Welcome to your 100 hr Sound Ceremony Training: Initiation
Location Information:
Lake Atitlán is one of the natural wonders of the world. Casa Floresta is located lakeside in Pasajcap, between San Marcos La Laguna and Tzununa, directly next to the well known Casa Colibri. You can see the location on the map here.
For arrival, please take the public boat service from San Marcos or Tzununa, simply ask the boat driver for Casa Floresta, Pasajcap, the cost is Q5 from either town (best to have small change, and sit at the front of the boat). If the boat driver does not know the house, please say next to Casa Colibri, Pasajcap.
ARRIVAL:
For those choosing shared accommodation options, please arrive directly to Casa Colibri between 1-2pm so you can be settled in before arriving next door to Casa Floresta at 3pm for us to begin our retreat together. Ask for Genevieve, she is the manager of the property and can let you know where you are staying. Her number is +502 4826 0471 if you need support or would like to extend your stay you can check directly with her. Please know that if you are not on her list, you may be staying at another neighbouring property, and come and find us next door at Casa Floresta to show you where you will be staying.
ALL STUDENTS: Please arrive to Casa Floresta between 2.30-3pm. We will begin our opening ceremony at 3pm together.
Accommodations:
Shared Accommodation - Casa Colibri $3270 USD
Private Accommodation - Casitas Aurora $3770 USD
Tuition & Food Package Only (Off-site) - $2700 USD
All inclusive of course, certification and 2 daily vegetarian meals, and snacks at Casa Floresta.
OFFSITE STUDENTS; Please arrange your accommodations as soon as possible through Airbnb or Booking.com. We highly recommend our new Boutique Hotel and Spa Kula Maya as a luxurious option, located on the lakefront in San Marcos, a 2 minute walk from the public dock. We can also recommend these Airbnb options; Luzmi’s Eco Cottage, Eco Cabin and Eco Studio, or Eric’s La Casa at Vistas de Pasajcap and Studio Sol y Luna, as more economical options, and all a safe 5-10min lakefront walk away.
Payment Options:
$500 US non-refundable (transferable) deposit required to hold your place via Retreat Guru. Payment to be settled 60 days prior to course commencement. You will receive a reminder email at the 60 day mark.
Remaining balance required to be paid via Bank Transfer to Bank of America USD Account.
Bank details:
Bank of America
SWIFT: BOFAUS3N
Account Name: Roland Hillcoat
Account Number: 898101774298
Routing Wires Number: 026009593
Routing ACH transfer Number: 063100277
Account Holder Address: 550 Plainview Road, Wimberley TX 78676
For transfers via Zelle; please use email: ceremonysound@gmail.com
For Wise transfer; please use email: info@forestpath.co
WHAT TO BRING:
Bring comfortable clothes for movement and to hang out in, and also nicer clothes for ceremony. Feel free to bring any musical instruments you would like to share and are willing to carry, and a sacred item to share on our collective altar (you will get to take it home!). Bring a journal or a notebook. Bring a swimsuit and sarong for lake swimming.
Bring natural toiletries, ideally organic and/or biodegradable. Bring probiotics to keep a healthy belly, activated charcoal, tea tree oil, oregano oil and grapefruit seed extract are excellent help for sensitive stomachs. Bring an eye mask and a notebook.
If you plan to hike bring appropriate pants and shoes. The weather is warm in the day. and cool at night. So pack light…short sleeves, tanks, sandals/flip flops, yoga pants etc. Make sure you bring warm clothes for night time, sweaters, long pants, and socks to avoid bug bites.
How to Prepare for this Course:
As part of this course, we encourage you to complete our 50 hr Online Module prior to the training for the theory and philosophy as a theoretical basis for this hands-on course. If you don’t already have a regular practice, please take some time prior to the beginning of the training to start practicing mantra and meditation 2-3 times per week. This will help you adapt quicker to the schedule once we begin the course.
Here is the link to the online module to begin your Sound journey with us.
For access to the course, please enter the discount code SOUND100.
Reflect on your reasons for taking the course—your interest in sound as a modality and practice, your relationship with music and your singing voice, and your experiences with listening and meditation. With this exploration, begin to think about your unique 'sound story' or biography.
further recommended preparations:
We encourage you to explore sound baths in your area before the course begins. This will allow you an opportunity to meet and greet fellow practitioners and to develop your listening skills and experiential study of sound and the instruments used.
Browse our recommended reading list within the online course content and select 2-3 books that pique your curiosity to enhance your understanding and practice of sound therapy
Find time to sit with the pre-recorded listening meditations within the online course to acquaint yourself with the contemplative silent sitting practice and inquiry on listening.
Find time each day to pause, listen and contemplate listening presence
Start a listening journal practice of free writing what you hear
Practicums and Expectations
Group Sound Ceremony (Sound Bath)
You will be assigned to a small group (2-3 people) to conduct a Sound Ceremony, commonly known as a sound bath. This collaborative practicum will help you develop skills in leading group sessions, harmonising with others, and creating a healing soundscape for participants during the course.
One-on-One Sound Therapy Application Session
You will participate in a practical one-on-one sound therapy session. This hands-on experience will allow you to apply the techniques and knowledge you have acquired during the course, providing personalised sound therapy to a fellow student or instructor.
We encourage you to take this experience and share it as a gift with a friend or family member, even if you do not plan to pursue sound therapy actively.Essay Assignment
In addition to the practicums, you are required to write a 1-2 page essay that will be handed in on the final day of the course. This assignment is an opportunity for you to explore a topic in-depth, engage in research, and develop your understanding and approach to sound practice and philosophy. Your essay can later serve as an article to enhance your professional practice. This may also be emailed to ceremonysound@gmail.com prior to the course should you wish to complete the assignment early.
Some suggested topics for your essay include: Nāda, Mantra, Bhakti, Raga, Chakra Tuning/Toning, Listening Meditation, Sound Meditation, Silence, Ancient Sound Cultures, Sound Healing/Therapy, Sound Technology for Therapy, Sound Healing Instruments, Acoustic Architecture, Chanting, Medicine Music, Sound Baths, Sound in Psychedelic Spaces, Sound for Hospice, Sound for Children, Indigenous Sound Practices, Shamanic Sound Practices, Sound in Religious Contexts etc
Travel Arrangements:
Make your flight arrangement: Plan to arrive into Guatemala City Aurora (code GUA) International airport. From there, please keep in mind that it is still a half day journey to Lake Atitlán, so be sure to arrange a flight to arrive one day prior to the day the training program begins. If you arrive the day before, you have a few options:
Option 1: You can arrange transport from the airport with Martha Herrera. Her full details are here.
Option 2: From the airport take a shuttle straight to Antigua Guatemala (they leave every hour) and stay in a hostel/ hotel in Antigua for the night (see recommendations below). Antigua has great restaurants, markets, nightlife and is a safe tourist town. From there, take a collective shuttle for the earliest departure the next morning at 8am sharp (arrange at any travel agency the night prior - they are everywhere) and begin your journey to either Panajachel or San Marcos la Laguna on the lake in order to arrive by 1pm. We are a 2min boat ride from San Marcos, and a 45min boat ride from Panajachel.
Arrival Day: Arrival day; please aim to be on a boat to Casa Floresta, Pasajcap (tell the driver where) by 1pm, we will be welcoming you and showing you to your accommodations between 1-3pm. We aim to begin our opening ceremony at 3pm.
TRANSPORT CONTACTS
Martha
(private cars to/from Airport/ City/ Antigua)
WhatsApp +50230730413
Esteban
(private boats to/from Pana)
WhatsApp +50245982482
Departure Day:
Schedule your flight out of Guatemala either in the late afternoon/evening (after 6 pm) of the last day of the training (Private shuttle would be necessary to arrive in time), or stay a day or two extra around the lake or explore Antigua.
We will finish the course content the final evening together, and will have breakfast together on the departure day at 9am before saying goodbye.
Forest Path Immersion
For those choosing to stay on for our add-on offering; Forest Path Immersion for four immersive retreat days of ceremony; 3 Forest Path Ayahuasca Ceremonies followed by a full day of integration and relaxation, you may have an extra night of accommodation at Casa Colibri between offerings before the immersion begins the following day, and the shared accommodation fee of $75 will be added to your invoice with us.
There are collective shuttles leaving San Marcos each day at 2.30pm for Antigua, arriving around 6pm, spend a nice night or two exploring Antigua and then take a collective shuttle back to the airport for your flight. Alternatively, there are collective shuttles leaving Panajachel at 12pm and 4pm each day. We recommend Xocomil Tours - WhatsApp +502 3127 4935.
Casa floresta WHATSAPP GROUP
If you are already in San Marcos or plan to be in the area prior to ceremony please join the Casa Floresta Events WhatsApp group to be able to visit our Temple for many beautiful offerings rotating all the time such as Sound Ceremony, Yoga, Breathwork, Sacred Sweats etc; https://chat.whatsapp.com/L1dq0fPXrZy6tWXRldHaV3
There will be a course specific WhatsApp group created for each course. You will receive an email with the link to join the group.
Daily Flow (subject to flow/change):
7.00-8am - Temple open and available for self practice
8-9 am — Morning Mantra & Listening Meditation
9-9:30 am — Morning Smoothie Break
9:30 - 11 am — Voice Medicine or Sound Workshop
11 - 1pm — Nourishing Brunch & Personal Play Time
1 - 3 pm — Interactive Instrument Lab
3 - 3.30pm - Snack/ Fruit break
3.30 - 5.30pm — Song Ceremony/Transpersonal Discussion
5.30 pm — Wholesome Dinner
6.30- 8pm — Elemental Sound Ceremony & Reflections
Hotel Recommendations near Airport:
Hostel Novo, Quetzalroo, Hotel Dos Lunas, Hostel Villa Toscana, Mariana's Petit Hotel
Travel Preparation (Visa & Vaccines):
Your Guatemalan Tourist Visa (valid for 90 days) will be given to you at immigration once you've arrived in Guatemala. Depending on your nationality you may need a return flight out of the country to be presented at check in for your flight.
No inoculations are required to enter Guatemala, but it is always best to talk to your doctor and check out the Center for Disease Control website for information about recommended vaccinations.
Food
9am Smoothie or Muesli cup
11am Brunch
2.45pm Fruit or Snack
5.30pm Dinner
We serve clean healthy vegetarian food that is prepared with love. All of our produce, cutlery and cookware is washed in filtered water however there is always a chance of getting sick in Guatemala for a variety of reasons. Please consider bringing with you a good dose of probiotics, grapefruit seed extract, wild oregano oil, activated charcoal or other travellers sickness medicine.
We serve primarily vegetarian field to the plate cuisine and can accommodate allergies, gluten free and vegan restrictions. If you need a lot of protein or snacks outside of meals times, we suggest that you bring them with you .
Please let us know about any food allergies, dietary requirements etc. on arrival.
Laundry services
Casa Colibri can offer a washer/ dryer laundry service for Q50/US$8 per load, you can give your washing to the housekeeper Blanca. Laundry service is offered for US$10/Q75 per load at Casa Floresta. For any delicates please hand wash yourselves and only hand over items that can be machine washed and dried.
Please bring natural and organic toiletries as much as possible, being lakefront means that we must be more responsible than ever for the health of our precious Lake Atitlán.
Internet
Casa Colibri WIFI password is Colibri888.
Casa Floresta has internet in the main house, where meals will be served if your nearby accommodations do not have wifi available, you may use the internet during the meal service times 11-12 pm and 5-6 pm. Please respect our family space outside of these meal times, and use the lower levels for study, practice and relaxation. WIFI is Casa Floresta, password Floresta.
packing list
Swimsuit and sarong for lake swimming
Sunscreen and hat
Journal and/or Notebook (Pens/Pencils)
Yoga or movement clothes if you like to practice before class
Comfortable hang out and warm clothes for night, long sleeves and long pants with socks to avoid bug bites
Sandals/Flip Flops & Walking Shoes
Toiletries (Organic & Biodegradable - including hand & body soap, shampoo, toothpaste)
A Moon cup for your moon cycle if applicable
Probiotics, Activated Charcoal and or any other appropriate preventative medicine
Eco Water bottle
Alarm clock/ or phone with alarm and flashlight
Any instruments you would like to share
A sacred item (or more) for our altar (you will take it home with you)
An eye mask
Ear plugs if you are a light sleeper in shared accommodations
Please leave behind; Plastic bags or water bottles and anything that will become trash.