The Ayahuasca Foundation Weblog

The Ayahuasca Foundation offers Spirit Healing Retreats in the beauty and tranquility of the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest. Participants work closely with indigenous healers, called curanderos, to change the direction of their lives, specifically with respect to their physical, emotional, and spiritual health.  Treatments include plant remedies, healing massage, therapeutic discussions, and traditional ayahuasca healing ceremonies.  The curanderos work on all levels to treat the afflictions, including spiritual dimensions that are not recognized by modern medicine.

Because these powerful shamans are still familiar with the ancient healing techniques and traditions of plant spirit medicine, they are able to access the roots of many afflictions that would be considered uncurable in Western Society.  Once the curandero and the patient have discovered the roots of the affliction, then the healing process works to pull those roots and bring the physical, emotional, and spiritual bodies back into harmony.  Participants learn a great deal about themselves and the importance of love and compassion in maintaining a healthy, balanced life.  Most Ayahuasca Healing Retreat participants return home with a new outlook on life, and a new path to follow.

Last year, a man from Los Angeles came down for our 18-day retreat in January.  He had been diagnosed with colon cancer four years earlier and it could not be cured with modern medicine.  He recieved treatment and made great progress.  When he returned to the US, he had an exam to see if the cancer had been minimized.  He was happy to hear that he was now cancer free.  In less than three weeks he had been completely healed of colon cancer.  Here in the Amazon, the curanderos have a saying, “Nothing is impossible when you truly want it.”  In spanish, the word to want also means to love, so it could also be said that nothing is impossible when you truly love it.

For more information on our healing retreats, visit www.ayahuascahealingretreats.com

From 2004 to 2008 I lived with a curandero named don Juan on the outskirts of Iquitos, Peru. I studied with him and together we set up the Ayahuasca Healing Retreat program and the Ayahuasca Initiation Course. During my time with him we talked about many different topics surrounding curanderismo, the sacred science of plant spirit medicine. One of the first things we spoke about was extraterrestrials. This was due to a UFO sighting I had during my very first ceremony with him.

I had gone outside to vomit and found myself staring up at the sky, watching a vibrating display of colored designs dance through the night air. While I looked up with my mouth open, in awe of the amazing movement of energy above me, a UFO gently glided above don Juan’s house. I could not believe my eyes. It was not like the psychedelic patterns, it was as real as the trees that encircled me, real as the house or my hand. I watched as it quietly hovered above me. It was spherical but in a flattened way and rather small. It looked like it could only hold three or four people, or beings. It had violet lights around its outer edge that seemed to be spinning. I could not stop looking at it.

Then, another space ship came into view, about the same size as the first. It was identical to the other one, and the two ships seemed to just float in the air above me, at a height that I guessed to be only a few hundred feet up. While I was incredibly excited, I was not afraid, and was actually quite calm. I think I was in shock. This was my first ceremony with don Juan and I had already seen many powerful visions. I had been having trouble deciding what was a vision and what was ‘real.’ Now, standing there in front of the house, from where beautiful songs poured out, I could not wonder about the reality of these ships. They were definitely up there and not in my head.

I did not think anything about them. No thoughts went through my head at all. I just stood frozen below them, staring up at the most incredible sight of my life. I was actually looking at two alien space ships. They seemed to be aware of me, as well, for they hovered above me. I didn’t move. I just looked. They moved back and forth like a kite on a long string, swaying with the breeze. They were beautiful. What was probably only a few minutes seemed like a lifetime. With the singing of don Juan as my soundtrack, I was in a near enlightened state. My beliefs about aliens had crystallized into truths that I could never deny. This was really happening. It was real.

Then, the most unbelievable thing happened, as if it could get any crazier. Another spaceship flew in above the other two, only this one did not resemble the others. It was a similar shape but this space craft was enormous. It nearly filled the entire sky above my head. I would say that it was at least 1,000 feet in diameter, and could’ve held hundreds of people inside it. I nearly fell over backward trying to see it all. I was breathless with awe. I think I may have been drooling from having my mouth open for so long. I watched as it slowly hovered above the others. Then, I actually had a thought, the first thought in a long time. I was scared.

I don’t know why, but I became frightened and decided that I should go inside. I walked back into the darkness of the ceremony and found my seat. After don Juan’s icaro, I told him that I had seen a UFO outside. He then promptly answered, “Did you see the big one?”

I said I had and he replied that he didn’t think they would be back so soon. I was so surprised and excited to hear such a strong confirmation of what I’d seen. We began a discussion about extraterrestrials. He explained that they were called the solar fathers and that they lived on the moon of Jupiter. He described their appearance and how they were here to help us and often worked with him to provide diagnosis and healing assistance. He said they existed in a different dimension where time passed much more slowly; giving the example that one year in our time was like one day in theirs. His comments had given me a lot to think about, but most importantly they gave me the confidence to believe in what I saw.

After four years with don Juan, I moved out and moved on. I had learned a tremendous amount and would forever be grateful for his help and guidance, but it was time for me to change the course of my path. I began working with a curandera named dona Othelia who knew the plants and their medicinal properties better than anyone I had ever met. A short time after studying with her, I came up with the idea for the Ayahuasca Foundation and put on the first Curandero Seminar a month later.

As part of the Curandero Seminar, I did a series of online interviews with the curanderos who would be participating in the Seminar. I interviewed dona Othelia out at her jungle camp. One of my questions was about extraterrestrials.

“Do you work with extraterrestrials?” I asked.

“Si, Claro.” She then said that since a child she had been in contact with an extraterrestrial who called himself the king of Ganymedes. I had never heard the word and simply took it to be an alien world. She described her relationship with this being and said that UFOs often come during her ceremonies, but that in reality they are always there, it’s just that we can’t see them without the help of ayahuasca. She, like don Juan, said that these beings were here to help us and often guided her in her work as a healer.

A week later, I interview don Pedro, a very knowledgeable curandero from Pucallpa who had recently moved to Iquitos. When I asked him if he worked with extraterrestrials I was shocked to hear his answer.

“Si, de Ganymedes.” He actually said that he worked with beings from Ganymades, just like dona Othelia. I couldn’t believe my ears and asked him to repeat what he’d said. Sure enough, it was Ganymedes. I still didn’t know what or where that was, but either way, it was some sort of strange confirmation for dona Othelia’s statement. Here were two Peruvian curanderos that lived hundreds of miles from each other and knew nothing of each other saying they were both in contact with beings from Ganymedes. I was so enthusiastic to find out more about this, but how could I find out more?

In a bizarre coincidence, a few days after the don Pedro interview I ran into a stranger on the Boulevard, walking along the edge of the Amazon River. He came up and talked to me, which seemed nice enough, but I was definitely skeptical. Many people come up to me because I’m a gringo and almost always they want something from me. This man simply wanted to talk. He seemed excited to talk to me for some reason and then, in Spanish, asked me a very unusual question.

“Do you know that there is alien life in this solar system?”

I said that I knew there were intelligent beings out there.
He quickly responded by asking, “Do you know where?”

“Where?” I replied.

“Ganymades!”

I couldn’t believe me ears. Had he really just said that?

Then, he solved the riddle that had caused me so much enthusiasm in the last few days.

He said, “The moon of Jupiter!”

The man then went on to tell me that he was a member of an astronomical club founded by a man who could channel an extraterrestrial. It was through this man, named Sexto Paz, that the knowledge of life on Ganymedes had come to be. He gave me a website for more information and I thanked him profusely. I still could not believe that out of the blue this man approached me to tell me such unbelievable information.
I had now heard about life on Ganymedes from three different people in less than two weeks. Two of the people were curanderos and the other was a member of an astrological club. Thanks to the third man, I was now able to connect the curanderos to my maestro, don Juan, who had simply called the alien’s home the moon of Jupiter. I felt like I was truly on to something, some sort of irrefutable discovery that would blow the minds of many people, as it had blown mine.

I went on the internet and read more about Ganymedes, which was actually the name of the moon of Jupiter. Well, it was Ganymede, but it was close enough. I looked at pictures of the moon, which is actually larger than the planet mercury, and the largest moon in our solar system. The pictures resembled pictures of earth in some ways. It really did look like it could sustain life. I was amazed.

I wrote to my father and told him about what had happened. He had many friends at NASA, so I asked him to ask around about life on Ganymede. He wrote back to tell me that a scientist from NASA believed strongly in life on this moon of Jupiter, as it had oceans of water and magnetic poles. Apparently, NASA has been keeping a lot of information from the public, information that the curanderos of the Amazon Rainforest all seem to know already.

Is there life out there? I would have to say, unequivocally, yes. And it’s not far away…

On Sunday, February 22nd, at 8pm, the Ayahuasca Foundation will be hosting an online interview with the curandero don Lucho.  The interview is free to attend and allows participants to write in their questions and I will then read the questions to the curandero who will answer them.  It is a marvelous way to find out a great deal of insightful information regarding shamanism, or curanderismo, as it is called here in Peru.  The shaman, or curandero, will answer the questions and I will translate them and add anything else that I think might help.  In the last online interview, with don Enrique, some amazing information was revealed, thanks to wonderful questions from the participants.

If you would like to attend this online event, the information is below.  If you would like to be kept up to date about other events such as this one, simply visit the Ayahuasca Foundation website and sign up to our mailing list.  We will keep you up to date on events like this one as well as the special offers we have on other events like the Amazon Curandero Seminar taking place in April, the Ayahuasca Initiation Course taking place in May and again in October, and the Healing Retreats we offer throughout the year.  You may also want to become a member of the Ayahuasca Foundation, which gives you a 10% discount on all events, courses, and retreats, as well as on all purchases of gifts and other items which we have for sale.

EVENT:  Interview with curandero don Lucho
DATE & TIME: Sunday, February 22nd at 8:00pm Eastern
FORMAT: Simulcast! (Attend via Phone or Webcast — it’s your choice)
TO ATTEND THIS EVENT, CLICK THIS LINK NOW…
http://instantTeleseminar.com/?eventid=6202821

Using some wonderful technology, we at the Ayahuasca Foundation will be hosting a series of online teleseminars talking about Amazon shamanism and the use of the sacred medicine ayahuasca.  On sunday, we have invited a shipibo curandero named don Enrique, who will be taking part in the Amazon Curandero Seminar in April, to come and speak for an hour about his life and adventures with ayahuasca and healing.  In this interview, participants will be able to listen through their computers and write in questions which we will receive and ask on your behalf.  I will be leading the interview and my friend and partner in the Curandero Seminar, Justin, will be doing the translations.

EVENT:  Interview with Shipibo Curandero Don Enrique
DATE & TIME: Sunday, February 22nd at 8:00pm Eastern
FORMAT: Simulcast! (Attend via Phone or Webcast — it’s your choice)
TO ATTEND THIS EVENT, CLICK THIS LINK NOW…
http://instantTeleseminar.com/?eventid=6156705

If you would like to receive information regarding our upcoming events, both online and here in the Amazon Rainforest of Peru, please visit our website: www.ayahuascafoundation.org and sign up to our mailing list.  Thanks!

don Guillermo soplays a patient

The Ayahuasca Foundation will be hosting a series of online teleseminars in the upcoming weeks.  These special events will offer participants the opportunity to ask questions live to our guests and myself regarding the various topics we will be covering, primarily dealing with ayahuasca and the traditional healing practices of the Amazon Rainforest.  The first teleseminar will simply be myself and my partner in the Curandero Seminar, Justin, answering questions about the upcoming event, The Amazon Curandero Seminar, and discussing current and future projects for the Ayahuasca Foundation.  Teleseminars later in the month will be featuring authentic curanderos, or shamans, from the Amazon Rainforest who we will be interviewing.

Participants will have the opportunity to type in questions on their computer which we will receive and then ask directly to the curandero on your behalf.  The participants will then listen for their questions to be asked and answered.  If desired, teleseminar participants may also call in on a telephone and actually speak with us directly, and have their voices heard by everyone else listening to the online seminars.  It is wonderful technology, and we are hoping to utilize it in order to make important information and knowledge available to a wider audience.  I invite you to attend these incredible events.  To do so, please visit this link: February 8th Online Teleseminar – 8pm
I will be posting the dates and times of future teleseminars here, but to receive email reminders, please visit the Ayahuasca Foundation’s main website: AYAHUASCA FOUNDATION or the Amazon Curandero Seminar website: CURANDERO SEMINAR and sign up to our mailing list. It is free to sign up, and you will receive updates on the Foundation, as well as information regarding upcoming retreats, courses, and events.

Amazon Curandero Seminar: April 18 - 26 2009 Iquitos, PERU

Finally, I have some time to devote to this wonderful event.  Last year´s Seminar was truly amazing, and I have a feeling this year´s will be even better.  I just finished another healing retreat and I continue to fill with more love and confidence on this path.  The Ayahuasca Foundation has made some great connections and 2009 looks to be a truly magical year, with the opening of the museum here in Iquitos this spring.  It is such an honor to be a part of these incredible projects, and ayahuasca has blessed me with a fantastic role in it all.  I may not be drinking ayahuasca for a couple weeks now, in order to get everything caught up and organized for this year, but, having said that, I´m meeting with someone in a few minutes to talk about a six week retreat.  So… I´ll probably be in ceremony again soon.

Thanks to ayahuasca, my life continues to blossom.  My problems seem to get solved by themselves, as ayahuasca shows me the answers to my questions and keeps me on the path.  By staying connected, we can all find our way down the path.  It doesn´t have to be with ayahuasca, for there are numerous ways to stay connected.  The important part is that we continue to listen to the world around of, of whom we are a part.  We are cells in the body of our Mother Earth, and we can receive the messages she sends us if we are sensitive enough and willing to listen and follow through.  That has been the process for me and this Amazon Curandero Seminar is the result of listening to those messages and simply following through.  I hope to see you there.  April 18th – 26th 2009.  Iquitos, Peru.  www.curanderoseminar.com

The Ayahuasca Foundation is currently working towards building the first ever ayahuasca museum here in Iquitos, Peru.  There is so much information on the art of plant spirit medicine that we feel would be incredibly valuable to the public, as well as to students of curanderismo or shamanism.  Many people in Peru do not even know about ayahuasca anymore, let alone the people of the world.  We at the Ayahuasca Foundation would like to change that fact.

The more people who learn about the power of ayahuasca and the ancient science of its use, the better chance we have of remembering our true paths in life and finding fulfilment in our actions and relationships.  Ayahuasca gives us the opportunity to see ourselves for who we truly are, spirits having human experiences.  The maestros of the Amazon Rainforest have been developing this understanding for millenia, and the Ayahuasca Foundation is committed to preserving and spreading this wisdom through their healing retreats, initiation programs, and the Amazon Curandero Seminar, which is an amazing event coming up in April.

We can heal ourselves, and we can heal the Earth, our mother.  Guided by the spiritual truth and visions of the future made possible in ayahuasca ceremonies, we can find our way around the current obstacles to a place of love, peace, and harmony for all beings.  May we all remember who we are…

The main goal of the Ayahuasca Foundation is to educate people all over the world about the wonders of plant spirit medicine. Ayahuasca stands for the body of wisdom and traditions that indigenous people in the Amazon Rainforest have used for millenia to bring about health and harmony within their tribal communities, and to maintain the proper respect for their brothers and sisters in the plant and animals kingdoms.  We are all intimately connected and ayahuasca shows us that we are all truly united in spirit.
In April of 2009, Five authentic curanderos will come together in Iquitos, Peru to teach various aspects of their healing traditions at the Amazon Curandero Seminar. In addition to the workshops and lectures, there will be traditional ayahuasca healing ceremonies held at remote jungle camps.  Participants will learn directly from the curanderos themselves with the help of a group of dedicated facilitators who will be there to translate and further explain the teachings of these amazing healers.
In November of 2008, Carlos Tanner, program director for the Ayahuasca Foundation, finished his fourth Ayahuasca Curandero Initiation Course, a six week course featuring two curanderos.  The students spent five of the six weeks in the jungle at the healers’ camps learning the principals of curanderismo, and the final week they spent on their own, with the guidance of Carlos, making their own ayahuasca and holding their own healing ceremonies.  It was a tremendous success, and one of the students will be coming back to do an apprenticeship. He will most likely become an integral part of the foundation as well.

2008 has proved to be a wonderful year, with the Ayahuasca Foundation being concieved and the groundwork laid for its development.  2009 should see the beginning of construction on a new center, the opening of the Maloka Museum, an indigenous culture museum, as well as the continuation of the programs already started by Carlos, like the Spring Initiation Course in May, the Curandero Seminar in April, and the various healing retreats throughout the year.  A documentary will hopefully be distributed featuring Carlos and his former teacher, don Juan, and a television program featuring Carlos and his current teacher, don Lucho, will also be distributed and seen by many across the globe.  With the guidance of ayahuasca and the spirits of the plants, the Ayahuasca Foundation continues to grow roots.  May we soon see it bloom into the manifestation of a beautiful dream, an organization that opens eyes and hearts to the truth of our existence.  We are all spirits and we are all connected by love.

In an ayahuasca ceremony in the jungle, a curandero heals a patient