What the Fuck Was That? – Episode with Vistara (Cris Shanti) of Bambuddha Centro Holistico
After the worst moments of my life, Bambuddha wasn’t just a retreat center — it was the place that helped put me back together. In this heartfelt conversation, I sit down with Vistara, my surrogate mom, mentor, and the woman who built a healing sanctuary from nothing on the coast of Acapulco.
We talk about:
• How Bambuddha was created as Vistara’s own healing space — and became home for so many others
• The power of tough love, community, Temescal, cacao, nature connection, and barefoot living
• Long-stay residencies at Bambuddha (weeks to months) — perfect for digital nomads, deep healing, writing, or simply resting
• Work trade / energy exchange options and making extended stays accessible
• The Gratitude Gathering — our special Anarchawakening retreat happening November 22–29, 2026 at Bambuddha
This episode is raw, emotional, and full of love. Whether you need a place to fall apart, put yourself back together, or simply come home for a while — this one’s for you.
🎙️ Hosted by Miranda Renee Webb
Links:
• Learn more about Bambuddha & long stays → [link]
• Gratitude Gathering Retreat (Nov 22-29, 2026) → [link]
• Watch the documentary we made together → [link]
Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction & Vistara’s Story
12:30 – Building Bambuddha from nothing
28:00 – My first chaotic arrival after the murder
45:00 – Long stays, work trades & extended healing
1:05:00 – The Gratitude Gathering Retreat details
What the Fuck Was That? — Raw conversations about lives that didn’t go according to plan.
mirandareneewebb.com
Transcript:
Hi, everybody. This is Miranda, and I am here representing Bose and our full goods conversations in anarchy and my own podcast. What the fuck was that? I have recently started this venture with the goal of capturing some of the amazing conversations I have with people I love, partially thanks to an archipelago I have, I have amassed a worldwide family of people that are just incredible that not enough people know about, and I am super excited for today's conversation.
A lot of people ask me on a pretty regular basis. They look at me now and they look at me back in 2018 and they go, how do you go from that to this? With everything that's happened? And for me, there have been a lot of people that have been guardian angels in that regards. And one of the biggest guardian angels in that regards is who we have today.
This is Vistara or Cris Shanti, depending on who's talking to her. But this woman for me has been a surrogate mom. She has been a friend. She's been almost like a sister. She's been a mentor. And her place in Acapulco, which is where we've hosted a lot of our inner weakening retreats, including one that's coming up. It's been a safe place for me and many people in the community to have a place to both fall apart and put ourselves back together.
So I want to say Vistara, gracias, and thank you for being here. And I just want to start by asking, how are you? How's your day? Wow. Well, thank you for this amazing introduction. Hello everybody. I'm so excited to be here. Thank you for the invitation to to speak up and speak out. Today is actually an amazing day.
I just had a beautiful cacao ceremony with like a a birthday celebration. But more than that, it's celebrating just every day and being so grateful for being alive. And this place is so vibrant with so much energy. And that's that's where I'm speaking from today. Yeah, you're in the palapa, the beloved palapa, where I've gone many a times, begging for smoothies after Tomas calls, etc..
Exactly. This is the bar. We called it The Island where, yes, delicious smoothies and delicious food and sea bowls and whatever is really coming out fresh from the centers. We also call it the heart. It's like the heart of the whole space, because everything gathers around here and and very deep conversations. Also because everyone here and pours out their heart so beautiful.
So I'm so grateful for that. Yeah. So I want to we we had you as a guest on the non-conformist series last year this time, and it was really like a documentary that you and I kind of co-created together a little bit, which will be posting on the good channels next week publicly so people can see it. But I wanted to kind of go back to that, the root of bamboo, and I wanted to bring attention to the fact that, like a lot of people, they seem tropical areas and they think it's just so lush and everything's growing.
But for the most part, especially in that part of the country, if you don't plant things, they don't really grow beyond weeds. You know, like all the palm trees you see behind you and then all the palm trees on the property. I didn't realize until making that video with you that, oh, wait, you mean those palm trees that I hug every time I come out of the Temescal trying to hold on for dear life?
Those weren't there before you. Those are, in essence, you're your child. So I just want to know what it's like to wake up every morning and look out and see all that beauty. But knowing that you curated every bit of it. Like, how does that feel?
Yeah. Thank you. That's very important because yes, definitely that video is coming out and I have to go back and have a look because it's like, I don't talk about all so many things like that, like publicly, although I have no problem with it in the sense of there's no secrets, but there's a lot of information in there that you're probably going to be hearing.
And that is in, in laced deeply and laced in the, in the roots of bamboo. And there was nothing here. So, yes, all the plants, all the palm trees, they've all grown with us. They are all our children, children, let's say all the, the palm trees. I hug them every day, especially after autism and hurricanes. It's like I hug them every day.
They were our saviors. There are guardians and and to wake up to it every morning, it's just a big thank you a big thank you. It's it's curating them. How? By talking to them. By walking barefoot every day and feeling the earth and pulsating with the earth, and through deep ceremony and all the practices that we do here.
It's it's just such a an amazing place to be. And I, I believe more people should work on it barefoot and feel the earth. I know when I go to bamboo, I do not wear shoes. I never wear shoes. You said once and I want to touch on this because I think it's important. You said once in an polka speech that you started bamboo.
You opened a retreat center, so you had a place to heal yourself and retreat to. Like, can you explain more of what that means and how it kind of how it has built what bamboo is today is sort of a symbol of healing.
Yeah. So we all come from different paths and different walks of life, and where it takes us around the planet is so amazing for me. After living yeah, all over and being the pilot and flying the skies and and then needing a place to root somehow to find my, my, my roots in a way, because I lived in a camper for many years when my plane on the back and, you know, it's just it's like, what is the perfect way?
That was the perfect way is like just living in the camper and having the plane on the back and traveling through all Central America was like the weight. And then when that way had to stop and I realized I needed some roots because of all these situations that had happened, I just needed to root and calm my my waters.
My waters were like there was a constant hurricane inside and and all the losses. And, you know, there was a lot going on in those days. So I said, okay, I'll just route my, you know, my plane, the hangar on the beach was like another dream come true. So, I mean, I managed to do that at a very young age.
Many people want this in their older ages. It's like, you know, they want to like, retire at the beach. So I managed to do it already at an early age. So in a way I've grown into and out of it. And yes, I have healed my deepest wounds here. And so definitely, how do we heal our deepest wounds?
In what way? I mean, it's called it ceremony, called it ritual. Call it walking barefoot, call it being in community, being embraced. Call it good food, nurturing yourself on a physical, emotional, mental, spiritual way. Call it whatever works for each and one of us. But definitely getting into the earth, crying with the earth, loving the earth. Thanking the earth, laughing with the earth.
You know, screaming at the ocean, walking with it, letting myself be embraced with the nature of this place finally brought me through. And that's how many, many people are feeling attracted to the space to heal their own deepest wounds. And that has been become more and more clear over the last three or 4 or 5 years. And it's so important to understand there's more and more centuries, like all over.
But that's where I'm coming from. That's that's really where my deepest, you know, sharing comes from, that the space exists. So there, like, I know there are a lot of people, they come to Mexico, they go to various places. You know, a lot of them go to King Kong. And, you know, it's interesting because I visited places in Cancun area that tried to have the same vibe, but it didn't.
It didn't feel the same. It didn't have the same heart. And for me in particular, I started, I had heard about bamboo from afar, like not afar, but was in the community. But I never found my way there until after the murder. And it was about six weeks after the murder. I showed up, fresh out of a police altercation for my very first time.
As Cal and I told this story on stage. I've told this story to many people, but I want to tell it here because, like, that was my introduction to you. That was my introduction of Bamboo Buddha. And that was really the start of my healing, you know, like because I was in survival mode completely, 100% after the murder and everybody was very much like they were coddling me, you know, it was very much like, oh, poor Lily.
Wow. Poor Lily. Just, you know, let's just take care of you. And then I walk on the bamboo and I'm like, okay, let's see what this is about. And I was like, yelling during that, during that time, this class, like, give me the fuck out of here. It's like, this is worse than jail. You know, this is this is jail and you are the warden and you won't let me out.
And I hate it here. And I was just I was mad, but I think I needed to be mad, right? I felt bad for the other people that were. Because there were a lot of people in that tennis cow with us, and you were just patting me on the shoulder like, it's okay, it's okay. And I was just like, what the fuck is this?
And then it was like, within a week of that, maybe I'd come back for a yoga class for my first yoga class. And regardless of skill level, you really try to like, get people to at least attempt to do some sort of head down position, usually assisted by you. And I was like, you want me to do a head stand?
And I've never even done yoga. What is wrong with you? What is wrong with this? And I was just I was so mad. But I had a lot of respect and love and I was like, wow, this place is beautiful. And I was like, that woman. She's intense. And she kind of scares me. But there's something there, right?
And I think I came back for cat's Wedding. And for people that don't know, you can get married at Buddha. And it is the most beautiful ceremony I've witnessed. Like, I, I came away from it saying, okay, if I get married, I would like to get married there because of the way that it was done. It was just it was a small wedding and it was not the traditional like, let's walk down the aisle and make these vows.
It was very and I and I suspect, depending on who you're helping to get married, the ceremony is a little different. Right. But and then I didn't come by for a couple of years because I didn't come to an archipelago in. I think I did visit, but very briefly. But I didn't come to an archipelago in 2022. And then in 2023, I returned and I had been in circus for, you know, two years.
And I felt strong and I was like, I'm here, I'm ready to conquer bamboo. And then. Yeah. And, you know, and then that next Temescal, I was in the tennis court essentially hugging you and crying, saying, thank you for being hard on me because that you weren't you weren't ever mean, but you were definitely like, you saw me and you were like, you're stronger than this.
Come on, get up. You know, get up and get moving. And nobody else had the guts to be like that with me after the murder. And so I do want to I do want to touch on that. And I'm curious as to what your thoughts were when you first met me. And.
How do you think I'm doing now at this point, I'm no longer the little like weakling looking for all the sympathy, right? Yeah. Oh, wow. Thank you. Thank you for sharing that. I totally remember that first time, I mean, and. Yes, and I'm very sorry if I came on, like, hard or mean or, but I was like, you know what?
I was like, okay, this is like, we're going to move. We're going to push through this. So probably because of resonating, of having had my own losses, obviously very different. And, you know, in the sense of there's a part of me that resonated with you there. And having seen how I pushed through it, that's how I feel. You came to me in a way, you know, my energy is attract one another.
So that's that's how I felt. I could accompany you and not not being hard. But yeah, I mean, some people, they do say that about me. They. Oh, my God, you seemed so hard at the beginning. And and then we get in touch with that loving part and the love and being able to really move forward in a loving relationship.
And, but at the beginning can, can be very like, well, when you when you're used to people just kind of coddling you and letting you stay in your like little victim mindset and stuff, it can feel hard. I never thought you were mean, you know, like I wouldn't have come back, but I definitely was like, damn. Yeah. Was like, I feel it's a little bit my, my mission or that's why I've been giving these, these tools to, you know, like it's like a wake up call.
It's like, yes, it's all to be called. And I love doing that also. And we know who to do that with. But other people is like shaking your tree. It's like, come on, wake up. They get out of there. Move on. And no, no, I mean I am amazed I where you are there and where you are now.
And it's just amazing the transition and the beauty shining through its through you and everything you've accomplished, and especially that one that you shared, like the 20, the 20 different ways of I don't know if it's 20 or more of how how you got through these last years and little work, different ways of earning money or, you know, you had that podcast, right?
Right. Where I was talking about how I tried to monetize everything I like to do. Exactly. It's so amazing. I love it, I love it. It's like, wow, she's doing it. Thank you for sharing it. Because it also looks, you know, it lets me look how I did it or even now with Ananda with my daughter. And and so thank you for sharing that.
And you've come such a long way and I admire you. Really? You're great. Well, well, I really appreciate it because. Yeah. And you're right. Like, I want to make sure that the people watching this understand that, like, I personally, when I came into your field, I needed toughness. You know, I needed somebody to tell me to stand up.
And like, I've been forever grateful for that. But also, there's been times where I've just needed love from you, and you're you're pretty good at tuning into that and just helping that, you know, like, and it's interesting because the conference, as we know, has moved out of Acapulco. But I have told many people that as long as Bamboo Buddha exists and you and Christian are there, I will keep returning to Acapulco for that alone.
You know, like I feel energetically done with the city of Acapulco itself, because a lot of things happened there. But I don't know if I'll ever truly be done with bamboo. And for that, like one thing I want to talk about first, there's two there's two things, you know. Well, there's three points. One, to share you with. The people that I love to is to promote the retreat that we're going to do together for Thanksgiving as part of an awakening and an archipelago.
And three is to talk about your longer residencies. On the first note, when I was finishing that new documentary video thing that I made with you from non-conformist series, my dad was in town and I was working a little bits on that, and I ended up playing it for him, and he was just like the whole time. He kept having me pause and his asking me questions and he's like, so you spend time here?
And I'm like, yeah. And he's like, how do I get there? I, I like her, she's cool. And I'm like, well, you know, of course, you know. And I hope that people that watch that on the channel and I will put a link in the description of this, and we will be sharing that a lot. I hope that those people really, really get that same message out of it, because it is it is not simply a place to go and hang out on a beach.
It is not simply a place to go and even do ceremonies or yoga like those are. Those are part of it. But it is, it is, it is home for a lot of us. And a lot of our staff retreats have happened on that. A lot of my biggest breakthroughs as a person have happened on that property. And there is something there's something otherworldly and magical.
And I think it is, you know, obviously a lot of it's you're doing, but a lot of it's also Christian, you know, he built a lot of those or all of them, maybe all the buildings by hand. And your team, you have this team of local people that are cooking and caring for the property. And I have never even, even because I've had some tough times on the property, but I have never felt repelled by or unwelcomed by bamboo.
And I think that's really important. And that, in essence, is why we used to have the VIP plus people when it was in Acapulco staying there. We used to do our like our annual retreats there. And for me, it was kind of sad to do it somewhere else because like, I don't dislike PPE, but it is not my favorite place in Mexico and it doesn't have the same soul that that area in general has.
So that is that is a thing. And I do want to touch real quick, like you offer so many different things there. Everything from all sorts of ceremonies, sound baths, like massages. You have masseuse that comes in, you've done the cocoa ceremonies. I've done one of those with you, the Temescal. You do treatments with the I think of PMF machine.
You're always adding things to what bamboo is. And if there's one thing you like, what is one thing that you wish everybody knew about what you have to offer? Because I think a lot of people, they're like, oh, they do yoga there, or oh, that's where ceremonies happen. But what do you want people to know that ties all of that in about bamboo to.
Yeah. Thank you, thank you. Yeah for sure. It's become a very very versatile and I actually that's where I am right now. There's so many paths. Obviously close to my heart is the whole creating that space in that environment of being able to accompany whoever is here on any path. So call it sitting with medicine on a one on one or in group holding that space, or call it deep, work on one on one with me or dun dun dun with all the other activities.
So it's not only a yoga center, it's not only a ceremonial center. It's not only that is all add ons. And as a retreat center that it's become since 26 years. So it's like the retreat has has been what is sustaining us. Call it my own personal retreats or coming out from other activities and people wanting to be here, rent the place out for a retreat or co-creating and having understood that after so many years now with holding space in that way, I.
I've seen that actually a retreat of three, 4 or 5 days is actually not enough anymore. So my proposal is that we know that coming into a retreat, we need a few days before to unwind and do the retreat and then really integrate. And most of the retreats that are coming, like from Mexico City is just a ping pong in out.
And it's become like a gastronomical experience of, yeah, really great food. And, you know, as a group going down and practicing together. And so it's diverting a little bit into a funny direction, which is fine. You know, it's all it's a very healthy, healthy direction also, nevertheless for the movement of bamboo. And this is what I'm sharing and I want to share here with you and all of you, is the possibility, because we're diverting a little bit from that, you know, too much, you know, blah, blah, blah and all that into really a profound experience.
So it's like the possibility now is open to stay longer. So call it a month, two weeks. I would rather have you here for months obviously, or two months or three months, call it. I mean, I've had a couple from the.
Whole community already in for a couple of months, and I know the experience they've they've had and they've taken and it's so ratifying. So I'm so thankful to to have watched them in that process and call it even during the pandemic. And, you know, people have just stayed here for months and seeing that process and they're like, oh my gosh, thank you.
That's place exists. So what I'm trying to get at is if it's if you're an older person or you're a digital nomad or it's because of health reasons, the climate here in Acapulco is just so amazing. Call it two weeks, or if you have a month or you have two months, if it's more in winter or I know I understand now in summer, the climate is great wherever you are in the North.
Nevertheless, here the climate is great all year round. If you want to come in because of health reasons and do like a deposition or it's something really on a deeper health reason, you know, that's what's calling you. Or if it's just here to write you a book or just to relax and just have good food, or you want to do it fast, you know, there's so many different ways.
Or if one of you says, hey, you know, my dad or my mom, I would really like them to be down there for months because they're so alone up there. So many people are so alone and has ten rooms, and we just embrace those people who who need some time out. And that is what I'm seeing now is like, that's the miracle of what's happening right now.
And and yeah, so, so yeah, to support that, I think the most I've stayed at bamboo is like almost a week for the staff retreats. And I and I agree, I'm always left when we, when we go to leave to go back to Bonfield to continue working because we tend to do that right before Anarcha Archipelago. Right. We come for a few days and we're working and and it's part of why I wanted to do this was because I know in my heart that it's not simply just for like, there's not expectations like you would expect, because when people hear the word retreat, they're like, okay, there's a schedule, I have to follow the schedule,
and I have to give up all my life responsibilities for however much time. But what you're talking about is something different in that, you know, you're right. Usually you need a couple of days, you decompress and then, you know, every time, right, as I'm feeling decompressed, it's back to work. Which that's just the way that my my situation is.
But there is something very attractive and I've been interested in it. And I'm going to be finding ways to make it work for myself where I mean, to come. You know, there's internet at bamboo to you can continue to work if you're somebody like me and is kind of a workaholic. But there is there is a different vibe to working, you know.
And I sat at the, at the same the island, the quotas zone that you're sitting at with my computer working for hours and hours before. So I do want to make sure that was that was a big part of why we wanted to do this talk, was to make sure that people know it is whatever you need it to be.
If you need a place where you feel like you're at home and you're eating good food and you have daily yoga practice, but you're still working and keeping up with your responsibilities, you have that right. For me, that's a big dream, as I would love to just take my dad for a couple of months and stay there with him, because I just know he is going like he's not, you know, into yoga and all that.
But there is there is something special. And I don't think he's ever had an experience at a place like bamboo to most people have not. Right. So there really is a option for anybody who's coming to do it. And I do know that there is, you know, not everybody has the financial means, but also you have made it clear to me that there are ways if people just reach out to you to do work trades and other various sorts of, you know, energetic exchanges to where both people feel, you know, complete with it, and they're still getting to have that experience of actually being at bamboo to for a long time.
It's something that I wanted to. So I'm curious as to that side of it. Like, obviously finances are important. You know, you have a full staff of people that you're supporting and have been supporting for decades. Bamboo has been around like what, 27 years now at this point, 26 years. Yeah. So but also there is the understanding that financially the world is not you.
No. Easy. So I guess that's my next question is for people who would be looking for a way to compensate bamboo in terms of their labor. What does that look like in terms of, you know, what? What would people be doing? What type of help are you looking for if you were to do some sort of work trade type thing?
And yeah, just just to go back a little bit, also remembering we're actually not in Acapulco, we're like 30km out and so really far down, 15 minute ride from the airport, from the bus stop. And, you know, it's just on the near, near the highway in the sense of you don't even have to go into Acapulco. So that's just very important to also understand where we're outside.
And. Yes, definitely. I mean, this is it's like a whole mission with, with the local people. So during my years of flying, I used to always live like in the towns and, and and be together with the locals and take them all up for free. And you know, a lot of that and depending on people who could sustain because I mean, you know, that's just what it is.
Life is, you know, we need to have a balance and and about flying a quick interruption. You mean that that little plane. Right. Because not everybody listening to this knows about the flying. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. My ultralight I used to.
Pilot for 30 years and that's actually how I found the place flying. And then I made my hangar here on the beach. And I'm just so sorry that you never got to get up with me in it, so you would have loved it. But anyway, so just to say that, you know, we always live in this push and pull and this, you know, Shiva, Shakti, energy, masculine, feminine, giving, receiving and so bamboo that obviously needs to have a sustaining.
And I haven't dropped my staff once in 26 years. So every Sunday is payday. And as many people here, you know, sometimes there's no money coming in. They just don't pay them. And they know my staff, most of them here, you know, they've been here with me seven, eight, 9 or 10 years. That's a long time, you know, because usually there's a very quick staff, you know, turning over and here, here they, they understand that I'm not that sort of a person that will drop them and that.
So but it has to carry on moving in some sort of way. Why am I saying all that. Because.
Because they know that every Sunday they're going to be paid for. That amount has to come in also. So about usually like a month's stay is about three, five, 3000 504,000, which would include already like food and lodging and then other activities. Other activities would be separate and the on on a work exchange, they'd have to reach out privately to me and see what ways we can, you know, do exchanges with or if you become like an ambassador helping me, you know, divulge the information so that it gets out there and become and bumble the ambassador so that we can have those ten rooms.
It's actually only ten rooms to have 7 or 8 constantly full with an ambassador out there. That's the best way that you could work for. Yeah, yeah, I think that's beautiful. I think that and then have a free state. Yeah. Go ahead. Sorry. It got a little glitchy, so I thought you would stop talking. Yeah I got a glitchy there.
Yeah. I mean apart from, like on site on site working obviously we have the whole staff doing what they're doing, but there's always something to do. I mean, for sure. And when I'm not here and, you know, whatever, you know, I need to know what what you guys like doing or you can do and reach out to me personally.
And for sure, we can find ways of like paying half a stay or, you know, we can we can talk it. Right. So I will put in the description and then if anybody wants to reach out to me personally, I can put you in contact with Vistara to make sure that you can, you know, explore that. A lot of people that come for an archipelago do have the means to kind of check out and the the amount you mentioned, like 3,500 USD for a month, like the level of comfort that you have in bamboo to that itself is it's a very good price for having that level of tranquility on the beach for that long.
It is it is truly special,
I just want to add in there a little bit. If you're considering, like what's going on right now, if you consider what's going on right now in Mexico City, where an apartment in La Condesa is for two, two and a half, 3000 US for months and doesn't include anything. It's like many people are working online.
It's like, come on guys, come here for that same price. You're going to be right on the beach. You can carry on working. You have all these beautiful activities and good food. So it's like as I understand it a little bit. And what are we inverting like wherever you are out there as money's worth the project so.
I'd have to reach out to me personally to see what budget works.
You know, you want to come down for maybe you want to come down and immerse yourself in, like, the complete thing. Then maybe the the pricing will change a little bit. But the basic pricing of three, 5 to 4, yes, includes food and includes yoga. And then if you want to have like other extra activities like massages or like you want to do the whole detoxifying or the fast or the scale, and those are just additional little activities, right?
Right. Yeah. You can really go there and just live or you can go there and fully, you know, check into finding all the ways to detox your body and the mind and the spirit all at once, you know, and it can be very all consuming. I have noticed that for some of our staff retreats, by the by the end of it, it's like who this is, this is, this is something.
But I have never left bamboo to worse than I came. And I think that right there is an important thing to, you know, to touch on. And not only that, but you are connected to so many people worldwide like you were. The reason we have bare heart, you know, and so many other people. Like I remember that sound bath lady with the beautiful ballerina lady that was like holding me and cradling me in the water.
And I went into that like, oh, this is it was the sound. It was the water harp. Yeah, yeah. Experience. And I went into that and I was like, oh, I'm not, I'm not really that into this stuff. Like, you know, it's kind of weird. And then like I'm in it and I'm just like sobbing, being cradled by this woman.
I didn't know, but she was just so beautiful. And she's. Wow. So I think that is also part of the treasure. That is what you have to offer there because it's not, you know, you bring together so many amazing people that just end up attracted there. Right. And I had an interview with my favorite musician brother Ali.
And one of the things he said to me that I think applies here is he said, you love me because I am, I'm, I am you. I'm just like you. And you see me and you and I see you and me. And that's why we end up connected. And I think the same is, you know, with bamboo. I do remember when I met you, I was intimidated by you, but I was also like, I would like to be like that at some point, you know, just like this.
Unwavering, just strong. Here. You can do it, you know, because because you weren't you were never rude to me. You were never, like, harsh. But you also like when I was, like, complaining and whining. Oh, I can't do this. I can't do this. You were just like, yes you can. Yes you can. Yeah, yes you can. Of course.
Yeah. And it pissed me off. I was like, no I can't. You know, like you don't understand. And you were like, yes, I do. But the, the, the magic, you know, like I and I think deep down, you know, it's not like you were keeping me actually prisoner if I tried to get out of that ceremony. Truly, it's not like you're going to hold me by my hair and not let me leave, right?
It was an emotional thing that I was going through with that. So. So to be clear, and this is another question when we were talking about doing this interview, this is a question that I had had. And people in general is because we had sent out an email saying that these long stays, residencies, if you will, are opening up in June, but wasn't clear to me.
And what I want to make clear to everybody watching this is this is not simply a scheduled thing where it's only June and then it's only, I don't know, December, and then it's only that it is a situation to where if if you feel called to truly spend time and to find a place of actual peace and strength, you can go at any point that there is availability.
Make an agreement with Vistara on what it is that you're wanting, whether it's just just to stay there and work or to really immerse yourself. You can do that at any point, and you can completely tailor it to what you need as far as time spent, how deep you go. And it's also from my understanding you can show up just wanting to stay and change your mind partway through of like, no, I'm deciding.
I want to go deep. Or you could show up wanting to go deep and be like, I need a minute, right? Is that is that my understanding correctly, how these work? Yes. Yes, definitely. So actually, I think my message came out a little bit. I was just so excited that we're doing it. So I said ten spaces are available in June, but I guess the information didn't come out correctly.
It's like starting from June. So please, from from June on, which is now and it is July and August. September, October. Yes, in October, November, December. We have a couple of retreats already coming up. So that would be coming into the retreats. And actually we have an amazing one. November 22nd to 29th, beautiful gratitude gathering, which we're going to talk about in a moment.
So that's coming in. So either it's coming in and then staying longer or already like visualizing even before the next conference, you know, you want to be here for a month or two and then drift into the conference or maybe coming out of the conference and spending some more time here in Mexico. So it's up to you to find the correct time, but we're already available for that.
And yes, going deeper. And if you want to stay up.
Surface, it's just up to you. Everybody's in their own process. Right. That's where they are to to receive you in your own. Yeah. So on that like I do want to make the note that part of the magic of the an archipelago and how it's affected some of us so deeply. Me and Kat, some of the other ones were kind of like lifers in the polka community.
And part of what attracted me to the community from afar before I ever came here, was there was very much the vibe of like, people were coming for the conference and then they were not leaving. Right. Or they were coming a few months before and spending time in Mexico before. And I do really want to encourage people, either before or after an archipelago, to actually come and experience life in Mexico.
And I'm not talking going to to loom and being at some like, you know, beach party resort. Right. And those have they have their places and they're beautiful and artistic. But like if you want to truly experience Mexico, a place like bamboo is perfect because it is comfortable, it is homey. And it is not simply this touristic vibe that so many people end up getting immersed in when they come here.
You know, a lot of people end up really separated from the culture. And I do think that the perfect time is whenever it works for you. But if you're somebody who travels around the world and spends a few months here, in a few months there, why not? Bam! Buddha and something else I wanted to touch on is a lot of people.
They're like, oh, okay, well, ceremonies happen there or whatever. And so but I have a family, I have kids, I have a husband. And so they think that it's not a place that welcomes, you know, all, all different types of people, families, walks of life. And so I did want to ask on that, like, I know the answer.
But for the sake of the audience, our family is welcome. Can you come down here with your three kids and stay for three months, or does it need to be, you know, just you focusing on your own stuff and stepping away from all of that?
Yeah, that's a really good question. In in retreats, obviously there's retreats focused on certain aspects of what we're working with. But now with the long stays welcome, of course. Actually, we have a dear, dear VIP lady who was here last year. She couldn't come. She was here two years ago and she came with her two daughters. And they love it.
And I know they're coming back. And she's asked me many times she wanted to stay for three months. I couldn't accept her last year because we had all these retreats in between. And she was like, oh, but I mean, the girls were so happy here. And yeah, so people do come. We, we do a lot of like social work and seeing so the kids can also help, you know, on the beach there's a lot to do.
And and collecting rubbish and activities so that they can not participate. You know the beaches a lot of attention and love. So so they're always going to find a way of of finding something to do in nature is like some people say, oh my God, are they going to be bored there? No, no, no, they're never going to be bored here.
So yes. Very welcome.
On that note, our producer from Kat or our producer Kat from an archipelago, you know, anybody that's coming in or they've met little Jose and Jose in a lot of ways, has grown up at bamboo to like she's been coming there since she's 2 or 3 months old throughout her whole life. And you're right, I've never seen Jose bored there between the pool and the beach and the sand and the food.
And, you know, when mom's doing yoga, she's, you know, coming in and out and like, yeah, it truly is a kind of a magical place for, for children. It's it's it in a lot of ways, it's a place where anybody can come and sink into being a child, but you can also relax into it, like regardless of whatever age you are, you know, there is that that fun side to it.
I mean, I do have it like a consciousness, healing, creativity, space, retreat space. So where, you know, we're all on the on the consciousness level, whatever that means for everybody. But, you know, knowing we all from the same community and what we want for our kids. So, you know, growing up in an area like this where all this is available, then of course, welcome.
You know, as long as the only thing I always ask for, you know, is to keep the vibe of bamboo. So bamboo is obviously a vibe, let's say, of not of nonsmoking in here. No music boxes, no ice boxes. So that's why it's clean of that energy. It's very clean energy. So as long as the kids don't throw stones into the pool or, you know, all that sort of stuff, right?
Don't damage the property. You know, the space. Yeah. In the sense of, you know, being gentle with the plants and, you know, we, we we talked in nature and, and I think for kids, it's so amazing to see that and to grow up with that. So there's definitely a lot of teaching for for kids also kids and parents at the same time.
It's also at least I mean, you've let me bring my cat and my dog there and and as long as the animals are similar to the kids not destroying, you know, the grass or the property or whatever, animals are also welcome to and honestly like it is. I'm always joking because last time I came, I brought my cat and your your your tiger striped cat.
I forget his name is the boy. Yeah, yeah, yeah, well, he he won the heart of my girl cat. And she's indoors and he's outside just like wooing her outside the window. And she's just like, you know, like I tell her all the time. Okay, chunky, we're going to go back to bamboo to soon, and you can see her boyfriend and she she's.
That's so funny. Yeah. Because they because they, they did have a sort of a bond, you know, when, when we were leaving and I had her in her carrier and it was like that carrier that could be opened up, and she was just kind of laying there, and he was laying up against the carrier because it was the closest he could get to her.
But yeah, it is, I have so many stories of, like, so many different experiences, you know, like, I of course, going there after the murder, of course, going there for an archipelago. And when I had my breakup with my ex three years ago, Emma was like, I'm going to bamboo for a massage. And I was like, I'm coming with you.
And I spent the whole day there crying on the beach, crying to you, talking to bear heart, just finding my inner strength of like, I don't have to sit in situations that don't don't help me. You know I don't have to be. And I remember in that too. Like that was another situation where with you and me, we had that blend of like, because I wanted, I wanted to partake in ceremony that year and he wouldn't let me.
And you were like, are you making this choice for yourself or you're making this choice for him? And I think it's important that you're aware of that. I'm on a live pole here. Excuse me. Yeah, sorry. There's a bit of noise in the background. Oh. It's okay, it's okay. Yeah. No worries. Yeah, yeah, it is a lively and vibrant place.
And there are people coming and going and cooking food and eating food and all sorts of things. So that's that's no problem at all. But so I want to move on and I want to talk about the gratitude gathering a little bit. Are you there.
Something that you mentioned before. So hearing me I can hear you but I can hear me. There, there you are. You're coming back now. Oh, you're going there. Okay. Yeah. Something that you pointed out before. Definitely. So this is obviously an old round place in the sense of it's not only me at the front. Christian. Yes. My husband, who has made everything with his hands, the whole team.
So, you know, the whole team, everybody in his way. There's so many different artists and friends and and all sorts of beings that have walked in and out of this space that all together make the viable bamboo. So, yes, whatever you're you're aiming at or looking for, it is an all round place. And as long as I'm still here, I really welcome you to to come in and experiment.
Yeah. And that's the thing I do appreciate is you have you have your own vibe, you have your own things that you offer, but you do also open the space up for collaboration and for doing different things. Like you and I have talked about doing circus retreats, I've left my circus structure there. Right. We've talked about doing all sorts of things.
And one thing I'm really excited for is you had mentioned a previously, the gratitude gathering. This is from November 22nd to 29th in in in Bermuda. And I've been telling Kat for years and Kat, she agreed with me. But it was one of those things where we were building the team. We were building a structure and how we do things.
And every year I'm like, we need to just have just retreats at bamboo to, like, not attached to an archipelago because it can be a little intense to go deep in a retreat and then either go and work at an archipelago if it's a staff retreat, or to be, in the case of the retreats that we have as part of an archipelago, generally it's people coming in throughout an archipelago, so they go to an archipelago and then they come in for, you know, buffalo or combo ceremony, and then they go back into an archipelago or they're exhausted from an archipelago, and then they go into the retreat after for a couple of days for the
more intensive retreats. And those those experiences have changed at this point, hundreds of lives. And I think there is a value in having just its own standalone thing that really, you know, there's nothing before or after as far as an archipelago is concerned. So people can come weeks before that retreat, settle into the space for as long as they need to and stay afterwards.
But really, we can have the focus be on the retreat itself, on the container with less of the distractions of oh, but there's this party over here, and there's this thing happening, and there's this person talking and on the stage or whatever. Right. So after many years of me begging Kat finally this year, it seemed like the right thing to do, especially because we did move to PV for an archipelago this year, and we imported Vistara because we can't we can't do awakening things without her.
But also, so many people expressed the craving to return to Bermuda for retreat, including the team. Right. And so we started over the last couple of months of talks of figuring out what this looks like because we're we have you, we have bare heart and we have Paolo, and you guys have been working together. And we also have Piazza, who has been a big part of an archipelago by not necessarily been involved with the awakening stuff.
And me and Cat, we're just like, let's bring it all together, you know, and let's, let's make something beautiful. And we have we've officially finished. Well, I officially finished the sales page. We are we are officially promoting that. Come join us at bamboo to. So I'm curious as to what is exciting you about the gratitude gathering and what is surprising you about you know, how it's forming and how you feel about it.
Well, what's exciting to me is that I'm. Yeah, really, apart from the gratefulness and and that it is in a way separate from anarcha, but it is still together and so anarcha and awakening and our community getting together. So it's exciting how things are evolving and moving and how we can finally, yes, give it that specific space, you know, a little bit apart from from the whole main event and exciting how how that can maybe help other people move through in a different way and surprise in a way.
How? Yes, because I bear Bernard and myself had been working all these years together in a specific way, and now surprise in a beautiful way, how we're all co-creating together and how this magical event is, is happening around Thanksgiving. It's just with a big thank you, thank you, thank you. It's just a huge opportunity to to get together and be grateful for everything we have in our lives and going through.
If it's through deep ceremony, if it's working on trauma release, if it's whatever it is that you're being called to do in this retreat, there's going to be different ways of you to be able to navigate through it. So that's that's in a way not surprising, but in a way it's surprising because, you know, when we get together, different energies get together and different walks of life.
That's why sometimes we call it the the magic mystery retreat, because sometimes we don't even know what's coming out. I mean, we know, but it has to be a surprise. It's like, I even like saying that in class. I love the the beginner's mind. You know, the beginner's mind is like a child's mind and child mind that is always surprised that what can happen.
It's something new because sometimes it feels like everybody already knows everything. So let's just stay with that beginner's beautiful, pure mind and and let us be surprised. I agree with that. Part of the reason why we call it the gratitude gathering is, yes, it's happening during Thanksgiving. It is. And I'll be making the Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving. So we will be doing a traditional dinner.
And I've sat with bear in several ceremonies, and I've also worked with Piazza separately. And the big theme to all of this work and the thing that bear, for example, and in ceremonies with Buffalo, he he's always told me, if it gets too intense, breathe deep and say, thank you, thank you, thank you, and you'll be okay. And there's something true, there's something true to that, you know, because there is when when we're in various ceremonies, be it and Temescal, be it in cocoa ceremony, be it in yoga, there's going to be points where things feel intense, you know, and having the gratitude just for the ability to feel the intensity instead of feeling numb.
That in itself as a blessing. And that's why we kind of why we kind of fashioned it around this. And you're mentioning the mystery retreat side of things. Some of the magical stuff that we've done in the staff retreats have not been things that we originally put in the itinerary, if I remember correctly. Last staff retreat, we had a bamboo to the second time as Cal ceremony was also kind of spare the moment a cacao ceremony.
And I mean, for me in particular, it was it might have been more intense than the first ceremony I had because it was physically intense and I wasn't yelling, but I was very emotional, right. And I didn't expect that. Just simply adding in cacao along with it. Right. And so we do have an itinerary for we have things that we're offering.
And the point is to be able to flow and adjust with what comes up for what people need. You know, like sometimes people, you know, we do have a couple times cows plans. Sometimes they want less of an intense experience, a lighter tennis cal for the last one, sometimes instead of at sunset. Maybe it's better at sunrise. You know, sometimes instead of doing yoga in the morning after Temescal, we go and we kayak to the lagoon and cover ourselves in mud, like there's a lot of different things that can be done.
And on the child like note I want to mention, I will be I will be offering Ariel to anybody. Ariel being like circus, you know, trapeze and hammocks, specifically Ariel classes to anybody. And I know a lot of people look at what I do with them and they're like, I can't do that. And I'm just like, do you have hands?
Yes, you can, because if you have hands, you can do it. You know, like I've seen people without legs, I've seen morbidly obese people. Sorry about the beeping. I live not far from a busy road, but, so I wanted to mention that because there is that playfulness that I can feel that's coming through for this retreat, because we do have the structure, but it is also very, you know, open format in terms of like what can happen.
But the point is community. The point is coming home to bamboo. And the point is experimentation and fun. Yes, totally. I totally hear you. And that's it. Coming home playing. Let's play together. It's not. You have to participate in all the activities you can. And the brass. Remember that when the going gets tough, it's breathing through it. So call it any of the activities that you can be participating in.
If it's deep ceremony, if it's trauma release, if it's kayaking, if it's yoga, if it's if it's holding it just life, it's breathing through it. Right. And as we learn how to breathe correctly, the breath will take us through any difficult moment. Yeah. And I do want to mention an experience that I had in 2024 when, you know, like 2023, I was dealing with that breakup and I was very much dealing with the incompatibility of that relationship that I was in.
And so I came back to and we had a kayak trip that year, and that whole time it was very much like, I have a lot of experience kayaking. We were like this across the river because we couldn't we couldn't flow together and work together. And so the next year we showed up because we do it at sunrise and we show up.
And Bert had his own kayak, but I was like, I want my own kayak. And he's like, you want it says, you go ahead and you do it. And by the end of it, I was just like, you know, like, this is too much. I made it, but I made it late and I just like, I got there and Bert had ridden with Mike and he's just like, so you can ride back alone if you want, or you can pick one of us to, to share a kayak with.
And I was like, all right, bear, I'm choosing you. And then the harmony of like going from being the person to arrive last because I wanted to go alone and like, be strong to bear heart. And that we were racing everybody and we showed up back at the starting point first, because there is something to. And that's part of why these group retreats are so special, especially with people within our community.
There's something to learning to work together and flow together and not against each other. Because when you when you're kayaking in tandem with somebody and if you're not on the same page and not listening to each other and communicating, that's when you're back and forth across the river and making making it nowhere. And you can go it alone.
But is it always worth it? Right. So like even those things where it just seems like a fun thing to do, there is a journey in all of the little things that we end up embarking on at bamboo and I, I wanted to mention that as a thing because it is, that was a surprising lesson for me in terms of the kayak trips, for sure.
Yeah, we're navigating this world together, and I like to see it as we're accompanying one another. And it's a very it's a lone some journey. I mean, we are alone in our in our bodies, but we are accompanying one another. And so this is just a beautiful place to, to connect in a company one another while we're doing getting on with what we're getting on with out there and together.
Right. And, and you know, a lot of people they because they see the chaos that used to be in the early days and then they see the coherence that we have more or less in the team now. And I'm often asked like, what's the difference? And a big part of the difference is Kat and her leadership and her making us adhere to the the four agreements, which is not taking things personally.
Don't make assumptions. Always do your best and be impeccable with your word. Right? So we remember those things for the interpersonal stuff. But also it's partially that bonding as a team, you know, like when you're both crying and sweating and hugging the same palm tree or holding hands on the beach, you know, barely able to breathe, there's a there's a bonding that happens there that wouldn't happen otherwise.
And I think that's a big part of why an archipelago flows as well as it does as a, as a team. So I do want to say thank you for the ways that you've opened up for us to. Because for me, I, I definitely really miss the retreat. Pre-event. This year I did have a ceremony with Piazza by just her and I, but I missed my time in bamboo before an archipelago this year, and I think it did have an effect on how we kind of got along.
We all felt more separate this year, you know, there wasn't drama, but did we feel close the way we did every other year? Not necessarily.
Yeah. So hopefully we can we can bond that in this grateful and this grateful gathering in November and set the stone for the beautiful next time we meet again in PV February. All the gratitude setting, the tone. Yeah, I agree with that amazing event. I agree with that. I do want to talk a little bit about like ways to get involved with the gratitude gathering, because we tend to have different options for people available.
And so we have basically three price levels for anybody watching. We have the single occupancy private room option. It's more expensive. You're staying completely by yourself. And that's it. Right there is the single person but shared occupancy in which you buy a ticket, and you trust us to give you a roommate. You'll be you're not going to be, you know, sharing the same exact bed or something, but you will be sharing a space with somebody else.
But you're also going to be getting to interact with and learn from somebody else. And then we have the couple option, which is obviously you're sharing a room with either a friend doesn't have to be somebody or in romantic partnership with, or you can share it with your couple or even bring a parent or something like that and share the retreat that way.
So there is a little bit of, you know, flexibility and options for people as far as that are concerned. And we do have a somewhat limited capacity. We do have the ability to expand if need be. But we also do have a limited capacity because, you know, there is the neighboring property and bamboo only has ten rooms, right?
So that is something to be aware of. It's not going to be like an archipelago because there's just not as many people. Right. But I think there is more of a capacity for magic, because when there's too many people, do you really get the chance to connect? Do you really get the chance to sink into it and sink into the peace of the place?
And I think I'm very excited for it. It is, for me, a dream come true, not just of having a retreat outside of an archipelago season, but also.
The people you, Piazza Burkhart specifically, are the people who have helped me the most in terms of like actually dealing with my shit, actually dealing with, you know, the victim mindset and the trauma brain and, that, that part of me that feel stuck, you know, because I do I as long as I'm dealing with these legal issues, I'm going to I'm, I'm working through those emotions.
But when people ask me like, how were you? Okay, the first thing I say is like, if you're looking for a place to be okay, you should probably go to bamboo to. Yeah, okay. Because it's it's going to serve you whatever you need. Be that tough love. Be that tough love plus soft love or just, you know, a place to breathe for a minute.
Yeah. And I'm here to company you all the way through it. So whatever you're going through out there, I'm prepared. We are prepared. We are prepared. Right. And who knows, maybe in the future. You know, this is, you know, been a dream of mine. And you and I were talking about is to host, like, women's circus, plus human design.
Get to know yourself. You know, events, you know, like, I love an archipelago. And I am starting to move into a yes and part of my life. And that I want to be curating my own experiences of this sort. And.
I'm amazing. Looking forward to it. Yes, yes. And it's very important, right? Because you never grow if you don't try different things that might be difficult to set up or might not be what you're used to doing. But my bring the the highest growth that you could ever expect to come from a from a situation. Yeah, yeah. Because we can't, we can't really close doors.
It's like keeping doors open as to life experiences. And there's obviously so many and all the time. Obviously we can put limits on it or say, okay. Am I ready for it or not? Or where where do I want to go with it? But I believe firmly believe for myself anyway. It's this consciousness all the way and whatever doors are going to open, welcome and to welcome them as long as they are for the benefit of all beings.
I mean, I firmly believe that. So whatever I think, say, and do is in total congruence. I am always aligned with that thought pattern for the higher good. I agree with that completely. Well, I think we're going to wrap this up. I really thank you for taking the time to do this with me. I know you're super busy and I'm so looking forward to seeing you.
I am, as you know, working on my legal situation so I can come and just lay on on the beds, on the beach and just exist for a little bit because I need it. I am, I am, I'm needing that vitamin B and vitamin B being bamboo so bad, right? So I want to say thank you. And I wish you to have a beautiful rest of your day.
You too. Thank you so much for your time and for everybody listening and can't wait to see you very, very soon. Much love, much love. Thank you. Bye.
