ENCOUNTER THE HEALING POWER OF THE AMAZON The Sápara people invite you to the NAKU Clinic for a healing retreat to experience the transformative power of Amazonian plant medicine. 1
Amazonian Healing Retreat: Transforming depression and anxiety with the Sápara January 19 to 31, 2018-13 Days - $4,800 / person The Sápara people invite you to NAKU Clinic for a ten day retreat intended for those seeking to treat depression, anxiety and other chronic conditions. Through immersion in this ancient and powerful indigenous medical tradition, participants will receive focused care from indigenous healers and a western doctor, in the pristine rainforest home of the Sápara nation. In forming a relationship with these people, the plants they work with, and the forest, patients will unlock keys to their own healing and contribute to the protection of this amazing and vital rainforest ecosystem. 2
Hola, amigos! I know the term disruptive gets applied to things like scented candles and male stripper movies these days, but I truly believe that Amazonian Medicine has the potential to be the most positively disruptive innovation on planet Earth. If an ancient medical system can lead us to cures for ailments we currently define as uncurable, not only will the current boundaries of Western medicine instantaneously expand, but the Amazon rainforest will immediately become more valuable to grow than destroy. So as we heal ourselves, we heal the world. #nbd! The incredible people who you will visit in the jungle possess a wildly advanced understanding of human life and the natural world, and live within one of the most pristine and breathtaking - yet rapidly eroding - environments on the planet. We crafted this trip to give you memories that you thought only existed in Avatar, and to open you to new ways of thinking about our bodies, our minds, and our place in the world. By supporting the NAKU clinic, you will have an opportunity to access an invaluable body of knowledge about medicinal plants, inject new hope into your own healing, and help preserve the Earth s most previous natural resource. I hope you ll jump out of your comfort zone for a few days and join us! God speed, - Channing Tatum - - Founding Donor of NAKU & Advisory Board Member 3
The Clinic NAKU, located in the Ecuadorian Amazon, is a non-profit indigenous run healing center dedicated to the research and practice of indigenous Amazonian medicine. The destruction of the rainforest through resource exploitation has endangered the indigenous Sápara people and their medicinal wisdom cultivated over millennia. Today only 500 Sápara remain. Though their population is dwindling, their territory is vast and a critical part of the Amazonian ecosystem. In response to the many threats they face, the Sápara established the NAKU Clinic to preserve and share their vast knowledge of medicinal plants with the rest of the world before it is lost. 4
Amazonian medicine is an ancient system that has been passed down for over 10,000 years. Over 40,000 plants grow in the Amazon. 1% Less than of Amazonian plants have been studied for their medical potential. An estimated 30% of all prescription medicines originated from Amazonian plants
NAKU Treatment Framework Traditional Amazonian Plant Medicine Western Medical Supervision Modern Counseling & Coaching Support Amazonian healers, or curanderos, make it their life s work to heal the sick. In order to diagnose and treat bodily imbalances, curanderos draw from their vast knowledge of the region s bountiful living pharmacy and employ healing techniques passed down over generations. Healers at NAKU work closely with each patients to develop a specific course of treatment that encompasses whole plant remedies, diet guidelines, meditation and other plant therapies. Western medicine will be utilized to conduct complementary diagnostic testing, to monitor and evaluate patients status and improvements, and to provide emergency medical care.
Itinerary Overview 7
Day 1 (Friday): Arrive in Quito This is the day to begin the transition from our modern lives, into a simpler, more harmonious healing phase. We will land at the Quito airport, and make our way to a nearby hotel. For folks that arrive in time, we will have our first group circle, where we will set intentions and begin to coalesce as a group.
DAY 2 (Saturday) We leave early in the morning and take a van to Shell, about 3-4 hours away. By 9 am, we are at the small airport to prepare for the flight into the rainforest-- approximately 45 minutes. Landing in the small village, we will be welcomed by the community. No longer in wifi contact, we make the break with the modern world. There will be a small welcoming ceremony. We will have some introductory meetings with Manari (the lead healer) and his colleagues before settling in to our rooms. To close the day, will have an extensive integration circle with our group and leaders, and patients will be given specific dream instructions from Manari
DAY 3-9 (Sunday-Saturday) Activities designed to facilitate deep individual healing and connection with the energies of the forest. These include: limpias (cleansing), working with herbal remedies, dream recounting and interpretation, ceremony. Other activities (optional): hikes, boatrides down the river, herb walks. Besides these facilitated activities, participants will be encouraged to spend much of the day alone to allow deeper contact with the landscape (inner and outer).
DAY 10 (Sunday) Our final day in the rainforest. The opportunity to admire and purchase locally made crafts will be available. Cultural exchange with some of the villagers. We will have a closing circle, where we take stock of our healing journies, and then we can begin to start the integration process- sometimes the most challenging phase. Say our goodbyes and fly out of the rainforest in the morning. Van-ride back to Papallacta Hot Springs
Days 11 to 13 (Monday to Wednesday) Relax in the soothing Andean hot springs of Luna Runtun. Rest, meditate, journal and integrate Group reflection and closing circles However, it is preferred that you stay Sunday night in the hotel to participate in a final sharing circle focusing on the integration process. Fly out Wednesday January 31st
Pre and Post Journey Meetings Before the retreat: Two individual sessions: First, an extensive interview prior to acceptance. Next, an interview beginning to set up an individual treatment plan prior to working with the indigenous healers. A web-based meeting to discuss basic logistics, introduce ourselves and our intentions, and answer questions. A web-based meeting that is more processoriented, to try to start peeling the layers back and begin to expose the places that are preventing our healing. After the retreat: One group session focusing on contextualizing the trip, making commitments, aiming for concrete life changes as we return. One individual session focusing on each individual s healing process and recommendations for next steps. 13
Bios of Our US-Based Team photo Tyler Gage Gary Pace, MD, MPH, MA Gary has been practicing Family Medicine in Community Health Centers in Northern California for over 20 years. His particular interest has been integrating natural healing modalities with the powerful diagnostic tools of conventional medicine. With over 10 years experience studying with indigenous healers in Mexico and South America, he has witnessed some of the unique value of these plant and energetic-based perspective. Gary loves taking groups into these settings to make personal connections with the people and the forest, and also to potentially be a part of deeper healing. Nanette Phillips, CYT Nanette entered the world of Amazonian medicine by way of her own chronic illness healing journey. In the Spring of 2016, she boarded a plane bound for the Amazon in hopes that indigenous medicine might hold the cure for her illness, an illness for which western medicine had no real solution. A year later, she is healed and passionate about sharing this profoundly powerful medicine with those who need it most. Nanette graduated from the Colorado College, Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa, with a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. A Certified Yoga Instructor, she brings a wide array of tools and insights to those embarking on their own healing journeys. Tyler Gage Tyler has spent the last 12 years of his studying indigenous Amazonian traditions and working to bring them to the world. After graduating with honors from Brown University, Tyler co-founded Runa.org, an organization that now supports over 3,000 indigenous families in the Ecuadorian Amazon. He has been recognized as a Forbes 30 Under 30 Entrepreneur, and attributes Amazonian plants and traditions with healing his anxiety and depression as a young adult and giving him the courage and resilience to stat an organization he believes in. 14
RESERVATION INFORMATION: COSTS INCLUDE All accommodations per itinerary, all meals and beverages, transfers between accommodations and airport, taxes and service charges, services of the Sápara tribe and services of the NAKU staff, lodging and food at Luna Runtun lodge NOT INCLUDED Airfare to and from Ecuador, entry fees, baggage/accident/travel protection plan, items of a personal nature. Gratuities of accommodation staff at your discretion. TRAVEL TO/FROM ECUADOR We will gladly assist you in making your air reservations. NOTE Complete pre-expedition information, including detailed program agenda, suggestions on what to bring and recommended reading will be sent prior to departure. TERMS & CONDITIONS PAYMENT Payment in full is required at the time of reservation and is payable by wire transfer, check, or credit card FOR RESERVATIONS, PLEASE CONTACT Nanette Phillips nanette@naku.com.ec 15
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