Doing research before attending any retreat (e.g. Sinchi Runa)

[remussirca]

Hello everyone,

Did anyone attended Ayahuasca retreat with Sinchi Runa?
I'd like to attend one Ayahuasca retreat with Sinchi Runa (one product from https://retreat.guru/), you can read more about them here https://sinchiruna.com/.
I've noticed they have 27 reviews on retreat.guru and people are very satisfied about what they found there and how the retreat went and also about the plants.

I was curious if anyone attended any retreat with Sinchi Runa and if he/she can share more about the retreat and have an honest opinion about the experience.
I'm really  determined to attend one of these retreats and I just want to hear some more opinions before going there. If anyone has other great experience in other places (preferably in Europe) I'd be glad to hear them.

Remus

Edited December 5, 2019 by remussirca

[remussirca]

Does anyone know some methods to review/find out more about these companies offering Ayahuasca retreats?
My approach was:
Looking on crunchbase and checking the retreat.guru platform, they seem to be a decent serious platform, Founded in 2014, has over 0.5 mil in revenues, over 1 mil from investors + great reviews (on glassdoor and other platforms) from consumers and also from the companies offering products through them.

Second I've tried to find as much as I could about Sinchi Runa, there are some testimonials from people attending them retreats on YouTube, then there are 27 great reviews on this retreat.guru platform (concluding the platform is treatable, we can assume the reviews were not faked and nobody had a bad review and these reviews cannot be deleted). I've found other websites ranking them retreats very well.

Third I've sent an email asking for more info from this retreat.guru platform and now I'm waiting for an answer.

Last but not least I've posted on https://www.actualized.org/forum where people with similar interests might had stumble upon Sinchi Runa and could give me valuable insights.

If someone has other ideas about how to do research on this kind of topics, I'm open for suggestions.
Hope I've inspired some of you in doing proper research before attending any retreat.

Edited December 5, 2019 by remussirca

[remussirca]

I received my answer from point 3 stated above, the answer from retreat.guru platform regarding Sinchi Runa.

"Hey Remus,

While I don't have any personal experience with their retreats but they're one of our highest recommended clients. Our dealings with them have been nothing but awesome and I've heard nothing but good things! They've had 241 people register on retreat with them in just over a year since they began with us. Let me know if I can answer any further questions "

Exactly what I was looking for.
To sum all together I cannot find anything but great feedback regarding Sinchi Runa. Not only on them personal website but everywhere I was looking, from this platform where they are selling the course to another review type of website for retreats and of course some testimonials from people attending past retreats.

Therefore I made up my mind and I'll attend one of them Ayahuasca retreats. I'll come back to this post and have a comprehensive review and integration of the lessons.
Until then I'm going to prepare myself for the retreat, getting concrete specific detailed about what do I want to take out of this psychedelic experience (have at least 5 points well structured), read more about other's experiences such that I'll try to avoid the common traps and pitfalls.
And last but not least cure my body, through a well-structured diet/lifestyle.

If anyone has any other ideas on how to extend the research/ or has already participated, feel free to give me some tips.

[fhatherell]

Hey Remus,

 

I am considering booking a retreat with these guys, the same one you went on in Portugal. Would you recommend them? 

[remussirca]

@fhatherell  Unfortunate I had to cancel that retreat and after the COVID  period came along so I didn't reach them since.
But anyway I did contact some of the people who went in January and they were quite satisfied plus there are great reviews pilling up from all of them retreats so if you decide to join them come back with your thoughts here.

All the best,
Remus

[soulseeker1]

I recently attended a 9 Day Ayahuasca Retreat at Sinchi Runa, and my experience was extremely disappointing ...more than that ..actually it was really distressing ! !      I had high hopes for a transformative spiritual journey, but what I encountered was far from what was advertised. 

Firstly, the living conditions were unsanitary and unacceptable. The accommodations are so poorly maintained, with one filthy toilet for the whole group. One outside open shower - and a tap in the wall. No bathrooms. The bedding appeared unwashed. To make matters worse, the whole campsite was infested with bed bugs and caterpillars, making it impossible to relax, or sleep.

The retreat was led by a self-proclaimed spiritual leader who did not inspire confidence. He seemed more interested in exploiting attendees financially rather than guiding us through a meaningful Ayahuasca experience. His behaviour was erratic and unprofessional, and it culminated in him being hospitalized midway through the retreat. 

Despite these serious issues, when I and several other participants requested refunds for the 2000 Euros we had paid, we were flatly refused. The retreat organizers were unresponsive and dismissive of our concerns, showing a complete lack of accountability and respect for their clients. 

The unsanitary living conditions, bug infestation, unprofessional leadership, and refusal to issue refunds made this an experience I deeply regret. Save your money and look for a reputable and safe retreat, where your well being is a priority.

 

Edited July 20 by soulseeker1