Grandmother Vine is the Vine of the Soul. This ancient brew has been used for centuries by Indigenous tribes of the Amazon Basin, in Peru, Brazil, and Colombia, as a sacred tool for healing and divine communication.
Traditionally, only the healer, or curandera, drank the tea to receive visions and guidance from the spirit world, messages that could bring healing, direction, or understanding to the tribe. Over time, this sacred medicine called to seekers across the world, bridging ancient wisdom with modern consciousness.
Grandmother Vine is a potent, psychoactive brew made from two key plants: Banisteriopsis caapi, the vine containing MAO-inhibiting alkaloids, and Chacruna (Psychotria viridis), together, they form a unique alchemical partnership. The vine allows the opening of a doorway to profound visions, emotional release, and deep spiritual insight.
“The vine opens the body; the leaf opens the vision.”
The journey with Grandmother Vine is as individual as the soul itself. The beginning often feels physical, a purge, a wave, a cleansing, as the body releases what it no longer needs. Then, the visions come: colours, symbols, or memories that speak the language of the spirit.
This is where participants often meet the Spirit of the Medicine, a feminine energy, wise, nurturing, and unyielding, who guides with love and clarity.
The ceremony unfolds over six to seven hours, and while it may feel challenging at times, it is often described as one of the most profound and transformative experiences of a lifetime.
Modern studies are beginning to confirm what Indigenous wisdom has long known: the alkaloids in Grandmother Vine, harmine and beta-carbolines, can promote neurogenesis, reduce inflammation, and support emotional regulation.
Clinical research has linked this medicine to increased mindfulness, emotional balance, and lasting relief from depression and PTSD when used responsibly in ceremonial settings.
Grandmother Vine is a powerful teacher, one that works deeply with the mind, body, and spirit. Proper preparation is essential for your safety and for the depth of your journey.
Grandmother Vine is not compatible with modern antidepressants, anti-anxiety, or sleeping medications. Combining these can be dangerous or even fatal.
If you are taking such medications, they must be stopped for at least three weeks before ceremony.
Those with serious heart conditions, high blood pressure, or psychotic disorders (such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or panic disorder) should not participate. Pregnant women should refrain from drinking, and women who are menstruating should inform the facilitation team for proper energetic care.
The ceremony opens the door, but integration is the walk home. Our facilitation team provides guidance and support after each retreat to help weave the insights, visions, and healing into daily life.
Through integration, the wisdom becomes embodied, turning revelation into transformation.
To sit with Grandmother Vine is to meet the truth of who you are. She invites you to release what no longer serves and remember the deep wisdom that already lives within.
“When you surrender, she teaches. When you listen, she heals.”
