This photo post is part two of three, documenting my three-month “Ayahuasca Deep Immersion” retreat at the “Temple of the Way of Light” located in the Amazon Jungle, up the Nanay River from the city of Iquitos.
This second post contains 101 photos, including detailed narratives. It covers several of my activities at the “Temple”, and contains photos some some of my new friends.
I traveled to the retreat center on Saturday, January 18, 2014, and remained there, completely off the electrical/internet grid until April 15, 2014.
As usual, the photos in this post are thumbnail images. Please click on any photo to enlarge it. The thumbnails leave much to be desired as far as colors and resolution – plus the thumbnails clip all of the edges. I use thumbnails for the post itself, because it gives people an opportunity to get a summary glimpse without downloading huge amounts of data for the high-res photos.
CLICK ON ANY PHOTO TO ENLARGE TO HIGH RESOLUTION
Flower Baths
Every day during the workshop phase of each month (first 12 days), we go to the Maestros’ house for a flower bath, given by the Maestra. The water used is from the stream, and is filled with flowers, mostly large marigolds – giving the water the essential oils of the flowers used. The Maestra uses a small bucket to completely saturate us, all over, with the flower water.
The Maestros’ casa is in the background. This is many of the people from my first workshop group.
A butterfly that landed on a friend’s hand. There were many gorgeous butterflies in this part of the jungle. Every once in a while, I would see a “blue morpho”, one that was huge, with large florescent blue wings.
The maestros’ house. A week or two after these photos were taken, the Temple workers built two brand new benches to make flower baths much easier.
A woman in my group getting a flower bath.
I asked a friend to take photos of me getting a flower bath. I was kind of “chunky” here. During the three months following this, I lost about six inches off my waist, for an overall weight loss of around thirty pounds.
More of my flower bath.
Brrrr … the water is very cold.
This gorgeous little Shipibo woman is “Maestra Ida”.
Another photo of Maestra Ida.
February 14, 2014 – Jungle Hike
On the last day of our integration period, a group of us went out on a hike to see a huge tree in the jungle. For me, it was an exhausting, emotional, and triggering journey. I will write about that in my blog. Here, I will simply share some of the photos of that hike.
I only took photos during the first part of the hike, before I got exhausted and drained. This is looking back toward people behind me, early on in the hike.
Looking forward at the trail ahead. The jungle here is well traveled, with many remote homes and several tiny villages in the area. Yet it is quite easy to get lost in these branching trails.
I only went on this one group hike. Several other times I went out by myself, and could have easily have gotten lost out here if I had not paid close attention to the sun and to the frequent branching turns… A friend of mine had a GPS with him. He hiked all over the area, with no fear of getting lost.
About ten minutes into the hike, we walk right through the front yard of a local resident (this is where the trail leads). I learn later that the home belongs to the family of a woman who works in our kitchen.
This is the trail, walking right through their yard.
Continuing on through the meadow.
I tried to find this same trail in the second week of April, but never did find it. After wandering around confused for an hour, I retraced my steps and returned to the Temple.
Looking back at some of the hikers following me. That is John in front. He is the one with the GPS.
At the bottom of a small hill, we had to walk through very wet areas with makeshift bridges. I was very glad I wore my rubber boots.
The line of hikers stretched out all across this wide meadow.
More of my group behind me.
Walking across another bridge.
And more muddy areas.
Stopped for a nature discussion.
Getting deeper into the jungle.
And even deeper.
By now, in the cool shade, I was getting bitten by flying vampires (mosquitoes), so I put on my long sleeve shirt and started to scratch.
The young man in front was our leader. He kept up a pace that was extremely difficult for me to follow.
Through this part of the trail, he had to use a machete to clear brush. A while later, someone disturbed a wasp nest (behind us) and many people got stung, one man 20-plus times.
Getting harder and harder to walk.
In this photo, Mila sank her boot into the mud so deep that the mud and water ran over the top. The hike was getting very difficult. Soon, we had to hike up a steep slope that was just too much for me. My almost-asthma was kicking in and heat exhaustion dragging me down.
About five minutes before reaching the tree, half the group turned around to help take the one young man (the one stung 20 times) back for emergency treatment. He was having an allergic reaction to the stings. Luckily, they got him back in time to get treatment and he was fine.
I took advantage of the turn-around and went back with them. But they were in such a hurry to get the man back for treatment that I could not keep up. I reassured them I was OK as long as they checked up on me later. I found my way back to a burned out field where people came back to find me and helped me get home the rest of the way.
Seven Year Anniversary
On February 16, during the few day gap between my first and second month programs, the Temple hosted a celebration in honor of their seven year anniversary. All employees were invited. A series of soccer games kicked the afternoon off, with temple staff and participants competing against local indigenous teams. I briefly played on a Temple women’s team that competed against the cooks and cleaning staff. They demolished us LOL. I did quite well in my playing, but my endurance is low and I had to ask for a sub within about five minutes of heavy running.
This is some of the male staff and work exchange team preparing to start their match with the security guards.
Standing in back are Leanne and Mila, two women in the deep immersion program. Seated are Jen (workshop facilitator), Vlad (in charge of many things, including construction), Sasha (runs the Temple programs), and Brian (a staff member).
Me and Diana. What a beautiful story. I met Diana in Guatemala. She was in my second Ayahuasca ceremony (her first) – last October. After that ceremony, I absolutely knew it was time to come to Peru, and independently manifested coming here to the Temple. Diana began her own journey of manifestation (independent of mine) and ended up, through synchronous events, being hired as a staff yoga teacher here at the Temple. Today (February 16, 2014) is her second day at the Temple. We are enjoying a fun reunion.
Another beautiful photo of me and my dear friend Diana.
Todd (one of the workshop facilitators) playing soccer.
After the soccer games, a group of Temple gringos competed against a local group of workers. Even with the gringo height advantage, the locals cleaned up.
What a fun photo. Jen (workshop facilitator) and Deanna (right, training as facilitator), dancing with two young local girls.
After the soccer and volleyball, they held a lot of relay races and tug-of-war matches, etc… It was a really fun afternoon. This is a group of young girls preparing for a tug-of-war. Someone posted a photo of me (on Facebook) participating in a women’s tug-of-war match. In that case, our gringo team actually won.
In the foreground, Deanna and Viro (with camera). In the background are many of the ninety employees (local indigenous workers and their families) who work here at the temple.
Starting in late march, we began to have games up on the field on the last afternoon of every workshop (not sure if this tradition will follow). This was taken on March 29, on the final day of my second workshop. I was so tired and weak, I didn’t even try to play, but I went up to the field to support my friends. This is some of the guys playing soccer against some local workers.
And one more photo of the soccer playing.
Tres Unidos
Less than a ten-minute walk from my room, is a tiny village where many of the local workers live. Some of the workers actually live in a village that is a one-hour walk away, and they walk back and forth every day.
Tres Unidos has a small cluster of homes around a large field, and also includes many families who live out in nearby jungle homes. I don’t know the exact numbers, but I am told that when the Temple first opened seven years ago, there were about forty people living here, and now there are a couple hundred.
Several people came up here frequently to charge the batteries on their electric devices (there were generators and solar chargers up here). I just used my own personal solar charger.
During my last month, I walked up here many times to buy coconuts. I was fasting occasionally, and on a salt-free diet, and desperately needed the electrolytes from the coconut water.
As you arrive at the town, this is a view looking right. There are five or six structures on this street.
From the same general place, this is a view looking to the left. There are also five or six structures on this side of the large field.
This view is looking straight down the left side of the field, showing that there are also several structures on the far side. Tres Unidos is a very small village.
Bobby-Bear and Brenda-Doll
Sorry for the indulgence, but my little teddy bear and doll played a profound healing role for me in this retreat, and they always kept me smiling and giggling. I see them and treat them as my real inner children, and they seem to have taken on a personality of their own. I had a lot of fun introducing them to others, even to the Maestros in my third workshop.
They went with me to every ceremony, and hung out in many other places too…
Bobby and Brenda enjoying an open-eyed meditation on my bed.
Bobby reading Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist” to Brenda. She loved it, as did I, when I read it again during my second retreat.
My two friends enjoying the hammock. I was so jealous. They didn’t seem to be bothered at all by the mosquitoes.
“Please tell us a bedtime story,” they beg me with giggles.
Bobby trying on my boots. He really wanted to go on the hike with me.
Getting some air on a little bench on the front balcony.
You’ll have to click on the photo to enlarge this image. Bobby is loving this incredible spider that built its web right in front of my building.
Getting some sun on a chair in front of our building.
Bobby and Brenda sharing one of my “dieta” meals with me. I usually could only eat about 1/3 of this rice, plus the fish and plantain. My stomach didn’t want any more food.
Having fun with one of my coconuts.
Sorry, I just have to include them all.
The thumbnail images cut off so much, but I had a lot of fun with these photos. Several times, Bobby woke me up in the morning, jumping on my chest, giggling and saying “Come on, it is time to get up and play!”
Cemetery Hike
On April 6, 2014, I went on my second solo hike. A few days earlier I did the same hike, without knowing how to find my destination. After finding it, I knew I had to come back soon with my camera. These are photos from that second hike — a hike that began at the village of Tres Unidos, and that took me out to a tiny remote cemetery more than a mile out in the jungle.
In this photo I am back at the Temple’s soccer field, on the way to Tres Unidos.
Hiking on the short trail from the soccer field to Tres Unidos.
At Tres Unidos, standing on their huge soccer field, looking at the goal post on the far side. This is where the trail begins.
My heart gave the the go-ahead, telling me, “Yes, DO go on this hike. It will be fine.” When I stood here looking at the clouds, I had second thoughts. They appeared to be ready for a huge downpour of heavy rain. But, on checking in, my heart again told me “Go for it” … and I did, with complete trust.
Standing on the far side of the field, looking back at the village. Note that the sky in this direction was quite nice. I bought most of my coconuts at the little building on the left.
The other side of the field, with four more buildings. The more “yellow” building (second from right) is the local school.
Standing behind the soccer goal posts, at the beginning of the trail, looking back at the village.
Starting down the trail. This hike takes me just over a half hour at a relaxed pace.
Another early section of the trail.
After five or ten minutes, I passed through this burned out field that is now filled with trees in the five-to-six-foot-tall range.
I found these fascinating. I am not sure if they are a mushroom or some other type of fungus/growth. They are all over the burned-out logs in this field, under the new small trees that are rapidly filling in the empty space.
Such a gorgeous, fascinating, orangish-red color, with beautiful patterns.
Another glance at the gorgeous skyline and the threatening clouds.
Hiking deeper into the jungle. The first time I came here, I was only wearing flip flops. Today, I found it prudent to wear shoes. There are poisonous snakes in this part of the world, but they try to avoid people. Nevertheless, I didn’t want to step on one in the leaf-covered trail.
After about a mile, the trail ends at this tunnel-like opening in the trees.
Up closer, looking out of the shadows through the opening.
Just beyond the opening is an open, sandy area. On the left are numerous earthen graves.
A close-up of two of the graves. I believe this is the Tres Unidos cemetery, and since the village is so new, there are not that many graves here (less than 20 mounds).
This one (Vicente) passed away in 1993. Only a couple of the graves were marked with wooden crosses like this.
By now, the sky had completely cleared and the threatening clouds were nowhere to be seen. I made the right choice to trust my heart.
I hiked a tiny bit further, but the trail gradually disappeared, and had almost no footprints.
It seemed to kind of end in this row of tall palm trees.
I soon turned around and began the long hike back. After all the fasting and ceremony work, my body was quite weak and tired. This is an interesting stump just before returning to the sandy cemetery.
I took another photo of the graves. In this photo, I notice that each grave at least as a vertical post sticking up.
Looking across the open sandy area.
A beautiful log on my way back. It caught my fancy.
By now, I was very hot, tired, and sweaty … but I decided to try a few self-photos anyway. This is attempt number one.
Attempt number two. Note, I am wearing a long sleeve shirt over another blouse – attempting to protect myself from the mosquitoes that began swarming me in the shady areas.
Self-photo number three.
Passing through that initial burned-out field, I took another photo of those fascinating fungus growths on a log.
Group Photos
I didn’t take very many photos of people on this journey, so most of the following “people” photos were borrowed from my friend Kit. She was transferring photos from her camera and her cell phone, and I let her use my USB drive to do it. She gave me permission to use her photos in my blog.
Note, I do not have a group photo from my first workshop.
This one is with my camera. It is a group photo taken on March 1, 2014. It contains most of my second workshop group from February 18-March 1, 2014. From left to right (head order) the people are: Louis, Todd, Kit, Jeremiah, Jack, Shane, Joseph, Deanna, Steph, Brenda, Swan, and Meredith.
This one was taken on March 15, 2014, and includes many from my second workshop and those who were also here for integration at the same time. From left to right (head order) the people are: Ann-Marie, Anton, Joseph, Steph, Kit, Brenda, Shane, Swan, Elias, Zafar(front), Meredith, Alexander (back), Louis, Conor, and Greg.
This photo was taken on March 29, 2014, and includes most from my third workshop and those who were also here for integration. From left to right, Front Row: Ann-Marie, Brenda, Meredith, Mirka, Elias, Maya, Shane. From left to right, Middle Row: Bobby, Kit, Anton, Alexander, Louis. From left to right, Back Row: Alexei, Jeany, Sean, Todd, Joseph, and Luke.
Sitting on the new flower bath benches, Left to right are Louis, Ivan, and Swan.
Left to right: Swan (Not in thumbnail), Amelia, Meredith, Steph, and Shane (with banjo).
Left to right: Shane, Maya, Bobby, and Joseph.
Left to right: Maya, Bobby, Luke, and Joseph.
Left to right: Ann-Marie, Alexei, Maya, and Shane.
Left to right: Swan, Shane, Kit, and Steph.
Left to right: Kit, Maya, and Shane
Shane and Jemma
Brenda and Diana
Brenda and Ann-Marie
My three dear friends who cleaned rooms, changed sheets, and did tons of laundry during the three months I was at the Temple. (They also did countless other miscellaneous tasks.)
Meis, the young girl on the left, is from the village of San Pedro, and walks an hour each way, every day, to get to and from work. Carina (middle), lives on the trail to San Pedro, and I believe that Kati (right) told me she lives in Tres Unidos. For most of the last two weeks, they told me how sad they were to see me leave, and kept asking if I would return. I told them “probably not, but you never know.”
When I told them “There are other Brendas out there that will come here,” They smiled sadly, and said that there are no other ones that could replace me. I don’t know why they connected with me so deeply, but I love them dearly.
To Be Continued …
This is the end of part two of this photo post. Very soon, I will post the third and final segment of these photos.
Copyright © 2014 by Brenda Larsen, All Rights Reserved