u/dark_out_in_light

When flowing with life we discover that we enter and close cycles all the time. Last night we did a special coming together called a “fire ceremony”. A meeting where we consciously look at the changes we have experienced in our lives and reflect on what we wish to let go. This time, the fire ceremony was for the ending of a five year cycle and the beginning of a new one. The ceremony is opened by the presence of stars in the sky and a sacred tobacco offering. After that, each family member throws something in the fire that speaks of the past and represents something ready to let go of. Some wrote their intentions on paper, while others burned physical items. As they burned, our prayers are turned into light and the old stories of our past go up towards the heavens, carried by the smoke. The fire, a seed of the sun, helps to transform old energies into new possibilities and open our hearts for what is to come. For us, this ceremony was ended with some tears, lots if hugging and a family picture. It is in small yet sacred moments like these, that we strengthen our bonds and reconnect with what we find precious. Overall, we say thank you. Thankyou Great Mother Earth Thankyou Great Father Sky Thankyou Father Sun Thankyou Mama Moon And thankyou to all the stars, elements and beings of nature that beared witness.

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🌿Did you know? That Piñón Colorado is…

⤵️ Piñón Colorado is known as a plant of protection, discernment, and spiritual strength. We use it to help a person stand firm, perceive hidden influences, and confront heavy energies with clarity and courage. However…

This is definitely not a beginner’s masterplant.

It has earned a reputation as a demanding teacher. One that really challenges your integrity, strengthens your energetic boundaries, and deepens your understanding of both healing and protection.

Like all masterplants, its value is not in seeking extraordinary experiences, but in the discipline, humility, and transformation that unfold through a traditional dieta under proper guidance. One of the things this plant taught me: “Protection is not about building thicker walls! It is about becoming so rooted that darkness finds nothing to hold onto.” 🌿🌿🌿

Did you know... that many modern retreat centres buy their aya-huasca online or on black markets? ⬇️

Which means that often, they have no idea what’s even really in it!

We consciously choose to work a more traditional way, where our plants come from local friends who have their own ‘chakras’ (peruvian medicine garden) and we then make the brews ourselves.

Not just that! We make different types of brews because we recognise that every individual is different and has different needs on their path of growth, healing and spiritual development. You simply cant serve the same thing to different people and expect the same results. And because of these, we personalise our brews and tailor it to each individual.

We also follow strict rules during the making of our brews. Such as fasting, keeping the space energetically clean, no visitors or guests during the making and no loud music, conversations or disturbances.

That way the brew gets imbued with the energy of silence, peace and simplicity. Combined with a constant eye on the pot to regulate the temperature, we add in constant bits of love, care & most importantly... respect.

I'm interviewing a traditional curandero for an upcoming long-form conversation and would love to include questions from this community.

According to his own account, he was raised in a family of healers in Curaçao, where he learned from his mother and her grandfather, Papa John. He describes his family's lineage as having Indigenous roots in northern South America, with traditions preserved through generations despite colonization. Later, he apprenticed under Tatamawi, an 82-year-old Cofán elder from Putumayo, Colombia, where he trained in the Cofán Yagé tradition. He also speaks about continuing his education through years of master plant dietas, apprenticeship, and training with multiple teachers.

Our conversation will cover traditional curanderismo, Yagé and other master plants, healing, apprenticeship, Indigenous knowledge, spirituality, ethics, the differences between traditional and modern plant medicine practices, and the challenges these traditions face today. We'll also discuss the less-talked-about side of plant medicine: the potential risks, the commercialization of ayahuasca, the importance of proper training, safety, spiritual and psychological dangers, environmental concerns, and where he believes modern practices have drifted away from traditional curanderismo.

Whether you're experienced, skeptical, or simply curious, what would you genuinely ask someone with this background? I'm looking for thoughtful questions from every perspective not just about plant medicine, but also about healing, tradition, worldview, ethics, the darker and more controversial aspects of the field, and the future of these practices.

If you'd like more background before asking a question, you can find his work here:

Website: https://www.theakituwahealers.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theakituwahealers

I'll include as many of the best questions as I can in the interview.

In this short, Jao Yachai raises an important question: if thousands of retreat centers serve ayahuasca every week, what happens to the plants over 10 years?

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This is not only about ceremony. It is about ethics, sourcing, planting, and giving back to the Amazon. In many Indigenous ways of seeing the world, nothing should be taken from nature without reciprocity.

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A reminder that sacred medicine must be respected, protected, and never treated like a product.