For Gerard Armond Powell, the blueprint for Rythmia wasn’t drawn on a whiteboard or developed from a pitch deck. It was “downloaded,” as he puts it, in a moment of spiritual clarity during his first journey with plant medicine.
“She gave me an outline,” he recalls, referring to the ayahuasca experience that would go on to change the trajectory of his life. “That medicine saved my life. I was a dead man walking. And then she asked me to do this for others, and I said yes.”
That “yes” became Rythmia Life Advancement Center—a luxury plant medicine retreat in Guanacaste, Costa Rica—that has since become the most commercially successful psychedelic retreat of its kind in the world. With over 72,000 ceremonial experiences facilitated to date, Rythmia blends time-honored ceremonial practices rooted in the Colombian Yage tradition with five-star accommodations, Western medical oversight, and a curriculum designed for integration and long-term healing. The result is a retreat that attracts everyone from Silicon Valley entrepreneurs to world champion athletes to politicians and individuals seeking direction or meaning after major life transitions.
But success wasn’t guaranteed, nor was it linear. Powell, a former entrepreneur who once ran a string of conventional businesses, admits he vastly underestimated the intricacies of launching a business grounded in spirituality, and unconventional healing, and the myriad legal complexities surrounding the use of plant medicine. “I thought I’d put a few million in and that would be enough,” he says. “But we were breaking new ground in every direction—medically, legally, operationally.”
The Early Years of Rythmia: Turbulence and Growth
The early years were turbulent. Powell initially staffed the business with spiritual seekers rather than seasoned professionals. Licenses were misunderstood or missing. The team lacked structure. “I had people around me who didn’t know how to run a business, and I had no clue how to run a spiritual center,” he reflects. “It was a beautiful mess.”
Still, Rythmia grew. Organically, imperfectly, but undeniably. Over time, Powell recalibrated the company’s structure into what he now calls a “yin and yang” model: half spiritually inclined business professionals, half business-savvy spiritualists. “It’s frictional, but friction is part of organic growth,” he says. The center’s clientele evolved in kind—from those on the fringes to a diverse range of high-achieving professionals seeking purpose.
Gerald Powell: Business and Spiritual Healing
Powell himself has undergone a transformation that mirrors the business he leads. He’s participated in over 353 plant medicine journeys. He’s been at the center of public controversies, including a short-lived relationship that nearly destabilized the entire business. He’s been sued, scrutinized, and humbled. “I made Rythmia for me,” he admits. “I was broken. And this journey—the business side as much as the spiritual—has healed me.”
What’s been even more profound, he says, is witnessing thousands of others walk through Rythmia’s doors and receive the same life-altering shift he once so desperately needed. And while the transformations are deeply personal, they’re also quantifiable, as Rythmia has spent years tracking outcomes and refining protocols to ensure those shifts are not just anecdotal, but measurable. An astounding 97% of guests self-report experiencing what they describe as a “miracle”—not some trivial metaphysical idea, but, instead, as a profound psychological or emotional breakthrough. Even six months after their stay, the majority continue to identify it as the most transformative week of their lives.
The Rythmia Healing Philosophy: Tradition, Accessibility, Comfort
That healing philosophy is embedded into the business model. Rythmia combines traditional ceremonies led by shamans trained in a medicine lineage from Colombia, under the guidance of Taita Juanito Chindon, a revered spiritual leader and one of the youngest recognized Taitas in the Colombian Yagé tradition, with a comprehensive program that includes classes, breathwork, yoga, medical support, and integration therapy. It is the only plant medicine retreat in the world licensed as a medical facility, complete with on-site EMTs, nurses, and physicians. Every ceremony includes emergency protocols, a staffed clinic, and an ambulance on standby. “Some people want the jungle,” Powell says. “We offer another option: comfort, safety, and clarity in an accessible language.”
Though critics have accused Rythmia’s Costa Rica retreat of commodifying authenticity, Powell counters that inclusivity and safety are not mutually exclusive with tradition. “We didn’t dilute the experience,” he says. “We elevated it.” He’s quick to acknowledge that other retreats serve a purpose, too: “There are some great, great resorts in the world that specialize in this. But different people want different things.” Rythmia, he explains, was designed for those who seek deep healing in a safe, structured, and accessible environment.
The retreat has attracted global attention. Its Board of Directors includes surfer Kelly Slater, civil rights advocate Martin Luther King III, and dog behaviorist Cesar Millan, among others. “They weren’t recruited,” Powell says. “They came through the program. They were called.” Each joined after a personal experience at Rythmia and chose to remain involved, lending their support out of genuine alignment with the mission.
Powell’s favorite clientele are those navigating life’s second act—people who’ve exited companies, retired early, or are searching for greater meaning beyond professional achievement. “People are living longer, but they don’t know what to do with their extended lives,” he says. “Rythmia helps them figure that out.”
The Future of Rythmia
Looking ahead, Powell envisions Rythmia expanding into new geographies, and he also sees a growing synergy between psychedelic healing and anti-aging protocols, both of which are now part of Rythmia’s offerings.
Despite the scale, Powell has no exit strategy. “My funeral will be my exit,” he says, half-laughing. He speaks with reverence for the team that has stayed by his side, many of whom have grown professionally within Rythmia itself. Some have been with him for over 30 years, while others have been part of Rythmia since its inception—a company culture bound not just by tenure, but by shared transformation. “You don’t have to drink the medicine to see it in action,” he says. “Just watch how our team works together. That’s the real embodiment of the experience.”
After ten years, countless ceremonies, and business trials that would undo many founders, Powell remains clear on what he’s learned: align with your soul, speak your evolving truth, and let go of the need to be seen a certain way.
“The great ones don’t care how they’re viewed,” he says. “And if you can get there, that’s freedom.”
Meet Abby, a passionate health product reviewer with years of experience in the field. Abby's love for health and wellness started at a young age, and she has made it her life mission to find the best products to help people achieve optimal health. She has a Bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics and has worked in various health institutions as a Nutritionist.
Her expertise in the field has made her a trusted voice in the health community. She regularly writes product reviews and provides nutrition tips, and advice that helps her followers make informed decisions about their health. In her free time, Abby enjoys exploring new hiking trails and trying new recipes in her kitchen to support her healthy lifestyle.
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