the while sprinkling in bits of comic relief with their funny commentaries occasionally. I loved this because I believe silliness IS sacred when it is sincere. In the heaviness of the ceremonies, the occasional funny remark made our open hearts laugh like children and the solidarity of understanding the humor made the bond feel that much stronger. Being able to talk to the shamans outside of ceremonies was also a blessing. 

And of course, the center itself on such beautiful grounds is truly part of the sacred beauty at Gaia Sagrada. The land is beautiful, the buildings are lovely, and the energy of the place can be felt. Also, the food was amazing! 

I can't imagine going anywhere else for such an experience. The way they have laid out the order of the ceremonies is genius. It takes you through such a journey. And the integration between ceremonies truly brings you so close to the other retreaters who are with you. Indeed, we did leave feeling that we truly have a new family. I am so grateful. Aho!

An amazing place, full of love, support and healing. Every one has been phenomenal. The place is extremely friendly and yet organized, clean and meticulous yet immersed in nature, it was disciplined yet laid back, it had the perfect balance of paternal toughness and maternal love. The experience was inspirational, had the difficulty needed to transform and the support needed to excel. The place ran like a non for profit organization, which it was comparing what you pay for what you get. The day I left I felt like leaving family. I will be back in no time. I WAS TRANSFORMED

Gaia Sagrada a beautiful place, beautiful people! It was an amazing experience I know its hard to believe sounds too good to be true but it truly is an amazing place SAFE if your thinking of going and are skeptical dont be its everything you read about. The staff is amazing you will meet incredible people you will not regret the experience! I LOVED IT so glad i went!

What an absolutely amazing and magical place! I loved my stay at Gaia Sagrada, I was just recently their for the 12 day retreat. Not only is it beautiful and great for the soul but both the Shamans and volunteers are a blessing to the world! Christine has put together a great group of people to work with and learn from. They do a very good job of taking you inwards and allow for you to transform and heal. It’s a very safe place where you can actually truly just be yourself. I am forever grateful for the things I was able to work through and learn even more about myself. If you are looking to transform your life I highly recommend Gaia Sagrada! Thank you to each and everyone of you that was there to make my experience so great! Much love to you all!