Tag Archives: shaman

My New Website – Launched


ImageANNOUNCING

I have launched my new website www.shamanism.cc

It features;

Articles

Photo Galleries

CDs and Track downloads

Info about my Books

Art

Sound Tracks and Videos

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Trueno Ayahuasca by Pablo Amaringo


Trueno AyahuascaTrueno Ayahuasca (Thunder Ayahuasca) by Pablo Amaringo

This is a variety of ayahuasca liana which can be seen growing from two Shipibo pots and forms two pillars which support a splendid palace of learning. People who learn here open their arms and says ‘blessed ayahuasca you are my teacher’, and that is what you are here for. Drinking Trueno Ayahuasca with a knowledgeable shaman can be an overwhelming experience causing thunder and torrential rain to fall, but it integrates you strongly with the biological cycle of the Amazon.

This painting  is featured in the book ‘The Ayahuasca Visions of Pablo Amaringo‘  published by Inner Traditions 2011. Authors Howard G Charing and Peter Cloudsley.

Click to visit the website of the book for articles and interviews with Pablo Amaringo, also photo galleries and see the paintings with summary narratives.

To purchase high quality fine art reproductions and Greeting Cards of the paintings click to visit our store

25% Promotional Discount until December 31st 2012. Promotion Code: JXXUEV
Trueno AyahuascaABOUT: THE AYAHUASCA VISIONS OF PABLO AMARINGO
Illustrating the evolution of his intricate and colorful art, this book contains 48 full-color reproductions of Amaringo’s latest works with detailed explorations of the rich Amazonian mythology underlying each painting. Through their longstanding relationship with Amaringo, coauthors Charing and Cloudsley are able to share the personal stories behind his visions and experiences with Amazonian people and folklore, capturing Amaringo’s powerful ecological and spiritual message through his art and words.With contributions by Graham Hancock, Jeremy Narby, Robert Venosa, Dennis McKenna, Stephan Beyer, and Jan Kounen, this book brings the ayahuasca experience to life as we travel on Amaringo’s visionary brush and palette.

 

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The Ayahuasca Visions of Pablo Amaringo Interview on examiner.com


Examiner.com Interview: Jeffery Pritchett interviews Howard G. Charing

This interview is about Pablo Amaringo and his beautiful art that were inspired through Ayahuasca. Howard G. Charing gives us insight on his life and paintings in this interview in a unique perspective that only he could provide. As well as detailed descriptions of the ceremonies and experiences revolving around Ayahuasca. This interview is a walk between worlds and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have. Presenting.

1. Could you please tell us how you got involved with Pablo and the creation of this wonderful book The Ayahuasca Visions of Pablo Amaringo?

View slideshow: Howard G. Charing on ‘The Ayahuasca Visions of Pablo Amaringo’

Barco Fantasma by Pablo Amaringo

Howard: My colleague and co-author Peter Cloudsley and I had known Pablo for many years, and it was always a special thrill to visit Pablo at his home in Pucallpa and look in wonder at his beautiful work. We did some ad-hoc interviews with him which were published, and we made notes about his about his paintings but the actual inspiration to work with Pablo on a major project such as this book came out of the blue – it came suddenly during an Ayahuasca ceremony at Mishana in the Peruvian Amazon. My visions that night were of the vivid creations, motifs, and forms of Pablo’s paintings. The ceremony culminated in what I can only describe as a lightning flash and a powerful message from the Ayahuasca to work with Pablo on a book of his new paintings.

The following day, I discussed the idea with Peter—he and I had worked together, since the 1990s, organizing ayahuasca and plant diet retreats in the Amazon, and we decided to visit Pablo in Pucallpa at the earliest opportunity, which was in February 2007, to discuss the idea of doing a book with him. When we told him about the idea, Pablo’s face immediately lit up with enthusiasm and there and then, we agreed to collaborate on this book.

All in all, this was a complex project. We formed a detailed plan, the first step of which was to catalogue and have all of Pablo’s available paintings and sketches professionally photographed and later digitally scanned. Pablo gave us hundreds of pages of his notes and journals, which he had kept in his house. We had many meetings with Pablo to discuss and explore the multifaceted qualities of his paintings. Each session generated new questions, which necessitated further trips to Pucallpa before we were in a position to complete the narratives that accompany the paintings themselves.

Angeles Avatares by Pablo Amaringo

2. With written contributions by Graham Hancock, Jeremy Narby, Robert Venosa, Dennis McKenna, Stephan Beyer, and Jan Kounen. Would you tell us about some of the content added by these fellow journeymen and women and the central theme they outline about Pablo’s life and vision?

Howard: We were really delighted and honoured by their contribution to the book. Each of them had a different perspective about the importance and influence of Pablo’s work, as well as some personal anecdotes. When we approached them to write a contribution, they were all happy to do this despite their busy work schedules. Dennis McKenna’s contribution covered his early encounters in the 1980’s with Pablo that ultimately led to Pablo’s book ‘Ayahuasca Visions – The Religious Iconography of a Peruvian Shaman’ in collaboration with Eduardo Luna. That book had an enormous impact when it was published in 1991. Pablo’s stunning visual portrayal of the magical domain of Ayahuasca generated a huge interest in the hitherto little known mythological, spiritual, and shamanic world of the Amazon. It opened this mysterious world to the West, and it had an incredible influence both from an ‘art’ and an anthropological perspective. Talking about Pablo’s art depicting the amazingly rich mythological texture and content of the Amazonian peoples, reminds me that some years back I was on a bus in Iquitos with a group of young missionaries wearing their uniform white shirts and ties and I started to talk to them about what they were doing and so on, and one of them replied ‘We are here to teach the local people beliefs as they don’t have any’. It was an arrogant and ignorant statement bordering on the ludicrous, but clearly they were not acquainted with Pablo’s work, as if they had maybe they would have to adjust their view. Continue reading

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Ayari Warmi: (The Elegant Garment of a Woman) by Pablo Amaringo


Ayari Warmi  (The Elegant Garment of a Woman) by Pablo Amaringo

The picture reveals the eternal mystery of the feminine. When a woman works with the spirit of ayahuasca and other plants, her radiant spiritual purity appears in the vision embellished and garlanded with beautiful flowers. Just as lakes and rivers have luxuriant foliage and blossom adorning their banks, so a woman expresses the splendour of the entire natural world. Women embody heavenly beauty, tenderness and grace, while men should develop wisdom to be of service to beauty in their lives. When a woman learns to sing icaros, they resemble tuneful bird song, flowing water or the sound of wind blowing through the trees

Ayari Warmi  is featured in the book ‘The Ayahuasca Visions of Pablo Amaringo’  published by Inner Traditions 2011.

Authors Howard G Charing and Peter Cloudsley.

High quality fine art reproductions and greeting cards of this beautiful  painting on FineArt America.

Until December 31st 2012: 25% Promotion Code: JXXUEV

ABOUT: THE AYAHUASCA VISIONS OF PABLO AMARINGO

Illustrating the evolution of his intricate and colorful art, this book contains 48 full-color reproductions of Amaringo’s latest works with detailed explorations of the rich Amazonian mythology underlying each painting. Through their longstanding relationship with Amaringo, coauthors Charing and Cloudsley are able to share the personal stories behind his visions and experiences with Amazonian people and folklore, capturing Amaringo’s powerful ecological and spiritual message through his art and words.

With contributions by Graham Hancock, Jeremy Narby, Robert Venosa, Dennis McKenna, Stephan Beyer, and Jan Kounen, this book brings the ayahuasca experience to life as we travel on Amaringo’s visionary brush and palette.

Visit the website of the book;

http://www.ayahuascavisions.com 

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Ondas de la Ayahuasca (Waves of Ayahuasca) by Pablo Amaringo


 Featured in the book 'The Ayahuasca Visions of Pablo Amaringo'Ondas de la Ayahuasca – Waves of Ayahuasca: Featured in the book ‘The Ayahuasca Visions of Pablo Amaringo‘ by Howard G Charing & Peter Cloudsley

At the top of the picture the sun radiates brilliant waves. As the source of all life on earth, the sun represents the blessings of the divine celestial pattern, the ultimate source of all life in the universe which we call God.

Ayahuasca is one of the most remarkable gifts from the plant realm as it contains chemicals identical to the neurotransmitters found in the human brain. When you drink ayahuasca the sensory neurons which transmit messages inside the brain are enhanced so that a person can receive wisdom and knowledge. The shamans in the ceremony are curing a man suffering from mental illness caused by an imbalance in his pituitary gland and hypothalamus.

You can order Fine Art Prints, Reproductions and Greeting Cards of this beautiful painting on FineArt America;

Until December 31st: 25% Promotion Code: JXXUEV

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Evolver Intensives: Plant Spirit Shamanism – Exploring Plant Consciousness


Plant Spirit Shamanism – Exploring Plant Consciousness
Host: Howard G. Charing
Join Howard G. Charing, the “Medicine Hunter” Chris Kilham, Steve Beyer, and Sitaramaya of the Amazon Convergence, for this groundbreaking series where we will explore techniques to communicate with the plant world, accessing their elder species wisdom for personal and collective healing.
Four Sessions, Starting September 22nd at 12pm San Francisco • 3pm New York • 8pm London
In this groundbreaking series, we will explore techniques to communicate with the plant world, accessing their elder species wisdom for personal and collective healing. The modern West has dismissed the idea that plants have awareness, but indigenous cultures believe that plants possess consciousness and have a spirit, as well. Some recent scientific research supports the shamanic worldview, such as the research on plant sentience explored in the book The Secret Life of Plants.The visionary plants – ayahuasca, mushrooms, peyote, iboga, and so on – can help the modern mind access the indigenous way of knowledge and thought. For many people, shamanic experience provides an opening into the hidden dimensions of plant knowledge and wisdom. By exploring shamanic traditions, you can learn time-honored techniques for making this connection.While we as human beings make use of plants constantly – our clothing, our food, our medicine – we rarely make a conscious connection with the plant world, which some indigenous groups call the “green nation.” One basic insight that many people bring back from visionary plant work is that we as humans urgently need to redefine our relationship to nature, from believing we have dominion over it to realizing we are part of it. As we discover this, we realize that the nonhuman beings surrounding us, including plants, have crucial knowledge to transmit
to us. It is not only the visionary plants such as ayahuasca that have much to teach us: many plants have teachings we can access when we learn how to listen and receive from them.In this course, you will explore the wisdom of plants and ways to access their intelligence to deepen your connection with nature and become more resilient, self-sufficient, and healthy.In this series you will:

  • Learn practical exercises to explore plant consciousness and work directly with plant allies to connect with a profound wisdom and intelligence
  • Expand our understanding of healing to include shamanic approach to disease and depression as spiritual imbalance, revealing paths towards personal transformation, increased vitality, and achieving greater health
  • Explore the physical and psycho-spiritual properties of the plants themselves, from the familiar tobacco to the exotic and controversial pusanga, the famed ‘love potion’ of the Amazon
  • Probe deeply into the mystery of the potent and transformative Ayahuasca, revealing the ‘spirit vine’s’ recent history, the experience of ceremony, the shamans who perform them, and the myth and origins of the brew itself
  • Discuss the significance of the visionary experience itself through the teachings and art of Pablo Amaringo
  • Address the problem of institutional reactions against this type of exploration, and discuss safe ways to access the inner depths of our being
  • Discover the concept of the ‘diet,’ a body of practices through which the shaman incorporates the plant spirit into their own and learns from the plant itself how to invoke the healing power

Sessions 1 and 2: Medicine for the Soul
Saturday, September 22nd and 29th (with Chris Kilham) at 12pm San Francisco • 3pm New York • 8pm London

‘Whether the plant is to heal the body or the spirit or whether it is part of an apprenticeship, what makes it work is your good intention towards the plant. They are beings, which have their own forms or they can be like human beings with faces and bodies. When the spirit accepts the person, and the person has the will, the spirit grants them energy. The path to knowledge opens, and the healing takes place’ Guillermo Arevalo – Shipibo Maestro

In the Amazonian tradition working with planta maestras (teacher plants) is known as the ‘Diet’. The working can be seen as a conscious body of actions to incorporate the plant spirit into one’s own spirit. From this incorporation or union, the plant spirit informs and teaches the maestro or apprentice. They learn the magical chants (icaros) which invoke the power of the plant, how to use the plant for healing purposes, and how to strengthen the dieter both psychologically and physically.

Indigenous cultures perceive life very differently from our modern world, and there is a treasure house of plant knowledge that has remained obscured from Western mainstream thinking, yet is available through transforming our perception and challenging established thinking by exploring the ideas and practices of the cultures that are closer to the natural world than us.

In these sessions, we’ll explore:

  • How Nature itself is a living organism which must be considered as an expression of the One Life, and that man and the Universe are one in their essential nature, and that there is a ‘magnetic’ attraction between every part of nature and its corresponding part in man.
  • We explore the ways that shamans engage with the other consciousness of the plants, and work with the spirit of the plants in a variety of ways, for example; the attributes such as colours and aromas of the flowers, the shape and outer form of the plant.
  • We also explore the concept of the famed ‘love’ potion of the Amazon, the pusanga, and the ethical issues surrounding this.
  • We look at the qualities and powers of some of the healing, and sensory expanding plants, such as; Ajo Sacha , Guayusa, Chric Sanango, Mocura, Jergon Sacha, Tobacco, and how people interact with the plants in other ways such as the floral bath.

Session 3: Ayahuasca Visions
Saturday, October 6th (with Steve Beyer) at 12pm San Francisco • 3pm New York • 8pm London

“We are not talking about passive agents of transformation, we are talking about an intelligence, a consciousness, an alive and other mind, a spirit, which of course we have no place in our society. Nature is alive and is talking to us. This is not a metaphor.” Terence McKenna

At its most fundamental level, the modern Western reality or dream is a materialistic one. It is a reality of separation and disconnection from the natural world with all the consequences that this has reaped, that being a massive ecological crisis. ·We know that things do not have to be this way, and we know that we have the potential to create a very different world by transforming our collective dream so to speak.

Plant hallucinogens offer a means of breaking through this trance of the collective dream into a more expansive, freeing, and information-rich universe which holds infinite possibilities for other realities and futures. These plants do not lead us away from ourselves, into an unbalanced frame of mind, as our doctors and politicians warn, but deeper into ourselves and our potential, to a place where we can find greater balance through genuine self-awareness. To quote the Dalai Lama ‘World peace begins with inner peace’.

In this session, we’ll explore:

  • The surge of interest in ayahuasca in the recent years. Is it a ‘medicine for our times?’ And how it can give hope to people with incurable diseases, offer a way to powerful personal transformation, and allow us to access inspiring answers to the major problems of modern civilization.
  • We will discuss and explore the experience of the Ayahuasca ceremony, Shamans, and the nature of the brew itself.
  • We will examine the healing properties of Ayahuasca, and consider the mythology and mystery of the brew itself. For example how the indigenous peoples of the Amazon learned to combine the plants which make up the Ayahuasca brew.
  • We will also explore the spiritual and visionary aspect of the relationship with the brew and ourselves, and the significance of visionary and ayahuasca inspired art in the human experience. The great visionary artist Pablo Amaringo had much wisdom to reveal about this sublime relationship between plant and human. Howard will be sharing some of Pablo’s insights and teachings imparted to him over the years.

Session 4: Integration, Incorporation, and the Future
Saturday, October 13th (with Sitaramaya) at 12pm San Francisco • 3pm New York • 8pm London

In this session, we will:

  • Look at ways of establishing the connection to plants, with practical exercises so participants can explore the world of the plant consciousness and enable you to work deeply with your plant allies and experience this connection for yourself.
  • Examine how the psycho-spiritual, or shamanic perspective, of disease that usually arises from a spiritual imbalance within the individual causing him or her to become de-spirited or to lose heart (in the West we would call this depression) and we will look at ways that we can work with plants for personal transformation, increase our vitality, and bring ourselves into equilibrium for our well-being and health.
  • Since the hallucinogenic experience is a part of our biological blueprint, we will look into the embedded institutional reaction to individual expansion of consciousness, and how to safely explore the inner depths of our being
FEATURED GUESTS
Chris Kilham
Saturday, September 29th 12pm San Francisco • 3pm New York • 8pm London
Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter, author and educator. The founder of Medicine Hunter Inc., Chris has conducted medicinal research in over 30 countries. Chris is The FOX News Medicine Hunter and appears on FOX News Health TV both online and in US and international television markets. He also writes a weekly FOX News Health Column and is on the Medical Advisory Board of The Dr. Oz Show. As Explorer in Residence for Naturexof Avignon, France, Chris conducts medicinal plant research for the largest botanical extraction company in the world. He is also an advisory board member of the Naturex Foundation, which funds community development projects in various countries.At the University of Massachusetts at Amherst Chris teaches the popular ethnobotany course The Shaman’s Pharmacythrough the Department of Plant & Soil Sciences. This intensive immersion course takes students to the Peruvian Amazon, where they learn about medicinal plants, the rainforest, and native culture.Chris works with companies to develop and popularize traditional plant-based food and medicinal products into market successes. These include kava, maca, rhodiola, schisandra, horny goat weed, catuaba, tamanu oil, herbal beverages and dozens of other plants. He is currently building market demand for cat’s claw and dragon’s blood, both medicinal plants from the Amazon rainforest.Chris is the author of fourteen books, including Hot Plants, The Five Tibetans, Psyche Delicacies, Tales from the Medicine Trail and Kava, Medicine Hunting in Paradise. Chris also writes articles on plant medicines for several publications, and is a contributing columnist for FOX News Health. Richard Branson features Chris in his new book, Screw Business as Usual. For a complete bio, visit Chris’ site here: http://www.medicinehunter.com/chris
Steve Beyer
Saturday, October 6th 12pm San Francisco • 3pm New York • 8pm London
Steve Beyer has a law degree and doctorates in both religion and psychology. He has published 3 books on Buddhism and Tibetan language and religion. Steve has been a university professor, trial lawyer, wilderness guide, peacemaker and community builder. He studied plant medicine in North America and in the Upper Amazon.His recent book Singing to the Plants demonstrates encyclopedic knowledge about Amazonian plant medicine and covers many important aspects of ayahuasca shamanism. About the book, Stanley Krippner, Ph.D., said, “A classic volume that provides its readers with an unsurpassed understanding of the healing power of shamanism, its use of spiritual rituals and visionary plants such as ayahuasca, and both its light and its dark sides, its sophistication and its humor.” www.singingtotheplants.com
Sitaramaya
Saturday, October 13th 12pm San Francisco • 3pm New York • 8pm London

Sita began working in the physical and spirit plant realms after a thirteen year period of abstinence from all alcohol and drugs and followed a dietary regime to support her work with the spiritual aspect of the plants.  After her first Ayahuasca ceremony, she came to the deep realization that the thirteen preceding years had been a preparation for her work with Master Plant Wisdom.  She continues to travel and learn in the jungles of Peru and is applying the technology of plant diets to plants in the North.  Together with Kwinto, they have established the Light of the Vine™, headquartered in Varillal, Peru and where the land is being conserved to protect the plants, trees, animals and waterways from development.  She further supports the work of Kwintobheue™, bringing forth ancient plant technologies and shamanic practice to the modern culture.
Over the last twenty years, Sita has founded several organizations including, PlantTeachers.com™ and Light of the Vine™.  She is the founder of Conscious Path Creation™ and Quantum Path Creation™. She uses her western Life Coaching skills in conjunction with Indigenous ceremonial work to help people integrate their learning into the practical and spiritual aspects of everyday life. Through PlantTeachers™, she leads groups and organizes conferences in the Amazon.

Sita organised the first major show of Pablo Amaringo’s art in Venice, California in 2009. She has appeared in Los Angeles as a guest on the Ayahuasca monologues. www.AmazonConvergence.com

ABOUT OUR HOST
Howard G. Charing is an accomplished international workshop leader on shamanism. He has worked some of the most respected and extraordinary shamans & healers in the Andes, the Amazon Rainforest, and the Philippines. He organises specialist retreats to the Amazon Rainforest. ·He is co-author of ‘Plant Spirit Shamanism’ (Destiny Books USA) 2006, and co-author of ‘The Ayahuasca Visions of Pablo Amaringo’ (Inner Traditions USA) 2011
Review of Plant Spirit Shamanism“The book is not simply a dry academic discussion of these topics, although that alone would be intrinsically interesting. Instead, it provides cross-cultural perspectives on all aspects of plant-spirit based healing. . . Whether you want to learn to practice plant-spirit medicine–or simply want to gain a better understanding of it–this book will be a useful addition to your botanical library.” Dennis J. McKenna, Ph.D., HerbalGram, Journal of American Botanical Council, No. 78, May/July 2008
The Ayahuasca Visions of Pablo AmaringoRecognized as one of the world’s great visionary artists, Pablo Amaringo was renowned for his intricate, colorful paintings inspired by his shamanic visions. A master communicator of the ayahuasca experience–where snakes, jaguars, subterranean beings, celestial palaces, aliens, and spacecraft all converge–Amaringo’s art presents a doorway to the transcendent worlds of ayahuasca intended for contemplation, meditation, and inspiration.Illustrating the evolution of his intricate and colorful art, this book contains 48 full-color reproductions of Amaringo’s latest works with detailed explorations of the rich Amazonian mythology underlying each painting. Through their longstanding relationship with Amaringo, co-authors Charing and Cloudsley are able to share the personal stories behind his visions and experiences with Amazonian people and folklore, capturing Amaringo’s powerful ecological and spiritual message through his art and words. With contributions by Graham Hancock, Jeremy Narby, Robert Venosa, Dennis McKenna, Stephan Beyer, and Jan Kounen, this book brings the ayahuasca experience to life as we travel on Amaringo’s visionary brush and palette.Website: www.ayahuascavisions.com Blog: www.shamanism.wordpress.com
By participating in this online course, you will receive:

  • Four 90-minute live video seminars with Howard and his featured guests
  • At least 30 minutes of question and answer time in each seminar
  • Participation in a private online community with other students
  • Unlimited online access to video recordings of all seminars
  • PDF articles about course topics from Howard and each of the guests

Begin communing with plant spirits on September 22nd.

PRICE: $90
Early-Bird $75 through September 10th.
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The Magical World of Pablo Amaringo


The Magical World of Pablo Amaringo – A Talk by Peter Cloudsley at the Globetrotters Club in London June 2012.

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‘The Ayahuasca Visions of Pablo Amaringo’ – Review by The Journal of Shamanic Practice


The Ayahuasca Visions of Pablo Amaringo

The Ayahuasca Visions of Pablo Amaringo

The Ayahuasca Visions of Pablo Amaringo reviewed in The Journal of Shamanic Practice. Volume 5, Issue 1, Spring 2012.

Note: There is a typo in the review;  website should be www.ayahuascavisions.com

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The Roots of Shamanism


The Roots of Shamanism 

The Roots of Shamanism

Shamanism
Painting by Howard G Charing

Shamanism is a religious practice found in many parts of the world. It refers to various belief systems that involve communicating with the spirit world. In some anthropological and religious circles, Shamans are regarded as intermediaries between the natural world and spiritual realm. Although Shaman belief systems are found across the world, variations in practice are evident. However, some of the basic beliefs regarding Shamanism are that spirits may be good or bad and can play a significant role in human life; Shamans can liaise with spirits to bring good to the community; and Shamans have the power to heal the sick and also have magical and psychic powers.

Role of a Shaman

The role of a Shaman tends to vary from one culture to another. Typical Shaman roles include dream interpreter, herbalist, magician, mediator, medicine man, rainmaker, spiritual advisor and priest. A Shaman may be a man or woman. In most cases, Shamans command a great deal of respect in the community. Their powers are associated with the supernatural and may also be inherited. However, even those who take up the role as a result of heredity must undergo intensive training that leads to being initiated into the role.

CONTINUE READING: THE ROOTS OF SHAMANISM

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Encounter With an Amazonian Ayahuasca Shaman


Javier Arevalo - Shaman

The Ayahuasca article with an interview of the shaman Javier Arevalo by Howard G Charing & Peter Cloudsley appeared in ‘Healing Today’ Magazine August 2001. The article was published with its original title and without the girls in bikinis and serenading guitar players!

Javier brewing Ayahuasca

Javier at Mishana

Javier giving me a floral bath

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