Traditional Ayahuasca design
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Group size is kept intentionally small
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Make new friends & join our close knit aya community
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Retreats take place in beautiful Rocky Point.
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Join Me on a Life Transforming Journey!
Hi, I'm Alexcis, owner and therapist of A Transformative Touch Wellness Center, Amazon Best Selling Author, RESET therapist, Certified Hypnotherapist, NLP Master Life Coach and Ordained Minister. Before I tell you more about visionary medicine and Ayahuasca in particular I want to tell you a bit about my own experience with this powerful medicine and why it is so important for me to facilitate these retreats in the way that I do.
Over the last 20 plus years I have been on a healing journey. I have tried many different types of healing methods from energy therapies, to body therapies, conventional medicines to some really out there stuff. Not only have I been a client of these therapies but I've actually taken the time to become a practitioner of plenty of them as well. While all of these different therapies have had a hand to play in my healing none of them come close to the insight, breakthroughs, and overall healing that I experienced working with Ayahuasca. I learned more about myself and did more healing in 5 Ayahuasca ceremonies in 2007 than I had done in all the years leading up to it. This medicine is truly life changing! Ayahuasca took me to places in myself I never would have allowed myself to go, not while I was in control. Besides the emotional-mental healing, my spiritual growth and understanding has deepened in ways that I could not have imagined. I have become a clearer, more compassionate, joyful and more connected person through the teachings of la medicina. That is why it has been my dream for many years to share Ayahuasca with others. Usually, you have to fly down to the Amazon and trek into the jungle to have an authentic experience or find your way into the psychedelic underground here in the US where you have to worry about shady legality issues. And once you're back home there is very little support in integrating what you've learned into your everyday life. I wanted to create a safe, authentic, legal, affordable, supported and accessible way for people to take part in this medicine if they feel called. That is why these retreats mean so much to me and why I have structured them the way that I have.
IT IS NOT FOR EVERYONE!
I cannot emphasize this enough. Working with Ayahuasca is extremely challenging, can be very uncomfortable, even painful physically, mentally and emotionally. Ayahuasca can take you to the heights of ecstasy as you experience true oneness and to the depths of your own inner hells. Each experience is unique and while there will be lots of information to follow on this page, no one can tell you what your experience will be. Every time I drink is different because Ayahuasca doesn't give you what you want but what you need. Once you've read this page if you feel called to work with Ayahuasca then fill out the contact form and I will be in touch.
Over the last 20 plus years I have been on a healing journey. I have tried many different types of healing methods from energy therapies, to body therapies, conventional medicines to some really out there stuff. Not only have I been a client of these therapies but I've actually taken the time to become a practitioner of plenty of them as well. While all of these different therapies have had a hand to play in my healing none of them come close to the insight, breakthroughs, and overall healing that I experienced working with Ayahuasca. I learned more about myself and did more healing in 5 Ayahuasca ceremonies in 2007 than I had done in all the years leading up to it. This medicine is truly life changing! Ayahuasca took me to places in myself I never would have allowed myself to go, not while I was in control. Besides the emotional-mental healing, my spiritual growth and understanding has deepened in ways that I could not have imagined. I have become a clearer, more compassionate, joyful and more connected person through the teachings of la medicina. That is why it has been my dream for many years to share Ayahuasca with others. Usually, you have to fly down to the Amazon and trek into the jungle to have an authentic experience or find your way into the psychedelic underground here in the US where you have to worry about shady legality issues. And once you're back home there is very little support in integrating what you've learned into your everyday life. I wanted to create a safe, authentic, legal, affordable, supported and accessible way for people to take part in this medicine if they feel called. That is why these retreats mean so much to me and why I have structured them the way that I have.
IT IS NOT FOR EVERYONE!
I cannot emphasize this enough. Working with Ayahuasca is extremely challenging, can be very uncomfortable, even painful physically, mentally and emotionally. Ayahuasca can take you to the heights of ecstasy as you experience true oneness and to the depths of your own inner hells. Each experience is unique and while there will be lots of information to follow on this page, no one can tell you what your experience will be. Every time I drink is different because Ayahuasca doesn't give you what you want but what you need. Once you've read this page if you feel called to work with Ayahuasca then fill out the contact form and I will be in touch.
What is Ayahuasca?
Ayahuasca is a vine that is found in the Amazonian basin of South Amercia. Ayahuasca is also the name of a brew or tea used by the native people's of the Amazon for millennia. The Ayahuasca vine (Banisteriopsis caapi) is combined with leaves from the Chacurna (Psychotria virdis) shrub (or other DMT containing plants) to create the tea. Ayahuasca translates to "vine of souls", "vine of death" or "vine with a soul". The native people's of the Amazon use Ayahuasca for healing and spiritual work.
How Does Ayahuasca Work?
Banisteriopsis caapi (Ayahuasca vine) has alkaloids that act as MAO inhibitors, meaning they inhibit an enzyme, monoamine oxidase, which usually breaks down certain alkaloids before they can pass through the blood-brain barrier and reach the brain.
Psychotria virdis (Chacurna leaves) contains DMT (N,N-Dimethyltryptamine) which is a psychedelic compound that is produced by living organisms. Psychoactive tryptamines such as DMT are usually too delicate to be active orally and would normally be broken down by the human body in minutes.
MAO inhibitors, such as the harmine and harmaline found in B. caapi (Ayahuasca), prevent the DMT molecules from breaking down, allowing them to enter the brain intact. It is only when combined that these two plants produce the pronounced visual, auditory, and physical alterations that lead to the profound experience of the Ayahuasca journey.
Because Ayahuasca is an MAO inhibitor it is especially important that anyone participating in ceremony not be on anti-depressants as it can, in some instances, lead to serotonin syndrome.
Here are some articles about the science and research of Ayahuasca:
Brain Science of Ayahuasca
Ayahuasca and Meditation change the brain similarly
How Ayahuasca affects your brain
Veteran's story
Ayahuasca use for PTSD
The Ayahuasca Ceremony under the Microscope
Snapshot of Medical Research on Ayahuasca
Ayahuasca is a vine that is found in the Amazonian basin of South Amercia. Ayahuasca is also the name of a brew or tea used by the native people's of the Amazon for millennia. The Ayahuasca vine (Banisteriopsis caapi) is combined with leaves from the Chacurna (Psychotria virdis) shrub (or other DMT containing plants) to create the tea. Ayahuasca translates to "vine of souls", "vine of death" or "vine with a soul". The native people's of the Amazon use Ayahuasca for healing and spiritual work.
How Does Ayahuasca Work?
Banisteriopsis caapi (Ayahuasca vine) has alkaloids that act as MAO inhibitors, meaning they inhibit an enzyme, monoamine oxidase, which usually breaks down certain alkaloids before they can pass through the blood-brain barrier and reach the brain.
Psychotria virdis (Chacurna leaves) contains DMT (N,N-Dimethyltryptamine) which is a psychedelic compound that is produced by living organisms. Psychoactive tryptamines such as DMT are usually too delicate to be active orally and would normally be broken down by the human body in minutes.
MAO inhibitors, such as the harmine and harmaline found in B. caapi (Ayahuasca), prevent the DMT molecules from breaking down, allowing them to enter the brain intact. It is only when combined that these two plants produce the pronounced visual, auditory, and physical alterations that lead to the profound experience of the Ayahuasca journey.
Because Ayahuasca is an MAO inhibitor it is especially important that anyone participating in ceremony not be on anti-depressants as it can, in some instances, lead to serotonin syndrome.
Here are some articles about the science and research of Ayahuasca:
Brain Science of Ayahuasca
Ayahuasca and Meditation change the brain similarly
How Ayahuasca affects your brain
Veteran's story
Ayahuasca use for PTSD
The Ayahuasca Ceremony under the Microscope
Snapshot of Medical Research on Ayahuasca
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Testimonial
Most joyous experience of my existence. Freedom, indeed. Exhilarating. I understand now why the masters speak in riddles. Thank you.
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What Effects and Benefits Can I Expect?
Ayahuasca can have many side effects physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually that can also double as benefits. Each person's experience will be different, not only person to person but ceremony to ceremony.
As Aldous Huxley said in his cult classic Doors of Perception:
"The man who comes back through the Door in the Wall will never be quite the same
as the man who went out. He will be wiser but less cocksure, happier but less self-satisfied,
humbler in acknowledging his ignorance yet better equipped to understand the relationship
of words to things, of systematic reasoning to the unfathomable Mystery which it tries,
forever vainly, to comprehend"
Who Leads the Ayahausca Ceremony? The leader of an Ayahuasca ceremony is called a maestro or maestra. They are the guide and conductor of the ceremony. The maestra creates the space in which this sacred and intense healing work takes place so it is of vital importance to have someone of integrity who knows how to hold safe space for multiple people. Our maestra has been working with Ayahuasca for many years, has sat hundreds of ceremonies and trained in the Amazon with the highly respected Shipibo Shaman Don Enrique. Her ceremony format is semi-traditional meaning that it includes both live singing and recorded sacred music from around the world. The Ayahuasca used during our retreats is made from Ayahuasca vine and Chacurna leaves and nothing else. The maestra has an assistant at the ceremonies for added support. We have built our retreat experience to create a safe, loving, supportive environment so you can focus fully on your own healing journey.
Why do you have to fill out a medical form?
Your safety is our priority. There are some physical/mental and medicinal contraindication to participating and that is why we have an application process that includes a medical form. It is important that you fill the form out thoroughly. If you happen to have a medical condition or are taking medication that would make the ceremony unsafe for you then we will speak with you and make a decision based on your particular circumstances. The Maestra has the final say as to who is allowed to safely participate.
Ayahuasca can have many side effects physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually that can also double as benefits. Each person's experience will be different, not only person to person but ceremony to ceremony.
- Common physical side effects and benefits during a ceremony may include: naseau, vomiting, diarreahea, sweating, shaking, burping, passing gas, yawning, stretching, and retching. On a metaphysical level this purging is seen as the beneficial release of negative influences and energies from the body. On a more conventional level these purges are medically beneficial, as it clears the body of worms and other parasites.
- Emotional side effects and benefits may include intense emotional experiences as well as releases. You may cry or laugh or feel any number of other emotions as you work through old traumas, visit inner fears or experience connection with all creation. Because Ayahuasca is an MAO inhibitor many people have looked to it for help with depression, anxiety and addictions.
- Mental side effects and benefits may include visual and auditory visionary experiences. You will notice I do not use the word "hallucinations" because that words carries with it the idea that what you experience is not real or somehow made up. Just because how you perceive in ceremony is different than everyday perception does not make what you perceive "unreal", "fake", "made-up" or "imaginary." You may also experience profound personal insight, release of old beliefs, negative patterns, bad habits and a deeper understanding of who you really are.
- Spiritual side effects and benefits may include A deeper understanding of your connection to everyone and everything, a "God" experience, near death experience, interacting with spirit of all sorts including guides, angels, dead relatives, power animals, Masters, nature spirits, aliens and Ayahuasca herself.
- The experiences that you have in ceremony - insights, visions, teaching, etc - will often lead to changes in your ordinary, everyday life. How successfully we integrate our experiences back into our everyday life is up to us and that is one of the reasons that I have created so much support before, during and after the retreat. Be aware that intense experiences of this nature tend to change us, our priorities and motivations and can lead us to make some major changes in our lives so take that into consideration when deciding whether or not you want to participate.
As Aldous Huxley said in his cult classic Doors of Perception:
"The man who comes back through the Door in the Wall will never be quite the same
as the man who went out. He will be wiser but less cocksure, happier but less self-satisfied,
humbler in acknowledging his ignorance yet better equipped to understand the relationship
of words to things, of systematic reasoning to the unfathomable Mystery which it tries,
forever vainly, to comprehend"
Who Leads the Ayahausca Ceremony? The leader of an Ayahuasca ceremony is called a maestro or maestra. They are the guide and conductor of the ceremony. The maestra creates the space in which this sacred and intense healing work takes place so it is of vital importance to have someone of integrity who knows how to hold safe space for multiple people. Our maestra has been working with Ayahuasca for many years, has sat hundreds of ceremonies and trained in the Amazon with the highly respected Shipibo Shaman Don Enrique. Her ceremony format is semi-traditional meaning that it includes both live singing and recorded sacred music from around the world. The Ayahuasca used during our retreats is made from Ayahuasca vine and Chacurna leaves and nothing else. The maestra has an assistant at the ceremonies for added support. We have built our retreat experience to create a safe, loving, supportive environment so you can focus fully on your own healing journey.
Why do you have to fill out a medical form?
Your safety is our priority. There are some physical/mental and medicinal contraindication to participating and that is why we have an application process that includes a medical form. It is important that you fill the form out thoroughly. If you happen to have a medical condition or are taking medication that would make the ceremony unsafe for you then we will speak with you and make a decision based on your particular circumstances. The Maestra has the final say as to who is allowed to safely participate.
TestimonialThis was the most interesting and insightful weekend of my life. Easy and hard - the greatest thing I have ever done. I am a different person now than I was 2 days ago.
Thank you. Keith |
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All Inclusive Experience
3 Day/2 Night Retreat Includes:
- Intimate Group (Max 10 participants)
- Preparation coaching -Weekly emails that detail how to prepare yourself physical, mentally and emotionally for the retreat including discussion on diet, intention, the ceremony and what to bring. Inclusion in a private Facebook Group for retreat participants
- Private shuttle service to and from Rocky point leaving from Tucson (specifically A Transformative Touch parking lot). Arraignments can be made for airport pickups or from Phoenix (extra charges may apply). Drinks and snacks will be provided. Leaving Friday with Return on Sunday. Please be aware that travel times are all approximate and will change depending upon traffic and the border crossing.
- Healthy and delicious meals - There are diet restrictions when working with Ayahuasca. All the food will be vegetarian, dairy-free, low sugar and low salt as well as mainly gluten free. Aya friendly snacks will be provided on the trip down. The meals that are included are lunch Friday, breakfast and lunch Saturday, and breakfast and lunch Sunday. We do not eat dinner before ceremony so there are no dinners included unless you attend a 4 day retreat. Water, tea and coffee will also be provided.
- Lodging in Rocky Point: We stay in homes located in a gated community south of the town of Rocky Point with easy access to the beach.
- 2 Ayahuasca Ceremonies lead by our Maestra. Ceremonies take place from 9pm-3am Friday and Saturday nights. Everything you need for the ceremony will be provided.
- Guided discussions during the retreat and in the weeks following to share and integrate the experiences
- Time to Reflect: You are given plenty of time on Friday afternoon and Saturday to rest, reflect and process.
- Post Integration Coaching- the integration of your experience into your everyday life is half the challenge. We believe it is important for our participants to have lot of support after the retreats to help this process. That is why we include...
- 1 Hour Private RESET session with Alexcis scheduled within 4 weeks after returning (in person or via Zoom) to work individually on what you experienced and how to integrate it into your ordinary reality.
- Group meetings and a supportive community for you to join online (for those who live far away) and in person if you live in Tucson. We hold monthly get togethers and as a member of the Aya community you are offered exclusive workshops and excursion opportunities.
- Post retreat emails with questions, suggestions and tips on integrating your experience
- Continued inclusion and engagement in the private FB Group
- All of the above plus group workshops on the rest day to help deepen and integrate the Aya work.
While everyone's experience is unique there are common themes. The medicine helps us to look at and release negative thoughts, patterns, and beliefs that lead to anxiety, depression, anger and addictive behaviors. At the same time Ayahuasca holds us in a space of unconditional love, healing and connection with ourselves and the greater Creator/Universe/Source/God/Goddess. What you will experience in ceremony is often beyond words and will transform your perspective and open you to greater compassion, spiritual understanding and self worth. As you return into your everyday life you will become more aware of your ego, your dysfunctional habits and your self-talk whether helpful or harmful so that you can make true, organic, lasting change.
Why You Should Join Us:
Opportunity to work with profoundly powerful medicine in a safe space.
All inclusive retreat package makes it easy (see above).
Close to home - no long, international flights needed.
Small group size with lots of support before, during and after to help you get the most out of your experience.
The support of an experienced mental-emotional therapist to help you integrate and process.
Short trips - no need to take 7-10 days off work to travel, saving you time and money.
Modern comforts like electricity and flushing toilets (often not the case in the jungle).
No need to worry about shady legality as Ayahuasca is legal in Mexico.
Beautiful beach location
No language barriers.
Costs a fraction of what you'd pay to travel to and stay in South America.
All Inclusive Retreat Investment:
3 Day/ 2 Ceremonies: $1,497.00
4 Day/ 2 Ceremonies : $1,597.00
**You will need a Passport or Passport card to travel to Rocky Point Mexico **
Opportunity to work with profoundly powerful medicine in a safe space.
All inclusive retreat package makes it easy (see above).
Close to home - no long, international flights needed.
Small group size with lots of support before, during and after to help you get the most out of your experience.
The support of an experienced mental-emotional therapist to help you integrate and process.
Short trips - no need to take 7-10 days off work to travel, saving you time and money.
Modern comforts like electricity and flushing toilets (often not the case in the jungle).
No need to worry about shady legality as Ayahuasca is legal in Mexico.
Beautiful beach location
No language barriers.
Costs a fraction of what you'd pay to travel to and stay in South America.
All Inclusive Retreat Investment:
3 Day/ 2 Ceremonies: $1,497.00
4 Day/ 2 Ceremonies : $1,597.00
**You will need a Passport or Passport card to travel to Rocky Point Mexico **
What Participants Saying...
This was the most interesting and insightful weekend of my life. Easy and hard - the greatest thing I have ever done. I am a different person now than I was 2 days ago.
Thank you. Keith 
Questions about my life path was what drew me to seek Ayahuasca's aid. I had seen documentaries about Ayahuasca retreats and it looked absolutely frightening! So naturally I was hesitant to try it. Alexcis and the leadership team were nothing but kind, professional, supportive throughout the whole trip. All inclusive meant I didn't need to worry about food (so yummy), lodging, and transportation for the entire weekend. After all was said and done, I came out with my questions answered and I was clear, focused and excited continue on my path. I can honestly say I found everything I was looking for. This experience was truly one of the greatest experiences of my life and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to experience Ayahuasca. Thank you Alexcis and the leadership team for facilitating this healing for me and others.
Healing of one is the healing of all. -Salvador L. |
After 60 years of trying all types of traditional remedies for depression without much success, I have finally made progress in my goal to find happiness. I now enjoy who I am with such appreciation for the people in my life. I first started this journey at another retreat in the Amazon that had no support or follow up. Alexcis, offers the most therapeutic way to experience this medicine. It has changed my life. Alexcis you have created a fabulous community, that I am honored to feel a part. THANK YOU! I look forward to continuing my Journey in this safe loving environment. I am so glad I took the first step along this path.
Much love, Kim 
My experience with Alexcis and her excellent team on the Aya Retreat was transformative. The Retreat was impeccably implemented with every detail attended to.
I am looking forward to another experience with her as I continue my Spiritual journey. John M 
An epic experience with beautiful souls and a gorgeous setting!
A.P. |
