MEET THE MEDICINES
During Eagle Condor Alliance retreats outside of Medellin, Colombia we primarily focus on traditional ceremonial uses of Ayahuasca, San Pedro Cactus, Coca, and Tobacco. We also introduce participants to the incredible purifying powers of the Temazcal, or traditional sweat lodge ceremony.
When used in isolation, Ayahuasca and San Pedro Cactus have the capacity to produce incredible moments of clarity and vision. However, the power of each plant is magnified when they are used in conjunction over the course of the 10 days. For example, the detoxifying and purifying powers of Ayahuasca and Temazcal enhance the heart-opening potentials of San Pedro Cactus. Likewise, the emotional self-knowledge and intimacy that we gain from the cacti help us understand what Ayahuasca shows us about ourselves.
These plants are referred to as the sacred medicines, or medicinas sagradas because they have been used ceremonially to communicate and commune with the spirit world for thousands of years. They permit interaction with the divine and show us that we are also sacred, our own best healers, and deserving of life’s blessings. These medicines come to us from Mother Earth unaltered, and their abilities to cure us of physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual illnesses and deficiencies are at once scientifically demonstrable and mystical. ECA’s Ayahuasca is never mixed with toé or any other unsafe substance.
Ayahuasca, San Pedro Cactus, and even tobacco and coca are not drugs and are not to be used for recreational purposes. Even an act as common as smoking tobacco ought to be done with purpose and intentionality, and with an appreciation of the history and power of the plant. It is this sense of intentionality that we promote, and our hope is to instill in retreat participants the desire to channel their most positive and healthy energies into both ceremonies and more importantly, their daily lives. That is the main purpose of attending these ancient ceremonies during the retreats; to learn and absorb lessons and teachings that can then permeate our lives.
Ayahuasca and San Pedro Cactus may produce visions which inform our personal, romantic, familial and professional lives, but they are never used to ”trip”. At ECA we approach these plants with the reverence and respect which with they have been treated for thousands of years. ECA does not support their sale, distribution or abuse in any way. It is this level of respect that allows us to offer safe, supportive, and ultimately transformational retreats.
Our ancestors from across the Americas knew how to use the specific healing powers of each medicinal plant to cure and improve the well-being of their communities. It is this tradition that we hope to sustain and strengthen by offering these sacred medicines to retreat participants through the ancient ceremonies from the Cofán people of the Amazon and the Red Road of North America. The mountains outside of Medellin, Colombia are green and peaceful, and their sacred forests are the ideal setting for exploring and experiencing these traditions.
Take a look at the following pages to learn more about the historical uses, traditions, ceremonies and effects of each medicine:
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