Casa Del Maestro

A 2-plus hour boat ride down the Amazon River brought us to the village of Generro Herrera. On the outskirts of the village, which is situated on 200 acres of farmland surrounded by jungle, sits the home of Maestro Don Alberto and his son Maestro Eliseo. It was shared with us during the retreat that the family lineage of traditionally trained, authentic Amazonian Shamanism goes back centuries.

They are joined in the plant medicine work by Matthew "Matt" Touisant, who has trained with Don Alberto for coming up on a decade at the time of our January 2025 retreat. Matt, as well as being a maestro in his own right, acts as the facilitator of the Casa Del Maestro retreat center. The beautiful Anna "Anya" Petrova assisted him in his duties. The volunteer helper for our trip was Ryan C.

From the moment I reached out to Matt about a month before the retreat, I was impressed by the integrity, care, and compassion that defined our interactions throughout the experience. Anya and Ryan displayed the same qualities in their interactions with the 17 attendees of our retreat. Their lightheartedness, care, and compassion fostered an atmosphere of helpfulness, friendliness, and levity among the group of attendees.

Over the past couple of decades, I have attended numerous ceremonies and retreats, and I can confidently say that I felt safe and protected at all times. The warmth and friendliness of Matt, Anya, Ryan, and the rest of the staff—mostly made up of Don Alberto’s family—created a welcoming and enjoyable atmosphere. Despite the challenges that can arise from engaging in "medicine" work, we truly had an amazing time. Not only did the participants delve deep into the plant medicine practices, but we also had a great time. It was the most fun I have ever had in a retreat setting.

I was healed of some energetic damage I had picked up at another center and left feeling better than I have in a long time. I was privileged to witness miraculous events, healings, and the growth of some of the other attendees as well. The bonding within our group during the retreat established deep connections that will last for years, if not a lifetime. I promised Ryan I would include a comment about the excellence with which he placed the speaker in the front of the malloca. 😊Several days after the retreat we are still having fun and joking around.

I cannot express enough good things about these people and this place. I have trusted them with my life, and my decision to trust them has proven to be well-founded. I see it as a life-changer. I express my deepest gratitude to all of the Casa Del Maestro staff including Don Alberto’s brother Mario who joined us in the ceremonies.