La Vida Divine Healing Institute

La Vida Divine Healing Institute is an ayahuasca and San Pedro retreat in the rainforest near Macas, in Ecuador’s Morona Santiago province, working in the Shuar tradition. It describes itself as owned by BIPOC queer women, Jhoselyn and Courtney Gaddy, and takes no more than six guests at a time.

Approach

Ceremonies are held at a ceremonial hut, the choza, by the river. Guests spend the night there with medicine woman Jhoselyn and return to the house next day to rest and integrate. The ten-day retreat has three ayahuasca ceremonies, one San Pedro ceremony and a temazcal. The eight-day retreat has two ayahuasca ceremonies and one San Pedro, or three of ayahuasca, and the six-day stay has two. Workshops, meditation and somatic practice fill the days between. Jhoselyn trained under curandera Tatiana Suarez and works with Taita Sensek, an elder the centre calls a fourth-generation shaman.

Who it is for

The retreat centres BIPOC and queer guests while welcoming people of every background, and gives the local Shuar community affordable access to medicine. The six-day stay is only for people who have taken ayahuasca before.

Practical details

Per person, the ten-day retreat costs $2,500 to $2,800 depending on the room, the eight-day $2,100 to $2,400 and the six-day $1,600 to $1,900, plus $250 in Ecuadorian IVA tax. Lodging and meals are included; flights, transport to the retreat and travel insurance are not. Dates run from August to December 2026.

Care and safety

Each guest fills in an intake form and has a video call with the team before booking, then receives a resource list and joins a group chat. Jhoselyn Gaddy is a registered nurse who spent 20 years in US emergency rooms, and the team includes guides and translators. She works in Spanish and English.