The Power of the Medicine
Anyone visiting this site had probably heard about, and maybe experienced some of the many possible benefits of doing Ayahuasca ceremonies with well-trained and trustworthy Shamans. It is true that doing this kind of work offers a unique, powerful experience and can provide deep healing, profound insight and guidance on our spiritual journeys.
It's important however to recognize that for most people, this is indeed work. Ceremonies can often be challenging and it is common for participants to face deep seeded fears or to uncover old wounds or traumas. Sometimes your own experience will be scary, and sometimes another persons scary experience might cause you discomfort. The Shipibo believe that when we take the medicine with others, our healing becomes entwined. In other words, we're all in it together. During our retreats, we spend a lot of time integrating and supporting each other both in and out of ceremony.
"La Purga"
Most people have heard of "La Purga", or the Purge. Though not everyone vomits during a ceremony, it is a common experience with Ayahuasca, and one that dissuades many people from the experience. We even recommend people bring extra underwear to ceremonies in case their bowels become a bit overactive! It's important to know that alongside all the beautiful things you may have heard about this medicine, that it can be very messy.
We invite you to embrace the messiness and know that it very well might be worth it.
Dangers of the Jungle
Black Caiman, Jaguar, Piranha, Anacondas and aggressive venomous snakes... Luckily, none of these truly dangerous species inhabit the region of our retreats at Tierra Vida. This doesn't mean that there is nothing to be wary of in this part of the jungle.
Mosquitos are the main complaint we get from visitors. Malaria and Yellow fever are not common in the region, so vaccinations are not recommended by the Peruvian Department of Health. We leave the decision of whether to get these vaccinations to our visitors.
There are other creatures to be wary of. There are some venomous snakes, and it's important to use a flashlight along the pathways at night to avoid stepping on them. It's also important to have some protective footwear anywhere in the jungle. Ant bites can be very uncomfortable, and one sting from a Bull ant will leave you incapacitated for a day. We do our best to help people be as comfortable as possible when visiting, but it's important to know there are some inherent discomforts that come from visiting the jungle.