Ayahuasca Shaman

Carlos Tanner is inviting people who are genuinely interested in ayahuasca, shamanism and personal growth to experience first-hand the transformative healing techniques and practices of Amazonian Shamanism at the first annual Amazon Curandero Seminar. This 9 day intensive program hosted by Carlos and a distinguished faculty of traditional Amazonian shamans will be held in the island city of Iquitos, Peru on April 19th - 27th, 2008.

“Shamanism as a science of the spirit and nature provides a bridge through which we can reconnect with the natural world and with our heritage as spiritual beings,” says Carlos Tanner, long-time student and apprentice to the Peruvian shaman and healer don Juan Tangoa.

“In a modern world facing widespread political and economic instability and major environmental crises, the age-old practice of shamanism and especially the remarkable healing and therapeutic properties of ayahuasca (the sacred plant medicine utilised for millennia by the traditional healers of the Amazon) is receiving increasing attention. However a common question for those individuals who wish to experience or study Amazon shamanism in a traditional context is, “How do I begin?”

For many, the prospect of leaving home and traveling thousands of miles to the Amazon jungle in order to find a shaman can be daunting. Even putting aside the questions of creature comforts and language barriers, other more serious questions arise: “Which shaman do I choose to study with from the seeming hundreds or even thousands?” Questions of trust, ethics, safety and integrity also become paramount.

The Amazon Curandero Seminar comes as an answer to these questions as well as to the ever-growing collective attraction of these ancient traditions. Its aim is to provide a solid hands-on introduction and training in Amazon shamanism and ayahuasca-healing in a traditional context all the while under expert guidance and supervision within a supportive group environment.

The focus is on direct participation and experience. At the core of the Seminar are six experiential workshops which cover the main topics central to the practice of curanderismo. The topics include:

1) Ayahuasca: Its traditional role, use, purpose and preparation.
2) Healing Tools: The chakapa, incenses & baths.
3) Medicinal Plants and Plant Spirits
4) Icaros: The sacred healing songs
5) Animal Spirits and Power Animals
6) Mapachos & Perfumes

For a personal and intimate learning experience, seminar participants will be divided into small groups and rotate through the workshops. Each workshop will be led by one of the six Curanderos who make up the core faculty of the Amazon Curandero Seminar, each of whom is a recognised expert or specialist in a different technique.

The Seminar faculty itself is comprised of the most highly respected and dedicated healers in Iquitos, all of whom demonstrate a strong desire and passion to share their wisdom.

Detailed information on each workshop and biographies of the curanderos can be found at their website, http://www.curanderoseminar.com.

In addition to the core workshops, participants will have the option of participating in three ayahuasca ceremonies with a curandero of their choice from the Seminar faculty. In these ceremonies participants will be able to apply the skills and knowledge taught during workshops, while under the supervision of their shaman.

The Amazon Curandero Seminar will be held at the Hotel Sol del Oriente in Iquitos, Peru. This new hotel has all the furnishings and amenities you would expect to find in any cosmopolitan city, including air-conditioned rooms, gourmet restaurant, swimming pool, exotic gardens, and even a small zoological park.

During the conference the hotel will be transformed into a live-in community. As well as the central curriculum of workshops and ceremonies, other activities will be available including morning yoga & meditation programs, aromatherapy and massage as well as an expressive arts room and a mini-theatre where films on related topics will be screened. In addition, an arts and crafts tent will be erected where talented local artisans will have their works on display.

Reservations for the seminar are required, and early registration is recommended. Due to the intimate nature of this event, the Seminar space is only available for a maximum of sixty participants. Places will thus be filled on a first come first served basis.

As a prelude to the Amazon Curandero Seminar Carlos Tanner will be co-hosting a series of eight teleseminars which will discuss in depth the topics related to the study and practice of Amazon shamanism. The teleseminars will include as guests the curanderos and healers from the Seminar faculty and a full running translation will be provided. These teleseminars are free and listeners will also have the opportunity to submit questions to the curanderos before and during these events. For more information and to register for these free teleseminars please see the Amazon Curandero website, http://www.curanderoseminar.com.

About Carlos Tanner: A graduate of Philosophy and Art from the University of Massachusetts, he is a student and apprentice to the Peruvian shaman and healer don Juan Tangoa. In 2004 Carlos together with his teacher co-founded Ayahuayra (Spirit of the Wind) an organization dedicated to the study and practice of curanderismo and plant spirit medicine.

Trackback this Post | Feed on comments to this Post