Local Medicine take 3

So I finally made it! After two previous failed attempts at an ayahuasca journey, Columbia and Ecuador both failed to happen due to different reasons (father surgery and then cartel violence in Quito, Ecuador)

I was able to find a community that practices different types of plant based medicines in the jungles of Peru.

Today I flew to Lima, Peru and tomorrow I will make my way to Pucallpa and then up one the the tributaries of the Amazon River to spend some time with the Shipibo people. If you’d like to learn more about this indigenous culture please visit

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shipibo-Conibo

I will try to post daily during this adventure but some days it might not be possible due to the schedule of ceremonies/treatments.

I will only be in Lima for the night before leaving out for the second leg of the journey tomorrow am.

Day 2 - Part 1

A motokar (tuk tuk) ride through Pucallpa and the city center on the way to the Ucayali river (a major tributary to the Amazon) where we will journey 4 hours to the Shipibo community.

Day 2 - (river trip to village continued)

After leaving Pucallpa we took a 4 hour ride by boat to get to the village.

The river is not the Amazon, but is a major tributary of the Amazon. Even this river is mammoth and the biggest Ive ever seen. It’s dizzying to explain the amount of water that flows through this region and the river systems.

Because it is rainy season now, roads to the village are largely unusable so everything happens by river. in addition to myself and a few others as well as our belongings. We actually carried up river a small amount of construction material for someone’s house.

The guide (a friend of friend who lives with the Shipibo) says further down the river there are tribes that still haven’t been discovered.

This is only a tributary of the Amazon and it’s a mile wide probably . In the river yes there are piranhas as well as pink, gray and black dolphins which are considered sacred.

Caymans and anaconda also live in this area - my friend tells me that a neighbor just had his dog eaten by anaconda!

There is also a fish in here that if you pee into water will swim up your urethra and lodge itself in there. Lesson to be learned - if you swim in these rivers here… DO NOT PEE!

A ton of birds, sloths, monkeys and also river otters are frequently seen here but I didn’t spot any on this trip.

We won’t arrive at the village until late. Tomorrow begins the process of preparing for plant medicine therapies and my first journey into the medicinal space.

Day 3

Waking up and exploring the village.

First thought is the people here are so incredibly nice. The kids are always smiling. They made me feel at home from the second I got here.

I walked around a bit and got to see some of the plants they use for treatments. It’s amazing to think that these rituals, cures and medicines have been used with such great effect in these parts for thousands of years, but we’ve rarely heard of them and seldom less have access to them.

Over the next week I will be experimenting with a number of them, but the reason I am here is for the medicine.

The vine and leaves are made into a tee and then consumed and accompanied by a healing ritual. The pot below is brewing something I will be be drinking later but I’m not sure at this point what it is.

The exact reasons I am here I will keep somewhat confidential but, this is extremely important to me.

A couple words of wisdom in preparation where given to me by my host Devin, which I will share.

Everything has a consciousness EVERYTHING. Even the individual cells in our bodies and God is in everything and ALL things have God within themes they are a part of God. We are all interconnected through God.

Plants have consciousness and we will be integrating their consciousness and inviting them into our house (body) so that they can heal us. These plants are literally believed to integrate with our body in order to cure what ails.

I am reminded that this is not an instantaneous process but one that takes time because the plants are healing the roots causes not simply masking the symptoms as much western medicine does. This is a way of life, a way of coexistence and way of getting closer to Nature and to God.

Day 3 (continued)

Still preparing for tonight journey into the medicinal space. I received my first of many flower bath for cleansing and protection. And today we will be harvesting the vines, as well as collecting leaves for the brew.

The last step was a consultation with the shamans, although they do use the word shaman in Shipibo, instead they use Onanya meaning “one who knows.” The consultation covers what I am trying to accomplish using this medicine.

There will be 3 maybe four others in the space tonight, guiding me and performing ikaros (healing songs) and letting the their spiritual allies and plant allies (dietas) direct them on how to heal what ails me and how to guide me to the version of me that I wish to become.

Tomorrow will be a day of rest and integration so i hope to be able to shed some of the experience in detail tomorrow!

Day 4 - (first ceremony from previous night)

First medicine ceremony was last night. I am still processing much of it and today is what’s known as an integration day. Reflecting, learning and unpacking everything from the previous night.

What I can on this experience this far is that it was the most amazing, and also most indescribable process I have ever been part of.

The human connections that are made, the healing, the self discovery are all very real. It is sacred and something to be given respect.

Last night was the first of three ceremonies and each one will become more impactful and more vivid as I continue to cleanse my body over the next few days.

Busy morning so far.

The day started with a vomitivo which is exactly what it sounds like. A concoction of lemon grass followed by bowls of warm water until you throw it all up. It’s meant to cleanse the stomach lining so that medicine can absorb better into the body.

With the first ceremony being done, now it’s about continuing to cleanse and purify the body from toxins so that the medicine ceremonies can become stronger by being able to form a stronger connection with the medicine.

Tomorrow is Kambo which should be interesting. Kambo involves being injected with the poison of a frog in order to detox.

Last but not least, I came here with two broken ribs. Today they will be giving me a ginger massage and working on my ribs.

I’ve only been here for a couple of days but I am realizing the power of indigenous medicine - there is a plant here to fix anything it seem and the knowledge of the tribe in using these plants is beyond impressive.

Day 4 (continued)

Today we had a traditional Shipibo lunch with friends and family of my hosts. Fish soup, yucca, and an amazing fish cake. Nothing but smiles and gratitude to the Lord and the closeness of being around family to make the day brighter even though rain is coming .

I’ve had an overwhelming sense of calm all day. The shiver and chill you get at the minute the Holy Spirit enters hour body. That’s been most of the day, the chills. I’ve never felt so full, so filled with gratitude and thanks as I do today.

My first impression of the villagers was how welcoming they were, it’s only gotten increasing on so. It’s only been two days, and they don’t treat me like a foreigner or a stranger, not even as a guest, but as one of them.

What these people are doing for me on a spiritual, worldly and emotional levels is something that can’t be quantified.

Spiritually I’ve never felt closer to God and for the first time in a long long while I know deep inside, everything is going to be ok.

On a worldly level I am learning first hand the poverty and struggles that exist when we open our eyes to see. Amazingly, everyone here smiles and is happy even though food is scarce and there is little to nothing in the way of luxury. Theirs is a hard life. However, they make the best of it and still find a way to not only be happy but to make those around them happy. Simplicity is an understatement.

On an emotional level, I am learning temperance, patience and a real meaning of sharing and trying to make the lives of others better.

I am literally transforming.

Day 4 (continued)- preparation for a neighbors quinceañera

At nighttime we stoped by to say hello but not many people were there yet. The party didn’t get going until at 10:00 PM and lasted somewhere until 4:00 am.

I was long sleeping by that time.

I did have the opportunity to try a drink called masato. Masato is a drink made from fermented yucca and sugar and water. It has an alcohol content but not too high. I was able to try some at the party and it was good!

Day 5

Tonight’s brew is ready. The huge pot on the fire is reduced to this - I’m guessing some there around 1 - 1.5 liters

This batch required nearly all of the leaves of a ch*****a tree.

Todays schedule includes:

Prepping for and undergoing Kambo treatment

Breakfast (my favorite chicken was snagged early this am)

Quick hike

Plant learning in the garden

Village water balloon fight

Rest

Pre ceremony flower bath

Medicine ceremony

Day 5 - Kambo Treatment

First step is to make two small holes in my arm with a burning stick and then apply the venom from the kambo frog.

The poison is going to make my body purge either through puking or the other direction. It is a process of cleansing the body of toxins.

Some of the notes I took while doing this…

S**t works fast.

Heartbeat increases within seconds

Stings like f**k.

This poison is fast. My temperature is rising quickly. Heartbeat is crazy fast. Veins feel constricted.

I was definitely on the edge of panic mode for a few minutes because I didn’t know how bad it was going to get but it leveled off within a couple of minutes and then it was peaceful.

All in all a pleasant experience. If it did its job then that’s good! I really don’t know if it did or not.

Would I do it again?? Maybe!

Day 5 (Lunch)

Capybara was on the menu. Jungle rat as my friend Devin refers to it.

The meat was very good. A little tough but not gamey at all. I would suspect that over a slow heat this meat would make an excellent stew.

Day 5 - (Plant and Tree Educational Tour)

For the nature and tree lovers out there.

Not only is this an safe place to experience your ayahuasca ceremonies, but the main purpose is to provide medical care to the community free of charge

The medicines are plant based and everything is grown right on the premises of the facility.

There are so many amazing natural medicines and so much experience held by the people here on how to use them to cure... AMAZING!

Day 6 - (Boat ride to Pucallpa)

So we had to go to town to get some supplies which required a trip to a nearby fishing village where we could catch a larger boat.

The boat ride to the village was in basically what seemed to be a hollowed out log with a small motor on the back. The edge of the boat couldn’t have been more than 3 inches off the water.

It has rained here for 2-3 days and the river is high and the current strong. I honestly was scared, mostly because I am not used to traveling in such a fashion and the prospect of going into this river where the current was so strong (not to mention the piranhas) had my adrenaline going.

Thankfully Roli Rodriguez’s father is a master boatsman and we made it there and back without a scratch!!

Nothing is easy here and their way of life is not an easy one. Just going to town for supplies (like us going to the grocery) took about 5 hours.

Also it seems EVERYTHING here is an adventure!

Day 6 - Pucallpa Market

It is said that the best way to learn about a people a their culture is to visit a local market.

I love markets. I love to see the different types of food, clothing, and items that are made by hand. I love the smells and I love to discover things that I have no idea what they are.

This market far surpassed my expectations!

Day 6 - (Lunch)

At the end of a dirt road is El Calamar (a Peruvian cevicheria) and hands down the best ceviche I have ever had.

Tigers milk ceviche with dorado

Mixed ceviche with crab

Shrimp soup

Day 6 - (continued)

Reforesting and planting some pineapples so that I have something here to return to.

Hopefully the pineapples will be ready when I come back in May or June.

Day 7 - (Shipibo village activities)

Water balloon fights and some hide and seek (found one in a bush!!) while the adults and teens played soccer and volleyball.

Nothing but smiles and fun here and the heart is full. One of the many things I’ve learned this week is to slow down and appreciate these moments for what they are. The smiles in the children’s eyes are priceless and the absolute presence of God.

I hope that when I return back to US and the usual way of life, that I am able to mentally transport myself back here and remember to slow down and find the beauty of the “small moments”

Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated once said “we’re not here to find the way to heaven, the path itself is heaven.”

Day 7 (Continued)

These patterns exist everywhere here, from tapestries, to drawings and paintings, even pottery.

These are the same patterns everyone sees when they drink ayahuasca. You will see these patterns in your visions. They have meaning.

The Shipibo name for these patterns is kene (kuh-ne)

The patterns are representations of the plant and its consciousness. Also a representation of the river and how it flows as well as the anaconda. Every tribe has a different way of working with the plant so if you drink ayahuasca with another tribe you will still see the plant patterns and consciousness but the patterns will be different.

I took ayahuasca three times while here. All three times I saw these patterns in my visions. The first two times they weren’t very prevalent because I was clogged and not open to the plant, by the third time nearly all my visions were of those patterns meaning I was open and receptive.

What the patterns meant in my visions - way beyond my pay grade but they do have meaning.

Day 7 - (Attempting to leave the Shipibo Village)

Ok so when you come into the village via river, before you get to the village you have to traverse through a cow pasture. That in and of itself is always an adventure because of the mud.

The last night I was there I encountered rain like of never seen before. Hours and hours of absolute downpour. My guess would be an inch every ten minutes. And it was relentless.

So the good news is that there was no mud in the cow pasture. Bad news it was 3 to 4 feet underwater, so the only way we could get to the river was by trying to find a path through via canoe.

For sure I thought we were going in multiple times, but we made it!

Also, I had a praying mantis land on my arm and a gray river dolphin surfaced right near the boat. I was told that both were symbols of good luck and good things to come!!

I’m going to miss this special place, but maybe not the small canoes!

It's hard to explain how magical it is at Esperanza De La Selva. The place itself feels strangely like home from the minute I got there. I could feel a genuine connection between myself, the people there and the place itself. Even stranger, I never had to guess if that feeling was mutual...even though we could barely communicate with each other without an app or the help of the facilitator, Devin, who is also just phenomenal. I was worried about traveling through a foreign country knowing little to none of their language but Devin escorted me every step of the way.

While at Esperanza De La Selva, I met Roli and his wife Norma, the founders of the clinic, their children and all the rest of the family. I also met many people from within the village, of which Roli is the leader. The Maestro's and Maestra's were well respected members of the community who were very experienced and knowledgeable, but still approachable, loving and kind. Everyone in Santa Isabel De Bahaunisho was also very welcoming and friendly.

The mission itself, and the work being put into it, is nothing less than beautiful. Knowing that this facility is providing vital medical care to people who often have no other hope is a noble and worthwhile mission. I felt privileged to be able to help, in my small way, and plan to continue as much as possible.

I highly suggest anyone interested in learning more about plants, plant medicine and the Shipibo culture or wanting/needing an eye opening escape to check this place out! Also, all proceeds go back into mission, which in turn allows them to heal more sick people, send more kids to school and purchase more land to support the reforestation efforts!

If you can't tell, I genuinely love this place, the people and the mission and I can't way to return.

I arrived at Esperanza de la Selva in February, this is my second time returning to Pucallpa after 3 years. My friend Devin had been showing me this community on the outskirts of Pucallpa called Santa Isabel de Behuanisho. I became friends on social media with Roli Rodriguez before I visited, and I was inspired to come after seeing the projects that he and Devin were working on together.

When I arrived we were greeted by Norma and Roli's father awaiting our arrival with a motor car. The village is an interesting place filled with amazing people and families. It's an extreme contrast from our Westernized lives. While I was there everything was different, I can't explain it but it feels like a place where people accept you for who you are, and I found it easy to be my authentic self with them. I feel like visiting Indigenous communities from Perú to Colombia has helped me take my mask off and find my true self. However, with Roli and his family is the deepest look and experience I have had in Indigenous lands.

If you're a traveler and are looking for a down-to-earth real experience in a world that so few will ever see, go to Esperanza de la Selva. I guarantee it is something you will never forget. I'm returning in a month to experience more and will be spending a few months there. I can't wait to return. Thank you Devin for giving me the opportunity to stay and live in this community, thank you Roli and Norma for accepting me to live in their home. A big hug from Colombia to everyone. I will see you all soon!!!

Tú Wetsako Christian