• ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 VocalReferences Text

  Wish I was still there!

  I read many NLA reviews before attending a retreat, and I noticed the word "magical" being used a lot. Well, by the end of the retreat, "magical" was indeed the most fitting description! This was my first experience with ayahuasca, and I can't say enough about the high degree of comfort, well being, and safety I felt. That is all because of Matt and Jeanae, and the safe space they have created for everyone to enjoy. Everything flowed so nicely. The property is absolutely gorgeous with cool mountain breezes and spectacular views. The ceremonies were better than I had imagined - full of wonderful music that could be felt reverberating through my body. The food was amazing, and I came to love and honor all the other guests. We had great conversations, but also I had plenty of alone time, and the most comfortable, private room to enjoy. I could go on and on, but will sum up by stating you won’t go wrong with NLA! Thanks Matt and Jeanae! I hope to visit again soon

• ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 VocalReferences Text

  My new life

  I have so much love and gratitude for this amazing couple, Matt and Jeanae. They have not only opened their home, they have opened their hearts to everyone looking to heal or make positive changes in their lives. After doing a lot of research of ayahuasca centres in Costa Rica, I kept coming back to this website and I'm so glad I booked with them. If you're looking to do ayahuasca in a very safe environment, then look no further. Thank you so very much Matt and Jeanae. I have my life back.

• ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 VocalReferences Text

  Amazing place Amazing people

  I would choose this place over and over again.. Matt and jeanae are the most amazing people and the story of how they got to where they are is absolutely inspiring. Sorry for the late review but my life has changed and opened up so much since visiting you! xxx cannot Thankyou enough for the experience I had with you guys! will definitely be back for round 2 soon! Sending so much love xxx

• ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 VocalReferences Text

  Spring cleaning for your mind

  
  It's been roughly a year since I visited new life. The experience is as the name implies. Cannot speak highly enough about the facilities, staff and dedication of Jeanae and Matt. Genuine and extremely accommodating people who actually care and want to help. Would recommend 100% and have plans to return in the future. Life changing experience. Thank you guys!!!

• ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 VocalReferences Text

  Filled with gratitude

  I don't hesitate in recommending New Life, and Matt and Jeanae. I couldn't have asked for a better (first) experience. The views are incredible, house and rooms really comfortable, food fantastic and I always felt welcome and safe. Matt and Jeanae are impressive, friendly, kind and dedicated people. I can't comment on the experience you'll have with the medicine itself, as it is always different, but you will be safe, secure, and in expert, caring hands at all times. Plus Jeanae's yoga classes are excellent, and exactly what I needed! My journey is just beginning - and I hope to be back. A big thank you to Matt and Jeanae.

• ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 VocalReferences Text

  Amazing Retreat

  The retreat was an amazing experience. Well organized, welcoming and friendly. Matt and Jeanae's love and dedication to their practice shows in every aspect of the retreat. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone considering an Ayahuasca retreat

• ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 VocalReferences Text

  Wish I did it Sooner

  This was an amazing experience and I wished I did it 10 years ago. I was super hesitant and didn't believe a place and experience could have so many 5 stars reviews. So if your reading this just dive it and sign up your already wasting time. To help you out heres my detailed review: Site - This is a fastastic location only 90 minutes from the airport. It has beautiful views of the the surrounding mountains and ocean. It is very spacious and everyone has a private room with bathroom. Everything was very clean and welcoming. Hosts - Both Matt and Jeanae are down to earth wholesome people. From the moment you arrive they are there to make you feel comfortable, safe, and at home. They are super easy to talk to and take away the hype surrounding the experience and help you understand exactly what you are hoping into and what to expect. For me, they made it the perfect setting for a new experience. Experience - There is already a lot on the site about the experiences and definitely more on youtube. Being a cynic I assumed that all of these mind blowing reviews were from people who never did psychedelics before. I was wrong. While I am very experienced this was a completely new experience for me. Despite being a psychedelic veteran I was extremely anxious as I took the first sip of medicine. The only similarity to other trips was the build, peak, and trailing off. My experience was one of love, healing, and cleaning and I felt like I was in a massive embrace ridding me of all of the toxic frustration and anger that has built up over the last 20 years. I feel light as a feather and I took it over 2 weeks ago now. Keep in mind that everyone's experience is very different and that you might trip hard the first time, take 2x the second time and feel nothing. Aya is a very peculiar medicine. I think I can best sum it up as it may not give you what you want but it will give you what you need. So follow the diet, clear your mind, head on down and open your eyes. Matt exceeded all of my expectations as a shaman and Jeanae was a perfect sitter and I felt totally safe the whole time. Next Steps - Aya will open your eyes but it is only the first step. You will have to take the rest to get to be where you want to be. It is a very powerful first step and I have seen the results first hand with my partner and my friends. I believe it should be a right of passage as you get older and stuck in your ways and routine. I'll be back and look forward to my next journey. If you read this far just book it. Good luck!

• ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 VocalReferences Text

  Shamanic Value

  
  Just before I traveled to New Life, I was given a book. It was a coincidence that the book was Stone Age Wisdom and that it was about shamanism. More important, it was something that I needed to read at just that moment – such are the synchronicities that pop up in your life if you’re ready to notice them. I knew a lot about Ayahuasca from reading and listening to Terrence McKenna. But I had given almost no thought to the other important factor in Ayahuasca ceremonies – the shaman. Author Tom Crockett wrote his book to demystify the function played by those who facilitate, host and present the ceremonies. His central premise is that shamanic work is about helping people to learn about and to heal themselves. You don’t have to be from a traditional culture and you don’t need a PhD in Shamanistic Studies. You just need to understand – intellectually and viscerally – the value of the rituals and pre-modern practices that can be so effective with or without the plant medicines. I feel very lucky that I ended up at a retreat with Matthew Mormello. The whole experience certainly engaged me in profound ways. Matt has obviously been trained well by traditional mentors but his background as an American helped make him and the ceremonies that much more amenable. He never refers to himself as a shaman but Matt’s efforts impressed me for their balance of wild energy and ceremonial dignity. I haven’t experienced so-called real shaman so I don’t know what I missed. But from what I know from reading is that Matt set the perfect tone and ambiance in which Mother Ayahuasca could do her magic. The experience can be a little intimidating so the other value provided by Matt and his partner Janae is safety. They really care about taking care of people. The feeling you get is love. They love what they’re doing. They love to help and serve. And they love enough to be really professional about the whole operation. The food is great. The rooms are great. The amenities are great. All in all: this is real value. The Ayahuasca experience is much more than merely drinking a plant medicine. It starts from the moment you are welcomed to the beautiful house high in the hills of San Ramon. This is something important to any shamanistic experience: the location. With a forever view of the surrounding hills, ocean and skies, this location is indeed liminal. The house is one with the sky and abounds with character and warmth. And all of that is buttressed by the warmth and care of Matt and Janae themselves. I’m still glowing and reverberating with little lessons from Aya weeks after the experience. If I didn’t get the genuine performance from a card-carrying native shaman in Peru, then I don’t care. I got what I needed. Thanks Matt and Janae, it was perfect.

• ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 VocalReferences Text

  Serene setting, beautiful experience

  This was my first aya experience and I went into it with great expectations. Matt and Jeanae, who are both wonderful people, have created the perfect environment and did not disappoint. All attendees felt safe and comfortable which allows for a more profound experience with the medicine. The food, property, guests, and Shaman (and Jeanae!!!) were all A+. I couldn't recommend this place more and I will most certainly be going back.

• ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 VocalReferences Text

  Profound Experience

  It's very difficult to describe what an amazing experience this was. Matt and Jeanae make you feel right at home upon arrival to their beautiful property. The rooms are amazing and very comfortable, and the view from the back porch every morning is breathtaking. Overall just a very positive energy surrounds this place and I instantly fell in love with it.. The ceremonies are unbelievably astonishing. Matt guides you through this intense experience with absolutely amazing Icaros, Gong, Drum, and Guitar. He becomes one with this medicine during ceremony, and it left me speechless. You can tell he puts 100% of his energy and passion into this, and I hold the upmost respect for him. Jeanae also plays the most beautiful sounding flute I've ever heard, and her presence during the ceremony is very soothing. Matt and Jeanae are very genuine and sincere people and I'm very grateful for what they have done for me. I cannot wait to go back!...Oh and Chopper is the coolest cat you will ever meet!

• ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 VocalReferences Text

  5 day retreat December 2017

  I'm struggling to find appropriate words to describe the experience and the respect I have for Matt and Jeanae. I really want to go back and work with the medicine again. If you decide to go there make sure you pet chopper for me I'm still giggling when thinking about this cat, he stopped by at the end of each ceremony and welcomed me back to reality.

• ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 VocalReferences Text

  Perfect first retreat

  After nearly a year of research, I chose New Life Ayahuasca for my first retreat. After looking at the website and photos for so long, it was amazing to finally arrive. The location was beautiful, with clean and comfortable accomodations and Jeanae prepared tasty meals. She and Matt were very open and informative. My boyfriend and I went together and we were able to be alone or interact without feeling pressured. The ceremonies were safe and intense. Matt and Jeanae are incredibly genuine individuals doing amazing things at New Life! Thanks for everything, we will be back! -Casey (& Sean)

• ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 VocalReferences Text

  Experience

  Great experience. Very professional Beautiful Property formerly a coffee plantation. I received a property tour : totally manicured Amazing Team I plan to return. Matt is amazing I don' t care where he is from, The shaman becomes the spirit of the plant.

• ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 VocalReferences Text

  It just gets better

  
  After a two-year absence I went back to New Life in December of 2017. What struck me this time around as worthy of emphasis is that part of the genius, beauty, and attraction of the experience NLA provides is the people you will meet, including and especially Matt and Jeanae. People who are looking for enlightenment, large or small. People seeking respite from the crass materialism of their daily lives. Really cool, open, honest, and interesting people. People who have travelled different paths to the same place you find yourself. People who share your values, open-mindedness, and curiosity. People you will enjoy talking with, or sitting with in silence while watching the sun and the stars. People who will help you learn from what they experience during and through ceremonies. Great people. What else can you expect? Well, you may find that the things you’ve struggled so hard to understand aren’t really supposed to be understood. That things that have caused you anxiety and unrest can just be accepted. You may find that maybe you don’t know nearly as much as you thought you did, but that it is wonderful to be awestruck by all the things that don’t really make much sense after all. You may find that you have much more to be thankful for than you ever imagined. If you’ve done your research and due diligence regarding ayahuasca and you’re serious about what this sacrament has to offer, but you’re still a little afraid- that’s okay. Be humble. Be reverent. Be grateful in advance for the hospitality, companionship, guidance, visions, feelings, opportunities, and lessons that will be offered to you. “Let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic.” Go see Jeanae and Matt at New Life. You’ll never regret it. I know I’ll be back.

• ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 VocalReferences Text

  Great experience

  So the location is great with beautiful views of the sunset over the coast from the top of a small mountain. Private room, bathroom, and meals are great. A great place to relax for a week and forget about the world. The ceremonies are well done and you're always well taken care of. My experience wasn't life changing, there were no epiphanies, but I do feel like I have a clearer direction in life. It's something I've been working on and can't say if this experience helped, but it certainly didn't hurt. I would come back in a heartbeat, everything was awesome!

• ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 VocalReferences Text

  5 million stars

  I'm super grateful that I had an oppurtunity to go to Costa Rica to New Life Retreat. I was very nervous, but Matt and Jeanae made me feel safe and comfortable. My personal experience was challenging, but Matt and Jeanae were very supportive and comforting throughout my whole stay. The experience taught me a lot about myself, and I made some new friends. I would highly recommend New Life. If you are looking for a safe welcoming environment, this is definitely the place for you! Peace & Love!

• ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 VocalReferences Text

  Best place in the world!

  After drinking ayahuasca five times in two different places and not feeling much , I finally had my very powerful and profund experience during this wonderful retreat...the quality of the brew is very good and the way Matt leads the ceremony is fantastic...no way you will leave this place without having an ayahuasca experience... When I booked this retreat I thought it was a little bit expensive compared to some you can find in the Amazon rainforest but when I left I felt like I should have paid more....the location is astonishing , the house is amazing and you will have your huge single room...the food Jeanae cooks is fantastic (and I am italian) and you will have yoga class and one good massage... I am going back 100%

• ★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 VocalReferences Text

  Best decision I ever made

  If you are nervous about doing Ayahuasca for the first time - New Life is the place to do it! Matt and Jeanae are so comforting and will put your mind at ease. Jeanae is so warm and will help you with whatever you need during the ceremony while Matt provides the most transforming experience. They are a great team!

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