There are many reasons why travelling with a guide may be preferable. Always choose a guide who comes highly recommended, has lots of experience, who has a reputation for excellence and who is endorsed under a code of ethics, having passed the necessary guidleines to be a reputable Casa Guide. See checklist at bottom of page. Adrienne makes every effort to be this guide for you and and is proud of her successful history with previous groups. When choosing tour dates, pick from pre-scheduled dates to make the journey. This guarantees that you will be participating with a group whose itinerary and arrangements are well thought out in advance and that there will be others making the same journey with you.

Adrienne can provide you with a number of opportunities to set your mind at rest so that you may relax and focus fully on your healing. Firstly, she takes care of all the arrangements and practicalities of your trip within Brazil so all you need to do is buy your ticket and arrive in Brasilia.

Here, her provision of a 5 star hotel and a wonderful Brasilia experience upon arrival and departure is a magical and practical way to start and end the trip. It is important to have complete comfort on the first evening in Brazil in order to get a good nights sleep and prepare for the long drive (one and half hours), to Abadiania, as people can be tired from the long flights. This is also the opportunity for people to connect and get to know each other and Adrienne will be making sure that everyone is comfortable, all fears are allayed and all questions answered.

If this is your first trip to the Casa, it can be very overwhelming. Hundreds of people arrive each day and much of the day is in Portuguese. Adrienne will take you through the whole process and make sure that all your issues are taken care of. Travelling alone can mean that much of the two weeks is spent becoming familiar with Abadiania, the Casa and the procedures, time better spent relaxing and recuperating. It is lovely to be taken care of by someone who is fully familiar with the process, has lived there for a long time and speaks Portuguese.

She is available from 7am - 10pm to facilitate the group, answer questions, be a shoulder to cry on, be able to provide any practical assistance that may be necessary and be fully versed in the Casa, it's rules, methods and activities. Adrienne takes her responsibility as a guide very seriously and believes that her availability, love, support, experience and concern for the people in her group make her an asset to the trip. This is a most important spiritual, emotional and physical experience for you and she is aware of all these needs and what may arise. She is aware that care, love and attention are vital components to helping people heal and she has a dedicated commitment to your recovery.

Adrienne runs optional guided meditations on the non Casa days. These techniques will help you deepen your connection to your healing and whether you are new to meditation or have years of experience, these meditations will help you release that which no longer serves you.

One of the most important reasons for travelling in a group is that your heart will extend immediately outwards to the other people in the group and truly open. It is important to arrive in Brasiliia on the same day, to form the group and go through the journey with each other. More than anything, this forgetfulness of self and genuine love and caring for the others around you creates the most perfect opportunity for each persons individual healing. It is so heartfelt and tender, the ground is laid for true healing.

Adrienne also believes laughter is the best medicine and will ensure that you enjoy yourself. There is the option of activities in the village and the group may take a day to a nearby eco forest or farm. This is depending on the entities permission. Being in a group is a wonderful experience, bonds are forged and lifelong friends are made. However none of these activities are designed to distract you from your spiritual time and indeed that is first and foremost on the agenda. As the entity Jose Valdevino says, "This is not a holiday - you came here for spiritual treatment."

Visiting John of God and sharing the healing process with others is a blessing and makes it an experience like no other. There is no faster way to feel connected and part of something so unknown and unfamiliar than to take the journey with her and all the people that will be part of your healing journey.

Adrienne travels to Brazil as a guide between four and six times a year. This seems to be the optimum number of trips in order to work effectlively and always be fresh and emotionally available for each group.

Should you wish, Adrienne will film aspects of your trip and give you a 20-30 minute video set to music as a wonderful reminder of the journey.
This is done with a tiny digital camera and is entirely unobtrusive. Setting it to music ensures the privacy of each person while at the same time providing a poignant and joyous account. Watch other video excerpts from previous groups.

Should you not be able to choose Adrienne as your guide due to timing or other factors, there are some very important things to consider when choosing:

• How long has the guide been operating?
• Are they endorsed by Friends of the Casa?
• Do they speak Portuguese?
• How many groups have they led and what is the average size?
• What are their working hours and do they take days off?
• What personal work have they done to guarantee their emotional stability and compassion?
• How long did they spend in Abadiania doing their own work before they became a guide?
• Can they put you in touch with people who have travelled with them to provide recommendations?
• What is the standard of the hotel in Brasilia, (if any) and Abadiania?
• What extra ciricular activites do they offer - meditation instruction, group meetings, Brazilian cultural activiities, good knowlegde and utilisation of village life, etc...?
• Is this their primary employment and work focus?
• Do they love what they do?

Not all guides offer the same service and it is critical that you ask these questions to avoid disappointment later. Make the most of this most profound journey. CHOOSE WISELY.