About

Meet the Team

Aya Sophia Ministry offers heart-centered retreats at Mount Shasta, guiding seekers through plant and mushroom ceremonies with reverence, integration, and communal healing.

A polished wooden sound altar in a retreat sanctuary displays an array of ceremonial instruments: a large hand-hammered bronze singing bowl with a gently weathered patina, a set of frosted quartz crystal bowls that catch the light with subtle opalescence, a row of tuning forks on a velvet-lined tray, and a woven basket holding feather-adorned rattles. The altar stands against a textured clay-plaster wall in soft earth tones. Warm, indirect afternoon light filters in from a side window, casting delicate highlights on metal and crystal surfaces while leaving the corners in soft shadow. Captured in photographic realism from an eye-level, three-quarter angle, the composition uses the rule of thirds and a moderate depth of field to create a serene, reverent, and sophisticated atmosphere ideal for illustrating sound and integration practices.

An elegant, minimalist meditation space inside a rustic-modern retreat sanctuary features a single round meditation cushion made of natural linen in muted sand tones, placed on a wide-plank hardwood floor with a subtle, matte finish. Behind it, a low altar shelf holds a simple beeswax candle, a small clay bowl of cacao, and a delicate ceramic vessel with dried wildflowers. Soft late-afternoon sunlight filters through sheer, off-white curtains, casting gentle, elongated shadows and a warm, diffused glow across the room. Photographic realism, eye-level composition with symmetrical framing enhances the sense of balance and order. The atmosphere feels contemplative, heart-centered, and refined, embodying the sophistication and depth of a plant sacrament retreat setting.

Our Story

Founded on heart-centered practice, Aya Sophia Ministry embraces remembrance of true essence, honoring diverse traditions and creating safe spaces for healing, awakening, and connection.

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Meet our facilitators

A tranquil woodland path leading to a secluded retreat yurt is framed by tall ferns and soft moss underfoot. The path, made of smooth wooden planks, winds gently through towering pines and ancient oaks, culminating in a cream-colored canvas yurt with a dark wooden door and subtle geometric patterns around its base. Early morning mist hangs low to the ground, and cool, diffused light filters through the canopy, creating a luminous, ethereal glow. Dew drops glisten on nearby leaves in sharp focus, while the yurt and distant trees soften into a graceful blur. Photographic realism, shot from a low, forward-facing angle, invites the viewer into the scene, evoking a sense of pilgrimage, sanctuary, and spiritual awakening.

Aarav Sharma

CEO

Guided by decades of ceremony, medicine work, and compassionate listening, our facilitators create a safe, reverent space for deep healing, remembrance, and awakening.

A meticulously arranged altar table made of smooth, dark walnut wood, its grain softly catching the light, holds a circular arrangement of polished crystals, a hand-carved ceramic bowl filled with water, and an intricately painted feather fan resting on a linen runner. The altar is set in front of a large window overlooking a blurred, lush forest, with diffused morning light pouring in and creating gentle highlights on the crystalline surfaces. Wisps of incense smoke curl upward in delicate patterns. Photographic realism, eye-level composition with shallow depth of field keeps the altar in sharp focus while the background fades into a soft bokeh, creating a serene, sacred, and sophisticated atmosphere ideal for a spiritual retreat homepage.

Mateo García

CTO

They bring grounding presence, ethical care, and experiential wisdom to ceremonies, helping guests move through emotion, integrate insights, and re-enter daily life with clarity.

A close-up, photographic realism still life of a ceremonial cacao preparation setup on a smooth, dark stone countertop. At the center sits a handcrafted, earth-toned ceramic mug with a matte exterior and glossy interior, filled with velvety dark cacao, its surface shimmering with subtle swirls. Beside it rests a wooden whisk coated with a thin sheen of cacao, a small bowl of fragrant spices, and a folded linen cloth in warm, neutral hues. Soft, warm pendant lighting from above creates intimate highlights on the liquid surface and gentle shadows along the mug’s contours. Shot from a slightly angled overhead perspective with shallow depth of field, the background softly blurs, suggesting a tranquil retreat kitchen, evoking nourishment, ceremony, and grounded sophistication.

Zuri Ndlovu

Engineer

Each facilitator has trained in traditional practices, trauma-informed facilitation, and celebratory ceremony, ensuring safety, consent, and shared reverence throughout the journey.

Leila Haddad

Designer

Our team honors plant and mushroom sacraments as sacred allies, guiding participants with humility, patience, and mindful boundaries to support deep release and insight.

Reviews

A circular, stone-lined fire pit carefully constructed from smooth river rocks sits at the center of a clearing in an old-growth forest, surrounded by concentric rings of moss and fallen leaves. Within the fire pit, embers glow a deep orange and red, with a few slender flames reaching upward, casting warm, flickering light on the surrounding stones. Tall trees encircle the space, their trunks disappearing into a twilight sky. The scene is captured in photographic realism at golden hour, with low, warm light filtering through branches and a subtle mist softening the background. Shot from a slightly elevated angle with a wide lens, the composition conveys a feeling of sacred gathering and quiet reverence, perfect for conveying ceremonial retreat energy without human presence.

Aya Nakamura

“This ceremony opened my heart and returned me to myself with gentleness and lasting peace.”

Mateo García

“I felt held by the community and moved through trauma toward clarity, resilience, and a renewed sense of purpose.”