Shamanistic encounters with
Don Agustin Rivas Vásquez, Yushintaita
and
Don Luis Panduro Vásquez, Otorongo
Voyages to Peru
- 25th of August till 8th of September 2007 (Yushintaita)
- 30th of November till 20th of December 2007 (Yushintaita and Otorongo)
- 1st of March till 15th of March 2008 (Otorongo)
- 1st of August till 15th of August 2008 (Yushintaita)
- 1st of December till 20th of December 2008 (Yushintaita and Otorongo)
Today, Agustin Rivas Vásquez, 73, internationally is considered one of the Medicine men of highest
renommee, havin met acknowledgement at shaman cogresses at e.g. Alpbach (Austria) 1998. His visits in
Austria during more than a decade have given introspection into his person and his working method to a
broad range of interested people. The more videotapes and a biography (Jaya Bear, "Amazon Magic")
have been published, telling about Don Agustin's work in Peru. Not far from his hometown Tamshiyacu,
Don Agustin runs his camp Yushintaita, which serves for search of peace, healing and insight. The
visitors are succumbed to well tailored treatments. The encounter do happen on different levels: By
means of cleansing rituals at mornings and nights; ceremonies of Mapacho-tobacco; drinking different
medicines taken from the botanic-garden; by means of - if desired - rigorose diets; thorough dicussions;
healing ceremonies.
Don Agustin's apprenticeship did happen at the one side on hands of an experienced master
(Don Ramón Sanches, died 2000), and on the other side by means of living isolatedly for several years
in the midst of the djungle of Pucallpa, respectating severe prescriptions. Shamans in general do differ
each other by the degree of penetration or posession through spirits and insofer the strength of trance
during spiritual sessions. In Yushintaita the applicated form are nocturne Ayahuasca-Ceremonies. Don
Agustin almost all the time is dwelling into a spiritual world, although one would not suppose so, taking
the unforgiveness of Don Agustin's lectures on the heads of his pupils. The plants Don Agustin is friend
and experienced of because of having dieted it during months, these plants do communicate with him and
do order treatments of sicknesses in individual form. Don Agustin by no means is a miraculous healer.
He's gotten limits. The sick person too has got her limits, first and foremost if she doesn't confront
herself with inner quarrels. The healing process starting in Yushintaita is of definitive spiritual
character and does not tolerate lies or wrong life, in particular when living in partnership. Within a
very short time you can observe distinct changes in the faces of the visitors. Connotation of time
disperses. One sleeps much. Dreams are intensive. The sky of stars of southern hemisphere is overwhelming.
The rain is meditative. Since a shaman, without always anticipating his own state of mind, is
constantly wettened by superior consciousness or even is manipulated directly by external forces,
all his pronunciations, as discrete and unoblivious they might semm, do have weight and meaning,
the counselings for a later future too. The more all the plants one does eat during those 10 to 16
days do have effects energetically afterwards till more than year. The spirit of the plant enters into
communication with the consciousness of the visitor and educates him. In the entourage of Don Agustin
strange things and happenings are of daily nature.
Whether the plants we do eat in Yushintaita nor the "Mapacho"-tobacco one is puffing or smoking from a
personal pipe, are drugs, although they push us into profound - even higher - consciousness. These are
plants of thousands of years of ritual use within the indian tribes.
First day: Departure from the european airports of Amsterdam (KLM) or Madrid (Iberia)
between 11.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. Flying time over the atlantic ocean: 12 hours. Arrival at Lima airport
in the afternoon. Transport to our english-german speaking guest-house of friendly hospitality,
located in Lima's luxury-district of Surco. 3*-quality, swimming-pool, all commodities.
Second day: Staying-up conveniently. Breakfast. Intoductory-meeting. Transfer to the
airport, departure to Iquitos, capital of the state of Loreto. Flying time: 1,5 hours. Transfer
to Iquitos-downtown, taking rooms in a modest, but friendly and calm "hospedaje", one of the
best addresses in that hinsight in Iquitos. Last opportunity to send e-mails. Dinner.
Third day: Transfer to Huayquito-harbour. Departure towards Tamshiyacu at 8.00 a.m.
Arrival at Tamshiyacu at 9.00. One hour walk into the djungel within a caravane of luggage- and
bag-keepers. Invalid or sick people are been brought on motocycle or hamac. Warm welcome by Don
Agustin. Occupation of bungalows, rooms and beds. Refreshment in Yushintaita's small, absolutely
clean river "Collpa". Lunch, dinner. Meeting and presentation of all participants.
Fourth day: 6.00 a.m., drink of Ojé, a cleansing latex-milk, directed against parasites
and illnesses of stomach and intestines. 9.30 a.m.: Breakfast light. Sleeping. Lunch. In the afternoon
body-painting with "Huito", which gives us a dark-blue extraterrestrial skin for the rest
of the 10 days. Occasional shopping of ritual-pipes and handcrafts made of redblood-wood.
Fifth day: Preparational discourse for the nocturne Ayahuasca-ceremony, which serves
altogether for baptising the pipes and personal items of intimate value. Start of the ceremony at 7.00
p.m., end at 1.00 a.m.
Sixth day: Consume of prepared medicine before breakfast. Dialogue about the last
experiences. Small excursion into the jungle. Quest for "bars of intention".
Seventh day: Jungle-meditation. Full body-burrial in white sand of Quartz in order to
disseminate the electromagnetic stress of our bodies. 7.00 p.m.: Second ceremony, this time with medical
intervention of the shaman.
Eight day: Discourse. Individual consultations. At night tobacco-cermony in order to
confront us with our own negative energy.
Nineth day: Wanderer's walk to Otorongo, shamanistic eremitage of Dr.Himmelbauer and
former power-temple of Don Agustin's. Therein third ceremony of Ayahuasca, again with medical
interbventions.
Tenth day: Breakfast and review, go-back to Yushintaita. At night discourse of Don
Agustin about curanderismo and his own time of apprentice.
Eleventh day: Excursions into the forrest. Fouth and last ceremony.
Twelveth day: Ritual burning of our intention-bars. Last review. Good by-saying
and tips for the personnel.
Thirteenth day: 8.00 a.m. walking to Tamshiyacu, shipment to Iquitos, inlodging of
our "Hospedaje".
Transfer to the folcloristic and colourfull market of Belén. Purchase of
individual medicine, plants and gifts. Lunch at a traditional street-restaurand (very big portions!).
The afternoon being for free. Exclusive lunch at Iquitos' most splendid restaurant.
Fourtheenth day: Departure towards Lima at 8.00 a.m., transfer to Surco
(our german guest-house). Optional recreation, visit of the Pacific-beach or shopping at the
Indian-market of Miraflores, where cheap high-quality woolen clothes are offered. Individual trips
to other destinations are possible as well. 5.00 p.m.: Final transfer to Lima Airport, departure of
Iberia and KLM around 8.00 p.m.
Fifteenth day: Arrival in Europe around 2.00 p.m. Connections to other cities.
Otorongo is a medical camp, primarily dedicated to practical introductions into Curanderismo
by means of longscheduled diets, and dedicated to treatments of serious sicknesses as well of
psychic illnesses (see www.Otorongo.net). It has been built by Don Agustin according to a vision
of his, and which has been rebuilt after termites-caused collapse of the central temple by Dr.Himmelbauer.
Don Agustin maintained patronance over the camp, a camp that is characterized essentially by its
magical lonelyness, its elemental ceremonies, the possibilities of resorting oneself for months, and
last but not least by it's pittoresque stories of phantastical ocurrences in former and actual times.
Day 13: After breakfast in Yushintaita 1,5 hours adventurous walk trough virgin forrest
till Otorongo. Alodgement. Greetings to the holy Chullachaqui-tree, the Chullachaqui being the protector
of the djungel. Bathing, lunch. At night storytelling and testimonies about the local amazonian history,
by elder people of Tamshiyacu village. Sacral night meditation in the temple, combined with a cup of
plant-medicine.
Day 14: 4.00 a.m. consume of Ajo Sacha, paradigmatic plant to express ones openness for
the wilderness. After breakfast small group excursions into the forrest. In the afternoon chat with
Don Luis Panduro Vásquez, merited master and former "alumno" of Don Agustin. At night ceremony with
Don Agustin, Don Luis and participants from the village.
Day 15: Remembering of the past. Analyzing the meaning of some of Don "Lucho's"
"Icaros". Look for some leaves for the "Chakapa", the main music-instrument of a Curandero when
celebrating Ayahuasca. Free afternoon. At night religious meditation together with Doña Eugenia
Medina Tananta, 67, the most experienced "vegetalista"- lady in Tamshiyacu.
Day 16: 4.00 a.m. Ajo Sacha. Further sleeping. Later on looking for individual power
spots in the jungle. Meditation about the intent of creation. Ayahuasca at night with Don Luis Panduro.
Day 17: Discourse. In the afternoon, according to interests of the group,
discussion about pivotal elements of the shamanistic healing-system.
Day 18: 4.00 a.m. Acho Sacha. Individual dealing in retreat with the life-project
"Recapitulation". Night meditation in the temple with a small cup of medicine.
Day 19: Good-bye. Back walk to Tamshiyacu, boat trip to Iquitos: Hotel, market,
lunch. Th afternoon being free. In the evening optional Ayahuasca-ceremony with Don Solon
Tello, 79, the principal "Espiritista" in town.
Day 20: Lima
Don Luis Panduro Vásquez: 50, Ayahuascero. 20 years of experience. Nefew of Don Agustin
Rivas Vásquez. Since 2 years growing international reputation by reason of personal visits in Chile,
Austria and Germany, and working with visitants of Russia, Cech Republic, Chile and USA. Very smart
and sober, loyal friend without any attitude of superstition, pretentions, or overpowering the
others. Up to now he still undertakes retirements into his jungle in order to diet plants. In the
same hinsight practically the only remaining Curandero, who still works with local sick poor
clients. Most experienced brewmaster of "Madre Ayahuasca".
Don Santiago Guerra: 79. Very humble "Vegetalista". Lives the hole year on his
"chakra", dieting plants. Disposes, over all, of more or less 20 years of diet-experience.
Incredible amount of authentic stories. Assists to male dietists in Otorongo.
Doña Eugenia Medina Tananta: 67. Mother of 11 children. Very religious lady. Most
renowned "Vegetalista" of Tamshiyacu. Undisputed authority when it goes to cleanse bad
drunken guys, drugaddicts and other excentric people. Chief of diet for female clients in Otorongo.
Dr.Wolfgang Himmelbauer, Calle Gonzales Prada 212, Tamshiyacu, Loreto, Peru. Phone in Austria
(May, june and october): 0043-7435-58910.
E-mail: Himmelbauer@operamail.com,
Website with correspondent informations, countings of experiences and a vivid forum:
www.otorongo.net.
Mr.Himmelbauer is Austrian and lives since 7 years in Tamshiyacu, where he intimately cooperates with
Don Agustin in medical issues, and serves as organisator and translator on the spot for different
visitors-groups. With his name he assures highest seriousness at all steps of the offered journey.
Individual fee for group journeys (without the flight Europe - Lima - Europe):
2 weeks Yushintaita with Don Agustin Rivas Vásquez: 1.600,- Euro (= 2.000,- Dollar), all included.
2 weeks in Yushintaita and 1 week in Otorongo: 2.000,- Euro (= 2.500,- Dollar), all included.
2 weeks in Otorongo with Don Luis Panduro: 1.300,- Euro (= 1.625,- Dollar), all included.
*Air ticket Europe - Lima - Europe with KLM or Iberia:
According to booking time between 1.000,- and 1.200,- Euro. Iberia and KLM fly directly to Lima,
while Lufthansa and Air France go to Caracas. British Airways fly to Brasil, and the American lines -
often cheap and recommendable for late-bookers - of course over the USA.
All arrangements are flexible to book for either 2 or 3 weeks!
⇒Individual money-spending, estimation:
Woodcrafts and other jewelries: 50,- $; Indian market Miraflores: 50,- $; Herbal medicine: 50,- $;
Airport-tax Lima: 30,- $. Tip for personnel: 20,- $. Alltogether: Around 180,- $.
The reservation gets legal reference by means of either
a) Bank transfer of the hole stipulated amount in Euro until a date line the correspondence partner
agreed upon. In that case the client receives confirmation of the bank transfer.
or b) Overhandling of the equivalent amount in Dollars at the day of arrival in Lima. This way is
preferable when booking late.
In order to arrange the local flights, the service at the airport and hostal lodging Mr. Himmelbauer
needs time and airline of arrival as well as the passport-number.
Reservations are possible until the last moment. Maximum size of a group: 20 persons.
In case of retirement shortly before the voyage, an indemnity-fee of 100,- Euro has to be paid as
well as the local airline- indemnity.
Bank account
Hypobank Vorarlberg in Vienna, Austria
BLZ 58000
Account: 20 1587 35 114
Swift: HYPVAT 2B
Iban: AT44 58000 20158735114
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