New Life Rising

New Life Rising is an ayahuasca retreat on a riverfront ranch in the Texas Hill Country, run as a nonprofit church by its founders, Matt and Jeanae. The couple met in Costa Rica in 2014 and ran retreats there for over a decade before opening in Texas.

Approach

Matt and Jeanae lead the ceremonies in the Peruvian Mestizo tradition. They trained in Iquitos under Don Ron Wheelock, a student of Don Jose Coral Mori and Don Agustin Rivas Vasquez. Each retreat holds two or three ceremonies with a rest day between them, alongside hatha yoga, sharing circles and an outing to a cave on the property.

Who it is for

The church describes itself as an interfaith community for people seeking a personal connection with God through prayer and the ayahuasca sacrament. The founders say the retreat is not for everyone and the work can be intense.

Practical details

Retreats last five nights with two ceremonies or seven nights with three. Groups are capped at 14 guests, housed in 12 rooms with private bathrooms on 1,000 acres. Prices run from $2,700 for a shared twin room on the shorter retreat to $4,100 for a private room on the longer one, and couples rooms cost $6,000 or $7,000. Part of each price is a church donation. A shuttle runs from a pick-up point in Austin, two hours away.

Care and safety

No booking is accepted before a medical screening by phone. Each retreat has at least four facilitators: the two leads and two helpers, one for the women and one for the men. Both leads are trained in CPR and in using the on-site defibrillator. Integration continues at home with a 28-day workbook and follow-up support. The church says it works within the religious protections of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.