Background story
Following the legal changes on the use of Ayahuasca in the Netherlands, an independent journalist contacted Willkamayu Spirit to ask for information into our practices. Requesting a visit to ask some general questions about the use of sacred medicine (especially Ayahuasca) in Peru, attitudes to this work on an international perspective and some details into our personal practices and opinions.
As we could never be certain about the final composition or placement for our contribution, we decided to ask the guidance of our maestro Juan Carlos, who in turn directed our question to the sacred medicine and called on the advice of mother Ayahuasca. Juan Carlos received affirmation, advised that we should invite those who come with questions, and to respond in the same manner that the medicine shows us… An open acceptance, a lack of judgement and pure intention.
Ayahuasca and its utilisation
Question 1: How is Ayahuasca medicine used in Peru?
There are many methods and applications of the medicine Ayahuasca in Peru from private sessions in the jungle to contemporary practices with non-native medicine workers.
There are a lot of places here in peru where you can participate in one ceremony, or in retreats. There are also places where you can go in longer retreats and in diets, those are mostly set deep within the jungle.
In Peru there are different indegenous cultures where ayahuasca is part of their tradition, they all have different ways to share the medicine according to their heritage. We do recognise the development of non-indiginous practices in Peru, but we have chosen to work with maestros who are linked to traditions from the Amazon and the Andes.
At our retreat space, our Maestro (merajia in Shibibo) Juan Carlos, who’s spiritual name is Inumbari, is from the Shipibo tradition. So we would love to share his perspective.
In our culture we use the medicine in 2 situations. According to our ancestors, following their teachings in the system of ‘Kusi’; Kusi in Shipibo means spiritual lineage.
We use the medicine to awaken, to grow in consciousness and for healing.
Thanks to these connections we can grow in the collective community, to work together as a community, to grow in union, to remember and to grow in service together. Like a culture connecting with their origin, their essence. Which means to grow not only in individual aspect, as well as in community; for the benefit of all. Which connects with the principle of when we are healing ourselves we are healing each other; we are healing our parents and grandparents, our brothers and sisters.
At our Ceremony House and retreat space we value these energy in the form of creating a community, a family home, to reconnect with these values, to keep them alive.
We work very intimately with our maestros and often have a close family bond, where we share not only a working relationship but both community values and a relationship with the medicine.
Willkamayu is the name of a river that flows between the mountains and the jungle and the spirit is alive in the traditions of our maestros from both the Amazon and the Andes.
Everything changes in the system around us, however the essence of the energies doesn’t change. How the ancestors shared and how the next and new generations share, the intention is to continue to cultivate the opening to receiving and sharing with the world.
At our retreat space we are sharing different programs with the medicine with a minimum stay of 3 days to a maximum of 10 days, however, we remain absolutely flexible. The process of the participant is most important for us, and speaking from our perspective, we look to honour the guidance that is shown to us within the medicine. The Master Plants show importance of complete acceptance, non judgement, an open and honest environment, patience and loving for listening. We always work with maestros who can provide healing, spiritual strength, guidance of dosage and interpretation to aid participant’s integration. During the retreats we give attention to preparation before the ceremonies through a dialogue of personal history and a preparation sharing with the Maestro.
The ceremony will take place in the evening around 7 and will take around 4/ 5 hours (sometimes longer). We close the ceremony when everyone is ready to rest in their own beds. The next day after breakfast we have an integration sharing with the Maestro. During the day in the retreats the participants will rest, spending time in and around the nearby nature, journalling and having the opportunity to connect with alternative therapies like yoga and Inner Child work.
On the last day our participants are also involved in a gratitude ceremony of intention and connection to pachamama (Cosmic mother, cosmic femenine energies around us), in order to carry the important practices back into their daily routine.
