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. […]

Building an Ayahuasca Retreat in Colombia: Sam Believ on Calling, Chaos, and Healing Running an ayahuasca retreat center is often imagined as peaceful, spiritual work — ceremonies in nature, deep conversations, and transformative healing. But behind every ceremony lies a complex operation that resembles far more than a spiritual project. In this candid conversation, Sam […]

Cannabis is often viewed through extremes — either as a harmful substance or as a miracle cure. In a thoughtful and deeply personal conversation, educator and coach Ryan Sprague shares a more nuanced perspective: cannabis is neither inherently good nor bad, but a powerful tool that reflects the intention behind its use. Through his own […]

Music has always played a powerful role in human culture, but within ceremonial spaces it can take on an entirely different meaning. In this deeply reflective conversation, medicine musician Ayla Schafer shares how her journey through personal crisis, travel, and plant medicine transformed her relationship with music — turning songs into a form of prayer, […]

Social anxiety can feel invisible to others yet overwhelming to those who live with it. In this deeply personal conversation, plant-medicine facilitator Adrian Lozano shares how his struggles with shame, anxiety, and emotional suppression eventually led him toward ayahuasca and other healing practices. Rather than presenting a simple success story, his journey reveals how transformation […]