Higher resilience linked to more intense challenging ayahuasca experiences and stronger meaning-seeking afterward

A longitudinal study of 233 retreat guests at Soltara Healing Center locations in Costa Rica and Peru found that people with higher resilience before an ayahuasca retreat tended to report somewhat more intense challenging experiences during ceremonies. These included crying, trembling, grief, emotional or physical suffering, heart palpitations, and exhaustion, while paranoia-like experiences were uncommon. Resilience also strengthened the association between difficult or uncomfortable ayahuasca experiences and searching for meaning in life one month later, but it did not strengthen links with already experiencing life as meaningful. The findings suggest resilience may shape how people process challenging psychedelic experiences and could inform preparation or integration support. However, the observational design cannot establish causation, and the predominantly White, college-educated, North American sample from one retreat provider limits generalizability.