| Ayahuasca Retreat | | | | up my guitar and began to play what came to |
| We are pleased to present a dedicated | | | | me and the result was surprising. From then on I |
| programme in the Amazon rainforest, which is | | | | was never without my guitar at ceremonies and |
| focussed on an inner and deep self-exploration | | | | over the years many songs came to me, set to |
| and encounter with the power of the rainforest. | | | | different rhythms for ceremonies and |
| This is an adventure into the magical world of the | | | | incorporating teachings and revelations from the |
| rainforest, and a transformative experience of | | | | medicine itself.” He has published three CDs to |
| the ancient mystical rituals of the plant spirit | | | | date. Alonso lives in the sacred valley of Cusco |
| medicines. | | | | where he runs a healing centre and a primary |
| | | | school for local children. |
| The uses of powerful hallucinogenic plants such as | | | | Our accommodation is in comfortable traditional |
| Ayahuasca and San Pedro have been developed | | | | cabins or tambos (dieting huts), a leaf roof |
| by indigenous peoples and early civilizations over | | | | supported by poles and with open sides (the most |
| thousands of years, and their effects are highly | | | | intimate way to sleep in the jungle). The beds |
| dependent upon the context of the ceremony, | | | | benefit from a comfortable mattress and fly nets |
| the chants and the essential personality of the | | | | when necessary. The tambos are spread out to |
| shaman, all of which can vary with surprising | | | | assure privacy and minimum disturbance from |
| results. | | | | others. Participants have a choice of using either |
| Diverse urban uses have emerged recently and a | | | | the cabins in the 'Casa Grande' annex or tambos |
| few of these are spreading, while some traditional | | | | for their retreat. |
| shamans travel the world, thus Ayahuasca is | | | | During the day when there are no activities, there |
| gaining recognition in Western civilization. But what | | | | will be hammocks to relax in, and you can read, |
| really is the potential of these ancestral plants, and | | | | or wander into the forest, or swim in the river |
| how can we get the most out of them? | | | | (there is a small sandy beach). Our ceremonies |
| In this special workshop – shamanism retreat, | | | | and meeting will be held in either the Casa Grande |
| the Peruvian maestro ayahuasquero Alonso del | | | | with an open platform on stilts directly on the |
| Rio will be with us for 10 days and hold | | | | river with a magnificent view of the rainforest |
| ceremonies with both Ayahuasca and San Pedro. | | | | and star filled sky. or our maloca (ceremonial |
| Alonso will open us to a different dimension from | | | | temple), a large circular tambo made of natural |
| working with a traditional shaman. He has both an | | | | materials and shaped like a womb. We will eat our |
| Amazonian and Western background and is | | | | meals in the lodge, the traditional meeting place, |
| therefore well placed to understand the problems | | | | where food is cooked on a wood fire. |
| of modern people and help them to greater self | | | | Single Accommodation |
| knowledge. | | | | One of the unique characteristics of this |
| He will share his wealth of insight into Amazonian | | | | programme is that we offer single |
| and Andean cosmology in a series of meetings | | | | accommodation throughout both in the hotels in |
| with time for discussion and questions. Apart from | | | | Lima, Iquitos, and at our Centre in Mishana. This |
| the ceremonies, he will be offering a choice of | | | | ensures that participants can obtain the maximum |
| two plants to diet: tobacco and guayusa. Both of | | | | benefit from their encounter with the plants. The |
| these work with your dreams, making them | | | | Diet really needs to be taken in solitude and |
| more conscious and 'real', in order to rest the | | | | personal retreat without distractions. This is a |
| rational mind and explore more deeply inwards. | | | | defining characteristic of this programme. Typically |
| About the maestro | | | | other programmes do not offer this and |
| Alonso is a powerful maestro who interweaves | | | | dormitory / shared accommodation is usually the |
| Shipibo and other icaros with sacred music of his | | | | rule. Our Tambos (individual accommodation huts) |
| own to lead you on your journey; he is both a | | | | are all different and are spread out, some with |
| talented musician and an inspiring communicator of | | | | more isolation than others and we also have |
| the Amazonian shamanic world. He first came into | | | | individual accommodation rooms in the wing of our |
| contact with ayahuasca in 1979 after spending | | | | Casa Grande for those who would prefer being |
| three years working with huachuma (San Pedro). | | | | close to the main facilities. There are photos on |
| This was when he met Don Benito Arevalo, a | | | | the web or I can send pictures on request. |
| grand Shipibo shaman with whom he developed a | | | | Excursions |
| long relationship, and who gave him his first | | | | There will be opportunities to make night time |
| teachings in ayahuasca and other medicinal plants. | | | | dugout canoe fishing trips with Pedro our hunting |
| Later, taking ayahuasca alone as part of his | | | | guide and power boat trips along the river. There |
| traditional teaching, he says: "I didn't feel | | | | will also be a resident craftswoman to |
| comfortable reproducing the chants that I'd | | | | demonstrate and teach us to make the unique |
| learned with my maestro, so one night I picked | | | | Amazonian crafts and textiles. |