The Medicine
Ayahuasca
Ayahuasca, known as Oní, which means wisdom in the native Shipibo language, is a sacred Amazonian plant medicine used for centuries by indigenous people throughout the Amazon basin as a profound healing modality.
This powerful brew is made from two key components:
The leaves of the Chacruna plant (Psychotria viridis), which contain the psychoactive compound dimethyltryptamine (DMT).
The Banisteriopsis caapi vine, which contains a variety of healing alkaloids.
According to indigenous wisdom, the vine represents the masculine energy, holding Ayahuasca’s healing power, while the leaf embodies the feminine energy, activating the medicine. The two elements work synergistically in divine union, as the DMT found in the Chacruna leaves is not able to be absorbed into the body until it is combined with Ayahuasca vine. This union mirrors the balance of masculine and feminine energies within ourselves, symbolizing harmony and balance.
When consumed, Ayahuasca induces an altered state of consciousness, opening a gateway for deep therapeutic work to address dis-ease in the body, mind, and spirit. At its core, this medicine initiates a profound cleansing process, purging physical and energetic blockages that disconnect us from our true selves and our divine essence.
From a shamanic perspective, dis-ease stems from energetic blockages caused by imbalances or “imprints” in the energetic body. These imprints often result from trauma, prolonged stress, emotional shocks, surgery, disconnection, dissociation, or living out of alignment with one’s authentic self.
Many of these blockages remain buried in the subconscious, often unrecognized by the conscious mind. This is why people may feel stuck on their healing journey, despite years of self-improvement or therapeutic work.
With the guidance of our highly skilled curanderos (traditional medicine practitioners) and supported by comprehensive facilitation and a variety of integration practices, Ayahuasca allows us to uncover, understand, and release these energetic imprints. This process restores balance, connection, and vitality, helping us return to our most authentic, embodied, and alive selves.
Responsibility
As with all indigenous plant medicines, Ayahuasca demands great responsibility, both in the rituals, customs, and protocols followed by the patient and the curandero (healer/medicine practitioner).
We do not take this responsibility lightly.
Our curanderos undergo a rigorous and deeply committed training process that includes decades of training with master plant “dietas” (diets). For months, and sometimes years, at a time, they enter total isolation, adhere to a strict dietary regimen, refrain from sex and technology, and immerse themselves in the Amazon jungle to consume large amounts of medicinal plants. This intense process is designed to receive the wisdom and healing powers of the plants, and is repeated numerous of times before they are entrusted with the responsibility of healing others. Plant medicine is not just their work—it is their ancestral way of life.
Ayahuasca is often associated with its psychoactive compound dimethyltryptamine (DMT), which has gained attention as a recreational drug. However, it is crucial to understand that the DMT found in Ayahuasca is fundamentally different from the synthetic, recreational form of DMT. Ayahuasca contains hundreds of naturally occurring alkaloids and compounds that influence the psychoactive experience in ways that are profoundly different from recreational DMT and are deeply healing, the way they were intentionally designed in nature.
We do not offer, condone, or promote the recreational use of DMT.
The use of Ayahuasca is a sacred, intentional, and ceremonial process, and we honor it as such, distinguishing it clearly from any other form of psychoactive substance use.
THE SHIPIBO TRIBE
The Shipibo are among the most ancient carriers of Ayahuasca medicine, their cosmology woven into the fabric of the jungle itself. Their relationship with the elements, the plants, the animals, and the unseen realms forms the foundation of their healing work, granting them access to a vast and intricate web of spiritual knowledge and resources.
While many indigenous tribes across the Amazon carry the wisdom of Ayahuasca, we feel a profound resonance with the Shipibo lineage—a tradition rooted in deep integrity, ancient healing technologies, and an unbreakable bond with the spirit of nature. Their ceremonies are not just rituals but living prayers—held with precision, reverence, and a commitment to keeping their ancient traditions alive.
THE PATH OF A CURANDERO
To become a Curandero (healer) in the Shipibo tradition is not simply about learning techniques—it is about becoming an open vessel for the medicine, a bridge between the seen and unseen. This path requires immense devotion, discipline, and a radical transformation of the human mind and body.
The training begins with years and years of challenging plant dietas—long periods of isolation in the jungle, where the apprentice ingests specific master plants and follows a strict regimen of fasting, silence, and abstinence from distractions such as sex, technology, certain foods, and other stimuli. Through this process, the physical body is purified, but more importantly, the senses are sharpened to an extraordinary degree. They believe that, in order for the spiritual body to gain strength, the physical body must temporarily break down and become purified. This process is repeated dozens of times before a healer is entrusted with the responsibility of healing others.
The purpose of the dieta is not just to ingest the plants, but to cultivate immense sensitivity to be able to listen to the plants, to feel their intelligence, to attune to their subtle language. Over time, the healer develops an extreme sensitivity—one that allows them to perceive the unseen forces of the natural world and sense the energetic imprints that linger in a person’s body, mind, and spirit so they can heal them with great specificity and efficiency.
Ayahuasqueros (Ayahuasca medicine masters) will continue to engage in dieting throughout their life, maintaining and constantly strengthening their connection to the plant spirit world and its wisdoms.. This ongoing practice maintains their connection with the spirit world and the healing forces that they channel in their work as healers. This challenging yet profound practice and devotion is part of why we honor and serve Ayahuasca solely under the guidance of the Shipibo lineage.
A unique and vital aspect of the Shipibo culture is their tradition of Icaros, called Kené in the Shipibo language. Learned throughout the dieta process, these healing songs are messages of healing, wisdom, and connection that come through nature, which the Curanderos channel during ceremonies. The energetic imprints of the Icaros are woven into the fabric of their clothing and textiles, intricate geometric patterns that hold intentions of protection, healing, abundance, and gratitude.
At Anam Cara, we ensure that the connection with the Shipibo curanderos extends beyond the ceremonial setting. Throughout the retreat, our guests share meals with the curanderos, gather around the fire to exchange stories, help collect herbs, and participate in other indigenous practices like preparing sacred plant baths. These shared moments are just as precious and integral to the healing journey as the ceremonies themselves.
Before each Ayahuasca ceremony, our guests are invited to share their intentions with the Shipibo curanderos, who work intimately with each individual, tailoring their support to the guest’s unique process.
Throughout the week, guests are encouraged to develop personal bonds with the curanderos, facilitating deeper trust, healing and vulnerability to open to the medicine during the ceremonies.
The Shipibo tradition teaches that when the obstacles to healing are removed, harmony and wholeness are naturally restored. They deeply believe in the body’s inherent ability to heal itself, in deep reciprocity with nature. Their healing practices focus on purification and cleansing, welcoming the purging process as a necessary part of returning to balance. It is an honor for us to witness and experience their sacred healing practices.
At Anam Cara, every retreat is offered with deep care and respect for the curanderos who carry this sacred tradition.
We are honored to collaborate with the Ayni Plant Project, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting our curanderos, their families, and their communities. This partnership allows us to remain in right relationship with the lineage, offering each retreat in integrity and reciprocity.
SAN PEDRO
San Pedro, also known as Huachuma, is a plant medicine with a rich history of sacred use in the Andes for over 3,000 years. Revered for its powerful heart-opening properties, San Pedro helps us reconnect deeply with nature and the energy of the land. It offers profound insights into the limiting beliefs and traumas that hold us back from living life to its fullest potential.
Each San Pedro ceremony serves as a reunion—with ourselves, with Mother Nature, and with the Divine. The medicine acts as a mirror, reflecting the areas where we hold on to self-limiting beliefs and patterns, gently guiding us to release what no longer serves us.
Though often underestimated, the transformative power of San Pedro is profound. We have found it to be deeply healing, especially when facilitated by our trusted Huachumero (plant medicine master), Bernhard Karshagen. Bernhard, a healer of the highest integrity and a cherished member of the Anam Cara family, brings his wisdom and dedication to each ceremony. Based on our experience, we believe that there are few, if any, limits to San Pedro’s ability to facilitate deep healing and transformation.
At Anam Cara, we believe that preparation and integration are essential components of your plant medicine journey. To help you get the most out of your experience, we guide and support each guest before and after the ceremony, ensuring a seamless and transformative process with these sacred plants.
In addition to group work, we provide individual one-on-one meetings and integration circles, offering personalized guidance and support. Our goal is to ensure that each guest feels fully supported, both during and after the medicine work, on their path to healing and self-discovery.
Throughout the retreat, we offer a range of complimentary practices, including movement, breathwork, sound healing, nature immersion, inquiry, and spiritual rituals. These practices are designed to deepen your connection to yourself and your divine essence.