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Atmosphere and feature ratings above are based on Best Retreats research (November 2026). They will be updated if Shamuri Retreat Center submits its own information.

The Temple Within the Heart with Rishi: An In-Depth Review for Ayahuasca Retreats in Pérez Zeledón, Costa Rica

The Temple Within the Heart with Rishi was a 2024 ayahuasca retreat held at Shamuri Retreat Center in Caña Blanca, near Tinamaste in Pérez Zeledón, Costa Rica, with three all-night ceremonies over seven days led by a facilitator known only as Rishi, for $500 camping to $1,300 for a private casita, according to its event page. Against that, the facilitator and owners are not named, no screening, medical staff or emergency plan is published, Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health says ayahuasca healing rituals are unauthorized, and no event has been held since January 2025.

🎯 At a Glance

• Locations: Shamuri Retreat Center, Caña Blanca, Pérez Zeledón, San José Province, about 3.5 hours by road from San José airport.
• Approach: Three all-night ayahuasca ceremonies with songs from many traditions, plus yoga, meditation, a temazcal, nature walks and integration; no Indigenous lineage is claimed.
• Suitable For: Adults who can confirm by name who serves the medicine and how guests are screened. Not suitable for people taking antidepressants or with heart or psychiatric conditions.
• Costs: $500 camping, $820 to $970 shared casita and $1,300 private casita for 7 days, or $120 for a single ceremony, per the event page; no refund terms are published.
• Overall Assessment: A clearly priced event at a real venue, offset by an unidentified facilitator, no published safety information, Costa Rica’s legal warning and no recent events. Directory evaluation: C-.

💬 What Guests Are Saying

AyaAdvisors shows 5.0 from 4 reviews, all posted between December 6 and 18, 2023, before the listed March 2024 dates, on an unclaimed listing. Retreat Guru shows no reviews, and no Tripadvisor listing was found. No reviews of 3 stars or lower exist. If you have attended, we encourage you to share your experience through our submission form.

🚩 Incident Report

We searched review platforms and English, Spanish and Hebrew-language news for reports involving Shamuri and Rishi.

• Deaths and serious injuries: None found.
• Sexual misconduct: No allegations found.
• Theft and fraud: None found.
• Legal action: None found.

The facilitator is known by one name only, which limits this search.

If you have experienced or witnessed an incident with this center, please report it confidentially.

🔍 Critical Notes

Who runs it. Shamuri’s site credits “our team of experienced facilitators and helpers” without naming owners, and Rishi has no published surname, biography or lineage. No company was found.

Screening and medical support. No medical questionnaire, contraindication list, medical staff or emergency protocol is published. The nearest regional hospital is in San Isidro de El General, likely 30 minutes or more by road (estimate).

Legal context. In January 2025 Costa Rica’s Ministry of Health warned that rituals offering healing with ayahuasca are unauthorized and that healing counts as medical practice, per its warning. The country has no law written for retreats, per Tico Times.

Status. Rishi’s last listed event ran April 20 to 24, 2024, and Shamuri’s last dated event ended in January 2025. The retreats page now shows no events, while the venue still offers stays, per its stay page.

Corrections to our earlier profile. Our earlier page said the retreat was potentially closed and being monitored for rebranding; it was an event at Shamuri Retreat Center, which still operates as a venue with no ceremonies listed. Our San José location was the province, not the city; the venue is in Pérez Zeledón. The 100 price matched AyaAdvisors’ single-ceremony price; the event page gives $120 for one ceremony and $500 for the 7-day retreat. Our earlier grade was C; the grade is now C-.

🆘 Screening & Mental Health Risks

No contraindications are published. ICEERS notes that ayahuasca’s MAOI component makes it dangerous with SSRIs and other serotonergic drugs and that it is contraindicated for people prone to psychosis. Never stop a psychiatric medication to qualify for a ceremony without your prescriber’s guidance.

🧪 Brew Substance

Ayahuasca of undisclosed recipe and source. Ayahuasca combines the Banisteriopsis caapi vine with a DMT-containing leaf such as chacruna, as Erowid explains.

📍 Location, Setting & Style

• Setting: Mountain rainforest near the Diamante waterfall, about 35 minutes from Dominical, with a hilltop temple and a riverside temple.
• Rooms: Shared and private wooden casitas, a shared house and camping.
• Style: Music-centered ceremonies with songs from many traditions, yoga and vegetarian meals.

Practical guidance: There is no airport transfer; buses run from San José to San Isidro and on to Tinamaste.

Should You Book?

Only after the venue names who serves the medicine and sends its screening and emergency plan in writing, and after you weigh the 2025 health ministry warning. Read our guide to verifying retreat facilitators.

The Team & Story

The team claims more than 20 years with plant medicine; its earliest dated reviews are from December 2023. We did not independently verify anyone’s training.

Prep & Integration Tips

Before you go: Disclose every medication and condition in writing and plan any change with your own doctor. After you return: Arrange support from a qualified therapist at home. Our guide on how to research ayahuasca incidents can help you check any center.

Pros & Cons

Book Your Ceremony

No ceremonies are currently listed. Best Retreats does not take bookings; learn more about our mission.

Last reviewed November 2026.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Consult a qualified medical professional.