The most important part of a retreat is that you feel safe in the environment. Only this way will you be able to fully open up and to receive the full benefits of the ayahuasca ceremony. In the 27 years that our founder has been practicing shamanism and in the time that our centre has been working we have never lost anyone to darkness nor had anyone die or become ill from our ceremonies. Another important element of shamanic healing is the bond that forms between the shaman and the participant during the ceremony. Here at Etnikas Shamanic Centre we work with individuals and small groups of no more than 5 people per shaman to ensure the best experience for you. As your safety is paramount to us, we keep this ratio low so that our ayahuasca shamans are completely in control of your ceremony and are able to personally guide you through your journey. There is also one translator/assistant for each group of 4 who is there to assist you in any way during the ceremony to make the environment for your ceremony even safer. We do not require a minimum number for any given date, so you do not have to worry about whether or not a group can be put together as you are all that we need.
We now work with more than 50 shamans and have a core group of approximately 20 shamans from the Andes and the Amazon. Our masters are paid fairly, per participant for each ceremony and given the respect that they deserve. They are welcome at the centre at any time to rest, leave their bags, have a drink of water or just wait out the rain. Because of the sense of belonging that we have created, we often have new shamans come to us looking for work. Unfortunately we cannot work with everyone but our principal shaman works with newcomers to determine if they are of the standard that we require to treat our clients and if so, they are welcomed into the Etnikas family. When you choose Etnikas you are not only healing yourself but also a whole community and culture.