The Lineage

Shamanic Healing Practices of the Amazon Rainforest

The first Paleo-Indians migrated into the Amazon rainforest from the north between 10,000 and 30,000 years ago. Archaeological findings indicate that shamanic traditions involving the use of medicinal plants may date back as far as 1,500 to 2,000 BC. However, several indigenous tribes in the Amazon believe their use of plant medicine has been a part of their culture for over 3,000 years.

Across the Amazon, there are numerous shamanic traditions that incorporate the use of Ayahuasca, an entheogenic brew, each with its own distinct approach to healing and spiritual practices. These include the Santo Daime and União de Vegetal churches in Brazil, the Los Taitas tradition in Colombia, and various shamanic practices in Ecuador.

Shipibo: A Timeless Culture in the Heart of the Amazon Jungle

The Shipibo people are among the oldest and largest indigenous groups in the western Amazon region, with a population of approximately 35,000 today.

Their ancestral homeland stretches along the Ucayali River, which runs north and south of Pucallpa. The Ucayali River, a major tributary of the Amazon River, spans 2,700 km and is rich in resources, providing the Shipibo with fertile land and abundant water. Currently, over 150 Shipibo communities are spread across the various tributaries and lakes within the Ucayali River system.

Throughout history, the Shipibo have managed to preserve their way of life, largely due to the strategic location of their settlements deep within the jungle. While they resisted full conquest by other cultures, they did engage in trade with the Incas, Spanish missionaries, and Brazilian colonists. Today, the Shipibo maintain a similar dynamic with the growing flow of Western shamanic tourism to their region.

The Shipibo people continue to prioritize their native language and remain deeply connected to their traditions and cultural practices. Their profound bond with the rainforest is evident in every aspect of their lives—whether physical, cultural, or spiritual.In Peru, certain indigenous groups are particularly renowned for their expertise in using medicinal plants and sacred songs to heal physical and emotional ailments. The Mestizo, Quechua-Lamista, and Shipibo peoples all share a deep reverence for what they call Teacher Plants—plants viewed not merely as resources, but as sentient beings with whom one can establish a relationship. This perspective contrasts sharply with the more utilitarian view of plants in Western cultures.

One of the primary methods these tribes use to engage with Teacher Plants is the Plant Dieta—a rigorous shamanic practice that involves extended periods of isolation, dietary restrictions, and lifestyle changes to facilitate direct communication with these plant spirits. Among these traditions, the Shipibo people are particularly noted for the intensity of their Plant Dieta, which requires years of disciplined study and personal sacrifice to attain the highest levels of spiritual and healing knowledge.

For centuries, the Shipibo have earned the admiration of other tribes in the Amazon for their profound understanding of plant medicine and for the extraordinary abilities of their master shamans, known as Onanyas.