dan-pulsetours

Great questions. I knew the shaman at Shimbre. I spent a month there. The (American) owner offered me a volunteer spot to go and work with the medicine to write about it into a blog. There was a lot of propaganda that was put into play by the owner and associates painting this shaman, Jose Vargas as the last of the Chavin civilization, with origins from other parts of the universe. Consequently, a lot of people bought into it. This is a tragic example of shamanism gone wrong. However, this is an isolated incident and should not be weighted heavily against the thousands of others who achieve life-changing benefits from ayahuasca shamans in Peru every year.

Thanks for your inquiry! I'll do my best to answer your questions thoroughly.

1. We usually bring between 3 to 10 people on these tours. We find that bringing people together from different walks of life who share a common interest and desire adds to the synergy of the group and creates connections that last for years. Especially in the context of sharing ayahuasca experiences, people really connect at the heart level during these journeys.

2. This particular 10 day itinerary includes all accommodations, all domestic transportation, 2 domestic flights, 2 Amazon boat cruises, activities, some food, 3 ayahuasca ceremonies and tour leader/translator. The price is $1,995.

3. The 10 day itinerary (next one: June 15-24) includes 4 days and nights at Nihue Rao Spiritual Center, before and after which involves grassroots travel to and from the center. During those 4 days at the center, people can choose to participate in up to 3 ayahuasca ceremonies, including consultations with the master shaman the following days to discuss the significance of their experiences and visions.

4. Ayahuasca has shown me a new depth to what I experience as life itself. The profundity that this medicine works on is remarkable. My relationships with myself and my family have improved dramatically; my connection to source has deepened; the direction of my life has veered down a more interesting and fulfilling path; I have shed some viewpoints and paradigmatic limitations which has allowed me to grow as a person and allow more love and success into my life; and through the course of my extensive work with ayahuasca in a number of different contexts I have encountered numerous others who have experienced profound and positive life changes as a result of their working with the medicine. And lastly, it is just the most intense, beautiful, amazing experience that I've ever had.

I believe every human should have the opportunity to explore it, and that the world would be a better place having done so. The critical tipping point between self-destruction and self-preservation of the human race will be when our consciousness changes and we begin to change our operational paradigm. I believe ayahuasca is the critical catalyst that is beginning to effect this change in the world, one person at a time.

The center we work with now, Nihue Rao, is owned my a Colombian/American M.D., a Canadian Artist, and a Peruvian Master Shaman, Ricardo Amaringo. His father and brother are also well known and highly reputed in the world of Shamanism. Ricardo was recommended to me by Kenneth Tupper, an academic who was involved with documentaries such as Vine of the Soul, Jungle Prescription, and others. He's a PhD at UBC, a university in the city I live, Vanocouver. Ricardo was also recommended to me by Chris Kilham, a well known author who's written about his experience with Ricardo.

But, for me, the proof is in the pudding. I was there a couple of months ago and had one of the most beautiful experiences of my life. And the people I brought with me all got what they came looking for. The medicine is made freshly everyday, right on site. You can see the ingredients that go into it, watch it boil, and then drink it the next day. And the effect is even more proof in term of the quality of the medicine. Not to mention Ricardo's elite talent in singing icaros. It is very, very impacting. Amazing. The shamans sing all night and give each patient a personalized icaro.

One thing I've noticed with nearly every ceremony I've participated in is that participants form deeper bonds after having shared an ayahuasca experience. People rarely talk at all during the ceremony, it's actually discouraged. It's often very dark and calm, with everyone undergoing their own silent journey on their own comfy little mattress.

That was a shocking tragedy that put a massive stain on this whole industry.