For centuries, perhaps millennia, small villages in the Amazon used ayahuasca, where communities would select one or two members as revered healers. These ayahuasqueros would act as intermediaries between the spiritual and physical realms. Through chanting and song, they would communicate with the spirits and pass along guidance and healing to those suffering from physical disease or mental illness. This type of communion was not unique to those living in the Amazon and can be observed across many cultures spanning the globe. From the Aboriginals in Australia, Native Americans in North Americ ..read more

In PART 1 we established that when choosing which ayahuasca retreat is right for you, the first thing is to decide on a location and what type of accommodations you would be most comfortable in. Now we can begin to look at 3 factors that are going to affect what kind of experience you have: The ayahuasquero, the ceremony and the brew. SHAMAN – The ayahuasquero - shaman - facilitator will be the one that determines the energy and flow of the experience so you must know who you will be drinking with and what the ceremonies will be like. Some people feel very strongly that only indigenous people ..read more

You’ve felt the medicine calling and you’ve decided to attend an ayahuasca retreat, but where do you start? With the growing popularity of ayahuasca, there are now hundreds of retreat centers all over the world to choose from so how do you know which one is *right* for you? Trying to navigate the process can feel overwhelming. Don’t worry, you aren’t alone! Many people don’t realize how many different retreat programs are available to them. To help make the process a little easier, we’ve established some key factors to consider when narrowing down your ayahuasca retreat center options and divi ..read more

Hi! I’m Jeanae, one of the owners of New Life Ayahuasca. I wanted to introduce myself and share a little about where I came from and how I got to be where I am now. I’d like to describe my story in my own words because it’s the most natural way for me to write and I think there are parts of my story that most people can relate to from mental health struggles & addiction to the path to self-discovery and acceptance. My journey with plant medicine has never felt like one I specifically chose but more one that chose me. I couldn’t be more grateful and humbled by the journey life has taken me ..read more

MANIPURA - SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA Element: Fire (sun) Sensation: Sight Color: Yellow/Gold Location: Navel Organs: Digestion, pancreas, kidney, adrenal Mantra: Ram Manipura is the 3rd of the 7 chakras of the body. Manipura means 'city of jewels" in Sanskrit. The Solar plexus chakra is located behind the navel and is most closely connected with personality, ego, and identity. It is the seat of self and the energy powerhouse of the body. The Solar Plexus Chakra is the source of intuition. You've heard phrases like 'listen to you gut', 'follow your gut' or 'gut instinct', all these phrases refer to ..read more

Proactive steps to stay cool, hydrated, and healthy this and every summer. Written By Gina Ciaccio Summer is such a wonderful time to incorporate healthy habits into your routine effortlessly. Being active is easy cause we are always doing something outside. Eating salads is fun cause we are craving fresh foods. And, hopefully, our minds are feeling strong from all the fresh air we’re breathing and water we’re drinking. Or, maybe you’re sweating your butt off and really are looking for some ideas on how to keep cool. SAME. I feel you. Let’s keep this one short and sweet. Scroll down for a lis ..read more

Sun Salutations are yoga sequences of asanas or poses that are typically practiced first thing in the morning, facing the rising sun. There are two primary sequences, Sura Namaskar A or B The two use many of the same poses, and here we break down the sequences and asanas of each Sun Salutation. SURYA NAMASKAR A - 11 Poses 1. Tadasana - Start in Mountain pose, standing straight, arms at each side. 2. Urdhva Tadasana - Inhale into Upward Salute, arms overhead, slight backend. 3. Uttanasana - Exhale into Forward Fold, bending forward at the hips and dropping the arms forward toward the toes. 4 ..read more

What does it mean to live a spiritual life? Myth vs. Reality Several years ago, I went to my first ayahuasca retreat. It was a week-long trip in the middle of beautiful Costa Rica, and I desperately needed the break. My life was a mess, my head was chaotic, and I had abandoned most of the spiritual practices I had taken up that were once so helpful to me. When I got to the retreat, I noticed quickly that I was surrounded by healing; there was yoga, meditation, plant medicines, and other participants on their own healing journey to talk to. In only a day or two, I felt calmer and more peaceful ..read more

Improving Self-Worth and Confidence We all have a deep-rooted desire to feel confident in ourselves and our abilities. Yet, we often succumb to negative self-talk, perceive others to be better than us, or deem ourselves unworthy of love - this is low self-worth. When we allow the limiting beliefs of low self-worth to take over, it clouds our judgment and blocks our intuition. We lose faith in ourselves and our intrinsic ability to find our way. Low or damaged self-worth can cause us to lose trust in ourselves, our instincts, and our ability to properly navigate our path in life. As human being ..read more

Expectations are ideals we create in our minds of how things should be. They create demands on ourselves and others that are often unrealistic, or not the way things are supposed to be. We might picture ourselves in a particular job, or a certain kind of relationship. We might expect our partner to act a certain way, or that a fellow driver is going to stop at that red light. When we set an expectation, we create a projected image of the future that may or may not come to pass. If it does, we feel good but if it does not, we experience pain and loss. Expectations are part of our ego-state, the ..read more