Ancestral Medicines, Arts & Reconnection 
Traditional Wisdom Retreats

There's a few steps, involving a personal interview and health assessment before you can be admitted. There you will be informed of a basic preparation such as diets and health requirements. Based on experience and without any discrimination what so ever, the facilitators maintain the right to accept/deny any application. Once accepted, a deposit of 50% is required to confirm reservation, and a full payment is due 21 days before the event. You will receive a payment link. A document relating to the preparation, rules and health assessment should be signed and sent through email at latest 2 weeks before the event.

We aim to receive between 10 and max. 18 participants at an open retreat program. Most of the programs will take place in English or with English translation. Most food will be vegetarian, Mexican traditional, freshly and deliciously prepared meals by the local indigenous family. If you have any dietary needs or intolerance for certain foods you let us know.

Due to the significant financial liabilities of retreats, a set of cancellation and refund policies will apply as follows. We understand that life happens and things do not always go according to plan, however, this refund policy will be enforced regardless of the reason for the cancellation including those that deserve our sincerest sympathies.

Please note that if you cancel up to 21 days before a Retreat you will forfeit your 25% deposit, 50% can be remunerated and 25% is transferrable to another date . If you cancel 21 days or less before of the start of the Retreat, you will forfeit your 50% deposit, 25% can be remunerated and 25% of the total due amount is then transferable and can be used for another event by Ayamtai. 5 days before the Retreat begins the program fee is non-refundable and non-transferable.

On the improbable occasion that we would need to cancel the Retreat due to an unlikely event of extreme weather conditions, natural disaster, illness, pandemic lockdown or any serious contingency, a refund will be provided: if we would need to cancel 21 days or longer before the event you will receive a full refund. For cancelation on our behalf within 21 days before the event, you will receive a 60% refund on the amount paid, 5% are for our operating costs and the remainder will be transferrable.

It is your responsibility to purchase travel insurance to protect yourself from any loss due to program cancellations, changes, weather delays, or health contingencies. We (your host, Ayamtai) are not responsible for any costs incurred for travel arrangements or other costs you may have made and will not, under any circumstance, reimburse you for expenses other than (partial) amounts paid out to us.

It will be possible to register up to 1 week before the beginning of the retreat. This is to be able to prepare for the retreat with care and responsibility, and for us to prepare for the right amount of participants.

It is highly uncommon and improbable to be confronted with the violence you may hear in the news about Mexico. Tepoztlán is a quiet and safe town that thrives on the tourism of mostly Mexican people, though there are also a lot of foreigners that visit or live there. The retreat centre is run by an indigenous community and part of a small town in the greater Tepoztlán area, it is a closed compound and we will not be leaving other than for a guided walk in the mountains. Ayamtai's Medicine Home is a personalized space fit for up to 7 people.

In Ecuador there's a relatively long bus-ride (aprox. 8 hours) to get to the Macas retreat centre of our Shuar family. Macas is a small Amazon city and a safe area, specially as you be under care of the Shuar family area at the edge of the city and jungle. 

In case of contingency, there's are clinic's for lesser emergencies, and hospital(s) in the nearby city. We have never had emergency during our years of retreats, but it is your responsibility to purchase travel insurance to protect yourself from any loss, health contingencies, program cancellations or changes, weather delays, etc. We (your host, Ayamtai) are not responsible for any costs incurred for travel arrangements or other costs you may have made and will not, under any circumstance, reimburse you for expenses other than (partial) amounts paid out to us.

It is optional but highly recommended to stay a few days in the area after a retreat. It is good to have some extra time to integrate your experience, before you go back into (the rush of) daily and/or urban life. This will help you in your process and the possibility to receive our support if needed. In Tepoztlán you can unrush, enjoy culture, nature, healthy food and a wonderful handcrafts markets, or even better, doing some additional healing work, like a sweat-lodge, or have a private consult, cura or massage with the healer before going back to your day-to-day routines and environment. We can provide additional lodging depending on available dates, have recommendations for hotels we work with in the area, or recommend you additional medicine or therapeutic work on a personal base. 

Mexico also has many cultural and archeological areas to visit, and celebrates traditional festivities throughout the year, depending on location.
One most famous (nation-wide) festivities takes place on November 1 - 2, when the Day of the Dead is celebrated. Tj a really beautiful way to get to know one of Mexico's most historical, colorful and vibrant traditions. The diseased and the afterlife are honored with night-vigils, song and prayer at cemeteries, stunningly decorated altars with endless candles and copal smoke, and open family homes throughout Tepoztlán and other towns and cities. You'll be invited to walk into many homes to see their altars.

In June, in one of the towns of Tepoztlán where Ayamtai is located, people gather for an archaic celebration: this includes up-tempo hikes to the towns sacred places (springs and caves) in it's surrounding mountains, to bring traditional offerings to the water, requesting a good rainy-season. 

There are endless archeological places to visit throughout Mexico. Also Tepoztlán has a (quite high-climb) pyramid with a gorgeous view over the valley. More famous are the locations in the heart of Mexico City, and the Teotihuacán pyramids (an hour from Mexico City). Also the National Museum of Anthropology + Chapultepec park in Mexico City is very recommended day-long visit. For natural areas, camping, swimming in springs and thermal waters, the options are endless. But Mexico is very large, so take your time, and let us know if you need any specific recommendations, or even our guided visit.