Sacred Journeys with Ancestral Medicine

There's a phrase you hear a lot in the world of ancestral medicines: "The medicine opens doors, but you are the one who has to cross them."  And that, friends, is integration. The ceremony shows you. It reveals to you. It opens you. But the work of taking what you saw and applying it in your life, that work is yours. And this is where many people get lost. They have incredible experiences in ceremony, profound revelations, and then… they return to their life and it all remai

The ceremony is ultimately that encounter with oneself. It's the encounter with the plants, with the person who facilitates this sacred work. In different territories, the guardians of the plants receive different names. In some Kichwa lineages of Ecuador they are called pahui  or pahi , which can be translated as healer or medicine person. Among the Shuar people of the Ecuadorian and Peruvian Amazon, the medicine person is called uwishin ; those who have the power to see be

We had the pleasure of being at Hacienda La Sofía, joined by Leslie, also known as "La Caracola," a key member of our team. In this insightful conversation, Leslie shares her inspiring journey with ancestral medicines such as ayahuasca, San Pedro, and kambó, and how her personal experience led her to serve as a facilitator in healing retreats. We explore how these medicines, combined with connecting to nature, help heal not only the physical body but also the emotional and

Preparing for ayahuasca is like tuning an instrument before a concert. The better your preparation, the clearer and more profound your experience becomes. What is the Ayahuasca Dieta? The dieta is a traditional preparation practice from Amazonian indigenous cultures that cleanses your body, focuses your mind, and opens your spirit for the ayahuasca experience. Think of it as creating a clean slate, both physically and energetically, so you can receive the plant's teachings mo

Photo: La Caracola preparing the Kambo medicine in one of our retreats Imagine a medicine so powerful that indigenous Amazonian hunters have used it for centuries to enhance their physical strength, mental clarity, and spiritual connection. This is Kambo—a traditional healing practice that's now finding its way into modern wellness circles around the world. What Exactly is Kambo? Kambo comes from the defensive secretion of a large, vibrant green tree frog called Phyllomedusa

Have you ever noticed how certain foods make you feel energized and clear-minded, while others leave you sluggish and emotionally...