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Guest Experiences

Every person comes to Know Thyself with a different story, and every experience unfolds differently.

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Here we share reflections from people who have stayed with us and participated in our retreats — not to suggest what your own experience should be, but to let previous guests speak about theirs in their own words.

I feel so much gratitude to become who I actually am. I hope that everyone has this reminder that in the deep darkness there is always light.


And wherever you are right now, you just need to surrender and breathe through it... And time will pass and things will settle themselves how they need to be.
- Gera, Germany

Being at the point of accepting that I am healed already, and that I am not as broken as I thought...
That was a very beautiful realisation. 
- Desli, South Africa

I don't think any language has words to describe how beautiful the mountains and rivers really are, the smell of the air, the beautiful flowers, the little birds chirping, and all the beautiful things that this place provides to support your personal spiritual journey.

I think my purpose here has been served, to find calmness and to find acceptance of all the beautiful things that life has given me.
- Aaron, United States

Eden is an amazing place, and everyone is so open, loving, and here for the same reason.

I found that this is definitely the lifestyle I want to live, now that I have experienced it. I couldn't have asked for a better experience.
- Shayla, United States

I personally had my first two Ayahuasca ceremonies here and I can only say that they've been truly life changing for me. I really feel reborn...
You feel safe, you feel held, and you really feel you come out on the other side stronger.
- Oliver, Germany

At every moment that I felt that I needed support there was somebody. And it was just incredible to have that hand on my shoulder when I needed. Or you know, just that look or that nod of I am here if you need anything. 
- Lily

Know Thyself Ayahuasca retreat participant

“My experience at Eden went far beyond my expectations. The beautiful nature allowed me to deeply connect with my Ayahuasca journey. I’d recommend Know Thyself and Eden to anyone on a path of self-exploration — it truly changed my life for the better.”

 

​Millie Twigger, Nurse, United Kingdom

Know Thyself Ayahuasca retreat participant

“Through the Know Thyself seminar and the three ayahuasca ceremonies, I have made significant progress in my personal development. I always felt a certain sense of loneliness within me that weighed heavily on me. During the ceremonies, I was confronted with this loneliness and came to understand that I always have the choice to feel connected to divine love, even when I am alone. This deeply felt connection will, I hope, accompany me for the rest of my life.

My heartfelt thanks go to Paul and his entire team for making this experience possible.”

 

Dr. Nikolaus Treiber, Germany

Morning yoga session during Know Thyself Ayahuasca Retreat

“The retreat in Eden was for me the perfect context to take ayahuasca: beautiful nature all around, harmonious and thoughtful constructions, nutritious and delicious food, various practices to help get into the body, very nice and supportive group. I really appreciated being able to enter three ceremonies, putting less pressure on just one and allowing for a deeper work.

During the ceremonies themselves, the music felt transcendental and was incredibly supportive of the journey, being both a bridge and a portal between dimensions. The ceremonies were extremely powerful, joyful, and transformative, and left me with immense gratitude for my life, happiness, and unexpected new reflections and directions.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍​‍‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‌‌‍​‍​‌​‌‌‌‍​‌​​‌‍​‌‍​‌‍‌‍​‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​​‌‌‍​‍​‍‌​‌​‌‍‌​​‌‍‌‍‌​​‍‌​‍‌​​‌​​‍​​​​‍‌​‍‌​​‌​​‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌‍​‌‌‍​‍​​​‌‍‌‍​‌​‌‍‌‍​‌​‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍​​‍‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍‌‍​‍​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‍‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​​​‌‍​​‍​​‌‌​​‌​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‍​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍​‌‍​‍​‌‌​‌‍​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‌‍​​‍​‍‌​​​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌​​‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌‍​​‌​‍‌‌​​‍‌​‌‍‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‌‌‍​‍​‌​‌‌‌‍​‌​​‌‍​‌‍​‌‍‌‍​‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​​‌‌‍​‍​‍‌​‌​‌‍‌​​‌‍‌‍‌​​‍‌​‍‌​​‌​​‍​​​​‍‌​‍‌​​‌​​‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌‍​‌‌‍​‍​​​‌‍‌‍​‌​‌‍‌‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍‌‍​‍​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‍‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​​​‌‍​​‍​​‌‌​​‌​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‍​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍​‌‍​‍​‌‌​‌‍​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‌‍​​‍​‍‌​​​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌​​‍​‍‌‌”

 

Angeline Paulaine, France

Know Thyself Ayahuasca retreat participant

“Thank you to Paul and the entire Eden team for holding this retreat with such presence and care. From the yoga sessions to the ceremonies and the loving support throughout, I felt truly held.Although the ayahuasca experience didn’t unfold as I expected, it brought a powerful message to embrace my strength, allow myself to love and be loved, and release old protections that no longer serve me. I left with deep clarity and a sense of stepping into a new phase of life.”​​

 

Michiel Thunnissen, Netherlands

Know Thyself Ayahuasca retreat participant

“Finding the right place was important, and Eden’s Know Thyself program was perfect for me. After 30 years of smoking, I thought quitting was impossible, but Ayahuasca helped me reach the root of my addiction. The program and the support I received prepared me for a true new start. I now have more energy, feel healthier, and look better. This program can change lives — but you must also want it from within.”

 

​​Mattijs Van de Vrijs. 40, Netherlands

You can also read more experiences shared independently by previous guests on Google and BookRetreats.

Share Your Experience

Have you joined a Know Thyself retreat at Eden Sanctuary?

We would love to hear about your experience.

 

Your words can help others understand what the retreat is really like and what it meant to you personally.

Group photo during Know Thyself Ayahuasca Retreat
Retreat group united in front of the fire at Eden Sanctuary Retreat Center

Guest-submitted experiences on Eden

Megan
United States

I spent 6 nights at Eden Sanctuary in May 2026, including four nights in retreat, and it was a life-changing experience. I don't use that term lightly. I don't exaggerate when I say I emerged a different person than I entered. I didn't realize how much I needed this experience, but it soon became clear to me. The sanctuary itself is incredibly special and deserving of its name.
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The way the setting sunlight hits the mountains in the afternoons, the way the butterflies weave their dance among the trees, it's a spectacular setting. Nearby waterfalls are accessible on relatively short hikes and offer their own kind of healing experience. The rooms are clean and comfortable, and the meals are nutritious and expertly planned to facilitate a plant medicine retreat. Julie's yoga classes helped ground into the physical experience.

Martina, Ale, Isa, Dina, and Jorge - these people held us in such a beautiful way. They are expert facilitators and made us feel so welcome and heard, each of us at different points in our individual journeys. My companions on the retreat were harmonious and delightful, and all had been magnetized by the same calling, which shows how powerful and aligned these people truly are with what they are offering. The ceremonies themselves are expertly guided, with utmost reverence for the spirit and power of the plant, and respect for its heritage and traditions.

I felt incredibly guided by Jorge, and with Martina and Isa's song, it was such a beautiful and safe space to experience some of the most profound transformations of my life. I recommend this retreat to anyone who feels called to it. Let the spirit work its magic. The somatic wisdom that is imparted by the plants, and guided into space by the shamanic ceremony, it is something that will forever be a part of me. It is indescribable other than to say that I am infinitely grateful, and I am already planning to return.

May, 2026
Samantha
Germany

I had a truly beautiful and unforgettable experience at this retreat. From the moment I arrived, I felt welcomed, safe, and genuinely cared for. Our group was small which created a very personal atmosphere and allowed everyone to connect on a deeper level.

The setting itself was amazing: simple, grounded, and surrounded completely by nature. It felt peaceful and authentic rather than commercial. Every day included activities like morning yoga, gentle hikes, and time to connect with the incredible environment around us. Being immersed in nature was already healing by itself.

What made the biggest difference for me, though, was the people facilitating the retreat. The team created a space that felt safe, respectful, and supportive at every moment. I especially appreciated how Ayahuasca and the ceremonies were treated with such respect and care. Nothing felt forced, dramatic, or overwhelming. There was a beautiful balance between structure and freedom.

My own experience during the ceremonies was incredibly powerful. I had deeply emotional moments, and many meaningful memories and feelings surfaced that I had not connected with for years. It felt like reconnecting not only with myself, but also with love, nature, and emotions that had been buried for a long time. Some moments were intense, but I always felt supported and held throughout the process.

Of course, experiences like these are deeply personal and difficult to fully explain with words, but for me this retreat was genuinely magical and transformative. I left feeling lighter, more connected, and incredibly grateful.

I can wholeheartedly recommend this retreat to anyone looking for an authentic, respectful, and beautiful experience.

May, 2026

Your Experience Will Be Your Own

The stories shared here belong to the people who lived them. Your experience may be completely different — and that is part of the nature of this work.

 

If you would like to learn more about Know Thyself, explore the retreat in detail or speak with us directly.

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