Plant Medicine University
Ayahuasca — The Vine of the Soul
A sacred Amazonian ceremony held within an authentic Indigenous lineage. Offered as a ceremonial weekend retreat by Dr. Courtni Hale, Ph.D. — seven years of study under lineage master Tata Patricio Dominguez.
Upcoming Retreat
Delmarva Aya & Kambo
2-Day Retreat — Oct 2–4
- Friday Kambo · Saturday Overnight Medicine Ceremony
- Quiet space, small group
- Somatic integration, sound baths, curated music
- Native lineage guide with 20+ years' experience
- 1-month integration & support included
- Veteran friendly · Lewes DE Beach (location TBD)
Hear It From Dr. Courtni
A personal introduction to the medicine, the lineage, and why this work matters. The full documentary is available below.
The Medicine
What Is Ayahuasca?
Ayahuasca is a sacred plant medicine brew prepared from the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and the Psychotria viridis leaf, used for centuries by Indigenous peoples of the Amazon basin for healing, vision, and communion with the sacred. It is one of the most profound and well-researched plant medicines in the world.
Unlike Kambo, ayahuasca is a visionary medicine — it produces deeply altered states of consciousness that can last four to eight hours. Participants often encounter suppressed memories, emotional material, ancestral patterns, and states of profound clarity, grief, gratitude, and renewal.
Dr. Courtni Hale spent seven years studying under Tata Patricio Dominguez, one of the most respected ceremonial lineage holders working today. She does not offer ayahuasca as a recreational or casual experience. She offers it as a sacred ceremony — with the full weight of preparation, lineage, and integration that the medicine demands.
The Lineage
The Lineage
Tata Patricio Dominguez is a reservation-born Medicine Man of Tiwa heritage from the Mesilla Valley of New Mexico. He is an international organizer of Indigenous peoples and has dedicated his life to preserving and transmitting the sacred traditions entrusted to him.
The Ayahuasca tradition Tata Patricio carries was shared with him by Taita Paulinho — an Inga Taita from Colombia and one of the great living keepers of the Ayahuasca lineage. That transmission is the root of the ceremonial work offered at Plant Medicine University.
Dr. Courtni's seven years of study under Tata Patricio are not a credential — they are a relationship. A commitment. A transmission. When you sit in ceremony with Dr. Courtni, you are sitting within a living lineage that runs from Taita Paulinho through Tata Patricio and into this work.
Taita Paulinho — Inga Taita, Colombia
↓ transmitted to
Tata Patricio Dominguez — Tiwa Medicine Man, Mesilla Valley NM
↓ seven years of study
Dr. Courtni Hale, Ph.D. — Plant Medicine University
Featured in DMT: The Spirit Molecule
Tata Patricio Dominguez was featured in the documentary that introduced millions to the world of plant medicine — the same film that helped launch Joe Rogan's career in this space. Watch this excerpt.
The Ceremonial Weekend
The retreat is a full container — not just a ceremony night.
Preparation
Detailed dietary and intentional preparation guidelines are provided weeks in advance. Preparation is the first act of ceremony. It signals to the medicine — and to yourself — that you are serious.
Arrival & Opening
The weekend begins with grounding, introductions, and an opening circle. Participants share intentions, establish safety, and begin the process of arriving fully.
Ceremony Night
The ayahuasca ceremony is held in the evening and lasts four to eight hours. Dr. Courtni holds the space throughout — singing icaros, supporting participants, and maintaining the integrity of the container.
Integration
The morning after ceremony is as important as the night itself. Group sharing, individual support, and integration practices help participants begin working with what arose. Ongoing integration support is available after the retreat.
Who Comes to This Work
Those Who Have Tried Everything Else
Therapy, medication, self-help, and conventional approaches have helped — but something remains. Ayahuasca reaches places that talk therapy alone cannot.
Veterans & First Responders
Carrying trauma, moral injury, and the weight of service. Ayahuasca has shown remarkable results in clinical research for PTSD and treatment-resistant depression.
Executives & Leaders at a Crossroads
Successful by every external measure, yet sensing that something essential is missing. Ayahuasca has a way of cutting through the noise and returning you to what matters.
Spiritual Seekers
Drawn to direct experience of the sacred — not as a concept, but as a living reality. Ayahuasca has been called the fastest path to the deepest places.
What the Research Says
Clinical research from Johns Hopkins, NYU, Imperial College London, and MAPS has documented significant reductions in depression, anxiety, PTSD, and addiction following ayahuasca and related psychedelic-assisted experiences. These are not fringe findings — they are peer-reviewed results that are reshaping how the medical community understands consciousness and healing.
Read the Cape Gazette MasterClass featureSafety, Screening & Contraindications
Ayahuasca is a powerful medicine and is not appropriate for everyone. Absolute contraindications include certain psychiatric medications (particularly SSRIs and MAOIs), heart conditions, personal or family history of psychosis or schizophrenia, pregnancy, and others. A thorough intake and screening process is conducted before every retreat.
If ayahuasca is not appropriate for you at this time, Dr. Courtni will tell you clearly and may recommend an alternative path — including Kambo, Compass Keys, or a diagnostic conversation to determine what is right for where you are.
The Documentary
Watch the full film Dr. Courtni made about Ayahuasca — the medicine, the lineage, and the journey.
Ceremonial Weekend Retreat
A full ceremonial weekend container including preparation support, the ceremony night, and integration.
Ceremonial Weekend Retreat
$500Full ceremonial weekend including preparation guidelines, arrival circle, ceremony night, and morning integration. Group container.
Register NowConcierge — 4-Week Package
$997Private, individualized container including the ceremonial weekend retreat plus three additional weeks of preparation and integration support with Dr. Courtni.
Register NowNot Sure If You Are Ready?
Book a complimentary diagnostic call with Dr. Courtni. Ask your questions, share your history, and determine together whether ayahuasca — or another offering — is the right next step for where you are.
Book a Diagnostic CallEducational Disclaimer: Plant Medicine University is a Delaware-based educational company offering online facilitator education and issuing certificates of completion. The certificate does not constitute professional licensure and does not authorize practice in Delaware. Graduates may use the education in jurisdictions where such work is lawful.