ONICAWA The jungle Ayahuasca lodge run by a 100% Shipibo family
by Luke Hancock from England
Having spent the last 6 weeks living in the center of Iquitos, my reaction to this place is different to how it otherwise might have been. Iquitos is a great, truely wonderul place, but its polluted and extremely noisy. The air is not clean (though it is a lot cleaner than many cities of its size) and the otherwise peaceful ambience is constantly cut-apart by the ceaseless chain-saw-like sound of the motorcar engines, which can be deafening at times. Also, apart from the women, it can be difficult to find beauty in Iquitos. And to come from 6 weeks of that into this sanctuary of peace and tranquility contrasts so heavily that it manifests a profound effect on my being. It feels like I've been locked inside a noisy, hectic nightclub for the past 6 weeks to finally be let outside into a beautiful, serene tree-lined street, ears still buzzing.
The Amazon jungle is not a hospitable environment. It is an ordeal - if you're not fighting off hordes of biting jungle ants or giant jumping spiders then its probably because you are in your mosquito net nursing your wasp stings and soothing your mosquito bites, while trying to hold back passing gas incase an accident happens. But being here at this lodge transforms the experience from a constant battle with your immediate environment into a peaceful integration of your senses with the incredibly beautiful, harmonious atmosphere of the jungle. Right now as the morning sun is casting its soothing, gentle rays over my being, I am being caressed by the symphony orchestra of the jungle - with the background noise of the cicadas blending perfectly with the bird song surrounding me from all directions, punctuated by the hopeful call of a toucan, spliced up with the occasional monkey cry. To be in an environment that feels alive manifests the same effect in me. And to be able to experience it in its original form, without having to suffer any of the discomforts that come with being in the jungle is an incredibly fortunate gift.
For me one of the biggest treats about being in an environment like this is the night sky - to be able to see the sky lit up not with light pollution as I am used to, but a densely packed star-lit sky, composed of the unfamiliar Southern-Hemisphere constellations, littered only with shooting stars. And to emphasize the divine romance of being here, almost everytime I look up I keep seeing more.
As one good turn deserves another, every delight seemed to be followed up by yet another, throughout my stay. After star-gazing, having beautifully prepared, delicious food brought to me by beautifully dressed, beautiful Shipibo girls to dine on under a beautiful sky is, well, a beautiful experience, and one I shall be sure to carry with me for long after I leave.
The vibration of this place is so relaxing and so close to nature that it feels like healing is taking place just by breathing the air here. But during the Ayahuasca sessions the healing becomes tangible. The sessions are set up to provide maximum comfort and to cater to all needs to allow for the best experience possible with the ancient and mysterious medicine and teacher spirit that is Ayahuasca. And to experience being with this spirit under the protective wing of the master-curandeiros, being enchanted by the beautiful icaros, and being healed with their ancient techniques can be a transformative experience, and has definately left a strong impression on me.
The whole scene here is about experiencing healing in the most serene, comfortable environment possible. Everything is set up to cater to this, including the sweet, quaint bungalows that each person has as their private room - and is done at an incredibly low price, despite the fact that it feels like the Ritz-Carlton of Ayahuasca lodges! And to share this experience with, and to be looked after by the incredibly lovely, warm, friendly and inviting Shipibo family that run this place transformed me from being the English Gringo that Iquitos City conditioned me to be, to become a part-Shipibo member of this beautiful family.
I finally left this place (reluctantly!) feeling refreshed, revivified and healed. I shall treasure the memories of being there every day until I can return again.
"Adracko" Onicawa
Please visit www.onicawa.co.uk
