There was a time in my life when I felt completely lost — like I was watching the world from behind glass, unable to touch it. I wasn’t living, only surviving. Every day felt heavy, and no matter what I tried, I couldn’t escape the emptiness inside. Then, one quiet evening, I stumbled upon something that would change everything — a word I had never heard before: Ayahuasca. At that moment, I didn’t know why, but I felt a pull stronger than fear or logic. Something inside whispered: Go. 

A Life That Needed to Change

I grew up in the Czech Republic, in a small town surrounded by forests. My childhood was complicated, and by the time I turned eighteen, I wanted to break free from everything that hurt. But freedom, as I learned, doesn’t always come from running away. Over the years, I found myself trapped in unhealthy relationships, addictions, and constant restlessness. I was chasing happiness in all the wrong places — in parties, in people, in escape. The more I searched, the further I drifted from myself. I felt numb. Disconnected. Tired of pretending to be okay. One day, when I reached a point where I couldn’t keep going like that anymore, I made the boldest decision of my life: I booked a one-way flight to Ecuador — alone. 

The First Encounter with the Jungle and my Ayahuasca retreat 

The moment I arrived, I felt something shift. The air was warm and heavy with the scent of rain and earth. Birds sang from every direction, and the rhythm of life here felt different — slower, more intentional, more alive. When I joined my first Ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador, I didn’t really know what to expect. I was nervous, curious, and quietly hopeful that maybe, just maybe, I could find the part of me I had lost.

During the first night, as the shaman began to sing his icaros — sacred songs passed down for generations — I felt something awaken inside me. It wasn’t easy. There were tears, memories, and fears I had buried for years. But beneath all that pain, there was something else too — light. A sense that I was exactly where I needed to be. 

Healing and Transformation

The ceremonies were intense but deeply healing. Each Ayahuasca ceremony felt like peeling away layers of protection I had built over the years. I began to see myself clearly — not as the person others expected me to be, but as the woman I truly was underneath.

After that retreat, I returned home to the Czech Republic changed — calmer, lighter, and more grounded. But I knew my journey wasn’t finished. I needed to go deeper.

So I returned to South America again and again — first to Peru, then back to Ecuador — learning, listening, and reconnecting with nature, with spirit, and with myself. 

The jungle became my teacher.

Ayahuasca became my mirror.

And healing became my way of life.

Rediscovering Meaning

Over time, my life began to transform from the inside out. I stopped needing to hide behind appearances or the idea of who I thought I should be. Makeup, perfection, and pretending were replaced with authenticity and simplicity.I started to appreciate small things again — the sound of rain, the taste of clean food, the beauty of silence.

Ayahuasca didn’t give me a new life; it reminded me that I already had one — I had just forgotten how to live it. Through this medicine, I experienced what I can only describe as a spiritual rebirth. It wasn’t about becoming someone else, but finally remembering who I’ve always been. 

Creating a Space for Others

After years of learning and healing, I felt called to give back — to create a safe, authentic space where others could experience what had once saved me. That’s how Amayas Ecuador was born — a retreat center in the heart of the Amazon jungle, built with love, intention, and deep respect for the traditions that changed my life.

Here, we work with experienced shamans who guide participants through traditional Ayahuasca retreats that honor the plant, the culture, and the people who have carried this wisdom for centuries. Each guest arrives with their own story — pain, curiosity, hope — and leaves with a deeper connection to themselves and to nature. Watching that transformation happen is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever witnessed. 

A Message from My Heart

If you’re reading this and you feel that something inside you is broken, please know — you’re not alone.There is always a way back. Healing doesn’t mean forgetting the past. It means learning to carry it differently. Ayahuasca helped me rediscover my strength, my peace, and my faith in life itself. 

It guided me from darkness to light.

If you ever feel the same call that once found me, listen to it.

The jungle has a way of calling those who are ready — and when it does, you’ll know. 

Final Words

Life has a beautiful way of leading us exactly where we need to be, even if the path doesn’t make sense at first. For me, that path led to Ecuador, to the heart of the Amazon, and to a sacred plant that reminded me how to live again.

From that moment on, I stopped running.

Because I finally understood — the place I had been searching for was never out there.

It was always within me.