III.Information:
Practical information
How to get there?
The city of Iquitos is entirely surrounded by water and forest and is only accessible by boat or air. There are a few Peruvian airlines which offer daily flights to Iquitos: Lan Peru, Star Peru, Peruvian Airlines, AeroCondor. You can check their websites to get more specific information about their flights. You can fly from Lima, Tarapoto or Puccallpa. The flight duration from Lima is of a couple of hours depending on whether you have a stopover or not.
If you inform us within a few days anticipation of your arrival time at the Iquitos airport, we will send someone to pick you up.
Hotels in Lima
We can recommend you the following hotels in Lima in the case you want to spend a night or two in the peruvian capital. Certain areas of Lima have the reputation of being a bit unsafe. It might not be more unsafe than any other capital city on our planet, nevertheless be aware and pay attention to your belongings. As everywhere, some areas are fine and quiet while others host more pickpockets and disturbances. If you stay in Lima the staff of your hotel will be able to give you more information. Taxis usually recommend you to place your luggage in the back trunk and to lock your door for safety reasons. There are some official taxi drivers at the airport.
· Torre Blanca
· Ramada Hotel (at the airport)
· Hotel Manhattan
We have no direct association with any of these hotels, they are just some of the places where our regular and returning visitors recommend when they come to visit us.
Health and vaccination
There is no specific vaccination required to visit Peru. There are some cases of malaria and yellow fever in the country but we have never had a single case occuring in the center in seven years. If you prefer alternative medicine to vaccination, there is a homeopathic preventive treatment for malaria. Ask your physician for more specific information.
As in every warm and damp country, it is wise to pay attention to what you eat and drink if you want to avoid digestive problems. Nevertheless the general level of food quality you will find in restaurants is very good.
Climate
The climate in Iquitos is warm all year round. The summer or dry season starts in March-April and ends in October-November. The other half of the year is the rainy season or winter. Even during the rainy season the temperature remains quite high, around 30 degrees Celsius. Iquitos is not an area where it typically rains a lot during the rainy season.
What to bring?
A few items might be useful during your stay:
· A light rain coat
· A pair of slippers
· A flashlight
· Anti-mosquito spray (preferably non-DEET containing)
· Non-toxic bio-degradable soap
· A hat
· A bathing suit
· Light clothing for warm weather, synthetic clothes are very good as they don't suffer from humidity
· A couple of sweaters for the evening and nights which can get a bit chilly sometimes
Sheets, towels and blankets will be in your room when you arrive.
There are also mats, blankets and pillows for the ceremonies.
Info about prices
The motocarros are the local motorcycle taxis, we work with a few trusted drivers. Your transportation from and to the airport is covered by the center. If on your way back to the airport you want to go to Iquitos, your trip is paid until the airport, the driver will charge you for the remaining kilometers to Iquitos.
The cost of a round trip with one of our drivers from Anaconda Cosmica to Iquitos is 30 Peruvian Soles, more or less $10.
Tips: If you are happy with the work of the staff of Anaconda and want to tip them at the end of your stay, you are more than welcome to. We only ask you to give the tips to Hilda who is the administrator of the center, then she will share between them.
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Workshops & Seminars
The center organizes regular workshops and seminars during the year. They are an opportunity to get familiar with more specific aspects of the Shipibo tradition and the Amazonian culture. During these seminars you will have the possibility to deepen your understanding of our culture and work through conferences and practical activities.
W&S: The Master Plants
Anaconda Cosmica offers a ten-day seminar to introduce yourself to the fundamentals of the Shipibo and Amazonian medicine. The seminar is composed of theoretical conferences and practical activities. You will learn how to prepare Ayahuasca, to recognize the different master plants we use, understand their properties and the process of using them. You will also learn how to make perfumes using plants and how to use medicinal plants from your own country.
This seminar is an immersion into the world of the medicine and the Shipibo way of knowledge. The information you will receive is the fruit of a life-time of study, practice and mastery by Guillermo. You will have access to a very rich variety of information. Even for those who have been apprenticing for years, this seminar is always a wonderful source of new discoveries.
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W&S: Amazonian Ecology
The ecology of the Amazon Rain forest is particularly fascinating. Even if large areas of the Amazon are already under threat, it remains one of the last few wild environments on the planet, some areas remaining still untouched by human beings. It is therefore rich of animal and vegetal life, but also spiritual life.
During the days we will spend together we will share with you our knowledge of this amazing environment. You will have the opportunity to appreciate the perspective of indigenous people, how they see and relate to the forest, what it represents for them, and also how they envision its future. Part of the seminar is a visit to the National Reserve of Pacaya Samirya. There we will guide you into one of the most beautiful areas of the Peruvian rain forest and we will perform two ceremonies in a protected area so that you can experience the magnificence and magic of the forest during a ceremony.
Detailed program of the seminar and booking (link coming soon)
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W&S: Shipibo Culture and Tradition
The Shipibo people are among the few indigenous groups who still maintain a strong link with their traditions and culture. Their connection with the spiritual knowledge of the plants permeates all aspects of their life and has led them to build a very particular philosophy of life directly connected to the surrounding nature.
The Shipibo experience their environment in a way which is unfamiliar to us Westerners. They are part of it and communicate with it in the most natural manner. For the Shipibo, the surrounding forest, the trees, the rivers, and the earth itself are alive and imbedded with consciousness.
They also have a very elegant and fine culture which includes various art forms, storytelling, jewelry, painting, pottery, carving, singing, weaving, all the tools used in daily life are made with the same precise care and art. Most of those who still live in a traditional way master several of these arts and have practiced them since childhood.
The other aspect of the Shipibo culture we will share with you is their knowledge of the plants and their shamanic medicine. This knowledge has been part of their life for thousands of years now and many of the legendary masters of the past were born among the Shipibo people. And still to this day, the Shipibo masters enjoy a strong reputation all over the Amazon.
Anaconda Cosmica, being also a small Shipibo community, you will be able to meet them, enjoy their laughter and smiles, see their handcraft and the way they work. We also organize a few workshops during the seminar so that you can get familiar with some of the techniques they use in the creation of their handcraft pieces.
Detailed program of the seminar and booking (link coming soon)
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W&S: Spiritual Shamanism
Spiritual Shamanism is a concept invented by Guillermo a number of years ago. Very early in his path Guillermo received a spiritual knowledge to share with humanity. This knowledge kept evolving through the years even if the core of it remained unchanged. A few years ago he realized that shamanism was not necessarily a spiritual path and that working with spirits doesn't necessarily make one a spiritual being. Nevertheless, shamanism and particularly Amazonian shamanism can be a bridge to the spiritual life, and in fact, a very effective one. Being acquainted with the spiritual worlds and their inhabitants one can learn from them what it means to live a spiritual life and then apply these principles into his/her own life. And then, eventually one can become a spiritual shaman or a true Muraya – master – who works only with the Light and in direct contact with the Creator.
What does it mean to live a spiritual life? Who are the spirits? How do they live? What is the way to the Light according to this Knowledge? What qualities should a spiritual shaman cultivate? How does s/he relate to the world, the environment, the community? What is the work of the spiritual shaman? What are her or his responsibilities?
These are some of the questions Guillermo has been investigating during these last years of his personal research. During the seminar he will share the knowledge he has gathered about this topic and welcome your questions.
This seminar is full of precious gems to bring back home. They will inspire your minds and hearts, and nurture your own research for many years.
Detailed program & booking information (link coming soon)
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The basic price for the seminars is 140$ per day although it can be modified according to the activities offered. The number of participants is limited, your place will be booked as soon as we receive confirmation that your deposit has arrived. You can send your deposit to the following bank account.
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