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Yarina, Peru
3° 19' S 72° 56' W
Aug 17, 2006 02:30
Distance 829km

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Pre-Ceremony

Text written in: English

After we got our tents set up, we were surprised that the Shamans were going to have a pre-ceremony to the healing ceremony to start the next day.  We went to the ceremony hut on the property next door.  Milka, one of the shamans, mother and family lived next door and had a huge ceremony hut.  Milka is the youngest of the shamans - 23 years old - and he was to graduate this week to the highest level of shamans called a Merraya.

I had no idea what to expect at this ceremony, but you could feel the energy and excitement and anticipation.  We went into the large circular hut (wooden floor with grass roof about 2 feet off the ground) and settled down on mats in a half circle in front of the shamans.  There were 6 of us girls who had come for the ceremony along with some locals.  In addition to the 4 of us, there was Jessica - a German from Cusco who is also a rare female shaman and a naturalist who works in the Manu National Park.  She was a great translator for us also!  Then there was Roma - a beautiful woman from France - who was working here for a while.  She was filming everything, so we will be getting a CD documenting this event.  That will be wonderful!

Candles were burning for a little light until the ceremony began.  Family members and some other Shipibo indians came in and set up camp around the edges of the hut.  The families just put up mosquito net sheet tents and settled in for the night.  The ceremony began with the drinking of Ayahuasca, a few prayers for healing the healing plants of the jungle and then lights out.  To participate in shamanic healing ceremonies, you do not need to drink Ayahuasca for the healing to occur.  We waited in the dark for the Ayahuasca to be activated and the beautiful icaros (songs of the plants that are sung by the shamans) to begin.  I won't go into detail here on what the ayahuasca journey was like, for it is different for each individual.  If you would like some information, send me an email and I will fill you in.