Ayahuasca healing journeys, ayahuasca experiences, shamanic apprenticeship and jungle adventures testimonials…

Torkel Lundberg, Filmmaker, SWEDEN

Bathing in the jungle lagoon near Ashi Meraya

Photo Courtesy: Torkel Lundberg

What I learned at Ashi Meraya:

Expect magic.
Just be present, it works.
Respect magic
Never ever is anything the same.
Believe in apparent connections and relationships.
& listen to the whole.

When talking, speak to heal.
Let yourself be transformed towards wholeness,
Through presence, laughter and love.
Let yourself be lifted by air, water, forest and stars.
And be carried around by warm hearts of people.
By animals, spirits and earth
Don´t be afraid.
Be courageous.
Carry in yourself
The power to heal
& Your experiences are real.

Let’s sit together
In a graceful afternoon
At Ashi Meraya:
It´s drawing to dusk
And light
Of dawn

Torkel Lundberg, Film Director, SWEDEN

Gunilla, Journalist, Shiatsu & Reiki Therapist, SWEDEN

Shamanic flower bath in Ashi Meraya

Photo Courtesy: Torkel Lundberg

How is it possible? This transformation? Anyway, it is possible. I know that now, after spending some time at Ashi Meraya, with shaman don Rosendo and the loving Shipibo family Garcia Ramirez. I came like a stumbling, kind of depressed, half living, pale person, not able to laugh in a relaxed way, only worrying about my future, punishing myself with disrespect. But this medicine, the deeply bitter brew – Ayahuasca, knows everything, finds each and every difficulty and dissolves it.

PUFF! This doesn’t mean that the dissolving process was easy. The black shadows have to get out, and they get out one way or the other. And behind the black shadows I found a new part of this world, more or less unknown to me before. Bright in colors, flowers floating down from the sky, lights of Ra, the God of the sun, sounds that mingle with the forest and the trees at night, songs from cosmos.. Don Rosendo is a Buddha from the rainforest. He was by my side, not always in person, but in spirit, and still is, and always will be. He would guide me through the transformation, making the medicine even more potent. Though I know his human – so called – age I also know that he is eternal and a newly born child.. His face and body appearing in the ceremonies as if carved in ancient wood. His laughter filling the entire world. His icaros like curing lullabies, irresistible. I have found the light and come to know the spirits of the plants, the knowledge of the plants. They know everything about us. There is no doubt about that. After spending some time at Ashi Meraya alone my husband came. It was a fantastic meeting, out there in the forest. He didn’t really recognize me. Something with the eyes. He went through the tough teachings of the ayahuasca. and together we were born into a new marriage. We will do a Shipibo wedding next time.

Yes, what more can I say? I love my new family. The ever smiling faces. The hospitality with no limits. The talks in the hammock. The sounds of the night, the frogs and the birds. Swimming in the golden brown water of the creek. I will be back to get deeper in to the Shipibo shaman traditions. I want to understand more of our universal connections.

Gunilla, Journalist, Shiatsu & Reiki Therapist, SWEDEN

Marco Belcastro & Katja Ackermann, U.K.

Marco and village children during the expedition to Pacaya Samiria

Photo Courtesy: Marco Belcastro

We spent 7 days on a jungle expedition from Iquitos up the Yanayaku river with a little group. We used the few days we had most intensely – we went on walking tours to see typical wildlife and experience the jungle atmosphere, visited local villages, undertook night expeditions in search for alligators, organized canoe trips to fish for Piranhas and see the pink dolphins. Everybody in our little group of hosts and guides was most welcoming and enthusiastic – eager to show us everything possible that the jungle has to offer.

Katja and village children during the expedition to Pacaya Samiria

Photo Courtesy: Marco Belcastro

It was amazing to see how well Adriano, our guide, knew all the different wildlife species and was able to point them out for us with his ‘jungle trained’ eyes – half of it we surely would have missed otherwise! Teddy – our cook prepared the most fantastic and authentic meals with delicious ingredients we had never heard of before. We saw birds, butterflies, fish and monkeys of all shapes and sizes and went on several night expeditions to see alligators. We loved the little jungle camps where we pitched our tents at night before putting up a fire for dinner and sitting down for a relaxing meal and chat with our hosts. The village people of Arequipa, where we stayed for two nights were warm, friendly and welcoming and it was a pleasure to see and be part of the village life.

Marco Belcastro, Architect, London, U.K.

Eric, Hydro-geologist, USA

Eric with Don Rosendo, in Ashi Meraya

I found the travel arrangements to be well organized and seamlessly timed. The travel advice provided had me well prepared for what I was to encounter in the jungle. In Lima, Nestor provided excellent service, as well as excellent company. Once in Iquitos, Willy and Roseanna took care of all arrangements – I didn’t have to worry about a thing. Willy also apparently knows the Iquitos area well and seems to be very well connected within the social structure there. I felt that I was in safe hands and I followed him here and there. Regarding my experience at [Ashi Meraya], it’s difficult to express in words what an honorable hard-working group the ‘Ashi Meraya’ family is.

Of course the accommodations were quite comfortable (excluding the mosquitoes!), but most importantly, the family provided a heart-felt, open, and spiritually-safe clearing in the jungle for me to settle in to, let go, and accept healing. For reasons still not quite clear to me (sometimes I found it difficult to get a clear explanation – lost in translation), I was fortunate to have both Don Leoncio and Don Rosendo participate in 5 out of 7 of the ayahuasca ceremonies. To experience such a power is something I will not forget. and it provided a great lesson in how shamans may use different methods and visions for the same healing. Why the ayahuasca sessions have changed my life in ways unthinkable to me before I stepped onto the plane for Peru, I want to stress that the experience of living with the ‘Ashi Meraya’ family was nearly as great of an experience. These are really the type of humans that are good for this planet. For their dedication and hard work to their love and laughter, it is a pleasure to know them.

My experience at Ashi Meraya was, in total, inspiring. Years from now when I look back, this experience will have been a crucial turning point. Many thanks for making this experience possible. I’m already considering returning at some point in the future when their new operation is up and running, if for no other reason than just to say hi!

Eric, Hydrogeologist, USA

Javier Regueiro, Shamanic Facilitator, PERU

In the middle of a thousand choices and charlatans, I can only recommend El Mundo Magico’s lead to those interested in exploring Amazonian shamanism.

I spent 3 weeks in [Ashi Meraya] with Don Leoncio and had the chance of doing ceremonies with him in a space so full of spiritual light that there was simply no space left for insecurities, fears and doubts – something most welcome when dealing with the powers of ayahuasca. In such a safe space it was easy to fly and receive the blessings and healings of this teacher plant.

Javier Regueiro, Shamanic Facilitator, PERU