Shipibo Maestra Maria

Shipibo Maestra Maria gathering teacher plants (“plantas de amor”, used in love magic) for the ritual baths. Photo: M. Mori.

How Maria became a shamanka:

Maria’s father – Maestro Jose’ Ramirez, a Shipibo shaman – made her diet with the teacher plants since she was from the age of 20, yet she abided to the diet exclusively to honour her commitment not because she ever wanted to be a shamanka. She was constantly sick, reason why she followed the advice of her father to diet and drink several concoctions of plant medicines, to find a cure for her very delicate health.

Whilst she was doing the diet, taking all those remedies, her father seized the opportunity to pass on to her the energies of the teacher plants and their powers. Maria saw in her dreams how many doctors would come to visit her and taught her to heal the sick. When she turned 25, her father died as result of witchcraft. She saw him dying. His last words were: “Daughter, take care of yourself, you’re a curandera now, but you do not realize it. During all this time I gave you my powers, use them as you wish and when needed. Keep them and help your neighbours. I will always be with you, in spirit, when you need me.”

Maria also had five children, four of whom died. A fact that would definitely change her destiny forever. At that time, when her fourth child died – despite the fact that he was been treated by other curanderos – she said she would diet herself with more plants to be a powerful chamanka to take care of her only surviving son. She dieted with many more medicines to turn into a strong curandera.

 
Teacher plants, trees, vines, colognes and stones Maestra Maria dieted with.

– She dieted with several plant teachers, like:

Pion colorado, Piripiri de amor, Bubinsana, Pion blanco, Niwerao, Sharomasho, Marosa, Chai, Ipururo, Lengua de perro (literally, “dog’s tongue”, a plant used mainly in love magic in the Peruvian Amazon), Motelillo, Shimi pampana, Mapacho (Nicotiana sp., jungle tobacco), Toe’ (Brugmansia sp.), Ruda (rue) and the San Pedro cactus.

– With teacher trees (palos maestros), like:

Chullachaki caspi, Remocaspi, Tamamuri, Wimba, Renaco, Renaquilla, Lagarto caspi, Tangarana, Lupuna colorada, Lupuna blanca, Catahua, Ayahuma, Setico, Sanango and Chiric sanango.

– With jungle vines (lianas), like:

Escalera de motelo, Abuta, Boa sacha and ayahuasca.

– With colognes, like:

Florida water, Tabú, Abut, Camalonga, Colonia de rosas (Rose cologne) and Colonia de ruda (Rue cologne).

– And finally, also with stones, like:

Piedras blanca (white stones), piedras amarilla (yellow stones), piedras marrón (brown stones), piedras negra (black stones) and piedras pintado (“painted” stones).

Traditional Shipibo Ayahuasca healer, Maestra Maria, attending the preparation of the Ayahuasca brew in the jungle. Photo: M. Mori.

Maestra Maria’s icaros are strong and powerful. She specializes in plant teachers used in love magic (plantas de amor) and in the use of medicinal plants for treating all different classes of ailments. Her arcanas (spiritual defences) are engaged to protect the energies of love that accompany her treatment, as well as the medicines she give to her patients for healing. Maria prepares the Ayahuasca brew cooking ayahuasca vine cuts and chacruna leaves for a period ranging from 30 to 32 hours.