The Shipibos are one of oldest and most highly-respected lineages of ayahuasca healers in the Amazon. For thousands of years, Shipibo shamans have served as doctors in their local communities. Their work with the medicine is gentle, straightforward, and humble. They see their work with ayahuasca as a simple, clear process of cleaning the body, soul, and mind. The Shipibos treat working with Ayahuasca with a deep sense of respect and discipline. Many begin training from childhood, learning from family lineages and traditions that trace back countless generations. Their near-monastic training is incredibly strict, and they spend many years undergoing rigorous “dietas” that build an extensive, ‘intuitive knowledge of different medicinal plants.
Their devotion to their healing work is stunning, and the power of their deep connection to their medicine is felt in their “icaros“, or plant medicine songs.
