Ayahuasca Podcast

About Ayahuasca Podcast

Ayahuasca Podcast with Sam Believ The #1 resource for Ayahuasca, Psychedelics, and Mental Health. Explore the transformative world of plant medicine and psychedelic therapy with Sam Believ, founder of LaWayra Ayahuasca Retreat. This podcast dives deep into the healing power of Ayahuasca, offering expert clinical insights, indigenous wisdom, and raw success stories of trauma recovery and spiritual awakening. What you’ll learn: Expert Interviews: Conversations with world-renowned scientists, doctors, and shamans. Healing Stories: Real-life accounts of overcoming PTSD, depression, and addiction through Ayahuasca. Integration & Safety: Practical advice on Ayahuasca integration, preparation, and psychedelic-assisted therapy. The Frontiers of Science: Latest research on Ayahuasca, Ketamine, Psilocybin, and the intersection of science and spirituality. Whether you are a curious beginner or an experienced practitioner, join us as we bridge Western medicine with ancient Amazonian traditions to help you heal and transform your life. Visit our home: www.ayahuascapodcast.com (http://www.ayahuascapodcast.com) Retreat with us: www.lawayra.com (http://www.lawayra.com) Top Featured Guests International Public Figures Gabor Maté (World-renowned expert on trauma and addiction) Dennis McKenna (Legendary ethnobotanist and psychedelic pioneer) Wade Davis (National Geographic Explorer, world-famous anthropologist) Paul Austin (Founder of The Third Wave, major figure in microdosing) Ian McCall (Former UFC fighter and psychedelic advocate) Bill Richards (Psilocybin research pioneer at Johns Hopkins) Troy Casey (The "Certified Health Nut," major social media presence) Hamilton Souther (Well-known shaman and founder of Blue Morpho) Influential Thought Leaders & Authors Dave Rabin (Neuroscientist/Psychiatrist, Apollo Neuro founder) Lauren Taus (Leading psychedelic-assisted therapist) Bia Labate (Executive Director of Chacruna Institute) Norman Ohler (Author of the NYT bestseller Blitzed) Spring Washam (Prominent meditation teacher and author) Joe Tafur (Author of The Fellowship of the River) Alex Beiner (Author and executive director of Rebel Wisdom) Jesse Harless (Expert on recovery and heart-centered leadership) Tracey Tee (Founder of Moms on Mushrooms) Kyle Buller (Co-founder of Psychedelics Today) Industry Experts & Specialized Practitioners Marc Aixala Rick Barnett Steve Thayer Rotem Petranker Salimeh Tabrizi Ayla Schafer Lex Pelger Daniel Shankin Natasia Pelgrom Nick Courtright Matt Zemon Shawn Wells

Publisher

Sam Believ

Category

health & fitness · religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

29 Sept 2023

Latest episode

21 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

148 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   21 Oct 2026

   12 Laws of the Jungle and the Business of Ayahuasca with Dan Cleland

   In this episode of Ayahuasca Podcast, host Sam Believ (founder of www.lawayra.com) has a conversation with Dan Cleland. Dan is a Canadian entrepreneur, author, and former CEO and co-founder of Soltara Healing Center in Costa Rica. Blending plant medicine, mindset mastery, and social entrepreneurship, he is the author of The Pulse of the Jungle and 12 Laws of the Jungle. 00:00 - 01:05: Introduction to Dan Cleland, his background in heavy metal, and his path as a square peg in the retreat space 01:06 - 05:22: Building Pulse Adventure Tours, Arcana Spiritual Center in Peru, and founding Soltara Healing Center in Costa Rica 05:23 - 09:51: Dan’s early life struggles, lost direction in his 20s, and a life-altering fall off a 20-meter cliff in Australia 09:52 - 14:34: Recovering from severe physical trauma, discovering Ayahuasca, and setting off on a journey to Peru 14:35 - 18:00: Getting robbed in Cusco, suffering food poisoning, and finding his first Ayahuasca ceremony in New Mexico 18:01 - 22:30: Experiencing retreats at Chimbre, writing his early blogs, and building early adventure-based retreat tours 22:31 - 26:40: Working with the Shipibo lineage in Iquitos, launching Pulse Tours, and acquiring land with local community support 26:41 - 30:02: The forging process of Ayahuasca and the resilience needed to run a complex plant medicine center 30:03 - 34:52: Navigating operational chaos, guest safety, facilitator challenges, and supply chain realities in Latin America 34:53 - 38:20: The transformational ripple effect of plant medicine on thousands of retreat guests and local communities 38:21 - 42:17: Balancing the beauty of life-changing transformations with the messy business mechanics of retreat centers 42:18 - 47:08: Raising capital for Soltara, navigating border closures and zero revenue during the pandemic, and scaling back up 47:09 - 49:52: Facing market saturation in Costa Rica, shifting industry dynamics, and deciding to transition out of Soltara 49:53 - 54:25: The difficulty of scaling retreat models, personal founder touches, and Dan's book 12 Laws of the Jungle 54:26 - 1:00:18: Key principles from 12 Laws of the Jungle: "The jungle doesn't care," gladiator mindsets, and hunting for deals 1:00:19 - 1:04:03: The Cashflow Quadrant framework, shifting from employee to business owner, and life post-exit 1:04:04 - 1:08:18: Staying active through new ventures, documentaries (Drinking the Jungle), and closing advice If you would like to attend one of our Ayahuasca retreats go to www.lawayra.com. Find more about Dan Cleland at Daniel Cleland's Website or on Instagram @danielccleland.

2. 

   8 Oct 2026

   Rethinking Burnout, Capitalism & Ceremony with Bruce Eckfeldt

   In this episode of the Ayahuasca Podcast, host Sam Believ speaks with Bruce Eckfeldt—a seasoned entrepreneur, systems thinker, certified exit planning advisor, former CEO of an Inc. 500 tech firm, and host of the Psychedelics Invest podcast. 00:00 - 01:00: Introduction of guest Bruce Eckfeldt, highlighting his background as an architect, tech founder, exit planning advisor, and host of Psychedelics Invest. 01:01 - 04:04: Bruce shares his personal journey from architecture to interactive tech, selling his company in 2013, recovering from a broken back using cannabis, and transitioning into the cannabis and psychedelic podcast space. 04:05 - 05:15: Sam and Bruce discuss using podcasting as an effective tool for learning and connecting with people. 05:16 - 09:30: Bruce details his first personal psychedelic experience—a weekend retreat involving psilocybin and San Pedro in the California Redwoods—and the deep sense of internal trust and connectedness it provided. 09:31 - 14:00: A discussion on executive and founder burnout, where Bruce redefines burnout not as overexertion, but as an integrity issue stemming from putting energy into work that lacks alignment with personal values. 14:01 - 18:30: Sam and Bruce discuss founder dynamics, the natural life cycle of business stages, energy allocation, and the typical 5- to 7-year life shift cycle. 18:31 - 21:00: Addressing the rumor/fear in Silicon Valley of founders drinking Ayahuasca and quitting their companies or drastically altering their lives. 21:01 - 24:00: Bruce explains his intensive retreat format for executive teams, using natural settings, discomfort, and strategic reflection to drive organizational change. 24:01 - 28:50: Exploring the potential of combining plant medicine with business retreats to treat burnout, alongside the importance of doing internal work before making radical external life changes. 28:51 - 32:25: Unpacking why entrepreneurs build businesses—balancing purpose versus proving oneself—and using the analogy of picking a mountain to climb. 32:26 - 34:25: Why successful people struggle to enjoy their achievements, shifting the focus from fleeting happiness to deep engagement and purpose. 34:26 - 39:30: Bruce introduces his book, Springboard, which guides founders on post-exit planning, scaling, and reverse-engineering their business exit strategies. 39:31 - 44:50: Examining "conscious capitalism" and the intersection/tension between business investors, clinical researchers, and traditional ceremonial plant medicine practices. 44:51 - 49:25: How leaders should integrate psychedelic insights without impulsively disrupting their organizations or teams. 49:26 - 52:25: Recurring visual realms, geometry, and neural patterns experienced during psychedelic journeys. 52:26 - 53:25: Closing remarks and where to find Bruce Eckfeldt's work (on his LinkedIn, and his book Springboard).

3. 

   25 Sept 2026

   Sauna Ceremony: Una Meistare on Latvian Sauna ceremony and plant medicine

   In this episode of Ayahuasca Podcast, host Sam Believ (founder of www.lawayra.com) speaks with Una Meistare. Una is a prominent Latvian cultural journalist, art critic, and co-founder/editor-in-chief of Artterritory and Spirit Territory. Having spent over two decades exploring fashion and design, she now researches alternative states of consciousness, ethnobotanical healing, and the therapeutic potential of psychedelics. 00:00 - 02:00: Overview of Latvia's mental health statistics, high suicide rates, and Una's background in art journalism 02:01 - 04:30: Una's initial introduction to Ayahuasca through an interview with Brazilian artist Ernesto Neto 04:31 - 07:15: First secret ceremonies with the Huni Kuin tribe and attending the World Ayahuasca Conference in Girona 07:16 - 10:15: High rates of treatment-resistant depression in Latvia, suicide statistics, and organizing therapeutic psychedelic conferences 10:16 - 13:30: Traditional plant harvesting protocols, asking permission from nature, and overcoming cultural stigma 13:31 - 16:30: Integration challenges, psilocybin's potential in Latvia, and local mushroom-foraging culture 16:31 - 22:30: Deep dive into the traditional Latvian pirts (sauna) ceremony as an ancient method for altered states of consciousness 22:31 - 26:30: The energetic qualities of trees (oak and linden) and cross-cultural parallels in heat-based healing 26:31 - 32:00: Seasonal dynamics in Latvia, extreme light/dark cycles, and reconnecting with nature 32:01 - 36:15: Sauna rituals as a healthy alternative to heavy alcohol consumption 36:16 - 41:10: The surge of Ayahuasca tourism in Latvia, interpreting symbolic messages, and Rick Strassman’s perspectives on ego amplification 41:11 - 46:40: The intersection of psychedelics, art, emotional intelligence, and Una's exhibition on six universal emotions 46:41 - 50:10: Final thoughts on inner healing, self-reflection, and where to find Una's work If you would like to attend one of our Ayahuasca retreats go to www.lawayra.com. Find more about Una Meistare at www.artterritory.com and www.spiritterritory.com.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

12 ratings

Spotify

4.6 / 5

40 ratings

Contact Ayahuasca Podcast

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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