About this Retreat
Mamoon is the founder of LEARN and a co-collaborator on Quetzal retreats. He’s an artist with a love for music, guided meditation, and creativity. He enjoys playing instruments, composing new songs, and blending music with dynamic breathing exercises.
Over the past 2 years, his guided meditations on Youtube & Insight Timer have been played more than a quarter of a million times by a growing community of daily listeners.
Having spent half of his adult life working at plant medicine retreat centers in Central & South America, Mamoon has come to embody a meaningful bridge for Westerners seeking to experience Ayahuasca in the jungle, where the medicine naturally grows and thrives.
Mamoon lives in Costa Rica, where he collaborates with experienced curanderos and supporting facilitators. The medicine family that he chose to study with came after nearly a decade of searching across Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, and eventually Costa Rica... where he unexpectedly encountered the curanderos he had long been seeking.
Mamoon’s medicine teachers (husband & wife ayahuasqueros) carry more than 30+ years of combined experience in indigenous ways of healing. Their path is rooted in the medicine traditions of the Natives from the North... Vision Quest, Temazcal, and Grandfather Peyote—while also skillfully integrating the Amazonian traditions of the South... such as Kambo, Hapé & Grandmother Ayahuasca.
(Research the “Prophecy of the Eagle and Condor” to learn more about the approach of the medicine family Mamoon collaborates with on LEARN & Quetzal.)
Mamoon is not a shaman or curandero. Instead, he works closely alongside them throughout the process, supporting individuals from around the world in preparing for ceremony, navigating the experience, and integrating what arises.
In addition to helping facilitate private retreats, Mamoon also co-creates Quetzal, a 6-day Psilocybin group retreat. Like LEARN, Quetzal is guided by the same trusted medicine family he studies with year-round in Costa Rica.
Mamoon’s life path has been influenced by nearly a decade of working, apprenticing, and volunteering at various Ayahuasca healing centers across the Americas, along with over 12 years of navigating Psilocybin macro journeys.
The art of energy retention has also been an impactful practice for Mamoon. For the past five years, he’s deepened this practice within a meaningful, intimate & committed relationship. Mamoon describes himself not as an expert, but as a fellow traveler... still humbled by how challenging it can be to retain, harness, and guide life energy.
Mamoon’s personal struggles with navigating the miseries & the mysteries of energy, give him compassion for the struggles others may be going through... along with gratitude for how Ayahuasca & Psilocybin—when paired with the right support, can transform scattered energy into a creative blessing.
Details of this retreat
LEARN is a Year-long Journey (for Men) to Harness, Channel & Alchemize their Life Energy, with a Completely Private 10-Day Ayahuasca Retreat in Costa Rica ~mid-way through the process.
• L — Life
LEARN is for men who aspire to nourish and guide their Life energy— not just for themselves, but for their loved ones and the people they serve & impact.
• E — Energetics
LEARN supports men through a healing process with Ayahuasca, with the intention of transforming their Energetics and baseline experience of ordinary everyday life.
• A — Ayahuasca
LEARN works with dedicated and grounded curanderos, who serve the Ayahuasca medicine with deep reverence from their spacious land and authentic retreat center in Costa Rica.
• R — Retreat
LEARN organizes a max of 5 fully private Ayahuasca Retreats each year, with itineraries tailored to the individual and retreats arranged to align with your unique schedule.
• N — Navigation
LEARN prepares you to safely Navigate the Ayahuasca journey by building a foundation of trust, practices, tools, resources, and accountability, 7 months before your retreat and 5 months afterward.
Mission & Vision
The modern man is often flooded with over stimulation: social media, streaming platforms, pornography, IG models, nonstop advertisements, and entertainment that is designed to capture attention and trigger desire(s). For men, this can lead to habits of distraction, overconsumption, compulsive release, and energy depletion.
With practice and shared accountability, LEARN helps men to cultivate awareness around patterns of overconsumption and compulsive release, along with compassion for our sexual nature, and clarity on how we can better utilize that energy.
Beyond real-world opportunities to go astray as men, the strong pull of online stimulation can erode a man’s ability to hold, refine, and channel his energy. By replacing low vibrational consumption with time simply being or creating, men are capable of retaining their life energy for longer and longer durations. They subsequently can become more impactful in their work, more present, inspired, energetic, and alive.
LEARN is not against sex, nor is it about repression. The purpose of this process isn’t to deny our sexual nature or to avoid orgasm, but to discover through practice, experimentation, and honest reflection—how to be more meditative, creative, and intentional with our life energy.
Men who don’t struggle with media consumption may still find it difficult to navigate attraction to others outside of their committed relationship. With greater success, recognition, and resources, often comes new dynamics and temptations to compromise integrity or be unfaithful. LEARN offers a private and powerful space for men to explore this challenge without judgment.
This process isn’t always easy. Navigating our life energy as men can be difficult and overwhelming, just as navigating an Ayahuasca journey can be. But with the right tools, support, and guidance, what once felt impossible becomes a source of great satisfaction, purpose, and meaning.
Choosing Solo or Small Group Participation:
LEARN offers the flexibility to journey as a solo participant or within a self-selected group of 2–3 men. Both paths provide privacy, so the choice really depends on your personal preferences, intentions, and relational context.
Benefits of a Small Group (2–3 men)
Engaging in the journey with a trusted circle of men can amplify growth in ways similar to training with a workout partner. Just as shared physical exercise can motivate, challenge, and inspire consistency, so can navigating this process with other men:
Shared accountability and support: Weekly calls and exercises become richer when there are men to reflect with, provide encouragement, and hold space for accountability.
Witness and be witnessed: Observing others’ breakthroughs can bring self-awareness, empathy, and deeper insight into your own patterns.
Cultivate shared growth: Men in the group can celebrate progress, process challenges together, and integrate lessons collectively, enhancing the overall experience.
Benefits of Solo Participation:
Absolute privacy and self-directed growth: Every session, exercise, and discussion is tailored entirely to your unique needs, intentions, and pacing.
Deep introspection: Without the influence of group dynamics, you can explore internal patterns, emotions, and energy-work at your own rhythm.
Maximum space for personalized guidance: Your guides, curanderos and facilitators devote undivided attention to your development, ensuring that your process is fully seen, heard, and cared for.
Why Do This?
Disconnection from Self & Others-
Feeling pulled in too many directions, disconnected from your center, and distanced from loved ones.
Scattered Energy-
Losing focus and vitality to distraction, overconsumption, and compulsive release.
Creative Block & Numbness-
Struggling to access inspiration or trust intuition, defaulting to scrolling online or quick dopamine hits.
Unprocessed Grief & Pain-
Carrying unspoken losses, betrayals, traumas, or disappointments that remain buried, never fully processed or healed.
Tension in Relationships-
Attraction to other women outside of commitments, hidden resentment, or lack of presence with partner and family.
Avoidance of the Shadow-
Keeping uncomfortable truths or hidden desires in the dark, fearing what may surface when looking inwards.
Lack of Clarity-
Uncertain about life direction, meaningful service, or how to channel your gifts in a fulfilling way.
Resistance to Change-
Knowing something needs to shift, but defaulting back to old habits and comfort zones.
Difficulty with Transitions-
Feeling lost or unstable during big changes in career, identity, or family roles.
Emotional Suppression-
Holding emotions in until they leak out as anger, withdrawal, or unhealthy coping.
Potential Benefits of LEARN:
Through the year-long journey with preparation, retreat, and integration, men often discover:
Connection & Belonging-
Rekindling harmony with self, loved ones, and the natural world.
Harnessed Energy-
Reclaiming life energy from distraction and channeling it into deeper presence, leadership, and meaningful service.
Healing Grief-
Creating space to honor loss and move forward with more compassion, understanding and strength.
Freedom from Old Cycles-
Breaking repetitive habits of energy release, and discovering new possibilities with that same energy.
Renewed Relationships-
Bringing more honesty, presence, and openness into intimate or romantic connections.
Shadow Integration-
Facing and embracing hidden aspects of the self with courage, compassion, love and awareness.
Clarity of Purpose-
Illuminating what matters most in regards to life direction, family, and work.
Seeds of Lasting Change-
Carrying home insights that shift mindset, life energy, and daily actions in sustainable ways.
Navigating Transitions-
Finding steadiness and a grounded perspective during life’s inevitable shifts and challenges.
Emotional Release-
Allowing long-held emotions to surface, and heal.
A Fresh Beginning
Stepping forward with clarity of direction and a renewed sense of purpose.
Private 10-Day Retreat schedule in Costa Rica, with a full team of curanderos and supporting facilitators:
(Digital detox during the retreat is encouraged)
DAY 1
• 8:00 am – Airport or Hotel Pick-up
• 9:00 am – Arrival + Breakfast
• 11:00 am – Tour of the Land
• 2:00 pm – Lunch
• 4:30 pm – Welcome Meeting
• 6:30 pm – Dinner
DAY 2
• 8:30 am – Breakfast
• 11:00 am – Opening Temazcal (Sweat Lodge) w/ micro-dose of Peyote
• 2:00 pm – Lunch
• 6:30 pm – Dinner
DAY 3
• 7:30 am – Breathwork & Meditation
• 8:30 am – Kambo Cleanse
• 10:00 am – Breakfast
• 2:00 pm – Light Lunch
• 6:30 pm – 1st Ayahuasca Ceremony
DAY 4
• 8:30 am – Breakfast
• 9:30 am – Processing Session w/ lead curandero & facilitators
• 11:00 am – Walk to the River
• 2:00 pm – Lunch
• 6:30 pm – Dinner
DAY 5
• 7:30 am – Breathwork & Meditation
• 8:30 am – Kambo Cleanse
• 10:00 am – Breakfast
• 2:00 pm – Light Lunch
• 6:30 pm – 2nd Ayahuasca Ceremony
DAY 6
• 8:30 am – Breakfast
• 9:30 am – Processing Session w/ lead curandero & facilitators
• 11:30 am – Rest
• 2:00 pm – Lunch
• 6:30 pm – Dinner
DAY 7
• 7:30 am – Breathwork & Meditation
• 8:30 am – Optional Bufo Alvarius (5-MeO-DMT)
• 10:00 am – Breakfast
• 2:00 pm – Light Lunch
• 6:30 pm – 3rd Ayahuasca Ceremony
DAY 8
• 8:30 am – Breakfast
• 9:30 am – Processing Session w/ lead curandero & facilitators
• 11:00am – Waterfall Visit
• 2:00 pm – Lunch
• 6:30 pm – Dinner
DAY 9
• 8:30 am – Breakfast
• 9:30 am – Closing Temazcal (Sweat Lodge) w/ micro-dose of Peyote
• 2:00 pm – Lunch
• 6:30 pm – Closing Dinner
DAY 10
• 8:30 am – Breakfast
• 10:30 am – Departure
• 11:30 am – Airport or Hotel Drop-Off
LEARN is a 12-month program with a private 10-day Ayahuasca retreat in Costa Rica. Your investment covers the full year of energy work, preparation, integration, and the private retreat experience.
Completely Private Solo Journey + 10 Day Retreat + 1 year of bi-weekly video-calls: $24,000 total (≈ $2,000/month)
2-Person Private Group + 10 Day Retreat + 1 year of bi-weekly video-calls: $12,000 per person (≈ $1,000/month)
3-Person Private Group + 10 Day Retreat + 1 year of bi-weekly video-calls: $8,100 per person (≈ $675/month)
Solo Journey
🌿 For individuals who want full one-on-one guidance and privacy throughout the year.
2-Person Private Group
🌿 For two people who prefer to share the journey while receiving personalized support.
3-Person Private Group
🌿 For a close knit group who wants to grow and journey together.
Please note: Spots for LEARN are limited — only 5 private retreats offered each year. This ensures complete privacy, individualized guidance, and a fully immersive experience.
FAQ
Why private retreats instead of large groups?
Private retreats create space for depth. Without the noise of strangers, you can focus fully on your own process. For men who prefer camaraderie, we offer small private groups (2–3 men) who already share a meaningful connection with one another.
Why a year-long program?
Transformation takes time. Many plant medicine retreats deliver powerful insights but leave participants unable to integrate the experience into ordinary everyday life.
What’s the role of Ayahuasca in this journey?
Ayahuasca is a cleansing medicine that reveals, heals, and awakens: it’s a central part of the retreat, but not the whole program. LEARN combines ceremony with bi-weekly guidance, reflection, energy work, and integration support to facilitate realistic & sustainable change.
What if I’ve never worked with Ayahuasca before?
That’s completely ok. The program is designed for both beginners and experienced practitioners. The extended preparation helps you enter ceremony with a clear & grounded intention.
Is this program religious?
LEARN is not tied to any single religion. The work draws from indigenous traditions, music, meditation, and Kabbalah’s Tree of Life, yet remains open and inclusive for men of all backgrounds.
Is sexual abstinence required during the program?
No. LEARN is not about repression, celibacy, or abstinence. It’s about awareness and taking care of our life energy as men.
How do I know if LEARN is the right fit for me?
LEARN is ideal for courageous life-long learners who are committed to their growth and being of service to others. If you feel ready for a private, in-depth journey & are open to the preparation and integration process, LEARN may be a meaningful next step. Feel free to reach out and explore further alignment.
How could 5 months of integration support be helpful?
A comprehensive integration plan can increase the chances that the insights experienced during your ceremonies are actually realized in ordinary everyday life. Over the 5-month integration period, you’ll continue to process your insights and make gradual changes.
What medications are not compatible with Ayahuasca?
Certain medications, especially SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), MAO inhibitors, and other antidepressants are incompatible with Ayahuasca due to potentially dangerous interactions. It’s essential to disclose all medications you’re currently taking during your consultation so we can be sure Ayahuasca is safe for you.
Why doesn’t LEARN share the names of the retreat curanderos and facilitators?
Unlike many retreat centers that rent space and bring in guest facilitators, LEARN works directly with curanderos who live full time on the land where ceremonies take place. Alongside a small group of Costa Rican staff and facilitators, they serve their local community year-round. We don't publish their names on retreat guru to honor their privacy.
Once you begin the preparation process however, you'll have the opportunity to connect with the lead curandero for 2-3 phone calls. During these calls, he offers a Tree of Life Analysis based on Kabbalah’s Tree of Life—helping you understand how your unique energetic distribution flows, and where more balance can be cultivated before entering ceremony. This creates a personal connection while maintaining the integrity and privacy of their home.
✨Before participating in any of these ceremonies (Ayahuasca, Kambo, Bufo, or Temazcal), a health screening and consultation with our team is required. LEARN takes every precaution to ensure participant safety.
What is Kambo? And how can it support the Ayahuasca process?
Kambo is a cleansing medicine from the secretion of an Amazonian frog, used to purge toxins from the body and clear mental fog. Kambo can support the Ayahuasca process by preparing you physically, emotionally & energetically to receive the medicine. LEARN’s private Kambo sessions are guided by our lead curandero and supporting facilitators with great care, love, and attention.
What is Bufo and how can it support the Ayahuasca process?
Bufo Alvarius, also known as the Sonoran Desert toad, produces a powerful natural secretion containing 5-MeO-DMT, a compound known for its capacity to expand consciousness. The effects of Bufo are intense yet brief, creating a unique window for exploring something beyond the ego. Participants often describe a sense of oneness and profound awe. Each Bufo experience is held with the utmost care. Our lead curandero, who has been working with this medicine for many years on his land, guides the session. A supporting facilitator is also present.
What is a Temazcal, and how can it support the Ayahuasca process?
A Temazcal (or Sweat Lodge) is a sacred indigenous purification process that incorporates each of the four elements in an enclosed space for healing. The immense sweating from the steam helps participants let go of emotional pain, breathe consciously, and open the heart. When done the day after an Ayahuasca ceremony, the Temazcal can serve as a powerful integrative tool, grounding insights and allowing for further release.
During the LEARN retreat process, the Temazcal is offered at the beginning and end of the retreat, marking the start and close of the journey. It’s guided by curanderos with over 30 years of combined Temazcal experience, and held with the blessing of a respected Abuela medicine woman in the local area.
Questions to ask yourself before reaching out:
1. When challenges arise in your life, what is your most common response?
A) I tend to look for who or what caused the problem.
B) I move quickly to solve it, even if I don’t fully process it.
C) I reflect on my role and what I can learn from the situation.
D) I avoid or distract myself until it passes.
2. Which best describes your current energy levels?
A) Frequently scattered, drained, or unfocused.
B) Adequate, though often inconsistent.
C) Generally strong, with awareness of where I direct it.
D) High at times, but often wasted on distractions or overindulgence.
3. How do you currently relate to your sexual energy?
A) I often feel it controls me more than I control it.
B) I express it freely, without much thought about consequences.
C) I’m exploring how to work with it consciously.
D) I feel I have discipline, but sense there’s more potential to unlock.
4. Which best describes your approach to personal growth?
A) I prefer quick results and immediate changes.
B) I engage in growth practices, but inconsistently.
C) I’ve committed to long-term processes before and stayed with them.
D) I’m willing to go deep, even if it takes time and discomfort.
5. In your relationships (family, partner, community, work), what role do you most often find yourself in?
A) The one who carries responsibility and holds things together.
B) The one who provides support, but avoids deeper leadership.
C) The one who drifts between responsibility and avoidance.
D) The one who prefers independence, keeping commitments light.
6. How do you usually respond to overstimulation (social media, work stress, sexual triggers, etc.)?
A) I get pulled in easily and often feel depleted afterward.
B) I resist sometimes, but usually give in eventually.
C) I notice the pull but can redirect myself most of the time.
D) I’ve created intentional habits that help me stay centered.
7. What draws you most to this journey?
A) Relief from feeling stuck, depleted, or scattered.
B) Curiosity about Ayahuasca and plant medicine.
C) A desire to deepen leadership, presence, and service.
D) A clear call to reclaim energy and live with greater purpose.
8. How do you view commitment?
A) It often feels restrictive; I prefer freedom and flexibility.
B) I commit when I must, though I sometimes resent it.
C) I value commitment when it aligns with my deeper goals.
D) I see commitment as essential for growth and transformation.
9. What is your relationship to silence, stillness, and self-reflection?
A) I avoid it—it feels uncomfortable.
B) I occasionally make space for it, but it’s not consistent.
C) I seek it when I feel out of balance.
D) It’s a core practice that grounds and strengthens me.
10. Imagine a year-long journey involving a bi-weekly call, daily practice, lifestyle adjustments, and a private 10-Day Ayahuasca retreat. How do you feel?
A) Overwhelmed—sounds like too much.
B) Curious but unsure if I could sustain it.
C) Motivated, though I know it will stretch me.
D) Excited and ready to fully commit to the process.
LEARN is a private program with limited spaces. If you feel called to this work, schedule a time to connect and let's see if this journey is aligned for you.