The topic of the ayahuasca workshop will be: Ayahuasca Healing Beyond the Amazon. Its moderator is Kenneth Tupper from the University of British Columbia. According to its promotional brochure, the workshop will focus on ayahuasca, a psychoactive brew (prepared from two plants indigenous to the Amazon) that is used in both traditional indigenous healing practices and modern syncretistic religious rituals. A panel of researchers and practitioners will discuss ayahuasca’s rapid globalization in the past decade and its various contemporary therapeutic and spiritual uses. Specific themes include an overview of the psychological and physiological effects of ayahuasca, the role of culture in mediating the ayahuasca experience (and issues of cross-cultural transferability), ethical issues pertaining to ayahuasca’s uptake in modern Western contexts, and policy challenges arising from the tea’s legal ambiguity in some countries. Ample time will be given for audience participation and discussion.

The objectives of the conference are to provide updates of the science and research in traditional medicine and to promote the awareness of basic principles of traditional medicine. This symposium will be of interest to health care professionals from all disciplines within conventional and traditional medicine (i.e., Chinese medicine, Native medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, Tibetan medicine, etc.), and researchers, educators, practitioners, and students who work and are interested in integrative traditional medicine.

The conference will be held at the BC Children’s Hospital, 4480 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada. For more information visit: http://www.crish.org/international.html

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Plant Spirit Shamanism The Return of the Serpent: The Vine of Souls

Two unique ceremonial workshops and introductions to ayahuasca, the legendary vine of souls and visionary teacher plant

I am delighted to announce a first-of-its-kind event where I will be joined by Guillermo Aravelo, a Shipibo maestro (master shaman), ayahuascero, and vegetalista, for his first ever visit to England. Guillermo is descended from many generations of healers and is a sought-after speaker and ceremonialist at major international conferences, a consultant to many authorities on Amazonian medicine, and the “star” of several documentaries and feature films, including Jan Kounen’s Renegade. Among other ayahuasceros, he is known as the master’s master. Together with participants on these unique ceremonial events, Guillermo and I will explore the healing and visionary qualities of ayahuasca, the legendary “vine of souls” – one of nature’s greatest teacher plants, which is said to be born of a serpent.

Three ceremonies are held on each workshop, so if you choose to attend both events, you will be able to drink six times with Guillermo and myself. Alongside these rituals, I will be offering workshops on plant spirit shamanism, healing, and connecting to nature and ourselves, opening the way for the deep healing that is possible from the vine. We prepare for our ceremonies by following the shaman’s diet, just as it has been practiced for thousands of years by plant spirit shamans and ayahuasceros. Details of the diet will be sent to you on booking.

We purify ourselves with limpia – cleansing baths using special flowers and herbs to refresh body and soul, change luck, confer spiritual blessings, and open ourselves to the healing that ayahuasca can bring. We also diet native plants for lucid dreaming which bring peace and balance so we are better prepared for, and more receptive to, the ayahuasca spirit. Shamanic practices and attunements are also used to deepen your connection to the natural world and its healing powers, and during our ceremonies, icaros – sacred shamanic chants – will guide our journeys and call the spirits of healing and vision.

A few comments from previous Return of the Serpent participants I learned so much! I am feeling much more love and openness for everyone and everything as well as having more clarity and strength. Exactly what I need! Ayahuasca is truly an amazing healer. Kirsty The whole weekend was about love and its power and beauty. Ayahuasca works on – it still has that elusive call that draws me. Margaret I got much more than I expected, and all the decisions I made at the weekend are sitting very comfortably with me. I am happy to have met so many fun, open-minded and open-hearted people. Kate

Workshop booking and details Dates

There are two opportunities to join this event in October 2008 (you can also attend both if you wish): October 22-25 and October 25-28 Venue Norfolk, England (residential) Price £475 per event. Includes accommodation, food, tuition, and ceremonies. No prior experience of shamanism, teacher plants, or plant spirit knowledge is required for these workshops, and no special tools are needed — just an open mind and an adventurous heart! Email ross@thefourgates.com for an Information Pack and booking form. For enquiries, telephone Ross on 07854 459708 or Matt on 01730 262693 or 07881 444770.

Ross Heaven, the founder of The Four Gates Foundation, is a psychologist, workshop presenter, and the author of more than 10 books on shamanism, plant medicines, and the healing traditions, including Plant Spirit Shamanism, Plant Spirit Wisdom, Love’s Simple Truths, and The Sin Eater’s Last Confessions.

The 4th International Amazonian Shamanism Conference: Magic, Myths, and Miracles will be held in Iquitos, Peru from July 19 through 27, 2008.

This 4th Amazonian Shamanism Conference will be opened by the illustrious visionary scientist, Dr.Dennis Mckenna. Other Presenters (with more confirming soon are – That master of sound healing- Dr. Richard Grossman, the brilliant entheo-scientist and lecturer, Ananda, the Indiana Jones of Amazon Shamanism and noted journalist – Peter Gorman, the most excellent scientfic researcher on brain states while taking ayahuasca- Dr. Frank Echenhofer, the Amazon’s most famous visionary painter- Pablo Amaringo.

Also the filmmaker and director Jan Kounen who brought us the documentary Other Worlds about ayahuasca and the Shipibo tribes and Renegade (Blueberry), specialist in Entheo-Religion and compiler of the book: Entheogens and the Future of Religion – Robert Forte, the intrepid Victoria Alexander speaking on her research of Medieval Mysticism and Its Empirical Kinship to Ayahuasca, the very profound Melvin Morse (invited but not yet confirmed) and his research into children’s near death experiences as well as his research on Myths, the renowned Dr. John Alexander (invited but not yet confirmed) and his years of training and research on Remote Viewing.

One of the Director’s of Eagle’s Wing and author Howard G Charing, Conference Organizer Alan Shoemaker speaking on 15 years in shamanism, the visionary artists Robert Venosa and Martina Hoffman two curanderas specializing in Huachuma (San Pedro) Wendy Luckey and Mary Ann Endowes Presenting as well as holding ceremonies, Elisa Vargas Fernandez, the Shipibo curandera who works magic with her incredible icaros, and many more to be confirmed.

The list of shamans (curanderos) is coming next and they are the most powerful we can find. There will be approximately 15 different curanderos/shamans giving presentations (all are translated into English).During the Conference Presentations you will have ample opportunities to hear the many shamans speaking alone as well as in panel discussions. It is during this time that you will get a sense of which healer you would like to be in Ceremony with, especially during the question and answer times.

There are three evenings set aside for you to be in Ceremony with the shaman – curandero or your choice. All Ceremonies are held outside of Iquitos, either up or downriver or way out on the Iquitos to Nauta highway and then a short 15 minute walk into the various Compounds. Transport is provided both to the location and returning to Iquitos the following morning.

For those that have never been in Ceremony before, a workshop will be held by Dr. Richard Grossman and Alan Shoemaker so that all of your questions can be adequately answered. The Ceremonies offered are completely voluntary and not in any way a prerequisite of attending the Conference.

Pre-Conference Tune-Up. Those wishing a program for a week before the Conference can come to the Pre-Conference Tune-Up. This is for more experienced Ceremonial persons. It begins one week before the Conference and will be held at the Soga Del Alma compound just outside of Iquitos. You will be able to make your own medicina and hold your own Ceremony without a curandero being present. Total price: $200 USDs This includes everything from the time you arrive at the maloca/compound.

Howard G. Charing, is an international workshop leader on shamanism. He has worked some of the most respected and extraordinary shamans & healers in the Andes, the Amazon Rainforest. With Peter Cloudsley he organises specialist retreats to the Amazon Rainforest.

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