by Emma Reeves | Oct 16, 2023 | Plant Medicine Music
Raising song prayers can be a way to express gratitude, change energetic vibrations, and honor Mother Earth. This is also why, as the saying goes, music is medicine. On that note, we are excited to announce the latest EP medicine music release by Pájaros de Luz, Sumac Wayra.
Music plays a pivotal role for Ayllu Medicina, including at our plant medicine ceremonies and retreats. Music has also long been part of the lives of Hwaneetah and Aimé, Pájaros de Luz. We are grateful to be able to share their song prayers with you all.
Read on to learn more about Pájaros de Luz and their music!
Luz de Selva: Light of the Jungle
Luz de Selva is the first single of the EP, Sumac Wayra, to be released. Luz de Selva translates to the ‘light of the jungle’ in English. It is inspired by the master plant teacher of Ayahuasca, referring to the guiding light that comes to us during ceremonies. Luz de Selva is a song to activate this light and our inner altar, our most sacred space.
You can now listen to Luz de Selva on all major music platforms, including:
- Spotify
- iTunes
- Amazon Music
- YouTube
Hwaneetah wrote and composed this song, which was recorded in Colombia, along with the rest of the Sumac Wayra EP.
Sumac Wayra EP
Sumac Wayra is the latest EP by Pájaros de Luz, focused on Andean medicine music with instrumentals. Sumac Wayra consists of four medicine music songs, which feature a variety of Andean instruments, including bongos, harmonicas, rattles, and flutes. The EP also includes some new instrumental versions of popular Pájaros de Luz songs and two new releases:
- Luz de Selva
- Pajaros de Luz
- Cantando con mis Ancestros
- Sumac Wayra
This new work is in collaboration with a group of talented musicians well-known in the region. We want to say a big thank you to the following collaborators:
Judala
Judala is a son of the rainbow and a walker of the Munay. He is a medicine music singer-songwriter, producer, and researcher of Andean culture and music. You can listen to his latest releases on Spotify, which include Guerrero Arcoíris. He is also a temazcal fire keeper of the Red Road in Antioquia.
Nacho_sierra
Nacho_sierra is a musician, composer, and songwriter. You can listen to Nacho_sierra’s latest single on Spotify, ‘Cantaré’. He is also a music producer, builder of musical instruments, and a student of ancestral medicines.
Uriverso
Universo is a musician, singer, composer, therapist, and walking man of ancestral medicines. He plays various instruments, including the didgeridoo, Native American flute, guitar, and electric bass. You can listen to his music on Spotify, such as his latest track, Tierra Hermosa.
Willy Z
Willy Z runs the La Comarca Sumak Kawsay in Colombia. He is a canupa carrier, sun dancer, and medicine man. You can also check out their store, juanais.esencial, on Instagram for holistic medicines.
Production: Soul Del Viento
Production for Luz de Selva is by Soul Del Viento, who is a musician, producer, and creator of Haux Ancestral Medicine. He is also an apprentice and walker of the ancestral culture.
Original Artwork and Design
The original artwork for the single and album is by Santiago Andrade Leon.
Santiago Andrade Leon is a spiritual leader, medicine man, and Andean doctor who shares his art in different forms, including the artwork on Luz de Selva and Sumac Wayra. He has many medicine songs to listen to, which honor different plant medicines, including Ayahuasca and Awakolla.
His latest release is Fuego Espiritu, available on all major music platforms. His next music project is titled Awakollero.
The cover designs of Luz de Selva and Sumac Wayra are by Pame Robles.
Pájaros de Luz – Hwaneetah and Aime
Luz de Selva is the first single from the upcoming album, Sumac Wayra, by Pájaros de Luz. You can listen to Hwaneetah and Aime’s first album, Pájaros de Luz, on platforms such as Bandcamp, YouTube, and Spotify.
Their first album includes medicine songs such as Agua De Estrellas, Abuelos Medicina, Cuatro Vientos, and Cantando Con Mis Abuelos. You can find the lyrics to these songs on our website.
Aime and Hwaneetah have been singing, playing instruments, and composing medicine music in honor of the light in all beings for many years. Pájaros de Luz was the first release of this music, and we are so grateful for all the support for this album.
Sumac Wayra is their second album, due for release this November. We are excited for you to hear how medicine music takes different forms. The first album featured a rattle and water drum, whereas this EP has an instrumental focus.
Listen to Pájaros de Luz on all Music Platforms
Thank you for all your support for Pájaros de Luz. We hope you enjoy Luz de Selva and the full album, Sumac Wayra, due for release this November! You can stay up to date with Pájaros de Luz news by signing up for our newsletter, following Pájaros de Luz on Instagram, and following them on music platforms such as Spotify and YouTube.
You can also experience Luz de Selva and other Pájaros de Luz music live in Ecuador. Stay tuned for upcoming concerts and consider attending an Ayllu Medicina transformational plant medicine retreat to delve deep into your own inner world and find your own rhythm once more.
Contact us if you have any questions!
by Emma Reeves | Oct 4, 2023 | plant medicine ceremonies, spiritual practices
Did you know that meditation and medicine have the same root word? Despite meditation and plant medicine often being seen as separate modalities, they complement each other well. So well, in fact, that meditation can help in plant medicine ceremonies in many different ways.
It is estimated that over 275 million people have some form of meditation practice around the world, and more people than ever are feeling called to explore their inner world with the assistance of master plant teachers, such as Ayahuasca and San Pedro. So, what happens when you combine these ancient technologies in a plant medicine ceremony?
Here are some of the ways meditation helps in plant medicine ceremonies.
1. Preparation
The benefits of meditation begin before you attend a plant medicine ceremony. It is often recommended to take steps to prepare your body, mind, and spirit to sit with plant medicine, including adjusting your diet, slowing down activity, and trying practices such as meditation. Preparatory steps are not limitations but ways to purify so you can have more profound experiences in ceremonies and begin to connect with the master plants in advance.
Meditation is an ancient practice that, like plant medicines, has gained the scientific world’s attention. Recently, there has been a lot of research to confirm meditation’s many benefits, such as improving focus, reducing stress, and even changing brain structures. One study found meditation helped increase the thickness of the hippocampus- which is the part of your brain responsible for emotional regulation and memory.
So, all these benefits will begin to help during your plant medicine preparation time, allowing you to shed layers and make space to connect with the plant medicines. Meditation can also help ground and calm the mind before your plant medicine ceremony. It is also natural to experience some nerves before a ceremony, which meditation can help settle.
2. Observe Without Judgement
One of the main ways meditation helps in plant medicine ceremonies is to help you stay as the observer of your experience. You can notice your thoughts without getting swept into their emotional storm or judging them. Instead, you have meditation tools that can bring your attention back to your center.
Master plant teachers such as Ayahuasca are medicine. So, while ceremonial experiences are unique to the individual, it is common for there to be ups and downs as part of your journey to your center. For example, plant medicines such as Ayahuasca can magnify thought patterns, emotions, and experiences to make you recognize them. Meditation can help you navigate and even welcome these experiences to dive deeper into your inner world without resistance.
3. Focus and Center
Meditation and plant medicine both allow you to explore your inner being. Meditation can help you re-center, helping you come back to your intention for the ceremony, quieten the mind, and maintain your heart-mind connection.
Having the tools to quieten the mind and separate yourself from thoughts is empowering. In a plant medicine ceremony, this empowerment can help you stay focused and go deep into your inner being with the help of the master plant.
4. A Physical Aid
Meditation can help increase your self-awareness, so in a ceremony, you remember to come back to the breath or do a body scan to make a simple adjustment to feel physically comfortable once more.
Our Ayllu Medicina yoga teacher often reminds participants that deep breathing can completely transform a challenging moment. Sometimes, remembering to take a deep breath, check in with our body, and relax any areas of tension can help uncomfortable moments of the plant medicine ceremony pass.
5. Let Go
A common piece of advice people give for plant medicine ceremonies is to ‘let go’ or ‘surrender.’ This may feel easier said than done! After all, what does surrender mean?
For many people, the art of surrender can be a mystery before a plant medicine ceremony, and it remains a practice that meditation helps strengthen. Essentially, this piece of advice refers to allowing the present moment to be exactly how it is. It means acknowledging any difficult experiences or emotions but relaxing into them with trust, trusting the master plant and yourself.
Meditation also helps remind you that the moment will pass; everything is temporary. The practice enables you to return to the present moment. It can help you let go of expectations and recognize when the ego is trying to take control.
You can begin to stop trying to push or pull your inner and outer experience during the ceremony, instead surrendering into the present. The result? Fewer obstacles and more collaboration with the master plant teacher.
6. Gratitude
A great intention for a plant medicine ceremony is gratitude. Meditation can help you stay centered in these feelings of gratitude, love, and humility. It can help allow your true self to bloom by getting out of your own way.
Plant medicines such as Ayahuasca can also produce transcendental states, where you go beyond the ego and experience the connection to what is bigger than yourself, often referred to as ‘oneness’ or wholeness. A strong meditation practice can also achieve these heightened states of awareness.
However, suppose you are beginning your meditation practice. In that case, plant medicines can help you reach deeper states of meditation and the feelings associated, such as peace, joy, and a quietening of the mind.
7. Integration
Meditation and plant medicine work well together before, during, and after a ceremony. Meditation can also help during integration, the time after the ceremony, and when you finish a plant medicine retreat. Integration can only happen if we make space for it with compassion and patience for ourselves.
Returning to the ceremony of life can be an adjustment, which means having tools such as meditation can help you navigate the integration period with openness, attention, and space. Meditation can be the practice you continually use to maintain your well-being, quieten the mind, check in with your inner world, and stay centered, no matter what distractions or challenges arise.
Attend Our Meditation and Plant Medicine Retreat
Meditation and plant medicine share many similarities, which means meditation is a practice that can help during plant medicine preparation, plant medicine ceremonies, and integration periods. There are a range of different meditation practices to try, so you can find one that suits your own needs.
Do you want support deepening your meditation practice and connecting to master plant teachers? Ayllu Medicina is holding a Meditation and Plant Medicine Retreat in November 2023. While meditation is always a core part of our plant medicine retreats in Ecuador, this retreat is specifically focused on providing meditation tools and practices.
It will be a transformational week that provides the space, practices, and support to dive deep into your inner world. Do you have some questions? Our team will be happy to schedule a call to discuss any of our retreats in more detail!
by Emma Reeves | Jun 18, 2023 | spiritual practices
Did you know that the sun takes a brief pause before changing its direction of travel? This event is marked by Solstice, which happens twice a year. Different cultures and traditions have long celebrated this significant astrological event, so what can you do to honor Solstice?
Many cultures have long lived a life immersed in nature, attuned to the Earth and Moon’s rhythms, recognizing their interconnectedness with the elements. This connection to the land has meant astrological events such as Solstice have long been revered as significant not only for the external world but our inner world too.
June 21st marks Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and Winter Solstice in the South. It is the perfect time to take your own sacred pause and celebrate this change in season. Read on to learn everything you need to know about how to celebrate Solstice and honor your own light.
What Is the Meaning of Solstice?
On Earth, Solstice is when the sun reaches its highest or lowest point in the sky during the year, marked by the shortest or longest day. The term Solstice comes from the Latin (solstitium) for sun and ‘to stand still,’ which is because the sun was observed to take a pause before continuing its journey into what is now considered the start of Winter or Summer.
Like Equinoxes, Solstices happen around the world in June and December. The June Solstice dates are between June 20 and June 22nd. The December Solstice dates are between December 20 and December 23rd. They are often called winter Solstice or Summer Solstice.
On June 21st, it is the Summer Solstice for the Northern Hemisphere, with the longest day, while for the Southern Hemisphere, it marks the start of Winter, with the shortest day. In December, the Southern Hemisphere celebrates summer, whereas it is the Winter Solstice for the Northern Hemisphere.
Why Is Solstice Important?
The Solstice marks the sacred pause of the sun and the many external and internal rhythms of life; the changing seasons, life, death, darkness, light, day, and night. It also reflects the relation between the sun and the moon, the sacred dance between these forces. These female and male energies are essential to balance our own inner nature, so we can find our center.
Solstice is a time that has long been considered important for the land, body, and spirit. Our ancestors recognized how much the world around us is a reflection of our inner world and how important it is to have a reciprocal relationship with Mother Earth and Father Sky.
Solstice gives us the opportunity to reconnect to the Sun and Earth, recognizing the cyclical nature of life and connecting to our light within. It is the perfect time to close a cycle to make space for the new season ahead.
Summer Solstice Traditions
Summer Solstice is celebrated in different ways around the world; however, there are several similarities between traditions. For example, many people gathered, and still gather until this day, at sacred sites to observe the sunrise and sunset. Many of these sacred sites, such as Stonehenge in England, are aligned with the movement of the sun on Solstice.
Summer Solstice is also a time to give thanks to Mother Earth and pray for an abundant harvest. This involves giving cleansings, offerings, ceremonies, playing music, spending time in nature, and dancing.
Some traditions also burn bonfires to ward off certain spirits, purify, and celebrate light defeating darkness. Some cultures also jump over fires as a way to purify and set intentions for the season ahead.
Winter Solstice Traditions
Winter solstice traditions also involve time giving offerings, praying for the return of harvest, celebrating, and giving thanks to the Sun and Earth. Some ancient festivals, such as the Roman festival of Saturnalia, reflects the modern celebration of Christmas, where people would play games, feast, give gifts, and even reverse social orders.
Seasonal food and fire are also part of many Winter Solstice traditions when people would prepare for the winter and darkness ahead.
Solstice in Ecuador
In June, Andean communities celebrate the festival Inti Raymi, also known as Fiesta del Sol. The dates of specific celebrations vary depending on the community and country, but usually, celebrations last several days.
It is a festival that many Andean communities throughout South America mark. It is said that the festival originated in Incan times, with the focus being on harvesting specific delicacies, such as corn. Ecuador is on the equator, so it doesn’t have clear seasons; however, the people have long recognized their relationship with the Sun and Earth.
Inti Raymi is the festival of the Sun and light, celebrating the agricultural year. Rituals include parades, cleansing in water, music, and offerings. Dance is also an important part of the celebration, with people stamping their feet to wake Mother Earth and encourage her to bring energy to the land and restore the harvest cycle.
Dancers will often have a ritual cleansing in natural water to purify their bodies and spirits first, renewing themselves in the energy of the elements. They then stomp throughout their town in specific outfits, often ending in the main square of their town.
How To Celebrate Solstice and Close the Cycle
Your Solstice celebrations may be inspired by your location and whether you are entering Winter Solstice or Summer Solstice. However, these are Solstice practices you can do to mark this significant astrological event and the end of a cycle, no matter where you are in the world.
Take a Cleansing Bath
Find a body of water where you can take a cleansing bath. You can take some tobacco or play some music as an offering before washing away anything that is not serving you. You can also make your own ritual bath at home by heating some water with herbs such as chamomile and adding rose petals.
Make an Offering
Solstice is an opportunity to give thanks for all the forces of the Earth, sky, and elements that provide us with all the abundance we need to survive. Give an offering to Mother Earth as a way to give thanks for all the ways she has supported you.
You can make an offering of grains, fruits, tobacco, water, seeds, stones, and other items that are meaningful to you, which you can return to Mother Earth. You can join Ayllu Medicina’s Solstice offering if you are on the coast of Ecuador! See details below.
Get Creative
Creativity is the perfect way to raise your vibration and help ground you in the present moment. Sing some plant medicine songs, dance, create art, play instruments, or find another way to connect to your inner nature within. Studies have found the importance of creativity for well-being in adults and the importance of taking time to pause and express our inner world.
Pause in Nature
Spending time in nature without distractions is the perfect way to honor the sacredness of this life and the interconnectedness of all things. Take a pause by meditating outside or going for a walk in nature. Observe all that is around you to practice remaining present.
Light a Fire
The fire is the heart of many rituals, celebrations, cultures, and homes, including Solstice celebrations. Connect to the fire and all the ways it can purify by gathering around one. Ask for guidance!
If you cannot safely light a fire, you can try a candle meditation or join a community event.
Watch Sunrise
Wake up with the birds and visit a local sacred site or go to a local sunrise spot to observe the sunrise. Give thanks to Father Sun for the new day. Spend some time thinking about what you are grateful for, and consider watching the sunset too.
Attend a Ceremony
Mark the sacred pause of the sun by taking part in a ceremony that honors the sacredness of this life. This may be a plant medicine ceremony, sweat lodge, or other local event. You can follow Ayllu Medicina (@ayllumedicina) on Instagram for our upcoming ceremonies or check out our next season’s plant medicine retreats.
Recap the Year
June Solstice is a time to reflect on the past six months since December Solstice. What were you doing last June? You can also reflect on your past year, all the things you are grateful for, everything you have achieved, and what intentions you want to set as the seasons change.
Learn How To Celebrate Solstice
Celebrating Solstice is a time to take a sacred pause like the sun and give thanks, remembering that the relationship with the Earth is a reciprocal one. It is the perfect opportunity to begin to align with the rhythms of nature and your own nature. Plus, it is always wonderful to take a pause, close the cycle, and watch the sunrise or sunset (or both!)
Ayllu Medicina is holding a Solstice offering, meditation, and a sweat lodge. We will focus on a Heart coherence meditation, which you can also learn at our Medicine of the Heart Retreat. When you align your mind-body connection, you can connect to your light, your love, and your center. If you are on the coast of Ecuador, join us at 4.30 pm next Wednesday!
If you have any questions about our Solstice event or our plant medicine retreats, please contact us! Comment below if you have any other ways you celebrate Solstice.
by Emma Reeves | Jun 8, 2023 | Plant medicines
Ayahuasca, a sacred master plant, has become more widely known in recent years due to the profound healing it offers. But there are also other plant medicines that can help you on your healing journey, including another master plant, often referred to as San Pedro, Huachuma, or Awakolla. So, what should you know about this heart-opening medicine?
We are fortunate to have access to different healing plant medicines, such as the San Pedro cactus in South America, which is found in countries such as Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Colombia. Ayllu Medicina retreat participants are often less familiar with this sacred medicine, so we have put together this Huachuma guide to help you learn more.
What Is Huachuma?
Huachuma is a sacred plant medicine also known by names such as San Pedro or Awakolla. It comes from the Echinopsis Pachanoi cactus, native to the Andes mountains. It is a fast-growing and ancient cactus with huge white flowers that bloom at night and are pollinated by bats. From above, the cactus ribs look like a star.
San Pedro is known for its healing and psychoactive effects. However, this plant medicine offers more than closed and open-eye visions; it is highly revered as a master plant teacher who can provide healing and guidance on many levels.
The History of the San Pedro Cactus
While Ayahuasca originates in the Amazon jungle, Huachuma originates in the Andes mountains. Evidence of the consumption of San Pedro dates back thousands of years, with evidence from ancient cultures such as the Chavin and Chimú cultures—for example, stone carvings depicting shamans holding the San Pedro cactus.
The name ‘San Pedro’ came after the Spanish occupation, referring to the Christian saint St. Peter. It is said that Huachuma was given this name as St. Peter is the saint that holds the keys to heaven. You can often see why San Pedro can be the bridge to reach those states by the end of your journey with the plant medicine, as it helps you reach a deep state of communion with nature.
Other names for San Pedro come from different countries, such as Awakolla in Ecuador. Evidence shows ancient civilizations used San Pedro in various ways, such as for healing, divination, ceremonies, and long pilgrimages. It is said people consumed San Pedro to walk for days in the Andes, often without other food or water sources, as San Pedro’s interconnectedness to nature helps improve stamina and attention.
San Pedro Ceremonies
One way to meet with San Pedro is in a ceremonial setting. It is best to work with an experienced medicine man or woman who has the blessings to work with sacred plant medicines like Huachuma. Sitting in a contained and secure space is essential so you can journey deep with the medicines.
San Pedro ceremonies often involve singing, sacred instruments, prayers, and other types of medicine, such as tobacco. The structure and type of ceremony depend on who is leading your ceremony. You can learn more about our medicine guides here, who honor the sacred plant medicines and traditions from which they come.
What To Expect from a San Pedro Ceremony
We advise Ayllu Medicina retreat participants to have no expectations, as sacred plant medicines such as San Pedro and Ayahuasca work differently, depending on your needs and intentions.
However, San Pedro can often remind you of the beauty around you, how to sustain your well-being, and your connection to nature. You often keep your eyes open in a San Pedro ceremony, and if there is a fire, you may experience visions. While visions and other sensations occur, you are usually in the driving seat, so you find the answer through experience.
Most of the time, people find it easier to walk unaided than with other plant medicines such as Ayahuasca. San Pedro can also help promote gut health, with purging being one of the purifying effects of San Pedro. Other effects include increased self-awareness, an unsettled stomach, and dizziness.
In Ayllu Medicina night ceremonies, the medicine lasts all ceremony and most of the following day. We enjoy the rest of the day by singing, meditating, resting, and spending time in nature. You can learn how to prepare for a San Pedro ceremony in the best way in this blog post.
Benefits of San Pedro
There are many reasons why people decide to sit with the medicine of San Pedro. Sometimes, it is because they are on a plant medicine retreat that includes this plant medicine. Other times, it is because they have heard about some of San Pedro’s potential benefits and have sought out a San Pedro ceremony. Potential benefits of San Pedro include:
- Enhancing your connection to nature
- Healing your mind-body connection
- Promoting strength and stamina
- Heightened states of awareness
- Providing insights and wisdom
Sitting with any plant medicine involves two main ingredients: the plant medicine and you. This means the benefits of sitting with San Pedro vary.
However, you can trust that the plant medicine will give you what you need to let go of what no longer serves you and help you center. Once you are centered, you can receive its healing, along with experiencing the sacredness and beauty of your inner and outer world.
Ayahuasca and San Pedro Plant Medicine Retreat
Ayllu Medicina works with the plant medicines of San Pedro and Ayahuasca. During our plant medicine retreats in Ecuador, you will sit with Ayahuasca once or twice and San Pedro once or twice. A common question we receive is, why do you have San Pedro and Ayahuasca ceremonies during retreats?
There are different reasons why meeting with Ayahuasca and San Pedro is a beneficial experience. They are different medicines but complement each other well and balance the masculine and feminine energies.
As we see it with Ayllu Medicina, Ayahuasca focuses on your lower energy centers and roots. After journeying into the jungle, you can then raise your flight with masculine energy from the Andes.
San Pedro can help people balance their emotional states, dissolving mind patterns and old ways of being. He focuses on the energy of your heart so that you can enter into that energy, reaching a place of presence.
San Pedro can be indirect throughout the night, so you feel, experience, and reach your own understanding of what needs to be released. Often once you reach this point with the medicine, you can find clarity and weave together your experience. With Ayllu Medicina, the day after a San Pedro ceremony is also a time to be with your inner child and celebrate; life, healing, and the power of finding your way back to your center.
Journey to Your Center with Huachuma, the San Pedro Cactus
Huachuma, San Pedro is a sacred master plant teacher, offering profound healing, a pathway to your center, and a reminder that the child within never left.
Do you want to connect to the medicine of Huachuma? Ayllu Medicina offers San Pedro ceremonies in Ecuador as part of our retreats. We also offer public Huachuma ceremonies, and have a special San Pedro retreat in March 2025.
Our next retreat has begun! Our retreats provide helpful tools such as meditations, yoga, sharing circles, and workshops to help connect with the master plant teachers and your center during ceremonies. The retreat space provides the perfect container to allow you to take a look at your inner world and find alignment once more.
If you have any questions about our upcoming retreats or would like to reserve a space for the next San Pedro ceremony, please contact us!
by Emma Reeves | Apr 4, 2023 | spiritual practices
There are four main elements of nature: Earth, Water, Fire, and Air, along with the additional element of Space or Aether. When you are connected to these elements, your inner and outer worlds will feel more aligned. So, what can you do to align with these sacred elements?
Respecting and honoring these great teachers of nature also helps you honor and respect yourself. After all, your body is made up of these elements, from the fire in your heart and digestion to the fact your body is up to 60% water. Often, if you are feeling out of balance, understanding the elements of nature can help you take steps to purify, heal, and reach equilibrium once more.
Read on to learn some ideas on how to connect to the elements of nature.
Earth
Taking time to connect to the element of Earth helps remind you that support is always there for you. Mother Earth is considered the great mother, sustaining all life and providing the resources we need to survive. She helps ground, nurture, and nourish us.
Go Outside and Make an Offering
Take a walk, sit down and meditate by a tree, or simply put your feet on the Earth. Studies have found walking barefoot and grounding outside offer many benefits, such as helping stabilize the circadian rhythms in the human body.
You can also give thanks to Mother Earth, such as by offering fruits, grains, and anything that helped you during the month. An offering is a moment to pause, connect to Mother Earth, and set intentions. Ayllu Medicina makes an offering every New Moon, setting intentions and planting new seeds for the month ahead.
Practice Self-care
You need to be able to care for your own body to also care for the Earth. Take some time out for self-care and check in with yourself. During our plant medicine retreats, we offer an ancient Goddess spa ritual, which can be a powerful way to release impressions.
Self-care also includes your diet and what you are nourishing yourself with. For example, you can eat root vegetables to help ground your energy to the Earth.
Recognize the Seasons
Mother Earth has four main seasons, which support her and all life on Earth. Women also experience these seasons every month with their menstrual cycle.
Understanding the Earth’s cycles can give you insight into your feminine energy and how it changes throughout the month. You can learn more about this in Hwaneetah’s talk about womb technology. There will also be workshops on this ancient wisdom throughout our women’s plant medicine retreat.
Attend a Ceremony
Attending a plant medicine ceremony, such as with Grandma Ayahuasca, can help you work on your lower chakras, root down, and allow you to connect to your inner nature. Her feminine spirit enables you to shed layers that no longer serve you and realign you with your true nature.
When aligned with your true nature, you can also remember that you are part of the whole (everything), and everything is part of you. Plant medicine ceremonies are a way to connect to the elements of nature in many different ways.
Water
Water is medicine and a life-sustaining force for all. It can be easy to disconnect from water, such as by holding in your tears or taking for granted the presence of water in your life. Building a relationship with water will bring you many teachings, such as how to flow, purify, and find stillness in the swells of life.
Cleanse With Water
If you have access to a bath, the ocean, or even a bucket, cleanse with water. Add some essential oils, chamomile, eucalyptus, or another herb to the water and wash away what no longer serves you. Ayllu Medicina believes life is a ceremony, so any act with water can be sacred when presence is there, including taking a shower or brushing your teeth.
Visit a Body of Water
If you have a body of water near you, such as the ocean, a river, a stream, or a lake, visit it! Spend some time in communion with the water, observe its many teachings, and let any emotions move. You can also pray, sing, or make an offering.
Give Thanks to Your Water
Research has confirmed that words, sounds, emotions, and the environment changes the molecular structure of water. So, why not take a minute to give thanks and ask to connect with the water source? If you do not start your day with a glass of water, consider doing so to start the day with clarity and intention.
Many ceremonies include a water prayer; after a night of fasting water, it is the only medicine you need. Vision Quest is another way to begin to build a relationship with water, which Ayllu Medicina attends yearly at Ayapuma. You can learn more about this at our retreats.
Try Ice Baths
Ice baths are an effective way to purify and cleanse. Sitting in a cold body of water and finding peace can alter your life in many ways, helping you stay centered no matter what challenges arise. There are many researched benefits of ice baths, including:
- Reduces inflammation
- Shortens exercise recovery time
- Relieves sore muscles
- Supports your immune system
- Improves energy levels and mental well-being
We also offer ice baths as part of our plant medicine retreats, such as our women’s retreat, which help prepare you for plant medicine ceremonies. We include guided breathwork and a warm-up to prepare. Our friends Bre and Flo have just published a video on cold exposure if you would like to learn more about this way to connect to the element of water.
Fire
The fire is at the center of our plant medicine ceremonies, communities, homes, and your heart. He is a wise and ancient teacher, which is why we refer to him as Grandfather Fire or Abuelo Fuego. When you trust in the element of fire, he has the ability to transmute, and heal in miraculous and loving ways, also reflecting the light of your heart.
Gather Around a Fire
One of the best ways to connect to the element of fire is to gather around one in community. A lot of healing happens this way, which is why our ancestors held ceremonies with fire before they had access to plant medicines. And until this day, there are fire ceremonies.
If you cannot attend a ceremony or safely manage a fire, then you can also light a candle and practice a candle-gazing meditation.
Move Your Body
As fire also represents energy and metabolism, moving your body to tend your own fire within is important. Tune in to how you are feeling and ensure you have ways to move emotions through you. Movement could include shaking, yoga, dancing, running, tapping, or any other movement that helps you release excess energy and recenter.
Create
Find the spark of fire in you by connecting to your creativity. As we get older, it can be easy to neglect to learn new things for fun and forget the importance of play. Take time to create art, play an instrument, or find another way to express yourself.
Attend a Sweat Lodge
Sweat lodges honor the four elements of nature, including fire. The grandmother stones are heated in the fire and brought into the sweat each round. Incense is added to each stone before darkness descends, water is poured on the stones to increase the heat, and songs are raised in the womb of Mother Earth. There are many benefits of sweat lodges, including:
- Purifies the mind, body, and spirit
- Restores balance and order
- Connects you to the four elements of nature
- Offers introspection and clarity
Sweat lodges are the perfect medicine to surrender to the Earth and remember who you are. Attending a sweat lodge is a powerful process to let go of what no longer serves you, so you can experience rebirth, aligned once again in your heart’s center. Ayllu Medicina holds regular sweat lodges on the coast of Ecuador, which you are welcome to attend.
Air
The element of air is associated with spirit, change, and freedom, along with other sacred symbols in different traditions. It is the breath of life, the winds, and represents all our ancestors that have passed. You can connect to air simply by taking a pause and a deep, conscious breath.
Practice Breathwork
If you want to go deeper into connecting with the element of air, practice breathwork. There are many simple breathing exercises to try, and if you practice yoga, you can incorporate pranayama exercises such as Nadi Shodhana and Box Breathing into your practice. Breathwork is an essential part of our plant medicine retreats, which you get to experience daily, along with meditation and yoga.
Sing
Singing is a powerful way to connect to the element of air, create sound, and reclaim your voice. Many people attend our plant medicine retreats and end up beginning to sing, sometimes for the first time in many years! There are many sacred songs that you can learn, which also honor the elements, such as our guides Aime and Hwaneetah’s music, Pájaros de Luz.
Pray
Praying and giving thanks is a powerful way to connect to the elements of nature, your ancestors, and the universe. Gratitude is always a good place to begin if you are unsure where to direct your prayer. You can pray to what feels aligned for you.
Light Incense
Light incense to cleanse your space, shift any stagnant energy, and connect to the air element. You can use incense sticks or fresh incense, such as Copal or Palo Santo. Burning incense helps calm your environment, increase vibration, and enhance your focus; it is essential medicine in our ceremonies.
Connect to the Elements of Nature at a Plant Medicine Retreat
Healing begins when you begin to pay attention to how your inner world reflects your outer world. A good place to start is by learning how to connect to the elements of nature. You can dive deeper into this practice through various traditions and attend a plant medicine retreat to learn more.
Taking the time to pause and remove yourself from everyday commitments is the perfect way to reset and connect to the sacred elements of nature. A plant medicine retreat also helps you connect to the fifth element of Aether, also known as spirit or space. During a retreat, you will receive various tools to help you simplify, make space, and let go of impressions, cleansing your mind, body, and spirit to find balance once again.
Our next retreat is a Women’s power retreat this April. You can learn more about this retreat and our other upcoming retreats here. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
