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5.0
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Amazingly transformative experience with people who truly care
I cannot say enough good about Maestro Don Alberto, the campgrounds, or the staff at Casa Del Maestro. I first met the Maestro when he was working at a different establishment back in 2013. I was VERY pleased to discover he had severed ties and was now conducting ceremonies from his own land. From the moment I first inquired, all of my expectations have been met, and then some. I was able to interface with a US local who guided me through the preparation and "held my hand" so to speak to ensure I would be ready and confident. The structure and schedule are MUCH better than my 2013 experience. In 2013, we had 5 ceremonies in 6 nights. Here, we had 5 ceremonies in 9 nights. This allowed us the first night to get set up, meet the others, and have a nice rest before any ceremonies began. In addition, there was a full "off day" between ceremonies 3 & 4, as well as a full "off-day" after our final ceremony. This allowed us all to have some quality time together after ceremonies were over and before heading our own separate ways.
We had a small, intimate group of 5 participants from around the world and from all walks of life, from a musician, to an artist, to a medical doctor, to a film-buff and yes, a tax-attorney. Every one of us had an amazing and transformative experience. Even the most cynical in our group, a man who admittedly had his reservations, admitted, in the end, that "this Maestro has REAL power!".
Our accommodations were clean and we were well-cared for. Our food was prepared by the Maestro's family and I cannot say enough about how good each and every meal is, and this is saying a LOT from a guy who normally just eats chicken along with no fish, no vegetables, no variety. I ate their river fish, ceviche, soup with vegetables, the lot of it, and it was all amazing.
The staff/helpers: I cannot say enough about Anya and Peter. I have worked with a lot of folks who would be considered "healers" in my life. I have spent time with and/or been under the care of cardiologists, nephrologists, urologists, endocrinologists, chiropractors, accupuncurists, psychologists, you name it. The work that Peter and Anya do for the guests is beyond any of the aforementioned. These people are completely selfless. I watched, during ceremony and after, as they cared for each individual, providing exactly what they needed. They helped as people physically purged, helped them to the bathroom when needed, helped them take a cold shower to "calm things down" when they were too intense, they sat and talked with anyone who needed help with what they were going through. Each and every time, I saw their faces, and there wasn't even the slightest hint of discontent or that they were disturbed or bothered in any way by the role they were playing. They just gave and gave and gave! They would stay with the group after ceremony for as long as anyone needed to go through whatever they were going through, and until everyone was sleeping, with 1 of them always staying with the group that stayed in the Maloka (ceremonial hut) and one always staying with the group that slept in the bungalows.
These 2 played off each other like a well-oiled machine....like they have worked together for years. Their experience and genuine care made us all feel so safe, allowing us all to go deeper and deeper with the medicine. The mornings after ceremonies, they would take each of our breakfast orders and then sit and eat with us. They would then sit and talk with us informally before our formal "share sessions". Here, again, they had to "endure" listening to us as we spoke about what we experienced, and then they would each provide their insights and words of encouragement and belief in us--literally rebuilding each and every one of us and providing us the strength and courage we needed to go back that night, sometimes after literally terrifying experiences with the brew that had left one or more convinced they couldn't do it again.
I honestly do not know how they do it. It was very humbling to watch these two selfless, loving beings do their work. All I kept thinking throughout was "this is clearly not being done for the $...as much as I felt called to this place, these 2 HAD to have felt a calling, because this is truly a role for angels", and that is what I think of them--I think they are angels.
As much as the Maestro opens the door and guides us each through the space with the brew, something he has done for many many decades which, again, instills such confidence in him and lets the individual let go of the illusion of control, something that is crucial to truly benefit from this process, without Anya and Peter there, translating, guiding, helping, caring, rebuilding, none of this would be possible.
I cannot thank them, the Maestro, or Ayahuasca enough for the gifts I was given.
We had a small, intimate group of 5 participants from around the world and from all walks of life, from a musician, to an artist, to a medical doctor, to a film-buff and yes, a tax-attorney. Every one of us had an amazing and transformative experience. Even the most cynical in our group, a man who admittedly had his reservations, admitted, in the end, that "this Maestro has REAL power!".
Our accommodations were clean and we were well-cared for. Our food was prepared by the Maestro's family and I cannot say enough about how good each and every meal is, and this is saying a LOT from a guy who normally just eats chicken along with no fish, no vegetables, no variety. I ate their river fish, ceviche, soup with vegetables, the lot of it, and it was all amazing.
The staff/helpers: I cannot say enough about Anya and Peter. I have worked with a lot of folks who would be considered "healers" in my life. I have spent time with and/or been under the care of cardiologists, nephrologists, urologists, endocrinologists, chiropractors, accupuncurists, psychologists, you name it. The work that Peter and Anya do for the guests is beyond any of the aforementioned. These people are completely selfless. I watched, during ceremony and after, as they cared for each individual, providing exactly what they needed. They helped as people physically purged, helped them to the bathroom when needed, helped them take a cold shower to "calm things down" when they were too intense, they sat and talked with anyone who needed help with what they were going through. Each and every time, I saw their faces, and there wasn't even the slightest hint of discontent or that they were disturbed or bothered in any way by the role they were playing. They just gave and gave and gave! They would stay with the group after ceremony for as long as anyone needed to go through whatever they were going through, and until everyone was sleeping, with 1 of them always staying with the group that stayed in the Maloka (ceremonial hut) and one always staying with the group that slept in the bungalows.
These 2 played off each other like a well-oiled machine....like they have worked together for years. Their experience and genuine care made us all feel so safe, allowing us all to go deeper and deeper with the medicine. The mornings after ceremonies, they would take each of our breakfast orders and then sit and eat with us. They would then sit and talk with us informally before our formal "share sessions". Here, again, they had to "endure" listening to us as we spoke about what we experienced, and then they would each provide their insights and words of encouragement and belief in us--literally rebuilding each and every one of us and providing us the strength and courage we needed to go back that night, sometimes after literally terrifying experiences with the brew that had left one or more convinced they couldn't do it again.
I honestly do not know how they do it. It was very humbling to watch these two selfless, loving beings do their work. All I kept thinking throughout was "this is clearly not being done for the $...as much as I felt called to this place, these 2 HAD to have felt a calling, because this is truly a role for angels", and that is what I think of them--I think they are angels.
As much as the Maestro opens the door and guides us each through the space with the brew, something he has done for many many decades which, again, instills such confidence in him and lets the individual let go of the illusion of control, something that is crucial to truly benefit from this process, without Anya and Peter there, translating, guiding, helping, caring, rebuilding, none of this would be possible.
I cannot thank them, the Maestro, or Ayahuasca enough for the gifts I was given.
