Retreats

Into the Light, Plant Medicine Retreats

Indigenous Plant Medicine Retreats

Sacred, Tribal, Powerful, Healing & Transformative

These annual Into the Light retreats are 8-nights and include healing ceremonies with the visionary plant medicines, grandmother Ayahuasca and/or Peyote cactus, as well as with heart-opening cacao ceremony. Shamanic practitioners will expertly guide you. These retreats integrate the vibrational therapy that is taught at Farm of Life with the work of the sacred medicines. Farm of Life promises to support you through it, however you too need to be ready and prepared in body, mind and spirit to do the work.  

Journey-work teaches us on profound levels and in mystical ways. The intelligence of sacred plants assimilates with your innate intelligence. From there, you will re-member who you are from Source and gain a deeper understanding of the Universe that resides within you. You can quickly heal shame, regret, anger, jealously, envy and disease. Experiencing your sublime, sacred self brings to you a divine healing that far surpasses other healing modalities. Through your mind, heart, spirit and body, you're able to find healing at depths that may have otherwise eluded you.

Sacred plant medicine work is enhanced when integrated with the full-spectrum healthy lifestyle taught at Farm of Life. From eating healthy, sound and light therapy, yoga, connecting with the elements, you are able to lighten the density, elevate your consciousness and prepare your body, mind and spirit. When integrated with the visionary medicine of Ayahuasca and Peyote, you can immerse even deeper into exploring your expanded self.

Make a Reservation

All-Inclusive, Shamanic Package

Grandmother Ayahuasca
Ayahuasca is an ancient, shamanic healing ceremony done in the night with The Jaguar as its guide.  This divine feminine sacred plant medicine, also known as Ayahuasca, is beyond thought and words.  The Grandmother heals and teaches; cleanses and elevates.  Surrender yourself to her alchemical wisdom and your life will shift in ways you never thought possible. 

For the first retreat in February, our Ayahuaschera is Sophia, a loving and wise Medicine Woman from the nearby Florestral community.  She has a big heart, a sweet energy and will expertly guide us. The ceremony is held throughout the night under the moon and stars until sunrise.  Accompanied by grandfather fire, we hold the ceremony with ritual, song and prayer. The February retreat has just 1 night with the forest medicine.

For the March Retreat, our Ayahuaschero is Justin, a Minister with the Church of the Infinite. Justin lives his life in partnership with these incredible ally plants and is committed to disseminating their teachings in a safe, beautiful and respectful way. The medicine itself is from Hawaii and is also from the Church of the Infinite. Justin is a beautiful musician who will expertly guide you through the evenings.  The ceremony is held in silent meditation with Icaros and instruments.  Ceremonies conclude around midnight, so that we can catch some real sleep in between the 3 consecutive nights of ceremony. With multiple (3) nights, the medicine builds on itself, allowing one to dive deeper into their healing, transmutations and learnings.

Grandfather Peyote

Mescaline medicine is Grandfather Peyote medicine, also known as Mesalito.  Gentle, allowing, a teacher plant taken during a daytime ceremony, while communing with the beautiful stillness on this campus.  True peace and connection with nature, oneness and presence will wash over you like a gentle current. 

Your Peyotero is our beloved Brian.  Since his first experience with this cactus, he has been visited by the Blue Deer and was blessed by the Huichol people in Mexico. His soul is connected to Mescaline medicine and calls him to lead this work. We take our journey during the day on the quiet sanctuary of this campus.

We will offer Peyote for the February retreat, but not at the March retreat.

Cacao Ceremony
Cacao is a food of the Gods!  It is a food that nourishes body, mind and spirit.  Our wise Aztec and Mayan ancestors knew of the sacred medicinal properties of Cacao and they consumed it abundantly in their royal courts and for ceremony.  Cacao is the most pharmacologically complex food on earth, the strongest antioxidant and is the only food that helps our brains produce more “feel good” hormones.

We prepare a strong elixir of pure, rainforest grown, organic cacao and other native medicinal herbs, using a recipe that embodies the wisdom of the Aztecs and their royal elixirs. We create a uniquely profound ceremonial experience by bringing together the ceremonial cacao medicine with divinely-inspired purification rituals, meditation, healing touch, and Ecstatic Dance to assist in opening the heart and spirit.  Ecstatic Dance is a movement meditation.  It is a personal dance between you and your higher Self.  You will be expertly guided through the practice, dancing with the frequency of each of the elements and chakras.
 
The Sacred Land
Farm of Life is a sacred and energetic healing center that will hold and nourish your weeklong journey.  This land has been blessed by years of our prayers and meditations and holds a strong intention to support your transformations.  The land is a funnel, spiraling the energies and clearing the transmutations.  The land itself is a shaman!

Your spirit will find ease and support being here and a willingness to release into the journey.  This is a place where you can exhale into the experience, knowing that you are deeply cared for.  The entire campus will be booked solely for the retreat, affording our fellowship a private, intimate and secure ground for healing, transformations and a deeper discovery of love.

Nourishment
Farm of Life knows how to nourish you - this is our specialty!  Our chefs will prepare a fully catered program of delicious, nutritious cooked vegan and vegetarian, raw food and ayurvedic cuisine.  We will guide you to eat light and clean, preparing the body for the expanded states.  

There will be fasting periods going into the medicine work, when we will consciously serve the Dieta.  The Dieta eliminates foods that contraindicate the medicine, such as caffeine, sugar and salt, so that your experience will be the most effective possible. 

Earth, Air, Fire Water
Reconnecting with the natural elements is a primary teaching at Farm of Life and will be a focus of the retreat. With reverence to Pachamama, we expand our gratitude for her abundance, and root ourselves to her core.  She is our foundation and our home.  Viva la Tierra!  Viva la Foresta! We practice sungazing, an ancient meditative practice of receiving light and prana through the eyes.  Viva la Luz!  Fire purifies the spirit and transmutes the energies of our personal transformations.  Ceremonial fires will guide our nights.  Viva el Fuego!  Swimming in the natural springs, waterfalls, pools and the ocean, the purifying properties of water will cleanse and revive us as we peel off the layers.  Viva el Agua!  Deep breathing the energized air of our tropical jungle aids in detoxification and revives our spirit.  Viva el Espiritu!

An Itinerary for Transformations
The all-inclusive retreat affords additional opportunities for participants to relax in our sanctuaries, to play in the jungle, and ultimately shift themselves energetically.  In addition to the three plant ceremonies and Animal Spirit Journey, this retreat includes:

  • Nayaca, Peacefalls and Goddess Falls waterfall hikes
  • Visit to Dominical Beach
  • Daily Yoga, Qi-Gong and Ecstatic Dance
  • Sungazing instruction and daily practice
  • Sound Therapy with the Gong
  • A personal individual sound and light therapy session
  • Clean cuisine vegetarian menu

Who knows where someone's medicine may truly come from! Previous guests have expressed that their medicine was the Qigong class or jumping from a waterfall.  We plan an open, energetically-flowing week and allow each participant's journey to unfold in divine order.
 

Transportation and Housing
Housing includes one-night accommodation in San Jose at Margarita’s Guest House for the arrival night (the night prior to the start of the retreat), plus 7 nights accommodation at Farm of Life. Please review our accommodations at this link.  Pricing for the retreat varies with room selection and if you elect to have a private room or share with others, all of which you can select at registration. 

Transportation to and from the airport / hotel is included, as well as transfer to the tours.

Payment & Deposit 
We are requesting a 50% deposit to hold your spot in the retreat. Final payment will be due 6-weeks prior to the start of the retreat. We accept Paypal and Zelle.

The deposit is 100% refundable (less a $100 administrative fee) at any time should we cancel the retreat for whatever reason that we don't foresee. However, any travel expenses you incur will NOT be reimbursed.

We recommend you buy the airline travel insurance.  Also, ask you airline in advance if they will issue a refund or only a credit.  

Have Questions Regarding This Retreat?
Whatever questions you have, we're here to answer them. You'll hear back from us within 48-hours.

Make a Reservation

Reasons Not to Participate
There are certain reasons that may prohibit you from participating in either the Ayahuasca or Peyote medicine, mainly specific health conditions, certain medications and pregnancy.  You are welcome to apply and we require complete disclosure on your application form, particularly in relation to the points discussed below.  In some cases, we may be able to work with you, for example give you a light dose of the plant, you skip one of the ceremonies, and you come off of a medication in advance of the retreat.  

If you or members of your blood family have any history of mental illness and/or prior hospitalizations due to mental health, a history of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and suicidal tendencies, then we require complete disclosure from you about it. If there is a history of depression, anxiety, seizures and panic disorders, then we can discuss this further. If there is a history of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and suicidal tendencies, then you may not take Ayahuasca.  

If you have chronic heart condition or severe high blood pressure, you may not take Ayahuasca.  Your condition must be sufficiently mild such that you can come off of your medications in advance of the retreat.  

Both Ayahuasca and Peyote can interact dangerously with certain pharmaceutical medications, including some over-the-counter meds.  You must stop taking these medications, under medical supervision if necessary, prior to the start of the retreat. Some medications take longer to clear your system and you may need to come off months in advance.  

These types of medications can not be used along with Ayahuasca:

  • other MAOIs; SSRI’s (any selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor); anti-depressant drugs and mood-stabiliers (Prozac, Seoxat,Zoloft, Effexor, Paxil, Welbutrin, Abilify, Aripiprazole); amphetamines (meth-, dex-, amphetamine, Adderall); medications to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy; medications containing methlphenidate (Ritalin); anti-hypertensives (high blood pressure medicine); anti-Parkinsons drugs; appetite suppressants (diet pills); medicine for asthma, bronchitis, or other breathing problems; antihistamines, medicines for colds, sinus problems, hay fever, or allergies (Actifed DM, Benadryl, Benylin, Chlor-Trimeton, Compoz, etc.); central nervous system depressants; antipsychotics; antibiotics (currently or recently finished); Zyban to curb the urge to smoke; anti-malaria drugs, high-caffeine drugs; sedatives; narcotics;  and alcohol.  Please review this link for more information and a list of drugs. Please review this link for a great write up about it.   

These types of medication may not be used along with Peyote:  

  • blood pressure medication, stimulant drugs, immunomodulators and alcohol. Some stimulant drugs include diethylpropion (Tenuate), epinephrine, phentermine (Ionamin), pseudoephedrine (Sudafed), and many others.

Pregnancy up to 6-months is not a problem for Ayahuasca.  As a matter of fact, the feminine teacher plant can help prepare a women, in body, mind and spirit, for fertility, pregnancy, labor and parenting.  However, Peyote is dangerous with pregnancy, it can cause birth defects, and breast feeding. Finally, pregnant women must consider the risk of traveling long-distance and internationally. There is sometimes Zika virus in Costa Rica, so that is something to research.

Both plant medicines are unsafe to use 2-weeks prior to a scheduled surgery, because they can have an effect on blood pressure and heart rate. 

Both plant medicines may cause nausea, vomiting, anxiety, paranoia, fear, emotional instability, drooling, headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, may raise blood pressure and heart rate, may cause changes in vision.... and may connect you with your highest self, may send you into a state of bliss and joy, may give you psychedelic hallucinations, may connect you to nature and presence, may open your heart chakra or instigate a kundalini opening with any chakra, may release you of your emotional burden, may open you to your highest potential and so on....!

If any of the above conditions apply to you, if you are a user of any of the above mentioned medications, drugs and substances, if you have any doubts, please seek appropriate medical advice before contacting us. You are kindly reminded that you are responsible for taking accurate and timely health precautions. You are the exclusive agent responsible for yourself.  Your preparations for plant ceremony, and the liability for any adverse effects that may result from it remains - with no exceptions - entirely with you.  

You will be asked to sign a consent and release of liability upon arrival.  Please email us separately if you need to see a copy of the consent in advance.  

Accommodations and Pricing
You can take a full look at our accommodations at this link. All guest rooms are fully equipped with wifi, electricity, hot water, flush toilets, ceiling fan and window screens.  Every guest room has a balcony with spectacular view and has its own private bathroom and shower.

Toucan & Macaw bunkrooms (2 sets of bunk beds, sleeps up to 4 people)

  • Sharing, 2 people: $2,200 USD each person
  • Sharing, 3-4 people: $1,960 USD each person

Cabins in the Orchard (these 2 rooms can be arranged with a king bed or 2 twin beds, private outdoor bathroom)

  • Single, private: $2,500 USD
  • Sharing, 2 people or a couple: $2,120 USD each person

Butterfly Suite (Queen Bed)

  • Single, private: $2,500 USD
  • Sharing, a couple: $2,120 USD each person

Monkey & Coconut Houses (2 queen beds in each house, private outdoor shower)

  • Single, private: $2,730 USD
  • Sharing, 2 people or a couple: $2,240 USD each person
  • Sharing, 3-4 people: $2,100 USD each person


Event Location

Into the Light Retreats are hosted at Farm of Life, which is stationed in a beautiful, peaceful, remote location in the Southern Pacific region of Costa Rica. At an elevation of 2,000 feet, our boutique hotel sits atop a lush green valley with outstanding views of the Pacific Ocean, providing pleasant temperatures and cool breezes. Guests visit Farm of Life to heal & transform, and benefit from the healthy environment, nourishing raw-vegan-vegetarian foods, life inspiration & spiritual guidance. Farm of Life is the ideal environment to reconnect with nature and Self, and for a personal journey to wellness.

About Your Hosts
Brian and Jody Calvi are the co-creators of Farm of Life and the hosts, educators, coaches and facilitators for all-things-Farm-of-Life.  Into the Light retreats grew forth from their years of experience with hosting retreats, with guiding guests through their transformations and working alongside Shamans and with the sacred plants.  The Into the Light retreats became a synthesis of all of the wisdom and experience they gained, fusing the best of the Farm of Life experience with the plant medicine work.

Testimonials
See what prior guests are saying about us on Tripadvisor Reviews. Plus, enjoy this video of testimonials from guests who attended our retreats in March 2016, including the Into the Light retreat.

Into the Light Reservation Form

Required field

Where

Farm of Life, Costa Rica

Dates

  • Jan. 28, 2024 - Feb. 4, 2024
  • Mar. 16, 2024 - Mar. 23, 2024

Price

  • Starts at $2,200 / person
  • 12 lucky spots are available

Sacred Ceremonies

  • Ayahuasca
  • Peyote
  • Cacao

January 28th Retreat

  • 1 Ayahuasca all-night ceremony
  • 1 Peyote daytime ceremony
  • 1 Cacao ceremony with ecstatic chakra dance

March 16 Retreat

  • 3 Ayahuasca evening ceremonies with Icaros
  • 1 Cacao ceremony with ecstatic chakra dance
  • There is not a Peyote ceremony at this retreat

Activities

  • Beach visit
  • Waterfall hikes (3)
  • Yoga, Qigong and Ecstatic Dance
  • Sound and Light healing

It's Currently Light Rainy Season


Dry Season
  • January — April
  • Hot & Dry
  • Retreat Season. Join a week-long, all-inclusive, world-class retreat. Choose a focus in health, yoga, raw food &/or plant medicine.
Light Rainy Season
  • June — September, December
  • Warm, Sunny, Rainy, some Storms & Rainbows
  • Guest Season. Make your reservation & long-term visit. All our guest & health services are available.
Heavy Rainy Season
  • May, Oct — Nov
  • Warm & Rainy
  • Farm of Life is Closed in May, October and part of November. Please visit us another time.