The enchanting ayahuasca ceremonies in Spirit Vine are held in dark, spectacular ceremonies at nighttime in the lovely, rustic ceremony room in the Amazonian jungle and amidst a breathtaking lagoon. Outside the ceremony venue, the steady beat of the many rhythms of frogs, birds and insects in the night time is the ideal backdrop for a night of spiritual awakening. Ayahuasca is a vine that grows wild in the rainforests of South America and has been used by the Inca for centuries to help them with spiritual healing. Modern day shamans who teach these rituals use it as a powerful herbal remedy, but they also serve other purposes such as bringing the dead back to life, curing illness and attracting riches. Spirit Vine holds regular shamanic ceremonies and workshops for healing purposes on an ongoing basis.

Ayahuasca is an alcoholic tea, made from the root of the sacred vine, Banisteriopsis caapi. It is used for detoxification, although most shaman take it for other purposes including dreaming, meditation and for energy revitalization. Although this drink has strong roots in the traditional ceremony and culture of the indigenous Andes people, modern westerners have developed a love for its pleasant, sweet flavor and unique aroma. Ayahuasca Ceremonies are held in the Amazonian wilderness where the shamans and healers from Spirit Vine live and work. The shaman prepares the ayahuasca brew from the bark of the plant using natural ingredients.

Spirit Vine's founder, Christian Alexander Deutsch, wrote a book called "Shaman" that described the ancient Amazonian methods of ceremonial bathing, fasting and ceremonial sex that are the bedrock of the ayahuasca ceremonies. He wrote that shamans in the Amazon region "are part of the ecological community" that "live, work and commune with nature." He described the ayahuasca ceremonies as "a remarkable encounter with the wisdom of the universe."

In the United States, a few small communities have developed their own styles of ceremonial bathing. These ceremonies take place in private homes or backwoods lodges. A wide variety of foods, wines and herbs are used in these primitive ceremonies. Often, an area known as a "vortex" is selected for the ceremonies. A "vortex" is an imaginary place where "spirit guides" visit to help the shaman communicate with the spirit world. Invitations are placed in each vortex and attendees must dress in a special manner to be chosen by the shaman.

For example, the Mapacho shamans use a specially prepared wooden bowl filled with water and fruit juices for a small boy to drink from. The Mapacho creates a trance like state while the boy takes his first sip of the brew. It is said that after this first sip, the boy begins to feel lightheaded and float in the spiritual realm. As he becomes more comfortable with the brew and the experience, the shaman slips him into a deep meditative state and the shaman uses the now warm water to wash his hair, wash his face and put on a headdress before placing the brew into the boy's right nostril. Once the young man has drunk from the cup, the shaman goes into the next phase of the ayahuasca ceremonies.

Ayahuasca Ceremonies and Shamanic Practices have been practiced for centuries in the Amazonian rainforests of Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and Peru. In ancient times, shamans travelled long distances to consult with the local forest people, who would provide them with herbs and medicines that would help them practice shamanism, heal their bodies and help them live in harmony with nature. Today, ayahuasca ceremonies, healing ceremonies and ranching are still carried out in the same spirit of old-but they have been modified to make them more accessible to modern society. Ayahuasca ceremonies are no longer conducted in a remote place with little attention to environmental preservation. Ayahuasca retreats on the other hand, are carefully planned and supervised by trained, experienced shamans and experts.