One Shamburi Ceremony
One ayahuasca ceremony

one san pedro ceremony

Ceremonies with these sacred plant medicines take place twice for Ayahuasca and Shamburi (Monday and Wednesday mornings) and once with San Pedro (usually Friday morning). Ayahuasca and Shamburi ceremonies include individual icaros (healing songs), along with individual energetic healing based on each guests' needs. Maestra Estela has been given the title of Master of the Light after her isolated dieta of light over the course of six months. Subsequently, she has learned that to maximize the power of Ayahuasca, she must deliver her medicine via daytime ceremonies. For guests desiring night ceremonies, we kindly ask that you experience her transformative daytime ceremonies first. Guests are then free to discuss with Maestra Estela and staff any questions or concerns they might have.

The first ceremony you partake in on the Monday morning upon arriving, you will take Shamburi. Maestra starts each guest with Shamburi to better assess and diagnose the patient. Shamburi is a softer medicine but still extremely strong. On Wednesday you will take Ayahuasca and on Friday allows for the option of Shamburi, San Pedro or Mushrooms if they are in season. After the first week, you then have your choice of what medicine you'd like to take, whether it be Ayahuasca or Shamburi for Monday or Wednesday. (San Pedro is only served on Friday)

 

At the discretion of Maestra Estela, Friday ceremonies are replaced with ceremonies involving other master plants and medicines (Toé, Tobacco, Piñon Colorado, Mushrooms, Kambo, etc) to allow guests a broader education of the plant and natural medicine world.

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**Disclaimer - Ayahuasca and other master plants are only given under the discretion of the shaman, Maestra Estela. There are no guarantees that new patients will be able to drink these master medicines, as the shaman must access if it is safe and necessary for each person to drink Ayahuasca. Ayahuasca is a sacred plant medicine that is used traditionally by the shaman for diagnosis and for curing purposes. It is not always best for the patient to drink Ayahuasca. Healing will happen regardless of whether or not the patient drinks Ayahuasca, as healing comes from the holistic use of plant medicines here at Aya Madre. **

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master plant DIETAS

Each individual has a short consultation with Maestra Estela, as well as her diagnostic work during the first Ayahuasca ceremony, to determine which plant you will diet. This involves a restricted food diet and regularly ingesting a master plant to help guide you on your healing path. In some cases, the Maestra determines that this is not necessary for certain individuals, or that the entire group of guests should diet the same plant.

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transport between Iquitos airport & aya Madre

Aya Madre kindly asks all guests to begin their stays on Saturdays or Sundays. We make rare exceptions for arrivals on Tuesdays and Thursdays. A staff member of Aya Madre will meet each guest at the airport (or in the city of Iquitos if preferred)  and take them by mototaxi to the center. Please be aware that due to road complications, we only service from 10am-5pm. We ask pasajeros to pay 150 soles to the driver per each roadtrip.

 

The road between the highway and the center is a combination of highway and off-road through the jungle. Depending on the weather and the amount of rain there may be times when guests need to walk (maximum of 15-45 minutes). For those with conditions limiting their capacity to walk, we do everything in our power to minimize the amount of walking.

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Note: any additional trips to and from Iquitos guests may wish to make once at the center may be requested by guests staying longer than two weeks, but is not included (nor is it at all recommended as the city of Iquitos is loud, sensually overwhelming and confusing for those on dieta), but is not included. A one way trip from Iquitos and Aya Madre are $40USD (S/150) per roadtrip and each additional hour after your dropoff is 20 soles (can be divided among up to three passengers). Please be aware that our drivers stay in town to return you to the center and often are without funds themselves. Kindly give them advance pay so they can move freely <3

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vomitivo, flower baths, & other plant remedies

Upon arriving, guests are given a one-time purgative plant remedy as part of a vomitivo (Spanish for a vomiting ceremony). The vomitivo is a short ceremony of ingesting one of the many master plants on the Aya Madre grounds and large amounts of water to begin the cleaning of your body and energetic fields through the sacred process of vomiting. This prepares you for your first Ayahuasca ceremony and is seen as an outward act of commiting to your dieta. *Vomitivos are scheduled on the Sunday of your arrival(latest Monday monring). If you arrive on a Saturday, you will have a day to rest before your Vomitivo (highly recommended)*

 

Throughout the retreat, each guest also receives a handful of flower or plant baths, as another way of connecting with the plants and cleaning your system. Other plant remedies are given as well (teas, massages, steam-baths, etc).

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jungle walk & plant tour

Maestra Estela leads a jungle walk through the enormous property of Aya Madre on Tuesday mornings. Guests meet and learn about a variety of healing plants used in Shipibo plant medicine, and if they are lucky spot some interesting creatures and biodiversity! The terrain of the property varies immensely within a short walk, from vast openings of white sand to dense, humid rain forest. We end the tour with a swim in the river to cool down and to connect with the land.

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introduction & integration discussions

Upon arrival to the center, Maestra Estela and staff gives an introductory welcome talk on Shipibo plant medicine, Ayahuasca, and an overview of Aya Madre. At the completion of each week there is another short talk on integration. Guests may also share their experiences with others and with Maestra Estela at any time during the week.

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lodging in private tambos

All guests stay in private “tambos” (basic wood huts) on the Aya Madre property. Each tambo includes a mattress with sheets and pillow, a mosquito net, mosquito netting around the tambo, and a table or two to store your things. Three shared bathrooms and showers are located outside of the maloka (the ceremony house).

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Three meals per day

Meals are provided and guests eat together in the common kitchen. The meals are in accordance with the Shipibo plant dieta. The meals do not include red meat, pork, sugar, salt or processed foods. Most meals are very simple and include some combination of: quinoa, rice, potatoes, yucca, tomatoes, carrots, lentils, boiled eggs and fruit. The meals are self-serve and food is available throughout the day.

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Note: on days of Ayahuasca, San Pedro, or other plant medicine ceremonies, meals may be omitted to assist in your healing process.

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spanish-english translation

As Maestra Estela and most Shipibo shamans do not speak English, an English-Spanish speaking assistant is on-hand for the entirety of the retreat to provide basic translation. This includes all ceremonies, lessons, discussions. and activities led by Maestra Estela. Guests are encouraged to explore basic Spanish (and Shipibo!) to connect more intimately with Maestra Estela and her family outside of retreat activities.