Eden
Sanctuary
Ayahuasca, Safety & Responsible Participation
At Eden Sanctuary Retreat Center, working with Ayahuasca carries a responsibility that begins long before a ceremony takes place.
Our approach includes personal consultation and health screening before participation, careful preparation, experienced facilitation, small groups, support throughout the retreat and continued attention to integration afterwards.
This page explains openly how we work: where the medicine served during our retreats comes from, how participation is assessed, which health and medication considerations are important, how ceremonies are held, and the principles of responsibility and transparency that guide our work.
Our Approach
We approach Ayahuasca with respect, care and a strong sense of responsibility.
For us, a well-held experience begins before the ceremony itself. It starts with knowing who is coming, understanding their health and personal circumstances, preparing them properly, and creating an environment where they can feel supported throughout the process.
This is why every participant speaks with us personally before joining a retreat and completes a health and medication screening. During the retreat, we work with small groups of no more than 12 people, allowing our team to remain attentive to each person and to the group as a whole.
The process continues after the ceremonies through rest, conversation and integration.
We believe that preparation, setting, experienced facilitation and integration are all essential parts of working responsibly with Ayahuasca.
The Medicine We Serve
The Ayahuasca served during our retreats comes through established and trusted relationships developed over many years.
Our medicine is sourced from the Santo Daime community of Mapiá, in the Brazilian Amazon, where it is prepared by an experienced master brewer using traditional methods and prayers.
Knowing the origin of the medicine is important to us. We maintain a direct and long-term relationship with the people responsible for its preparation, based on trust, ethical reciprocity, sustainability and fair compensation for their work.
From its preparation in the Amazon to the moment it is served at Eden, the medicine is handled with care, transparency and respect for its origin and tradition.
Ayahuasca Is Not Sold
In the spirit of transparency, we want to be clear that no commercial value is placed on Ayahuasca itself. The medicine is not sold, priced per ceremony, or charged for as a product.
The contribution for participating in a retreat relates to the retreat as a whole. It covers accommodation, meals, use of the center and its facilities, organization and logistics, well-being practices, nature experiences, preparation and integration, and the work of the team supporting participants throughout the program.
This contribution allows us to maintain a safe, respectful and sustainable environment in which the complete retreat experience can take place.
Ayahuasca is received and served within its ritual context, with respect for its origin and tradition, rather than treated as a commercial product or attraction.
Before You Are Accepted
Participation in our Ayahuasca retreats is confirmed individually.
Before accepting a participant, we arrange a personal conversation and ask you to complete a confidential health questionnaire. We review relevant medical history, current medications, mental health history, previous experiences with Ayahuasca or other psychedelics, and any other information that may be important for safe participation.
We ask participants to answer these questions openly and accurately. The purpose of screening is not to judge whether someone is “ready” for Ayahuasca, but to identify situations in which participation may carry additional risk.
In some cases, we may ask for further information or recommend discussing participation with your doctor. If we identify a significant safety concern, we may recommend postponing the retreat or decline participation.
Your participation is confirmed only after this screening process has been completed.
Health Conditions & Contraindications
Ayahuasca is not appropriate for everyone. Certain physical and mental health conditions can increase the risks associated with participation, which is why we review each person's health history individually before confirming a place.
As a general rule, we do not accept participants with serious or unstable cardiovascular conditions, uncontrolled high blood pressure, a personal history of psychosis or schizophrenia, or a history of manic episodes or bipolar disorder where participation may present a significant psychiatric risk.
Pregnancy and certain neurological or other significant medical conditions may also make participation inappropriate.
A family history of psychotic disorders, previous serious reactions to psychedelics, seizures or epilepsy, and other significant physical or mental health conditions must always be disclosed during screening and may require further individual assessment.
This list is not exhaustive. If you have a medical or psychiatric condition, or are unsure whether something in your health history may be relevant, please tell us during your consultation rather than making that decision yourself.
Our priority is not to accept as many participants as possible, but to make a responsible decision about whether participation is appropriate for each person.
Medications & Interactions
Some medications and substances can interact with Ayahuasca and may make participation unsafe.
Ayahuasca contains naturally occurring compounds that temporarily inhibit monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A). Because of this, particular care is required with medications that affect serotonin and other neurotransmitter systems.
Antidepressants — including many SSRIs, SNRIs and MAO inhibitors — are especially important to disclose. Other psychiatric medications, stimulants, certain pain or migraine medications, recreational substances, herbal supplements and other medicines may also require individual assessment.
For this reason, we ask participants to provide a complete and accurate list of all prescription medications, over-the-counter medicines, supplements and recreational substances they currently use or have recently used.
Never stop, reduce or change prescribed medication in order to participate in a retreat without first consulting the healthcare professional who prescribed it.
If a medication may interact with Ayahuasca, we may ask you to discuss participation with your doctor or prescribing healthcare professional. Depending on the medication, your health history and the circumstances, participation may need to be postponed or may not be appropriate.
If you are unsure whether a medication or supplement is relevant, please disclose it. It is always better for us to review something that turns out not to be a concern than to leave out information that could affect your safety.
Preparation Before the Retreat
Preparation is an important part of the retreat process. Around two weeks before arrival, participants receive detailed guidance to help them prepare physically, mentally and practically for the experience.
This includes information about medications and substances that may interact with Ayahuasca, alcohol and recreational drug use, food and dietary recommendations, what to bring, clothing for ceremonies, and other practical considerations.
We also encourage participants to arrive well rested and to begin creating more space for reflection before the retreat. You may be invited to consider your intentions, current life circumstances, recurring questions or anything you would like to explore during your time at Eden.
Not every aspect of our preparation guidance is a medical restriction. Some recommendations are part of the traditional and practical approach we follow around the ceremonies, while others relate directly to safety. We explain these distinctions clearly in the preparation material you receive.
If anything changes after your initial screening — including your health, medication or substance use — we ask that you tell us before arriving.
Preparation is not about arriving in a particular state or having the “right” intention. It is about coming informed, rested and as open and honest as possible about where you are.
During the Ceremonies
Ayahuasca ceremonies at Eden are held in our dedicated ceremonial space, the Oca, with access to the surrounding private garden and nature.
Ceremonies usually begin in the afternoon and continue into the evening. Each participant has their own comfortable place with a mattress or meditation chair, blankets and space to move between sitting, lying down and resting as needed.
Our retreats are limited to a maximum of 12 participants. The facilitation team remains present throughout the ceremony, observing the group and available whenever someone needs practical, emotional or physical support.
The atmosphere is generally quiet and introspective. Live music accompanies the experience, while enough space is preserved for each person to go through their own process without unnecessary interruption.
Participants are not left alone to navigate difficult moments. At the same time, our approach is not to interfere with every emotional or challenging experience. The team remains attentive and offers support when it is needed, while respecting each person's individual process.The ceremony is only one part of the retreat. Time for rest, food, nature, conversation and integration is intentionally built into the days that follow.
Facilitation & Support
Our retreats are held by a consistent team who remain present throughout the experience, from the first days of preparation and group practices to the ceremonies and integration that follows.
Paul is the main facilitator of the retreat, accompanying participants throughout the program and facilitating one of the ceremonies. He has more than 15 years of experience working with Ayahuasca and facilitating retreats in Brazil and Europe.
The ceremonies are principally led by Jorge Seixas, our Ceremonial Leader. Originally from Marajó Island in the Brazilian Amazon, Jorge has lived in Vale do Capão for the past 25 years. At 71, he brings more than two decades of experience serving Ayahuasca within his community and is an initiate in the Santo Daime tradition, within the Unified Lineage of Chandra Lacombe. His work is also informed by a lifetime of study in Hermeticism, alchemy and esoteric medicine.
During the ceremonies, Jorge and Paul are supported by Martina Esperon, Isabel Cardona Colina and Diana Oliveira.Martina brings experience in ceremonial support, music therapy, meditation and breathwork, alongside her own long-term relationship with plant-medicine traditions. Isa brings more than 20 years of experience with voice, percussion, improvisation and therapeutic musical practices, supporting the ceremonies particularly through music and presence. Diana is a psychologist and neuropsychologist with training in Jungian psychotherapy and experience with Ayahuasca traditions dating back to 2008.
Together, the team provides different forms of support while maintaining clear roles and continuity throughout the retreat.With groups limited to a maximum of 12 participants, we are able to remain attentive to each person while also caring for the group as a whole.
Our role is not to interpret someone's experience for them or tell them what it should mean. We are there to maintain a well-held environment, respond when support is needed, and respect each person's individual process.
Emergency & Medical Considerations
Careful screening and preparation are our first and most important safety measures. Their purpose is to identify significant risks before someone participates in a ceremony.
Throughout the retreat and during ceremonies, our team remains present and attentive to participants. Members of our team are trained in first aid and, if someone experiences a difficult physical or psychological response, we provide immediate support within the scope of our training and experience.
Eden Sanctuary is a retreat center, not a medical facility. We therefore maintain practical measures for situations in which professional medical assessment or treatment may be necessary.
Transportation is available throughout the retreat in case a participant needs to be taken for medical attention. Vale do Capão has a local public health post (Posto de Saúde), and we also maintain emergency contact with local medical professionals who can be reached when additional professional support is required.
If a situation goes beyond what can appropriately be managed at the retreat center, we will seek professional medical assistance.
For this reason, complete and honest disclosure during screening is essential. Information about health conditions, medications, previous psychiatric experiences and substance use can directly affect the decisions we make about safe participation.
Integration & Aftercare
For us, integration is not something that begins after the retreat. It is part of the experience from the beginning.
The days between ceremonies intentionally include time for rest, nature, movement, conversation and personal reflection. Group sharing and integration sessions give participants an opportunity to speak about what they experienced, listen to others and begin making sense of what may have emerged.
Our team is also available for individual conversations when someone needs additional support during the retreat.
After returning home, participants are offered a personal integration session. This creates an opportunity to revisit the experience once there has been some distance from the retreat, discuss what may still be unfolding and consider how insights from the experience can be approached within everyday life.
We do not believe that every experience needs an immediate interpretation. Sometimes integration means understanding something clearly; sometimes it means giving it time. Our role is to offer support without imposing a particular meaning on what someone has experienced.
When a participant needs support beyond the scope of our team, we encourage them to seek an appropriate qualified professional.
Ayahuasca in Brazil — Responsible & Ritual Use
Ayahuasca has a long history of ceremonial and religious use in Brazil. Its responsible religious use is addressed by Brazil's National Council on Drug Policies (CONAD), particularly through Resolution No. 1/2010, which establishes principles and procedures associated with its ritual use.
The Brazilian framework makes important distinctions between responsible ritual use and the commercialization, recreational use or inappropriate promotion of Ayahuasca. It also emphasizes the importance of experienced leadership, responsible organization and careful consideration of who should or should not participate.
Our approach at Eden is guided by these same principles of responsibility.
Ayahuasca itself is not sold or priced as a product at Eden. We work with experienced ceremonial leadership, screen participants before acceptance, provide preparation before the retreat, maintain small groups and support participants throughout the experience and its integration.
We also do not present Ayahuasca as a guaranteed treatment or cure for physical or mental health conditions. Individual experiences vary, and participation should be approached with appropriate preparation, realistic expectations and respect for the medicine and its context.
For anyone wishing to read the Brazilian framework directly, we provide a link to the official CONAD Resolution below. Read CONAD Resolution No. 1/2010
Scientific References & Further Reading
Our approach to safety is informed by both long-standing experience with Ayahuasca traditions and the developing body of scientific research surrounding its pharmacology, psychological effects, potential risks and interactions with medications.
Scientific understanding of Ayahuasca continues to evolve. Research should not be interpreted as evidence that Ayahuasca is appropriate or safe for every person, nor as a substitute for individual medical or psychiatric assessment.
For those who would like to explore the subject further, we recommend the following publications:
Ayahuasca: Pharmacology, Safety, and Therapeutic Effects
A broad review of current knowledge concerning Ayahuasca's pharmacology, physiological effects, safety and areas of ongoing research.
Ayahuasca and Dimethyltryptamine Adverse Events and Toxicity Analysis: A Systematic Thematic Review
A review examining reported adverse events and toxicity associated with Ayahuasca and DMT.
Drug–Drug Interactions Involving Classic Psychedelics: A Systematic Review
A systematic review of available human evidence concerning interactions between psychedelics and medications, including antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers and other substances.
Ayahuasca, Dimethyltryptamine, and Psychosis: A Systematic Review of Human Studies
A review examining reported psychotic episodes associated with Ayahuasca and DMT and the importance of psychiatric history and other potential risk factors.
The Pharmacological Interaction of Compounds in Ayahuasca: A Systematic Review
A review of the interactions between DMT, harmine, harmaline, tetrahydroharmine and the monoamine oxidase system.
We encourage participants with medical or psychiatric questions to discuss their individual circumstances with an appropriately qualified healthcare professional rather than relying solely on general information available online.
Questions About Participation?
If you are considering joining one of our retreats and have questions about Ayahuasca, your health history, medications, preparation or any aspect of the experience, you are welcome to speak with us before making a decision.
You do not need to determine on your own whether participation is appropriate for you. Our screening process begins with a personal conversation, where you can ask questions openly and share any concerns that may be relevant.