Aug 23 to Sep 6, 2026 · San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas
Fourteen grounded days in the sacred sciences, lived on the land where they still breathe.
A small circle, gathered in the name of syncretism, alongside Santos Bonacci. Raw, therapeutic, and real. Not a vacation with a spiritual label.
Live lectures are coming — get the link firstBooking for the retreat opens within days — the list hears first.
Limited to 15 guests · one cohort · no second date this year.
Why We Gather
"We don't study the sacred sciences from a distance. We come together and live them, so they stay alive."
This is a gathering, not a lecture with a view. A small group of us, on the ground in Chiapas, doing the real work of syncretism where it was born. I'll walk every day of it with you.
Santos Bonacci · a leading voice in the syncretism movement
What This Is
The sacred sciences of syncretism, taught and discussed together. The sun behind the saints, the zodiac beneath scripture, the one story under many.
Indigenous ceremony at Chamula and Zinacantán. Maya sacred sites at Toniná, Chinkultic, Tenam Puente. Canyons and waterfalls of the highlands.
Temazcal, cacao and corn ceremony, equine therapy, yoga. Grounded, therapeutic days that put the knowledge in your body, not just your notes.
The 14 Days
You budget separately for flights, the remaining meals, and personal spending. We'd rather you know that now than find out later.
Booking bonus · every seat
Every guest receives Santos's complete presentation archive — normally a paid download on his store — to study before you arrive and keep for life. Come already deep in the material, and every site and ceremony gives you more. Only these fifteen ever get it this way.
The Investment
Payment plans available — reserve with the deposit, then split the balance into installments. It settles into a comfortable monthly number.
$5,900
full 14 days, all-inclusive
20% deposit to reserve · first wave, until ~July 22
$6,000
standard, all-inclusive
20% deposit to reserve
$4,200
one-week premium pass
limited · for those who truly can't take the full fourteen
A deposit reserves your place. Balance due by ~July 24, 2026. Only 15 seats.
Plain words on the deposit
Your seat is held by a 20% deposit — $1,180 on the early-bird, $1,200 at standard — and the deposit is non-refundable from the moment it's paid. That's what holds your seat. The remaining balance is due by July 24, 2026. If the balance isn't paid by that date, the seat is released to the next person and the deposit is not returned. Once the balance is paid, payments are non-refundable — by then the seat and the costs on the ground are committed. And if you book after July 24, you're inside the 30-day window, so the full amount is simply paid at booking. You'll confirm this with a checkbox at checkout, and your confirmation email restates it. That's the whole policy — no small print.
From Those Who Came Before
"The second I heard of the new August Retreat my heart wanted to go back immediately. The time I spent on the first Retreat was Amazing to say the least. The beautiful rustic lodge hotel, all of the excursions and great food were more than I expected. Tess was so sweet to make sure all my individual needs were met. My biggest take home was my time spent with Santos. I still can't make cacao near as good as he does. I want to go back!!!"
Jo Kilmer — guest, first Chiapas retreat
The people holding the fourteen days
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Astrotheologist & Syncretist
Australian musician, astrologer, and lecturer known for his work in astrotheology and syncretism. For over three decades he has explored the connections between ancient cosmology, sacred symbolism, astrology, and spiritual philosophy — presenting a unified view of "as above, so below." His teachings bridge ancestral wisdom and contemporary spiritual inquiry; within this retreat his perspective anchors our exploration of syncretism, weaving land, ritual, cosmology, and embodied experience into a living practice.
[photo]
Equine Teacher & Therapist
A passionate, professional equine teacher and therapist specializing in equine therapy. With extensive experience working with children and adults — and as an active member of the Special Olympics equestrian team — she brings deep expertise, sensitivity, and integrity to her practice. Having lived in Chiapas for nearly 20 years, Tess has cultivated a strong relationship with the land and local community. During the retreat she guides equine experiences that foster presence, emotional awareness, and authentic connection through the wisdom of horses.
[photo]
Anthropologist
An anthropologist based in Mexico City whose research explores the relationship between nature and culture. Passionate about botany and the transformative power of medicinal plants, her work bridges academic inquiry with lived, embodied experience. She is especially interested in how plant knowledge, ritual practice, and community traditions intersect. Within the retreat, Faye guides participants into deeper reflection on local botany, syncretism, and the cultural dimensions of healing practices.
Within days — the booking page is being finalized now. Leave your name below and you'll have the link before the public does. The list has first claim on the fifteen seats.
Fly into Tuxtla Gutiérrez (TGZ). We handle airport shuttles and all ground transport from there — you land, we take it from the airport door.
Included: accommodation for the full fourteen days, airport shuttles, all ground transport, every workshop, ceremony, and excursion, a set of meals (a breakfast, six lunches, two dinners), and Santos's two live teaching sessions. Not included: flights, the remaining meals, and personal spending.
Yes. Reserve with the 20% deposit, then spread the balance in installments through the booking platform, with the full balance due by July 24, 2026. If you book after July 24, you're inside the 30-day window, so the full amount is paid at booking.
Plainly: the 20% deposit is non-refundable from the moment it's paid — it holds your seat. The remaining balance is due by July 24, 2026. If the balance isn't paid by that date, the seat is released to the next person and the deposit is not returned. Once the balance is paid, payments are non-refundable — the seat and the costs are committed. You'll confirm this at checkout and it's restated in your confirmation email.
No. You set your own depth. Every ceremony and excursion is there for you, and you're free to rest, sit one out, and take the fourteen days at your own pace.
If you're drawn to the work, you belong here. Santos teaches from the ground up, and you go as deep as you're ready to. The archive that comes with your seat means you can arrive already prepared.
And before the doors open, something else is coming: live lectures — Santos teaching live online again, on the very knowledge these fourteen days stand on. Want the link when they're announced?
Leave your name and the link finds you first — and when the fifteen seats open in the coming days, this list hears that first too.
You're in.
Watch your inbox — lecture dates and the booking link reach this list before anyone else.
No noise — just the lectures and the retreat. Your details stay with us.
Then: early-bird $5,900 with a 20% deposit, while the first seats last.