AN INVITATION
THE EAGLE & THE CONDOR
The Eagle and the Condor is an ancient prophecy of the Amazon that speaks of human societies splitting into two paths - that of the Eagle, and that of the Condor. The path of the Condor is the path of heart, of intuition, and of the feminine. The path of the Eagle is the path of the mind, of the industrial, and of the masculine... The prophecy says that the potential would eventually arise for the Eagle and the Condor to come together, to fly in the same sky, and to create a new level of consciousness for humanity.
- Indigenous Prophecy
A MAN'S JOURNEY INTO THE AMAZON
Come fly with us…
Our indigenous Partners, the Achuar and the Sapara, invite you
to join them in their rainforest home. As they welcome you into their
world, you will venture into a world that is still as it was created.
Through rainforest hikes, river trips in dugout canoes, and sacred shamanic
ceremonies they’ll be our guides.
And as you journey into the heart of Pachamama, you will come to know
a wisdom that has all but been forgotten by the modern world.
All My Relations…
The Achuar and Sapara have a proverb or prayer that is included in many rituals and is a deep part of their worldview: “Mitakuye Oyasin” or “All My Relations.” Not limited to their communities, it can be found in many indigenous cultures around the globe. It is an ancient concept, timeless and deep, with no known beginning or traceable chronology. It is an idea that forms a lens through which these people see the world, see each other, and see both the past and the future.
“All My Relations” embodies the idea that we are all connected by unbreakable bonds as tightly interconnected as a mother with her baby when it is within her womb. We are family, bound to humanity as a whole as well as to the Earth, the plants and animals that share it with us, and to the stars and other heavenly bodies in the universe.
“Mitakuye Oyasin,” is an invitation to you from our brothers, to experience the serenity and awe that comes from the living wisdom of the forest.
A New Dream
“The world is as you dream it,” an Amazonian shaman once told John Perkins, the co-founder of the Pachamama Alliance.
Our alliance with The Achuar and the Sapara was founded when the Achuar and Shuar reached out, through dreaming, to unite the best of two worlds and create a new dream for the planet.
Please consider the Men’s Journey into the Amazon as an invitation to you to perceive the world from a place of wonder. Along with other men, you’ll join with the Achuar and Sapara – who have partnered with the Pachamama Alliance the possibility to create a new dream for the world.
This 12-day eco-journey is an opportunity for you to discover the possibility of this new dream. Unplug from the Modern World. Discover what’s possible for yourself, as you awaken to the mysterious yet powerful rhythms and energies of the Rainforest.
Each Journey is skillfully curated by trained leaders and expert guides on the ground.
Our Journey Leaders have experience as a Journey participant and have gone through extensive leadership training to effectively hold a safe and dynamic space for you on your Journey.
Starting with dinner on the first day of your journey and ending with breakfast on the last day of your journey.
In-country transportation including charted buses and planes.
Mostly communal lodging while in the rainforest.
You will be provided a pair of rubber boots, bedding, mosquito netting and other equipment in the rainforest.
Experienced Ecuadorian & Indigenous Guides for translation,
International flights to and from Quito
Taxi ride to and from Quito airport
Early or Late arrival lodging
Gratuity for your local indigenous and Ecuadorian guides, bus driver, shamanic experiences, souvenirs and other personal purchases.
Group meets at 5 pm at the historic Quito hotel, Cultura Manor, for a welcome and orientation followed by a group dinner together. Accommodations at Cultura Manor.
After a gourmet breakfast and an orientation meeting at Cultura Manor, we’ll head south on a beautiful drive descending the Andes through the Avenue of the Volcanoes stopping in the town of Salasaca for a traditional Andean meal with our indigenous hosts and a purification ritual with a Salasacan elder. Continue through the waterfall-laden Pastaza River canyon to the gateway to the Amazon rainforest. Dinner and evening discussion about entering the rainforest and the Achuar and Sápara territories at a cozy hotel at the edge of the rainforest.
Following breakfast, we will head to the nearby town of Shell where we will take a flight to the Sápara village of Llanchamacocha. Receive a warm welcome with smiles, embraces, followed by an individualized purification ritual. We’ll get settled into our village encampment which we’ll stay at for the next three days on the banks of the Conambo river. We’ll spend time with the leaders and elders discussing their history, customs, and vision for defending their forest for future generations of all life. After an introduction and orientation to the Naku project and the inspiring vision the Sápara have for the future, we’ll take a refreshing swim in the Conambo river and settle into their community lodge.
After dinner, we will meet to discuss preparation for the next day's ceremony.
Early morning dream-sharing, and purification ceremony using time-tested ancient techniques. After breakfast, we’ll hike through the forest to learn about the Sápara’s unique physical and spiritual connection to the rainforest, visiting a medicinal plant garden in the primary forest followed by a sacred tobacco ritual and solo meditation in preparation for the evening shamanic ceremony.
After debriefing with Shaman we will have integration time, rest, reflection, and quiet time. In the afternoon there will be time for being on the river followed by a visit to the community for sharing, dancing, and intimate conversation.
After a leisurely breakfast, we’ll prepare our belongings and return to the community to say our farewells. Take a 40-minute flight deeper into the Amazon rainforest to the Achuar village of Sharamentsa. A waterfall ceremony in preparation for the evening Shamanic ceremony.
Morning debrief session with the shaman. Time for rest, journaling, reflection, etc. After a siesta, we’ll have the chance to float on balsa rafts, taking in the magnificence of the rainforest. In the evening we’ll exchange songs, chants, and dances and enjoy an Achuar feast with locally grown foods.
After breakfast, we will say our farewells and canoe down the Pastaza river for a beautiful ride to the acclaimed, Achuar-owned, and operated, Kapawi Ecolodge. After settling into the Lodge we will go for a forest hike to learn more about medicinal plants, Achuar spirituality followed by solo meditation around the massive grandfather Kapok Tree. This evening an elder will invite us to participate in an ancient ceremony he has been conducting for over 50 years.
After breakfast, and debrief with the Shaman we’ll canoe up the Capahuari river to visit a remote Achuar village. After a traditional Achuar greeting and meal, we will be invited to participate in cultural practices, including weaving, ceramic bowl making, blowgun practice, exchange of songs, and dances (bring a small instrument!). After dinner, we’ll set out on a nighttime walk to witness the incredible nocturnal life of the forest.
After breakfast, we’ll canoe up the Capahuari river to head to a local Achuar community for a 60-minute flight to the small town of Shell followed by a 4-hour
drive through the cloud forest to an Andean highland retreat and natural hot springs called Termas Papallacta (remote, but only 1 hour from the Quito international airport).
Free time for rest, reflection, and enjoyment of the gourmet food and bathe in the natural volcanic hot springs.
Later in the evening, we’ll take time to celebrate with a powerful inquiry and discussion that will deepen the context and meaning of our journey, having just been with the indigenous people who inspired the work of the Pachamama Alliance.
Morning to relax and take in the hot springs, massage, go for a hike, or rest. After lunch, we will depart for the Cultura Manor in Quito. Evening farewell celebratory gourmet dinner.
After breakfast and our final goodbyes group departs.
