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Get in touch"Know Thyself was more than just a retreat for me. It was a turning point."
Anderson Lemos
Know Thyself is an 8-day English-speaking Ayahuasca Retreat — an immersion in self-awareness, emotional healing, and inner clarity, held in the natural sanctuary of Eden Santuário in Vale do Capão, Bahia, Brazil.
Designed for guests seeking safety, trust, and comfort, the retreat brings together traditional ayahuasca ceremonies guided with Indigenous knowledge from the Amazon rainforest, along with mindfulness practices, yoga, breathwork, and nature immersion...
“Know Thyself was one of the most transformative experiences of my life.
The stress and fear I once felt simply dissolved. I felt bulletproof.
The insights I received still guide my decisions years later.”
Led by facilitators with over 35 years of combined experience in ayahuasca ceremonies and transformative retreats.
The ceremonies will be guided by Indigenous Pajé Pēnawa Huni Kuī and his wife Helaine Payayá, respected carriers of Amazonian ancestral wisdom. Their presence brings authenticity, spiritual depth, and a sense of sacred safety to the Know Thyself retreat — honoring the ancient lineage of forest traditions and the healing power of the Earth.
Surrounded by mountains, rivers, and waterfalls, this serene landscape offers the perfect environment for deep healing and reflection.
Yoga, meditation, and breathwork to support body, mind, and spirit—and to help you prepare for and integrate your work with the medicine.
Group sharing, 1:1 support, and guided integration sessions to help you anchor
insights and create lasting change.
Connect with like-minded individuals on a shared path of healing and growth.
Experience the power of being seen, heard, and supported in a safe, judgment-
free space
“After years of running from grief and addiction, I arrived at Eden with a frozen heart — and no choice but to trust the medicine, the healers, and the space. What happened felt like a spiritual surgery. I reunited with my spirit, my feelings, and my heart. I discovered that all the love and healing I was seeking was already within me.”
Find the perfect moment to reconnect with yourself.
Nestled deep in the heart of the Capão Valley, within Brazil’s breathtaking Chapada Diamantina National Park, The Sanctuary of Eden offers a truly awe-inspiring environment for healing and transformation.
Surrounded by majestic mountains, hidden waterfalls, and lush forest, this sacred land invites stillness, contemplation, and a powerful reconnection with nature—and with your own innate inner wisdom.
Located in the heart of Bahia, Brazil, Chapada Diamantina National Park is one of the country’s most breathtaking and biodiverse natural reserves. Known for its dramatic landscapes, the park features towering tabletop mountains, crystal-clear rivers, hidden caves, and some of Brazil’s most iconic waterfalls.
At its center lies the Capão Valley—a peaceful, off-the-beaten-path destination known for its vibrant energy, rich ecology, and conscious community. Surrounded by wild beauty, the valley offers access to legendary hikes like Cachoeira da Fumaça (Brazil’s second-highest waterfall at 340 meters) and countless natural swimming spots.
This region is a true sanctuary for nature lovers, spiritual seekers, and anyone looking to slow down and reconnect - with the earth, with themselves, and with a more meaningful way of life.
“I first attended Know Thyself in 2010 and have returned four times since. Each retreat brought new insight and transformation. On my most recent visit, I came with my daughter and niece — both found it truly enlightening. I have no hesitation in recommending Know Thyself and the beautiful space of Eden.”
7 nights at Eden with a range of lodging options available.
Nourishing, detox-friendly cuisine supports your healing journey
Guided by experienced facilitators in collaboration with Indigenous leadership, ensuring an authentic and safe ceremonial experience.
Ground, center, and prepare your body and mind for deep inner work and integration.
Restorative treatments to support physical renewal and mental clarity - herbal baths, Ayurvedic massage, sauna, and clay therapy.
Guided visits to waterfalls, scenic trails, local markets, and places of extraordinary natural beauty.
At Know Thyself, we are honored to welcome Pajé Pēnawa Huni Kuī and Helaine Payayá, traditional guardians of sacred forest medicine. Through their prayers, songs, and healing presence, each ceremony becomes a bridge between ancient wisdom and the heart of modern seekers.
Pēnawa is a spiritual Pajé (shaman) of the Huni Kuī people, one of the largest Indigenous groups of the Brazilian Amazon, known for their profound connection with the forest and their ancestral wisdom in the use of sacred plant medicines. He is a guardian of the ancient tradition, devoted to reconnecting human beings with the ancestral spirit of the Earth. His purpose is to restore harmony and well-being — bringing healing to the mind, body, and spirit through the ancestral knowledge of his people.
Over the years, Pēnawa has served both his own community and the nawa (non-Indigenous people), sharing his wisdom to promote physical and spiritual healing. A deep connoisseur of medicinal plants, he also worked for many years as a community health agent, bridging Indigenous and non-Indigenous healing practices.
Even as a traditional Pajé, his path of learning has been one of great discipline: Pēnawa has undertaken nineteen sacred diets — rigorous initiations within his culture — to earn the right to conduct healing rituals. With more than 30 years of study and practice, he remains humble, open, and devoted to sharing his teachings with those who wish to learn about the Huni Kuī traditions.
Among the traditional medicines he carries are:
Shuri Pae (Ayahuasca)
Rume Rēshkē (Rapé)
Shanētsamati (Sananga)
He serves these in traditional ceremonies both in his village and in other parts of Brazil and abroad.
Pēnawa also offers individual sessions with pajelança (spiritual healing work), Kapū (Kambo — “frog medicine”), and Hãpaieirã (the sacred “pepper baptism”).
Born in Salvador, Bahia, Helaine has been a student of the forest medicines for over 11 years, dedicating the last five to studying the ancestral traditions of the Huni Kuī people of the Amazon.
Spiritually, she carries in her lineage the wisdom of Quimbanda, which she harmoniously integrates with the ancestral knowledge of the Amazon and the Northeast of Brazil. Her own healing journey through the forest medicines led her through profound self-knowledge — overcoming depression and anxiety, and rediscovering a professional and spiritual path that brings her genuine joy and health.
We bring over 35 years of combined experience guiding transformative retreats and holding sacred ceremonies. Throughout the retreat, we accompany participants through every experience — from the ceremonies to yoga, breathwork, meditation, integration, and healing therapies — ensuring a nurturing, safe, and deeply supportive environment for inner transformation.
Paul accompanies participants throughout the retreat with presence, warmth, and lightness. He guides daily practices in yoga (accessible to all levels), mindfulness meditation, and breathwork, while offering grounded ceremonial support built on more than 15 years of experience.
Originally from London, Paul felt a deep call to step away from the conventional path in search of greater meaning and purpose. He embarked on a solo journey through Brazil, where in 2009 he encountered Ayahuasca and experienced a profound inner transformation. Inspired by this awakening, he envisioned creating an ideal sanctuary where others could safely explore their own healing and self-discovery.
As the founder of Eden, Paul brings over 15 years of experience facilitating transformational retreats across Brazil and Europe. His work is dedicated to creating environments where people feel safe, supported, and invited to reconnect with their essence.
Paul’s apprenticeship with Ayahuasca began in 2008 under the guidance of a native Ayahuasquero, leading to a three-year intensive shamanic training. In 2011, he became an initiate of the Santo Daime tradition in the community of Mapiá, deep in the Amazon — an experience that continues to inform his work with reverence, integrity, and devotion. More recently, he has begun his studies with Panawá and the Huni Kuī tradition, deepening his understanding of the forest medicines and their ancestral lineage.
Born and raised in Pergamino, Argentina, Martina studied Music Therapy at the University of Rosario.
In 2012, she moved to the Capão Valley, where she has worked for the past 14 years as an Ayurvedic Therapist. She produces and hosts retreats, courses, and workshops focused on Ayurveda.
Martina’s first encounter with Ayahuasca was in 2016 with Alonso del Rio in the Sacred Valley of Peru, where she spent nine months studying medicine songs.
A mother, gardener, and massage therapist, Martina offers ceremonial support and will also be available for individual treatments during the retreat.
Known as Isa, she is a singer, percussionist, composer, vocal coach, improviser, and cultural events producer. Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Isa has lived in Brazil since 2013.
With over 20 years of experience, she has developed and led her signature workshop series, CantaqueteCura (“Sing-for-your-healing”), which explores the transformative power of collective singing. She facilitates sessions in musical initiation, vocal exploration, circle music, and music therapy—helping participants connect to their inner voice and shared resonance.
Since 2003, Isa has performed and taught at festivals and gatherings across South America and Europe. Her work is rooted in creating inclusive musical spaces that foster healing, creativity, and connection.
During retreats, Isa offers Circle Music therapy sessions and provides musical support during ceremonies.
“My experience with Know Thyself had a deep and lasting impact on my life. For the first time, I truly felt my soul — a sense of unity and connection with my essence. I received profound healing and a new life, and will be forever grateful.”
If this retreat speaks to you and you’d like to learn more, we’d be happy to share the next steps.
We’ll send you a detailed PDF with everything you need to know — the retreat program, how to participate, travel logistics, and what to expect.
You can reach us at edensantuario@gmail.com or simply click the WhatsApp link below to start a conversation.
We’re here to answer any questions and help you feel into whether this retreat is right for you.
Get in Touch