inner awakening

retreat

A Journey of Soul Remembrance through Embodied Practices,
Earth Ritual and Sacred Plant Medicine

SACRED VALLEY, PERU
Jan 27 - Feb 3, 2024

Here we arise to a sun-speckled morning within the lush natural surroundings of this peaceful yet powerful Sacred Valley, 

held on all sides by the Apus or great mountain spirits in these powerful Andean ranges. In this beautiful cocoon, you can feel the beautiful contrast this land provides – vibrant beauty, peace and tranquility paired with a strong vortex of energy that naturally helps to support the transformation happening within you. 

Welcome to the Sacred Valley of Peru, our home for this journey of inner awakening and soul-level transformation in partnership with the spirits of the plants and of this land.

Together in community, we will explore the depths of our full potential.

Ignite your Fire Within   ◇   Honor Your Soul's Calling    ◇   Remember Your True Nature

January 27 - February 3, 2024

Inner awakening Retreat

Jan 27 - Feb 3, 2024

Remember Your Magic Here in Peru

This 8-day journey is an experience in community of awakening, healing, and nourishing our fire and guiding light within. 

Nestled in our retreat oasis in the Sacred Valley, we will weave through somatic and creative practices of self-discovery, Earth-based rituals and elemental connection, ceremonies with Master Plant Teachers, and shamanic teachings of the Andes. We will practice energetic cleansing techniques and explore frequency healing, heart-opening cacao and rose ceremony, and the medicine of deep connection in a family on a soul journey together. 

Explore the Journey

A Space for Soulful Awakening

Our intention for this experience is to create a safe space for personal evolution and remembrance of your true nature, and to give you tools to integrate this frequency into your daily life.

The Elements will be our compass through the journey, the Elders of the lands our guardians and the Spirit of the Master Plants, Mountains and Valley our Guides.

You will be supported with and through:

  • Setting clear intentions for this experience
  • Utilizing energetic practices for personal healing
  • Strengthening your intuition and courage
  • Finding greater clarity on your life path
  • Clearing emotional and energetic blocks
  • Awakening your creativity and self-expression 
  • Expressing your unique strengths and gifts
  • Integrative practices to support and deepen your experience 
  • A strong and loving, heart-centered soul family

A glimpse into the practices we'll explore...

Yoga & Breathwork

Daily yoga and meditation sessions combined with breathwork practices will provide a grounding foundation for our journey. Body-based tools and a movement-based morning ritual will be used as support for integration through the retreat (and yoga classes will be appropriate for all levels!) 

Despacho Ceremony

With a local Andean Maestro, we will open our space with prayer and offering to the Earth and mountains that hold us, the elements, and to our ancestors. Our despacho will open the space for our further work with Earth medicine and elemental ritual throughout the retreat. 

Ayahuasca Ceremony

One evening ceremony with the master plant Ayahuasca, guided by an experienced local Maestro. Thorough preparation and integration will support the connection with this cleansing and purifying plant spirit that aids in clearing energetic, emotional and spiritual blockages.

Huachuma (San Pedro) Ceremony

Also known as the Grandfather, Huachuma is connected to heart-opening, awakening insights, and activating our light within. A wonderful integrative medicine after Ayahuasca, our ceremony will take place with a local Quechua Maestro during the day in a power place in nature.

Creative & Somatic Integration Circles

Connection is medicine, and our collective journey together is the perfect opportunity for group integration support, through which we will explore creative and somatic tools to help process your experiences.

Nature Connection

Being with the land here in Peru is medicine in itself. We will have ample time for connection with the incredible nature here, both in visiting sacred sites together and offering time and space for solo contemplation with the land. 

Temezcal (Sweat Lodge) Ceremony

Though temezcal originates in Mexico, it is a powerful practice in conjunction with medicine work of both transformation and integration, as we connect with the fire element and our own embodiment in a process of cleansing and release. 

Cacao Ceremony & Sound Healing

We will explore frequency medicine and heart-opening cacao and rose ceremony to anchor and deepen the shifts and openings offered by the plants, surrendering into the sweetness of these medicines!

This journey is for you if:

  • You seek a space to deepen your self-discovery and authentic expression
  • You want to remember your true nature on a soul level
  • You are on a path of uncovering your purpose and potential
  • You seek to connect with the compass of your intuition, inner wisdom, and higher guidance
  • You long to explore alternative, holistic pathways into living spirituality
  • You are looking to reset and recharge while being held in comfort and love
  • You want to come to the homelands of the sacred Master Plants for a safe, authentic experience
  • You want to awaken and explore alternative ways to live your life
  • You seek to expand your creative expression and remember your playfulness
  • You are committed to live with compassion, intention and integrity
  • You are ready to welcome sacred plant medicines as a healing tool in your life
Join us in Peru (Pre-Register)

full support in your process

An experience like this doesn't just begin when you arrive in Peru; it begins when you commit to the journey.
We recognize and deeply emphasize the process that is opened through a commitment to this type of inner work.
Our retreat will include preparation calls both individually and as a group as well as preparatory resources and practices to help you create the container for your work before you arrive. We will similarly support you with your integration process, helping you to anchor the shifts you undergo while in Peru. 

WHat's included

This fully-inclusive and restorative experience is designed to allow you to sink into full nourishment, connection, and exploration of Soul and Self:
  • Pre-retreat group meeting and individual preparation call
  • 8 days, 7 nights accommodation at Allpawasi Retreat Center 
  • Airport pickup and dropoff (also available to & from hotel in Cusco)
  • Daily home-cooked vegetarian breakfast, lunch, and dinner (modified meals on ceremony days)
  • Opening Despacho and Andean Cosmology workshop with local shaman
  • One Ayahuasca ceremony (conducted in the evening)
  • One Huachuma ceremony (conducted in the daytime at a sacred site) 
  • Daily yoga, breathwork and meditation practice
  • Integrative sharing circles and creative workshops
  • Somatic and creative workshops and sound healing ceremony
  • Cacao ceremony and other Earth-based rituals to support our work
  • Temezcal sweat lodge ceremony
  • Day trip to sacred sites around the Sacred Valley
  • Retreat journal and other surprise gifts
  • All transportation to excursions and activities
  • Optional Kambo (frog medicine) treatment
  • Unlimited coffee (except ceremony days), tea, fruit, and drinking water
  • Post-retreat integration session with Kristen
  • Integration resources and post-retreat group integration call
Join us - Register Your Interest

Your Guides

Kristen Yates

Kristen is a healing arts practitioner who has traveled the world studying the art of personal transformation for over fifteen years, learning to weave Eastern, Western, and indigenous healing modalities in support of human flourishing. She is a certified Holistic Health Coach, RYT-500 Yoga and Meditation Instructor, Breathwork and Reiki Practitioner, Authentic Relating Facilitator and Trauma-Informed Somatic Practitioner. 

She is passionate about guiding somatic healing through the body and helping people to fully integrate and express their own medicine & magic into the world – and is deeply grateful to the plant spirits and her teachers on the medicine path. 

It is a deep honor and joy to walk alongside you in your own process of awakening and discovery –  and to share this sacred space for us all to explore our full potential! 

Marlene Aiwinyana

Marlene is a multi talented space alchemist whose passion is sharing heart to heart authentic, safe and transformative soul-moments. She is a certified Hypnosis Coach, Reiki I & II Practitioner, Massage Therapist and facilitator for ceremonies, rituals, movement and singing circles. In addition to facilitation work, Marlene weaves her passions of dance, Acro Yoga and music into her spaces and offerings. 

For five years now she is deeply dedicated to the shamanic path and accompanying people in their processes in reconnecting to their inner child, reclaiming their wholeness, and embracing all the colors of life.

our journey with plant medicine

While Master Plant Medicine is an incredible tool and ally for personal transformation, it is not the only tool we will be working with during this retreat. 

You will find many retreats offering 3-5 Master plant medicine ceremonies in the span of a week to ten days, but we are taking a slightly different and gentler approach here. Our itinerary has been intentionally designed with one Ayahuasca and one Huachuma ceremony to help you open and integrate the teachings of these plants with intention and clarity, accompanied and supported by the other somatic, creative, and holistic practices we will explore during the retreat. 

You will be held safely by our facilitators as well as a trusted and experienced Maestro during our Master Plant ceremonies, allowing you to go deeply inwards to experience profound healing and inner shifts. We emphasize proper preparation and integration of ceremonies and will work with you thoroughly in this capacity. 

Our Ayahuasca ceremony will begin at 6pm and conclude around midnight. We will eat an Ayahuasca-friendly diet prior to our ceremony, and provide you plenty of preparation for ceremony both before and during the retreat. Our Huachuma ceremony day will begin at 10am, and will take place immersed in the energetically-charged nature of the Sacred Valley, combining silent contemplation, private conversation, and gentle walks in nature. We will return to the retreat center by 6pm to share dinner and gentle integration before resting for the evening.

The Magic of peru

We will be staying at our retreat center in the town of Pisac, just 45 minutes from Cusco in the magical Sacred Valley of Peru. 

With the breathtaking Andes surrounding our home base, we will be immersed in vibrant Incan culture, walking distance to gorgeous river trails, local markets, and a short ride to explore other parts of the Sacred Valley in your free time.  

Peru is a country steeped in shamanic culture, and you’ll be experiencing firsthand the deep connection to the land and indigenous plant medicine here.

We’ll have a day trip to an Incan archaeological site as well as an optional post-retreat trip to Machu Picchu, the famous Inca citadel. Simply soaking in the spiritual magic of the Sacred Valley is medicine in itself – helping you reconnect to nature and yourself with new perspectives.

Our home in the sacred valley

Our home for the week will be at Allpawasi, a beautiful retreat space tucked away in a quiet area at the foot of the Andes mountains near the vibrant village of Pisac (just 15 minutes walk.) Here, you will find spaces full of tranquility to relax and connect with nature, away from the hustle and bustle – the perfect place to go deep on your journey, nourish on all levels, and integrate your experiences.

Living in Community

We will be living together in a cozy yet spacious Retreat House with ample space for both privacy and personal process, and a beautiful opportunity for community living. Our ceremonies and workshops/yoga sessions will take place in a bright, newly-built maloka (temple space) with panoramic windows surrounded by the lush mountains of the Sacred Valley. On the grounds, you will be able to enjoy our peaceful gardens, wood fire adobe oven, spaces for rest and relaxation, and breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. Plenty of outdoor seating will allow you to enjoy restful time in the fresh mountain air.

Each room is beautifully decorated and equipped with everything you need for a nourishing stay during our retreat. Our house has a fully equipped kitchen (although all meals will be provided!) There is an outdoor fire pit area with communal seating, and a beautiful windowed shala where we will meet for yoga and movement classes and ceremony. Each double room and single room has a private bathroom.

our soul tribe

Human connection is medicine in itself, and the field we create together is a powerful component of this transformational journey.

Our journey will unfold with a tight-knit group of fellow spiritual seekers, and over our eight days, we will deepen together in ceremony and bond through integration, daily practice, creative workshops, embodied connection practices, plenty of space for music and creative expression, nourishing family meals and time by the fire, exploring the culture and sacred sites of Peru, and quality time spent in a medicine family. You will leave with a new tribe of people to support you on your path moving forward, and a forever link to our magical home in the Sacred Valley. 

JOIN US IN PERU

jan 27 - feb 3, 2024

Early Bird: $300 Discount Through 11/11

In order to give back to the communities of these sacred lands, we will be donating 100 USD per Participant to a local project.

Double Room with Ensuite Bathroom:

$2250
($2550 after Nov 11)

 Private Room with Ensuite Bathroom:

$2850
($3150 after Nov 11)

Register Your Interest - Pre-Application

The next step to join us is to fill in the form above, and we will be in touch personally to connect send you a full intake/application form.

Once accepted into the retreat, a $300 deposit will reserve your space.

Working with these Master plant medicines of Ayahuasca and Huachuma is a true commitment to your personal and spiritual development. 

The first step to joining the retreat is to fill out the contact form above, after which we will send you a full application form to share more information about your intentions and any prior experience with plant medicines (none is required). 

A $300 deposit will be required to reserve your space once you are accepted into the retreat.

We will then be in touch to set up a Zoom call to connect personally and dive deeper into your intentions for this work, and any questions you may have. If for any reason on that call we determine that this work with plant medicine is not a fit for you at this time, your deposit will be fully refunded.

After your registration is confirmed, you will receive an email to set up your room choice and the final payment options (either pay-in-full or a payment plan, both due in full before we arrive.) You will also receive a detailed intake form to complete before the retreat. 

Travel & Logistics

You will fly into Cusco Airport (CUZ) and we will send you a taxi to our retreat center. If you arrive earlier to Peru, we will also send a taxi to pick you up from wherever you are staying on Saturday, January 27. 

You currently do not need to show a negative COVID test or show proof of vaccination to enter Peru. 

As travel information is often changing, please stay up to date with current regulations below:

U.S. Embassy in Peru – COVID-19 Information

FAQ

Questions about Plant Medicine:

Our Ayahuasca ceremony will be facilitated by Nacho Rodriguez, a trusted local Ayahuascaro who Kristen and Marlene have worked deeply with themselves in their own healing work with the medicine. Our Huachuma ceremony will be facilitated by Maestro Hernan Colque who works in the Quechua tradition with the medicine, sharing the incredible teaching and knowledge of his ancestors. You will be held and supported as well by Kristen and Marlene before, during, and after our ceremonies. 

Our ceremonies will take place in three different energetically-charged power places in nature, incorporating various natural elements such as the crystal clear mountain river and waterfalls, lush forests, ancient Incan ceremonial sites and other beautiful and powerful wonders of the Sacred Valley. 

Our ceremony with Ayahuasca will take place during the evening in our maloka on-site. We will begin around 6pm after a day of preparation and intention-setting. The ceremony will last for 5-6 hours, guided by the sound medicine and icaros of our Maestro, Nacho Rodriguez, and will conclude around midnight. 

About our Maestro:

Nacho Rodriguez is a multi-instrumentalist musician who has dedicated himself to the path of service with Mother Ayahuasca. His prayer is of creating a bridge between the plant and people’s souls in order to go deeper into the infinite path of self-knowledge, leaving behind what prevents us from being happy and accepting ourselves as the beings of light that we are- without masks, fears or insecurities. In this way, we can be ourselves, creating internal and external peace. Live life with joy and inspiration.

Our Huachuma ceremonies will begin at 10:00 am. We will take the medicine in our maloca, the ceremonial space. After this we will go out and spend all day in nature for a time of connection, contemplation and self-reflection. There will be designated spaces where you can receive support and connection from our team, and where you can spend time alone. We’ll return to our center around 5:30 pm and close the ceremony in the maloca. Around 6:00 pm we’ll finish, have some time for a shower, and meet for dinner as a group before a restful evening of light connection and integration.

Since our first Ayahuasca ceremony will be Monday, we will enjoy Ayahuasca-diet friendly meals (low salt, sugar, and fat along with certain foods restricted) on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday before our ceremony. We will provide you with dietary guidelines for the few days pre-retreat if you choose to extend your diet, but it is not necessary to work with the medicine.

Post-ceremony, we will resume meals as normal. Prior to Huachuma, there are no dietary restrictions (we will be enjoying healthy, nourishing meals with whole foods during our retreat, which is wonderful preparation for a San Pedro ceremony!) The morning of ceremony, we will not eat breakfast and take the medicine with an empty stomach. In the evenings, we’ll enjoy a delicious dinner together. 

No. The dose and the type of the medicine are intuitively measured and given for each person. There are sensitive people who need lighter medicine and a smaller dose, and there are those who need stronger medicine and a bigger dose. There are people who are new to the medicine and those who have had previous experiences. This is an important process that must be always respected. We take our time to gradually guide you into your experience.
 
We will discuss all of this with you prior to the first ceremony, and will be here to support and guide your experience throughout the retreat. 

Yes, Ayahuasca and Huachuma (San Pedro) are completely legal to work with in Peru. 

Questions about Travel & Logistics:
You will fly into Cusco International Airport (CUZ), which is just a 45-minute drive from our retreat center in the Sacred Valley. 
All transportation fom the airport will be covered on the day of our retreat. 
If you arrive early and are staying elsewhere, we will pick you up on the first day of our retreat (Saturday, January 27.)
Vaccines (including COVID) are not currently required to enter Peru. It is a personal choice you have to make based on your own research. You may consider getting a typhoid vaccine (which can come through unclean water) – but keep in mind we will be drinking filtered water and eating most meals at home, so the risk is low.
 
We recommend consulting the CDC website for vaccine information:
 
 
There have been no known cases of either malaria or yellow fever in the Cusco region. For more information please visit the CDC’s website here.
 
To enter Peru you must show either proof of vaccination from COVID or a negative COVID test. 
There are currently no requirements for a negative COVID-19 test or vaccination to enter Peru. 
 
We recommend you stay up to date with the current health requirements for travel to Peru here:
 
 
You can access the affadavid ot health here: 
 

No, you don’t. Citizens of most American and Western European countries will be granted a tourist visa for up to 183 days at the customs desk upon entry. You will need to make sure and have a valid passport with at least 6 months before expiration. 

Yes, if you are unable to travel due to COVID restrictions between now and the retreat, I will either credit your payment to the postponed retreat, or refund your payment. 

While airlines seem to be offering good flexibility right now due to everything, we definitely recommend you purchase travel insurance with your flight.

LOVE FROM PAST RETREATS 💕



The Awaken Your Magic retreat was nothing short of a magical and life-changing experience. Since it was hosted by Kristen I already knew it was going to be wonderful, but I had no idea of what to expect as I've never experienced anything like it before. For me, there were a lot of firsts: being in South America, plant medicine in a group setting, spending so much time with new people. It was so much more beautiful than I could've ever imagined.

I'm so grateful for Kristen for designing the perfect agenda which gave me the freedom to not worry about logistics and be fully present in the moment. I appreciated having the 3 ceremony days as well as all the days in between / before / after. I love how she emphasized the integration process as just as important (or more important) than the ceremonies.



I love how the retreat was a holistic full-body experience, as we were provided many tools to connect with our body (ex. yoga / massage / temazcal), mind (ex. meditation / journaling), heart, and soul (ex. conversations / music / nature). Through both the medicine and the surrounding conversations / activities, my mind and heart have been opened, as I feel a much deeper connection with myself and the universe around me. At the end, I felt a deep bond with the other retreat attendees / facilitators and I have been able to re-enter my life with a newfound sense of purpose.
-- Christine Li (Awaken Your Magic Retreat - Peru 2022)
Kristen is one of the brightest lights I’ve ever seen in this world, honestly – so to get to spend a week with her was the greatest gift.

One thing that really stands out about Kristen is this spectrum of depth, the huge capacity she has for depth on a deep, soul, love, compassion level – and then her capacity for joy, play, humor, and dance... she just has this huge capacity and breadth for all of the things – feeling the emotion, and the experience of life. For me, being around Kristen and being taught by Kristen is really just to experience life in the fullest. 

Leaving this retreat, I’m walking away with a very peaceful heart - something that isn’t always easy for me. I can easily get in my head and be very self-critical, and that was one of my intentions coming in was to tap into my inner self worth and self love. Walking away I feel very loving of myself, I feel so much peace in my heart and love for myself and a deeper love for others. Ultimately, that’s what I want – to live a life of love, and I really feel like I got to deepen that here at the retreat with all the wonderful people, beautiful facilitators, and beautiful Bali! It’s been an incredible journey. 
-- Jamie Grant (Awaken the Magic Retreat - Bali 2020)
This was my first retreat, and it couldn’t have gone any better! We all immediately started connecting from the get-go, and created a very space warm place to express anything we felt or anything that wanted to be shared.

The group made the experience so amazing - our energies combined from the beginning and it created such a safe space for everyone to fully express what they were feeling with no judgment.

I feel free, and fearless! I feel like there’s a lot of things for me to do to continue this journey, and even build a stronger connection with myself and all the people I’ve met.
-- Azaelia Solari (Awaken the Magic Retreat - Bali 2020)
I don’t even know where to begin! It’s been amazing. This retreat was more than what I thought it was going to be - it was my first retreat, and I had already felt the energy just from booking it – I definitely touched parts and emotions and feelings in myself and my life that are uncomfortable to me - which while it started out as a bit difficult, was also rewarding like a breath of fresh air after. There’s so many tools and exercises that I’ve picked up from this last week that I know I can take home - things I can use and practice to make me feel better and work on certain things in my life that I want to shift. Also a lot of tools that I can teach people around me that are experiencing the same things as me. For the first time, I feel like I’ve gained a lot of clarity, and feel so certain about so many things about myself. To have such a great, great amazing group of people where I can be vulnerable, which was one of the hardest things for me, and express myself and not feel judged - and learn that I’m not alone - was so rewarding. I feel blessed that I got to experience this, in such a crazy time! I would not be anywhere else - I don’t even want to go home! Why wasn’t this longer?!
-- Antonette Rosarias (Awaken the Magic Retreat - Bali 2020)
Kristen is an amazing facilitator who creates beautiful space for transformation. She’s truly in her element when guiding a group – her openness, availability, and passion for sharing this work is such a special experience.
-- Janie Lin (Soul on Fire Retreat)


My experience was so wonderful because I had the opportunity to connect with so many different people. Meeting this many people, I was initially a bit nervous, because I typically tend to shy away from larger groups. But the connection workshops that we did, and spending time with each other - I felt so safe, and I didn’t have the normal “group anxiety” that I tend to have. 

I’m walking away with a sense of individuality and more understanding of myself and the ways that I’m currently showing up in the world - and how I can shift that to something that I want more. Maybe I want to show up differently than I have been - and I feel like this really made that clear and brought that to light. 
-- Kaleigh Smith (Awaken the Magic Retreat - Bali , 2020)
Kristen's Soul on Fire Retreat was amazing. I can’t even explain how much magic there was and how beautifully it all came together with the people, the teachers, the exercises, the adventures, the food, the mix of work and relaxation. It all just added up to such a magical weekend.

I came into this feeling introverted and in my head, and the shared journey and adventures and yoga and ceremony and creative exercises cracked open my heart and allowed me to be relaxed and open and really flowing both in my personal and professional development.

Kristen is an awesome facilitator who really created a transformational space for us all on the retreat. She possesses the perfect blend of being a strong leader with great skills (especially yoga!), but also an equal member of the family we formed together.
-- Mike Iskandar (Soul on Fire Retreat - Thailand 2017)

More Love and feedback:

It was amazing. It gives me chills to say this. I felt reached on a spiritual level, understood and met, and also inspired, energized, and really touched by everyone in the group. It was one of the first times in my life where I've felt I could show up and be exactly who I am, where I am, and be held with appreciation. That's really rare. To be seen and held and to see and hold other people in their awakening -- which is imperfect and beautiful. It's a profound experience. AND, it was also equally playful and magical! Usually, you have either a serious "transformative" space, or a playful one, but this group was both! And, I really loved everyone in it. Thank you, Kristen.
-- Heather Schwarz (True Self Program)
Kristen’s yoga classes were amongst the best I’ve ever attended. Her attention to each student’s needs (and consequent adaptation of poses), to their wellbeing throughout the class, to the sequence and pace of the class, was excellent every time. In addition, she is adept at ensuring that every person feels welcome and safe, no matter their experience level, and her personal warmth quickly puts everyone at ease! Kristen is truly gifted as a yoga instructor - in an industry where there are many people who don’t belong in it, she is one of the few who really do, who push the bar for what yoga can be for each individual and as a collective experience.
-- Steph Lisa Kelly (Yoga classes)
What I love about Kristen's coaching is her presence, attention, and focus... there aren't many people who have that gift, so it's very special to connect with someone who sees you and hears your truth! I felt like you saw in me what what I couldn't see in myself, and was what blocking me for all those years.

Since you opened my eyes to my truth I now wake up every morning with a lighter heart because now I know what's my purpose. You helped me to see the potential in me and that's a beautiful gift to give to anyone in this world! And finally you helped me to find a business ideas that is related to my story and my life experiences which is what I have been looking for, for so many years!
-- Judith Gregoire (Private coaching)


I don't know how Kristen did it, but within 30 minutes of our theta healing session I could clearly see the root of some massive blocks I'd been experiencing in both my business and personal life for months (possibly years!). It was like peeling an onion where deep layers of blocks that had been holding me back were being identified and removed... I've never experienced anything like it before. I came out of our session (which was all done over a video call) with so much clarity, profound insights into my own pysche, and a clear path ahead to move forwards.
-- Leanne Beesley (Healing sessions)

Questions? Want to connect?

Get in touch with me below – or send an email to kyates8@gmail.com

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