In this episode of the Ayahuasca Podcast, host Sam Believ sits down with Jacquie Wortley, a design leader, executive coach, and operations consultant who specializes in the intersection of technology, leadership, and mental health. Jacquie originally came to Lawayra in 2023 for what was supposed to be a simple weekend stay. Instead, she stayed for […]
In this episode of the Ayahuasca Podcast, host Sam Believ sits down with Rick Doblin, Ph.D., the visionary founder of MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies). Rick has spent over 40 years leading the “Psychedelic Renaissance,” moving MDMA through rigorous FDA clinical trials to treat PTSD and advocating for a post-prohibition world. Rick shares his […]
For many first-time visitors, ayahuasca arrives surrounded by uncertainty. People hear dramatic stories, see intense reactions, and wonder whether the medicine is truly healing or simply overwhelming. According to Sam Believ, founder of LaWayra Ayahuasca Retreat in Colombia, the answer depends entirely on how the medicine is approached. In the right setting, with the right […]
As interest in psychedelic healing continues to grow worldwide, ayahuasca retreats are becoming increasingly visible — but not all retreats are built the same way. For Sam Believ, founder of LaWayra Ayahuasca Retreat in Colombia, the goal has never been simply to create another retreat center. His larger vision is to make deep healing more […]
Ayahuasca and DMT are often mentioned in the same conversation, but according to Sam Believ, founder of LaWayra Ayahuasca Retreat in Colombia, they should not be treated as interchangeable experiences. Although DMT is one of the active compounds found in ayahuasca, he argues that reducing ayahuasca to DMT alone misses almost everything that makes the […]
Ayahuasca is often introduced through mystery. Some hear about it through documentaries, some through podcasts, and many first encounter it surrounded by controversy, legal debate, or exaggerated stories. But for Sam Believ, founder of LaWayra Ayahuasca Retreat in Colombia, the deeper meaning of ayahuasca becomes much simpler once a person experiences it directly: it is […]
For years, most international conversations about ayahuasca focused almost entirely on Peru. Retreat seekers, documentaries, and online discussions often treated Peru as the obvious destination, while Colombia remained largely absent from the global conversation. Yet according to Sam Believ, founder of LaWayra Ayahuasca Retreat, Colombia has always held a deep and legitimate ayahuasca tradition — […]
For many people, ayahuasca first appears as an unfamiliar word attached to mystery, fear, or curiosity. Some hear about it through podcasts, others through social media, and many initially place it in the same category as recreational psychedelics without understanding how different the actual experience can be. For Sam Believ, founder of LaWayra Ayahuasca Retreat […]
In just a few years, what began as a small ayahuasca retreat in the Colombian countryside has developed into one of the most recognized affordable retreat projects in the region. For Sam Believ, founder of LaWayra, the journey has not simply been about expansion, but about proving that plant medicine can remain accessible, grounded, and […]
For many people, ayahuasca begins as curiosity. A story from a friend, a documentary, a passing mention that lingers longer than expected. For Sam Believ, founder of LaWayra Ayahuasca Retreat in Colombia, that curiosity arrived gradually — not as one dramatic invitation, but as a slow series of encounters that eventually became impossible to ignore. […]