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50
9 days / 8 nights
None
Brant Secunda is an internationally acclaimed shaman, healer, and teacher in the indigenous Huichol tradition of Mexico. During an intensive 12-year apprenticeship, Brant became the adopted grandson and close companion of Don José Matsuwa, the renowned shaman who passed away in 1990 at the age of 110. Brant was chosen by Don José to take his place in helping to carry on Huichol Shamanism.
Recognized as a global thought leader and spiritual teacher, Brant has been a lecturer at the Mayo Clinic, the American Holistic Medical Association Conferences, and a faculty member of the Five Branches Institute of Chinese Medicine. He also co-founded the Humanistic Medicine Conference with the World Health Organization, the Peace University in Berlin, and is a founding member of the American Herbalist Guild.
Striving to bridge the worlds of fitness and spirituality, Brant co-authored the award-winning book Fit Soul, Fit Body: 9 Keys to a Healthier, Happier You.
Tuition + Accommodation options
| Ticket type | Retreat |
|---|---|
| Adult | €1,200 € |
| Child | €600 € |
| Infant | FREE (€0) |
Includes program instruction and materials
Morning, afternoon, and evening sessions
Dance of the Deer Ceremonies
Pilgrimage
| ROOM TYPE | PRICE |
|---|---|
| SHARED ROOM | €600 |
| PRIVATE ROOM | €1,200 |
Prices are per/person, all meals included
Selected lodging option
Traditional Italian meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) from dinner on Saturday to breakfast on Sunday.
Access to hotel grounds + amenities including a nearby river, pure spring-fed water, and extraordinary views of Gran Paradiso.
Register with a .edu email address and save 10% on all tuition options.
If you’re 65 or older, you can save 10% on all tuition options. Simply select the checkbox when registering.
We love having families at our programs and strive to bring all ages into the sacred circle. Children 4-17 receive a 50% discount on all tuition options and infants (under the age of 4) are FREE.
Families of four or more receive 10% off each adult attendee.
Program schedule + session details
Saturday
4:30 pm – 7:00 pm | Check-In
7:30 pm – 8:30 pm | Dinner
8:30 pm – 9:30 pm | Opening Session + Blessing
Sunday
8:00 am – 9:00 am | Breakfast
9:00 am – 12:30 pm | Morning Session
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Lunch
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Free-time
4:00 pm – 6:30 pm | Afternoon Session
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm | Dinner
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm | Evening Session, Ceremony, or Purification Practice
Monday
8:00 am – 9:00 am | Breakfast
9:00 am – 12:30 pm | Morning Session
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Lunch
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Free-time
4:00 pm – 6:30 pm | Afternoon Session
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm | Dinner
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm | Evening Session, Ceremony, or Purification Practice
Tuesday
8:00 am – 9:00 am | Breakfast
9:00 am – 12:30 pm | Morning Session
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Lunch
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Free-time
4:00 pm – 6:30 pm | Afternoon Session
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm | Dinner
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm | Evening Session, Ceremony, or Purification Practice
Wednesday
8:00 am – 9:00 am | Breakfast
9:00 am – 12:30 pm | Morning Session
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Lunch
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Free-time
4:00 pm – 6:30 pm | Afternoon Session
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm | Dinner
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm | Evening Session, Ceremony, or Purification Practice
Thursday
8:00 am – 9:00 am | Breakfast
9:00 am – 12:30 pm | Morning Session
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Lunch
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Free-time
4:00 pm – 6:30 pm | Afternoon Session
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm | Dinner
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm | Evening Session, Ceremony, or Purification Practice
Friday
8:00 am – 9:00 am | Breakfast
9:00 am – 12:30 pm | Morning Session
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Lunch
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Free-time
4:00 pm – 6:30 pm | Afternoon Session
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm | Dinner
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm | Evening Session, Ceremony, or Purification Practice
Saturday
8:00 am – 9:00 am | Breakfast
9:00 am – 12:30 pm | Morning Session
1:00 pm – 2:00 pm | Lunch
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Free-time
4:00 pm – 6:30 pm | Afternoon Session
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm | Dinner
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm | Closing Session
Sunday
8:00 am – 9:00 am | Breakfast
9:00 am – 10:00 am | Pack up & Goodbyes – we prefer to say We’ll see you later!
Information for your journey
The retreat is held near the Aosta Valley, in northern Italy. We reserve an entire 4-star hotel overlooking the surrounding alps. The exact location of the retreat will be provided upon registration.
The nearest international airports are the Torino Airport (or “Turin” airport – code: TRN) and the Milano Malpensa Airport (code: MXP). Both airports are approximately a 2-hour drive from the retreat. Shuttles from the airport are not included and we recommend using a Taxi or renting a car.
Buses run from both Milan and Torino to Aosta. From there, you can take a bus to Saint Pierre (the nearest station to the retreat venue). A hotel shuttle can be booked for the final leg of your journey from Saint Pierre to the retreat venue. Contact us to coordinate a shuttle pickup.
Tips to ensure a great retreat experience
This program is moderately active. Program activities include short walks, moderate but slow pilgrimage hikes (longest being about 1-hour), and several hours of driving. The hotel sits at 1800 m (5,900 feet). From there, our meeting circle is a 5-minute walk uphill. If you are concerned about the intensity of this program, please let us know.
We book an entire hotel, creating a complete sense of spiritual practice and community. Amazing food and beautiful architecture complement the environment. Both shared and private rooms are available, each equipped with its own private bathroom.
Meals are included
The hotel chefs prepare traditional Italian meals, mainly vegetarian, and can provide vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free options upon request.
The primarily vegetarian meals include an assortment of local cheeses and breads for breakfast, as well as a diverse selection of lunch and dinner options ranging from traditional homemade pastas to zesty vegetable soups, all complemented by a plentiful salad bar. Meals are included in the price of accommodations.
Here is a list of items to bring:
Yes, we welcome families and children at all our programs and love having all ages included in our circle. We offer a 50% discount for children ages 4-17 and infants under the age of 4 join free of charge.
Children (anyone under 18 years of age) must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
No. This retreat is open to anyone, whether you are looking to take the first step on the shamanic path or if you’ve been studying with Brant for decades.
The retreat will begin on Saturday (May 30, 2026) with check-in from 4:30 pm – 7:00 pm, followed by dinner at 7:30 pm and an opening session at 8:30 pm.
The program will conclude on Sunday (June 7, 2026) at 10:00 am following breakfast.
No. This retreat will only be available for those attending in person. If you’re interested in joining a virtual program online, please take a look at our schedule of upcoming programs.
We greatly encourage everyone to join the retreat for the full time in order to gain the complete experience of the teachings and practices, while also helping maintain the energy of the collective group.
No, this program does not include any type of plant medicine. Although this is indeed an integral part of shamanic traditions, this program will focus on the use of drumming, rattling, chanting, and dance to achieve similar altered states of consciousness.
No, our programs do not provide any type of certification and are not designed to teach people to become shamans, as this requires years of complete dedication through a traditional shamanic apprenticeship. Instead, this retreat provides an opportunity to practice shamanism, learn the ancient exercises for spiritual developemnt, and celebrate life in sacred ceremony and ritual.
The practices of shamanism are ones that can be integrated into your everyday routine in order to empower yourself, your community, and all that lives on Mother Earth.
Take time each day for personal meditation. Commune with the spirits of nature amidst the bounding meadows, babbling brooks and towering mountain peaks.
This quiet landscape is the perfect place to silence your inner mindful chatter. Learn to listen to your intuition and let the language of nature be heard.
The retreat is held in a stunning mountain-top hotel, which overlooks the Aosta Valley. Across the valley, Gran Paradiso rises high above the horizon, making for one of the most mesmerizing views you will ever see.
Comfortable rooms, private baths, maid service and delicious Italian meals allow you to enjoy every moment of this unique retreat.
Eagles soar with the wind currents rising along the mountain slopes. Red foxes meander through flower-filled meadows. Deer graze fresh grasses and prance through the forests.
Perhaps the most famous animal in this region, the Alpine Ibex can be found scaling sheer cliff faces. The Gran Paradiso National Park is this prehistoric goat’s last natural habitat.
Since time immemorial shamanic cultures have practiced the art of pilgrimage as a way to honor sacred places of power. Throughout the retreat, you will visit mountains, rivers, and gorges in order to honor their spiritual essence and to make positive prayers for your life.
You will have the special opportunity to offer your prayers to Mont Blanc and Gran Paradiso and Brant will help transmit the power of each place into your heart.