My trip to Peru for a 2 week Ayauscha retreat was one of the most life changing experiences I have ever experienced. I would equate to 20 years of thearpy done in 2 weeks. There were 20 people from all over the world. There was even a professional tennis player and a few big time stock brokers to Native American Indians from the Navaho tribe. We were all different age groups but we came together to neither heal or evolve spiritually. The journey started with a 16 hour flight with lay overs. Then was picked up by a cab in pucallpa, Peru and taken to a hotel. The hotel had a large steal green door and was surrounded by high walls with Barbed wire. Looked more like a jail than a resort. This let me know where I truly was at. The guards opened the gate and it was like a hidden green oasis you would see on a tropical island surrounded by the hood. I got checked in and went to sleep early. We all meet each other in the lobby in the morning and jumped in 6 cars and started our trek up into the jungle which was about an hour and a half away. I have never seen poverty like this first hand. There were wild stray dogs everywhere. To own a little car is like driving a Luxary car there. Most who can afford drive on motorcycle carts and making living as a taxi. We went through many small towns and finally made to a trail that was just big enough for a small car not much bigger then a mini cooper could pass. The grass and bush grazed your face as we went up the trail. We were out there. There was a few small roads but just jungle everywhere. We finally pull into camp and were greeted by the shipido tribe. They were playing the drums and all were dressed in colorful clothing. The tallest one was 4’- 5”. There were 4 shaman women and 1 man. The oldest women was in her late 80’s. She was the mother of the other 3. They all were born with a disease. From birth they were taught to be healers. They first had heal their disease and then their whole lives was dedicated to healing humanity. We meet them one by one and what I first notice is how proud they were. They stood at 4’ but they stood like they was 10.
We were then lead to are tombo’s (huts) to unpack and get settled in. The huts were little houses with a bed, desk, chair and hammock. The camp was surrounded by a low fences made from logs and wire. My tombo was the furthest out. We went had our last meal at 4 pm and went back to go to sleep. I got say the jungle is the most noisiest place to be. That first night was roughest. The bugs was vicious. There are birds that chirp all night and heard a couple animals that sounded like the predator. Every so often you hear gunshots because animals get into camp. Going take a piss at 3am you better be on your toes.
We wake up at sunrise at around 6am. It is hot hot. And humid around mid 90’s to 100. You sweating as soon as you wake up. We all go meet in the square. The first thing we have to do is purge. They first give us a bowl of lemongrass in water. We are then told to drink warm water until we throw up a minimum of 3x. We then go back to our tombo’s until lunch time. The food was rough, no salt, no pepper no seasoning and was a very bland diet. Some Days we ate 2 times and on day of ayahuasca ceremony we would just have breakfast. We all then had appointments to sit with the group of shamans and tell them what brought us to them and what we needed to heal. My main concern was my lupus and back pain which has effected my quality of life for over 25 yrs. I have severe mid back pain under my rt shoulder blade for years. They tell me it’s arthritis and bulging disk but what ever it is has affect my life. I been to ever doctor you think of. I had epidural shots, nerve blocks, all kind of pain medicine and muscle relaxers and nothing seems to help the pain. My best step was surgery which I had been putting off. Many nights I couldn’t sleep and walk around with the pain like it was another arm. What I found strange it at least 10 other people had the same pain in the exact same spot. The shamans say that what are pain or disease is a manifestation of what we need to heal spiritually. We must go on a journey and heal just as they have done. They say what is our greatest ailment that once we heal is what we will go on to heal in others. There was a translator that throughly explained all my ailments and issues. I told them last year that I’ve been at a spiritual crossroads. I had been called to preach and teach spirituality ( not religion) and I was letting fear hold me back from my destiny. The universe had sent me every sign but still doubted it. They talk amongst themselves for about 10 minutes at times almost arguing. It was like being diagnosed by a team of doctors. Then after much thought one of them said tanumtti. The shipido people believe that plants are spirits. Once the plant is prescribed a the go into jungle and get the plant and make it into a juice. You drink the juice for 5-7 days depending on the plant in addition to the ayahuasca. They call it a deita and they take it very serious. We were told to start a diet with no salt,sugar, drugs,sex and many other foods at least a month before we came. Then after the 2 weeks, you have to go another 6 weeks post diet. They stressed if you can not stick to the diet don’t come. We will give you your money back. They say if you break or take any of the substance you will be worst off then before you started.
I finished my session and was told to go rest and get ready for the first ayahuasca cermony at 7. We all went to the large shipido and sat in a circle. The shamams( mistros) came in one at time and started praying and smoking machu picchu( tobacco). There were some people who had done many times so they sat further away. The newbies sat closest to the shamans. One be one we walked up to the center of the mistros and sat Indian style. The oldest mistro just stared at you with an empty look, but it was like she had x ray vision and could see into your soul. The first session was a liter one just to open up your soul. She poured me about a 1/2 of a large shot glass. It’s a golden orange substance that had a bitter taste and really can compare it to anything. We take it and then go back to our mats to lay down. Once every one as taken it’s completely dark and we just sit for about 45 min to and hr in silence. For me I remember saying this shit ain’t doing nothing lol. And then it hit I was really tripping I just saw lines and patterns. So at first I was good. Then they start the singing. The best way I can describe it is it’s like 5 different songs being sung at the same time. It off beat and on repeat. It is in native tongue so you don’t understand unless you speak some spainish. The shamans are shipido and Peruvian. The mistro’s say they are Like doctors. Their tools are tobacco, Florida water and the songs. They are performing surgery. I got be honest I didn’t belive it at first. But then it happen I started hearing people start to purge. It reminded me of the 80’s porkies movie when everyone was throwing up. It was unreal. Then that made the ayahuasca react stronger. The first night I didn’t throw up or really feel too much. I was a little disappointed. The cermony lady from 8-2am. I’m like this is fake. I didn’t really feel it. I noticed a lot of doubts were rising up in me.
I woke up late the next morning and felt groggy. We went to something they call a vapor bath. Which is a steam bath with special plants mixed in boiling water to make you sweat. They then put a small tent over you.
We then had lunch and later that afternoon the shaman brings your deita plant medicine. I drink mine it didn’t get you high like ayauscha but felt something. It made tired. It get dark around six. So there’s not much to do but go to sleep.
I woke up next day and had breakfast and then started to mentally prepare for the second ceremony. At 4 pm they gave us a spiritual floral bath I. Which the shaman pours a bowl of water with flowers all over your body. You are in swim suit but she makes sure to open suit and get into your private area. I then went back to hut and prepared. At 7 we headed to the main hut and got lined up and the shamans came in a started. This time I took almost 3/4 of a cup. I sat the 45 minutes and once they started singing it was on. I thoughts just kept coming. I saw all kinds of colors and crazy things that made no sense. I was sweating like crazy. So then I heard the mistros lining up. 2 shaman started by the 1st and second person and one went down about 2 people after me. They start singing. But by were they sit it sounds like the singing is coming from 4 directions. The tripping gets stronger the more they sing. So it comes my time for the first shaman to sit it in front of me. She sits down Indian style and just stairs at me and moves side to side. Then she starts. At first it wasn’t to bad but then she stated getting Faster and faster and higher and higher pitch. At some point it becomes annoying. I just try to keep my sanity but it gets worst and just going. All kinds of fears come up. Like I’m going lose my mind out here and there know one coming. I get worst and she keeps going. It was very scary. She kept pushing and pushing. Man I thought I was at the point no return. I started focusing on my breath. I kept saying I can take it and finally I throw up. I must throw up 15 times into the bucket. The shamans believe that emotions are in grained into your gut with mucus. I sat there drained but a felt amazing. Like some heaviness was lifted. She blew smoke on my crown and all over my body. And the. Blew Florida water all over me to seal her work. She look me and say good work and moved to the next person. My mind was blank and was a great sense of peace that came over me. for about 1 min there was much needed silence and then it started again on the next person. The second shaman was coming around and I was next. I had get out there. If I sat for the second shaman I don’t think I could taken it. It intense if you are a weak minded person or have psychological problems I wouldn’t recommend it. So I walk to bath room and just sat for minute and tried get me self together. I just kept saying wholy shit I almost lost my mind. I can’t go back In there I will go crazy. I finally muster up the courage and say you came hear to do this work and came to far to stop now. I walk back into smoke filed room and it on again. It hot and humid and filled with mosquitos. They would later say we brought your through hell to find your soul. They all went around the circle a few more times until they healed everyone. Each time the song change. The last one was more soothing like a mother singing her child to sleep. We finished and I got back to my hut at 2:22am which is an angel number if don’t know. this one was about 5 hrs and was the most intense. What I realized later was that she had to take me to the feeling of losing my mind in order to break my ego. The more I fought to hold on the harder it got for me. It was no way my will would out match her. She came to remove in me that was no longer serving me and she wasnt stoping until she got it. I couldn’t sleep all night I was wired. I woke up drink my plant and was in a daze most of the day. We journal most of the day. I was out of it for sure and find yourself staring into space in deep thought and a higher consciousness. It was like you got reprogrammed with a new way of thinking, being and processing. Every thought comes one at a time and much easier. You focus on what is important and as soon is a low vibrational thought comes it is released.
I would go on to do a total of 5 ceremonies each one gave me deep healing and understanding. We purged mentally, spiritually and physically. We were not allowed to talk to each other and really had a lot time to go with in to get answers. One of the shamans did like a deep tissue massage on my back and chest. It was very painful for a few days. She blew smoke and Florida water on me to seal it. For first time in over 20 years I’am pain free. Knock on wood it’s still holding. There was a spiritual break through that is too long to write but if anyone is interested pm me.
I would highly recommend this If you are ready to do the intense work and truly want answer and solutions in you life.