Ruhani Signature Sessions · 20 minutes from Tamarindo
Private cacao ceremonies, sound baths and flower baths in Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Two to eight hours where nobody needs anything from you. Private ceremonies for you or your family, held by Holistic Sherpa Faisal Khattak. No plant medicine. Four sessions, each one alone or paired into a full day.
Your people. One afternoon. Our grounds in Guanacaste.
Every ceremony at Ruhani is private and built around you or your family. Faisal gives you his full attention from the first minute to the last. No other guests, no rushed schedule, a pace you set. You arrive as yourselves and the session starts from there.
Nothing here is psychedelic. No ayahuasca, no wachuma, no plant medicine of any kind. Cacao, flowers, sound and an offering to the earth. If sacred plant ceremony is what you came for, see our ayahuasca and wachuma retreats. If you want something to do near Tamarindo with your family beyond surf lessons and zip lines, this is the slow version.
Which one is yours?
- Your head will not switch off. Book the sound bath.
- The week sits in your shoulders. Book the flower bath.
- There is something your family has not said out loud. Book the cacao ceremony.
- You want to leave knowing exactly what you are asking for. Book the despacho.
1. Andean despacho ceremony (2 hours)
Say thank you to the earth. Then watch what changes when you ask for what you want.
A despacho is an Andean offering of gratitude and intention to Pachamama, the earth. You build it with Faisal, speak what you are asking for out loud, and place it in something real. Most people walk in with a vague "I want more." Two hours later you know the exact words.
Faisal learned despacho facilitation from two Q'eros in the Peruvian mountains. He has offered despachos on high-altitude peaks and under freezing waterfalls.
You leave with:
- One clear intention for the next chapter, spoken and set down
- Gratitude which changes how the rest of the day looks
- A short ritual to repeat at home
Best for: birthdays, anniversaries, a new baby, a new year, a trip about to begin, a family closing one chapter and opening another.
2. Spiritual flower bath (2 hours)
You have been carrying it for months. Two hours in water and flowers, and you will feel what lighter is.
Warm water, fresh flowers and herbs, and two hours with no one to hold it together for. The week, the year and the role you play come off in the water.
This is a shamanic flower bath, a baño de flores, the ritual bath of Andean and Amazonian healers. Outdoors, under the trees, on our grounds.
You leave with:
- A softer body and a settled mind
- The weight of the week, the year or the role you play, set down
- A fresh start you notice in how you breathe, sleep and speak
Best for: parents, nurses, teachers, anyone who holds it together for other people. Couples. Mothers and daughters. The day after you land, the day before you fly home, or the day before or after an ayahuasca weekend.
3. Private cacao ceremony (3 hours)
When did you last sit in a circle and say what is true? Cacao makes it easier.
Three unhurried hours with your own people. The small talk drops and real talk starts. Families often say things they have waited years to say. You share as much as you want, and silence counts too.
Ceremonial cacao is a warm drink made from whole cacao beans. It is not psychedelic. You stay clear the whole time. Ours is ethically grown in Guanacaste and processed by an experienced family. Every session supports local farmers.
You leave with:
- Closer, warmer connection with the people you came with
- Words for feelings which had no words
- An open heart with no effort in it
Best for: parents and grown children, siblings, couples, three generations on one trip, anniversaries, reunions, a blessing before a wedding or a birth.
4. Private sound bath and sound healing (3 hours)
You do not have to try. Lie down, and let the sound do the work your mind never managed.
Didgeridoo, crystal bowls, gongs, flute, drums and voice move through your body while you do nothing at all. For three hours the noise in your head goes still. No experience needed and nothing to get right.
You leave with:
- Rest of a kind a holiday rarely gives you
- A slower breath and a calmer nervous system
- Stillness you know how to find again, because now you know where it lives
Best for: busy minds, light sleepers, first-timers, anyone who finds it hard to sit still.
Fees
Despacho or spiritual flower bath
Per session, 2 hours
One person: $175
Two people: $300
Three or more: $125 per person (group of 4: $500)
Cacao ceremony or sound bath
Per session, 3 hours
One person: $300
Two people: $550
Three or more: $250 per person (group of 4: $1,000)
Pair them for more
Cacao ceremony and sound bath, 6 hours
Open the heart, then rest inside it. The most memorable pairing for a family.
Despacho and flower bath, 4 hours
Set the intention, then wash clean. A complete ritual for a shorter visit.
Flower bath and cacao ceremony, 5 hours
Clear the ground, then open the heart. Connection comes easier after the bath.
Despacho, cacao ceremony and sound bath, 8 hours
Offering, then circle, then stillness. A full private day for a family or group.
Looking for ayahuasca or wachuma ceremonies?
Those run as retreats, held personally by Holistic Sherpa Faisal Khattak, with medical and psychological screening, a preparation dieta and integration after you go home. Pick the length which fits your life.
- The Reset Retreat. 9 weeks: 4 weeks of preparation, 7 days on site in Guanacaste, 4 weeks of integration. 3 ceremonies. Built so the change holds. From $3,900.
- The Arbol Weekend. 3 nights, Friday to Monday, 2 ceremonies with Faisal. $1,800.
- The 7-day ayahuasca retreat. A full week on the land, with a despacho and flower baths built in.
- Wachuma experiences. San Pedro ceremonies at first light, outdoors.
Weighing the two plants? Read ayahuasca vs wachuma and how we keep ceremony safe. Many guests add a flower bath or a cacao ceremony to a retreat, the day before arrival or the day after the last ceremony.
Questions people ask
Is a cacao ceremony psychedelic?
No. Ceremonial cacao is a warm drink made from whole cacao beans. It has no psychedelic effect and you stay clear-headed the whole time. None of the four sessions use ayahuasca, wachuma or any plant medicine.
What does a cacao ceremony do?
It slows a group down long enough to talk. You drink the cacao together, set an intention and sit in a circle Faisal holds. Families use it to say what they have carried for years. Couples use it to hear each other again.
How long is a cacao ceremony?
Three hours at Ruhani. Pair it with a sound bath for a 6-hour afternoon.
Is a cacao ceremony safe?
Cacao contains natural stimulants, so tell us about any heart condition or medication when you book. Faisal goes over health with everyone before the day so the session fits the whole group.
What is a despacho ceremony?
An Andean offering to Pachamama, the earth, from the Q'ero tradition of Peru. You build a bundle of flowers, seeds, shells and written intentions, speak your prayers into it and offer it to the earth. Faisal learned it from two Q'eros in the Peruvian mountains.
What is a spiritual flower bath?
A ritual bath of warm water, fresh flowers and herbs, poured over you while you sit. In Spanish it is a baño de flores, the bath Andean and Amazonian healers use to clear what a person carries. People come for it to set down a heavy season and start clean.
How much does a private sound bath cost?
$300 for one person, $550 for two, and $250 per person for three or more. Each sound bath runs 3 hours.
What should I bring to a sound bath?
Comfortable clothes and a water bottle. Mats and cushions are set out for you. Nothing to learn and nothing to prepare.
Is my whole family welcome?
Yes. Every session is private, so the only people in the room are yours. Tell us everyone's ages when you book and Faisal shapes the session around who is coming.
Do you also hold ayahuasca or wachuma ceremonies?
Yes, as separate retreats with medical screening and a preparation dieta. The Arbol Weekend is 3 nights and 2 ceremonies. The Reset Retreat is 9 weeks with 3 ceremonies. Wachuma experiences are San Pedro ceremonies held outdoors in daylight.
Where is Ruhani?
Pinilla, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, 20 minutes from Tamarindo. See the centre or rent it for your own group.
Before your date
Tell us who is coming, their ages and your dates. Before the day, Faisal asks about health and anything else he needs to know so the session fits everyone in the room.
Reserve your date
We reply with open days and the session we'd pick for your group.
Slow, safe, and honest.