Men’s Ayahuasca Retreats: What to Know Before You Go 

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Many men today are navigating stress, life transitions, and mental health challenges without strong support systems or spaces to open up. It can feel like you are in a solo vortex spinning your wheels and yet nothing is quite fitting as you would like it to.

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Ayahuasca is often explored as a tool for deep personal insight and transformation. But the medicine doesn’t work in isolation. The experience is shaped just as much by the environment, the group, and the sense of safety around you as it is by the medicine itself. Creating the right conditions is a key part of what makes it meaningful and, for many, transformational.

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For some men, that means choosing a retreat designed specifically for men: one that reflects shared experiences and creates a space where it may feel easier to open up and engage fully with the process.

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If you’re considering an all-male Ayahuasca retreat, here’s what to know – from what makes these spaces different to whether this kind of experience might be right for you.

What is a Men’s Ayahuasca Retreat?

Our Ayahuasca retreats are designed to bring ancestral knowledge, community and nature together to help participants gain a new perspective on themselves and their lives. By creating a space specifically for men, we aim to help lower the barrier to vulnerability, creating a sense of ease and shared experience that allows participants to benefit to the fullest extent.

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During the men’s circle retreat, participants consume ceremonial Ayahuasca, a plant medicine with documented therapeutic effects, under the supervision of experienced practitioners. In studies, such as one published by Frontiers in Psychiatry, Ayahuasca has been shown to produce “profound changes in perception, cognition, and affect,” which can make it ideal for those seeking to challenge old ways of being and perceiving the world, and allow them to open up to new opportunities.

Read Next: Do I Need a Shaman, a Healer, or a Therapist?

Our Ayahuasca Men’s wellness retreats aim to provide in-depth healing in a safe, supportive environment facilitated by men and for men only. While all men are welcome, we’ve found it particularly beneficial for those experiencing stress or life transitions – those who know they are strong, wise, and powerful, and yet their mental health just needs a little sweeping.

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In our Men’s Ayahuasca Retreat, every element, from medical screening to daily structure, is designed to create a safe, empowering, and caring space for men.

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Why Do We Need Men’s Only Retreats?

Loneliness is becoming a regular experience for many men. The bigger picture is that they are often socialized to suppress emotions and rely heavily on themselves, which can make it harder to build close friendships or ask for support. Over time, that can mean dealing with stress and mental health challenges largely on their own, without adequate coping mechanisms or support systems.

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This is reflected not only in men’s shared experiences, but also in stark public data:

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• Globally, men are more than twice as likely to die by suicide than women: “Despite these higher rates of suicide, men have lower reported rates of depression, a significant suicidal risk factor” (American Journal of Men’s Health) For men navigating depression, the lack of adequate support systems and emotional outlets can make the challenge even harder to face alone and harder to name.
  
  
• Close friendships among men are declining sharply: “Since 1990, the share of men who lack a single close friend quintupled to 15%” and “the share of men with 6+ close friends dropped from 55% in 1990 to just 27% in 2021” (LA Times citing Survey Center on American Life & Survey Center on American Life)
  
  
• Men are less likely to seek emotional support from friends: Only 38% of men say they turn to friends for emotional support, compared to 54% of women (PBS)

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Taken together, these patterns point to a gap in how many men experience connection, support, and emotional expression. More intentional environments, like retreats or structured group settings for men, are one way to begin addressing that gap.

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What’s Different About All-Male Ayahuasca Retreats?

Behold Retreats has long offered mixed gender Ayahuasca and other plant medicine retreats (Magic Mushrooms, 5-MeO-DMT). However, we have found that dedicated healing spaces for men and women can be very beneficial. Let’s discuss how spaces exclusively for men can support their healing.

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Space to Feel Welcome & Talk Openly

For some, male-only spaces can help remove the fear of being perceived, making it much easier for them to be open and vulnerable in a group setting. They may also find more shared experiences among men, helping them relate and feel seen and heard.

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In her article Men Need Single-sex Spaces, Too, Jenny Watson asserts that male-only spaces can “provide men with a refuge, a space to talk about challenges and experiences specific to their sex, without societal judgement or mixed-sex dynamics.”

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Read Next: Why Spiritual People Are Happier

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When it comes to self-realization and healing, group settings can help participants realize they are not alone. However, for many men who haven’t been encouraged to prioritize emotional wellbeing or share their feelings, these environments can feel intimidating.

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A male-only setting can help lower that barrier. Being surrounded by others with similar experiences can make it easier to open up and create a more judgment-free space. According to Legacy Texas, this can also support men in developing healthier communication, emotional expression, and meaningful connections.

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For those who feel hesitant to engage, this added sense of safety can make a difference. While Ayahuasca can facilitate emotional openness, the all-male environment can help reinforce that process.

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Intentional Connection & Friendship

We believe that male-only spaces are beneficial when they are intentional and healing-focused. In our retreats, an optimal environment for openness and sharing is created through light structure, intentional design, a stunning jungle setting, all with the gentle guidance of male facilitators.

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Facing the reality of the male loneliness crisis, we believe in the power of connection – something men are finding too seldom these days. In an article, Richard Reeves, President of the American Institute for Boys and Men (AIBM), wrote:

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“I think these statistics on young male isolation … is part and parcel of this displacement that we see of time away from friendship. We do need to be intentional about male friendship. We need to be intentional about combating against male loneliness, and that we have to create spaces that are not going to create themselves.”

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The shared experience of the retreat and the Ayahuasca journey can further deepen bonds formed in specially-designed group settings for men.

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Emotional Release

Ayahuasca experiences are often described as emotionally intense, sometimes bringing up thoughts, memories, or feelings that may have been suppressed. Research published by Frontiers in Pharmacology suggests that these experiences can involve meaningful changes in emotional and cognitive processing, and may contribute to improvements in mental health and well-being in some contexts.

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Read Next: How to have a Safe Ayahuasca Experience

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This kind of emotional release is often closely tied to the environment in which the experience takes place. Research suggests that factors like setting, support, and context play an important role in shaping both the experience and its outcomes.

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For men in particular, who may not have had many spaces where emotional expression feels natural or encouraged, this kind of setting can lower the barrier to opening up. Combined with the effects of the medicine itself, a supportive, all-male environment can make it easier to engage with emotions that might otherwise stay buried.

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If you feel called to join a men’s Ayahuasca retreat, you can join the waitlist to be the first to know when registration opens for Costa Rica 2026.

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What to Expect at Our Men’s Ayahuasca Retreat

Join us in the stunning Costa Rican jungle for a welcoming and expansive week-long men’s Ayahuasca experience that will help you connect with other men while accessing new perspectives on yourself and your life.

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This one-of-a-kind retreat will be led by Pablo, a facilitator and healer who studied extensively under Grandfather José Antonio Bolivar, the senior shaman of the Piaroa people, since 2011. Since then, Pablo has been carrying medicine as his healing service to create an experience of consciousness expansion.

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The week is specially designed to hold space for men in a nurturing and supportive natural environment, where Pablo guides participants through the profound healing potential of Ayahuasca, while honoring the unique experiences, emotions and challenges that men carry.

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“Simply lovely group of facilitators and guests that were all wrapped up in each others love. Good vibes all around! I'm leaving feeling free and so much lighter. The team are very talented and experienced – you'll be in good hands.”

- Ben, Behold Retreat Participant

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Participants’ comfort and well-being are at the heart of this retreat. Every element, from medical screening to daily structure, is designed to create a safe, compassionate, and empowering space.

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Read next: How to Choose the Safest Ayahuasca Retreat

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What’s Included

A six-night, all-inclusive, integrative plant medicine retreat with an intimate group of 7-11 men. Your experience includes:

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• Pre-retreat medical safety screening
• Three sacred Ayahuasca ceremonies led by male healers
• Movement and meditation sessions for grounding and reflection
• High-end accommodations in the rustic Costa Rican jungle (with ocean views!)
• High-vibrational meals and nourishment
• One complimentary massage
• Temazcal (sweat lodge) ceremony
• Personal preparation and integration support
• Trauma-informed support team
• Pre-retreat dieta guidance and airport shuttles

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Is a Male-Only Retreat Right for You?

This experience is for men who are ready to step out of their usual environment, reflect, connect, and face truth with compassion in a safe, supportive space. It’s not for those seeking a quick fix, but for those who feel a quiet readiness to try something different.

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“If you’re looking to start a journey of personal healing, this is the place.”

- Luis, Behold Retreat Participant

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If you’re considering this type of experience, it may be worth asking yourself:

• Have I been navigating stress, life transitions, or personal challenges largely on my own?
• Could I benefit from a space where others may share similar life experiences?
• Am I craving for deeper connections?
• Would I feel more at ease in a space designed specifically for men?‍
• Am I experiencing persistent low mood, depression, or emotional numbness that I haven't been able to shift on my own?

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You can explore this further in our dedicated guide: Am I Ready for Ayahuasca? A Guide for Self-Assessment.

‍Have questions? Reach out to our team for support.

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