Welcome to The Spirit of the Anaconda

Surrounded by local flora, the Centre consists of cabins with terraces, as well as huts for meditation and traditional dietas . There is also a larger maloca , or roundhouse, for group ceremonies. All structures have been built entirely from materials collected at the site.

In 1982, he founded the Application of Traditional Medicines Project (AMETRA) in Pucallpa. In 1985, after collecting sufficient data, he began attending conferences on indigenous healing techniques, serving as an exponent of and consultant for Amazonian medicines. By 1992, he was being recognized as a master-level healer.
Since then, he has dedicated himself to the area of plant therapy, both in his native land as well as throughout the Americas and Europe. He has participated in the creation of various documentaries about the Shipibo people and curanderismo , including Jan Kounen's 2003 feature film entitled Renegade .

In 2004, Kestembetsa established the Espiritu de Anaconda center with a view to providing a special setting for the dispersal and acquisition of traditional Shipibo knowledge.

Dieting with plants stimulates personal and spiritual growth by purifying one's psychological and physical processes. It clarifies the mind, inspires dreams, and unlocks intuition, freeing one to tap into the energies and wisdom of the natural realm. Without the dieta , the full strength and understanding of Mother Nature cannot be acquired.

The Centre offers the possibility to gain shamanic knowledge and experience by the various means detailed below.

Participants are provided with all necessary services throughout their stay. Prices include airport transfers, food and accommodation at the Centre, and laundry services.


	Espiritu de Anaconda is a botanical sanctuary and healing center located in the Peruvian Amazon, where traditional shamanic medicine from the Shipibo culture is still practiced. Using the ancient knowledge of local medicinal plants, the purpose of the Centre is to teach, revitalize, disseminate, and preserve the ancestral practice of Amazonian plant medicine. Sponsored in part by the Canadian-based Traditional Amazonian Medicine Society (TAMS), Espiritu de Anaconda supports indigenous communities, placing emphasis upon Shipibo women's health issues. It also pursues alternative treatments for serious diseases such as cancer.
	The center is designed to accommodate those interested in the field of traditional Amazonian healing known as curanderismo or vegetalismo . It is geared toward: Curing of diseases both physical and psychological in origin; Expansion of consciousness and spiritual development; Exploration and self-discovery; Apprenticeship.
		Espiritu de Anaconda is led by a Shipibo master healer by the name of Kestembetsa, also known as Guillermo Arévalo. The techniques practiced here promote spiritual, psychological, and physical well-being. Guests have the opportunity to experience and share in the ancestral knowledge imparted by Master plant teachers, and in so doing gain insight into the relationship between Amazonian people and nature; that is to say: their “cosmovision”.


	Espiritu de Anaconda is situated 14 kilometers from Iquitos along the road to Nauta, a 2-kilometre walk from the village of Varillal. Comprising an area of 15 hectares, a key feature of the Centre is its multitude of trails, which allow for excursions into the tropical forest. Home to a variety of native plants and animals, it is an ideal for the in-depth study of rain forest ecology. Surrounded by local flora, the Centre consists of cabins with terraces, as well as huts for meditation and traditional dietas . There is also a larger maloca , or roundhouse, for group ceremonies. All structures have been built entirely from materials collected at the site.
	A jungle retreat open to groups the world over, Espiritu de Anaconda welcomes researchers and therapists who come to receive shamanic instruction in an environment of peace, tranquility, and with the good humour typical of the Amazonian people.



	The Centre is administered by Soi Yaca, also known as Sonia, wife of Kestembetsa, and their son Kayan Sheka, both well-versed in traditional Shipibo healing practices. Skilled facilitators trained in this discipline are also on hand to attend to the needs of the initiate. Kestembetsa is a curandero descended from generations of healers. In 1972, at the age of 24, he voluntarily entered the field of traditional medicine. In 1980, after gaining much experience, knowledge and expertise, he was initiated into the shamanic practices of his own culture, that of the Shipibo-Konibo.
		In 1982, he founded the Application of Traditional Medicines Project (AMETRA) in Pucallpa. In 1985, after collecting sufficient data, he began attending conferences on indigenous healing techniques, serving as an exponent of and consultant for Amazonian medicines. By 1992, he was being recognized as a master-level healer. Since then, he has dedicated himself to the area of plant therapy, both in his native land as well as throughout the Americas and Europe. He has participated in the creation of various documentaries about the Shipibo people and curanderismo , including Jan Kounen's 2003 feature film entitled Renegade .
	In 2004, Kestembetsa established the Espiritu de Anaconda center with a view to providing a special setting for the dispersal and acquisition of traditional Shipibo knowledge.


	According to the cosmovision of the indigenous people of the Amazon, nature is integral to daily reality and reveals our connection to the universe. Plants are seen as entities whose energies can be channeled and applied under the guidance of an experienced healer. Through a process of initiation and apprenticeship, certain plants are shown to be conduits capable of granting access to the spirit world; the interior world contained within each of us. *“ Know yourself and you will know the universe and the gods* …”** This is the underlying philosophy with which Kestembetsa guides his pupils upon the path of shamanic instruction. Along the way, a variety of techniques and plant rituals are performed, most notably the dieta , or diet.

	The Dieta: In the Amazon, it is not unusual to hear the term “dieta” (“sama”, in Shipibo), which refers to the dietary regimen prescribed by a shaman for the purpose of overcoming illness, or adhered to by a student upon his or her initiation into shamanic rites. The dieta is so called due to the ingestion of plant medicines by the patient or apprentice over an extended period, and is a time of solitude, fasting, and cleansing. During this phase of intense learning and healing, sexual relations as well as the use of alcohol and other incompatible foods are suspended. Dieting with plants stimulates personal and spiritual growth by purifying one's psychological and physical processes. It clarifies the mind, inspires dreams, and unlocks intuition, freeing one to tap into the energies and wisdom of the natural realm. Without the dieta , the full strength and understanding of Mother Nature cannot be acquired.
		There are those who believe that one can become a shaman or a healer just by consuming master plants alone. In fact, curanderismo is a discipline requiring many years of dedication and study. Paramount must be the willingness to transcend one's boundaries and to be of service to others. n traditional Amazonian medicine, plants are the nexus where spirituality and healing meet. The curandero is able to assist participants during dietas and other ceremonies through his connection to specific plants. Ayahuasca is one of numerous plant medicines administered for the purpose of facilitating contact and communication with the spirit world.


	The Centre offers the possibility to gain shamanic knowledge and experience by the various means detailed below. 1. Group Retreat The Centre can accommodate groups of up to 20 people. Retreats take place over a period of one to three weeks. Each participant follows a personalized program, which is integrated into the group dynamic and may include: Ayahuasca ceremonies Dieting with master plants Shamanistic instruction Instruction in the field of Shipibo culture and cosmovision Ethno-botanical information Regional tours (optional) Amazon River expeditions (optional) Participants are provided with all necessary services throughout their stay. Prices include airport transfers, food and accommodation at the Centre, and laundry services. 2. Personalized Diets and Instruction The Centre also welcomes those pursuing extended treatment or instruction. Personalized diets can be structured for guests desiring a longer stay and who are seeking cures to chronic diseases, or who are following a path of apprenticeship. Prices are negotiable, and are a function of the length of stay. Espiritu de Anaconda is open to the possibility of work exchanges, whereby guests contribute to the construction or promotion of the Centre and its activities.

	soiyaca@hotmail.com metsa@terra.com.pe