Spirit-Vine.net & TheVine Center previously known as Ayahuasca-Healing have been created by Silvia Polivoy. She received her license in clinical psychology and had a private practice in Buenos Aires, Argentina for several years until she began to feel the need to make a transition from studying and healing the mind to exploring the worlds of Spirit. This took her away from the busy city streets to the more tranquil life in the jungle, moving to Brazil where in 2004 she co-founded the TheVine Center, a Transdenominational and Interfaith Spiritual Center located in the State of Bahia.

TheVine Center is open to people of the world regardless of their faith who are seeking to reconnect with Source/Universal Intelligence. Reconnecting or realigning with Source (or God) is the common goal of many ancient traditions and religions. The root of the word "religion" is usually traced to the Latin religare (“re” back, and “ligare” to bind, i.e. “to bind back.”)

The nature of our nonprofit center is philosophical, religious, mystical, spiritual, educational, and cultural. All the retreats’ income serves to maintain the center’ grounds, create employment for the local community, and help preserve the jungle having replanted hundreds of native trees over the years to give but one example.

The retreats take place inside of 39 acres of lush preserved area. It is about 7 miles from Itacaré on the coast of Bahia. Our location is only minutes away from beautiful coastal beaches, which back onto the Mata Atlántica, the second largest rainforest in Brazil.

For our retreats we invite native and foreign speakers to do talks about their work or research and we also provide spiritual assistance including sacred tea rituals to allow the human being to align with universal creative energies in tune with their own belief system and/or philosophy. Silvia and the invited teachers bring ample knowledge of their particular fields, humor, and great reserves of intuitive kindness.

The experience of sacred tea ceremonies can be challenging for some; deeply religious for others, but profound all around. Please note that we have several programs to offer and the plant ceremonies are always optional and not required to partake in during any of our retreats. The plant ceremonies begin in the evening and go through the night. The group dynamic is very important and there will be facilitators to look after participants during the night. There will be plenty of time for group discussions and also time alone to reflect on the experiences elicited by the spirit vine tea for those that wish to partake in the plant ceremonies.

Throughout the week, we also engage in other activities including several workshops, a local jungle excursion with a native guide, and even whale watching, if the season allows.

During all our programs we follow a strict (though delicious) diet. It includes no alcohol or drug use. The meals served are prepared using only local and raw materials of the day including plenty of fresh vegetables, luscious fruit, fish of the season, chicken, grains, and natural juice drinks. A note about sexual abstinence: this varies from culture to culture; some recommending as long as 30-40 days while others as little as one day or none at all like here in Brazil. For energetic purposes we recommend sexual abstinence during the retreat as well as 3 days before it begins and 3 days after the retreat concludes. As well, a drug free and low salt diet with no red meat, pork or heavy alcohol use for the same amount of time is optimal.