Heyo Sara,

I’m currently in the process of finding places/shamans that provide apprenticeships. Anything that you could help with would be much appreciated.

Thank you,
Diego

Could you please share whatever you feel might be useful to me in my quest for places and people who care to help others as shamans or plant medecine experts? I am gathering information and learning all I can, and welcome any kind advice. I’m trying to find out more about how to help people be happier by learning from nature and methods that stem from thousand year old traditions that promote inner peace through self reflection.

Thanks for the reply!

Your response was pretty much exactly what I expected as far as it being an “organic process”.

Thinking about doing a retreat at the Gaia Sagrada soon, so we’ll see what happens there.

Hi Daniel,
Unfortunately in my opinion, there is no set process nor do I have any specific recommendations about finding a shaman to learn with. The reason for this is that this kind of work is ethereal enough that the adage “when the student is ready the teacher will appear” is truly appropriate!

Not everybody is suited to this work, but if you are, then you will find your teacher by doing the first thing you have to do in any apprenticeship of this sort: working with the medicine for your own healing.
So my recommendation is to find a centre to work with the medicine that resonates with your ideologies. Drink for yourself. Do the work. Then see what happens.

Regarding Ecuadorian practices and plants used, that varies with the shaman, and their own lineage and training.
I’m sorry I can’t be more specific. It’s an organic process!

I’m heading out to Ecuador when the COVID stuff settles down, and was looking into going to the Gaia Sagrada. My ultimate goal is to become an apprentice like what you did.

I was just wondering what’s the best way to approach this? As you’ve stated in your article, there’s no set rule book, but just wondering if there are certain cultural idiosyncrasies that may be beneficial to know when approaching a shaman and becoming an apprentice.

I have experience with Ayahuasca, albeit minimal, but have used other medicines outside the traditional Caapi and Chacruna/Chaliponga admixture. Do the Ecuadorian shamans ever deviate from this traditional mix, employing other plants, like e.g. Jurema (Mimosa Hostilis)?

I know this article is a little old, but if you have time, I’d be interested to know these things, especially the process of becoming an apprentice.

Hi Leah,
No, I had my own accommodation which I paid for. It happened to be on the property of my teacher (I rented a house from him), but that was a separate deal; I was his tenant before I became his assistant/apprentice.

Thanks Nora and I will! Am about to start an online astro-tarot transformational course, so that may shift things instead..gulp! It’s using the new Scorpio moon (conjunct my moon/neptune) and then the mercury retro starting at Samhain. It uses tarot, something I have never been comfy with, as a transforming not divinatory tool. It is all probably yet another part of the journey/jigsaw/adventure…and my it’s been a long one. I would love to read your own too sometime. With the best of wishes to your continued travels, of all kinds!

Hi Janet,
I wish you well in making your decision about Munay Ki. If you end up going for it, please tune back in here and let us know how it went for you!
PS – I also have been initiated in Reiki healing, and while it’s a useful tool in my little “energy healing toolbox”, I don’t consider it the be-all or end-all of healing.