"I attended Mimi Buttacavoli's Sanango Dieta in her fabulous retreat in the Peruvian Amazon. Mimi is a Maestra with consummate skill. The entire time, I felt well cared for by her and the staff. The location is real treasure, where I felt connected with the plants and animals of the Amazon. If anyone wants to experience the power of a Sanango Dieta, I highly recommend this retreat." Casey Machula
Discover The Mystical World of Amazonian Shamanism
Do you feel like you are at a crossroads in your life, stuck in old patterns of behaviour, have unresolved traumas, need a new direction or fresh start? Would like to find ways to maintain balance in your life, take your self-development work to another level or discover the mysteries of the universe? Have you tried our essences and would like to take the journey further? Embark on the path of Amazonian shamanism and have a life-changing experience with us. Leave our camp feeling light, rejuvenated, balanced and your energetic body glowing!
Puka Yacu Lodge Retreat Centre
The retreat centre is situated in the Peruvian rainforest, outside the village of Tamshiyacu. One hour speed boat ride (along the Amazon river) from the wonderful & wild jungle city of Iquitos, the epicentre for Amazonian shamanism; a truly unique place. Then the last leg of the journey, a 20-minute drive through the lush rainforest to the camp.
The lodge was specifically built to hold shamanic retreats with your wellbeing in mind and to facilitate all your treatments in a beautiful environment. The vision was to create accommodation at a standard that you can feel completely relaxed and comfortable whilst fully immersing yourself in nature.
You will have your own spacious wooden cabin with a striking traditional thatched roof. The Cabin has a modern ensuite bathroom and a balcony to enjoy the amazing views of the forest. Having your own individual space to go deep into the process with the sacred plants and give yourself a much needed break from life’s stresses. Relax in a hammock, dip your toes in our stream or take a riverside stroll through the forest. Nothing short of paradise!
The focus of the retreat is to do profound cleansing work; detoxifying the body and mind. Enabling energetic re-balancing, relaxation, spiritual growth, learning and transformation to take place. In order to facilitate this life changing experience, we will be offering ceremonies, treatments and remedies to make it happen. All our plant medicines are made in a traditional way, Icaros (sacred chants) are used to prepare the remedies. You will also be on a special food diet which will aid in cleansing your physical body and allow the plants to work to their full potential.
We like to keep our retreats small and personal. We currently limit the groups to 4 participants. This really allows us the chance to give you our best. You will be thoroughly supported throughout the whole process.
Initial preparation:-
Medicinal plant steam treatment - Relax in our hot steam box, releasing tensions in the body, mind and allowing toxins to be released. Medicinal plants are used for relieving aches & pains and to detoxify the physical and energetic body.
Cleansing medicinal plant bath - Soak in our tub with medicinal plants and absorb all their healing powers. The bath will be especially prepared with plants that are also used for cleansing and releasing negative energies.
Opening fire ceremony and smudging with Palo Santo - We will go deeper into the purification process by opening up the channels to the spirit world with a fire ceremony. Setting our intentions and begin the process of releasing the old energies that no longer serve us. We will then do a smudging with Palo Santo (holy wood) a fragrant wood that is widely used in Peru for purification.
Main treatments:-
Shamanic dieta - Shamans in the Amazon jungle have been using sacred plants and trees for thousands of years. They use plants that are known for their spiritual and transformative qualities. They are a group of plants/trees classified as Plantas Maestra’s, (teacher plants) that impart their divine wisdom with us. We work with more than 30 different plants. If you would like to know more about some of the main plants we use, see the essence descriptions. This transformation will continue for many months after your return home. For now, the main dieta’s that we offer are either a mix of trees (as per our tradition) or a Uchu Sanango dieta. However, this can also be customised.
Ayahuasca ceremonies - Ayahuasca is an integral part of Amazonian shamanism and is used for deep cleansing and is also known for its visionary properties and opening the gateways to the spiritual realms. If you don’t want to drink the brew, we would like you to still attend the ceremony as will still get lots of benefit from it too.
Meditation - We will do breathing exercises and guided meditation, aiding in the process of purifying the mind and bringing you back into balance. Connecting back to your true self where your intuition, peace, wholeness and inner wisdom lies. We will be giving you daily exercises for you to do to support your process.
Preparation for going home:-
Floral baths - Take a delightful soak in our tub with fresh flowers and aromatic plants. This is done traditionally to allow your energy to blossom. Much like the opening of a flower bud, as you prepare to step back into your life renewed and revitalised.
Arkana - In our last ceremony we will place an arkana which is sang over you to protect you on your onward journey.
Ritual for closing the dieta - We sing Icaros into salt for each person and this will be the official closing of the first part of the dieta. Then you will have to follow certain restrictions for 30 days to continue the last part of the process at home. We will give detailed information about this in our info pack.
Integration - Before you embark on your journey home, we will have a group session on how to integrate your experience and give you some tools to work with.
After care - You will have access to email and online support following the retreat. If you would like ongoing sessions on a longer-term basis, we have a very experienced shamanic consultant.
Get In touch
We would love to have you at our centre and share all the amazing medicines that nature has kindly given us to help heal and transform. If you are interested in our retreats, please send an email to pukayacu@outlook.com with Retreat info in the subject line.
You will be sent a detailed information pack which will include the following info: -
Pre booking online consultation
After reading the information pack if you would like to join us, we will then set up an online consultation with you. You will also have to fill in a medical health form to assess your suitability.
Pricing
10 day retreat $2000 USD (does not include flights)
Please check back in for future dates or `like` our sacred tree essence facebook page so that you will recieve updates.
"Dearest Mimi, you’re such a beautiful, powerful Shaman. I feel totally blessed to have you take me through my first Uchu Sanago experience. From the moment we met I felt totally safe and at peace.You’re fantastic sense of humour and wicked laugh kept my spirit constantly light and bright even as my entire physical being was for want of a better description “totally pixilated and melting on the floor"I never doubted your ability to take me where I needed to go, your Medicine and Icaros moved powerfully through me night after night and day after day whilst in the jungle and continue to do so since returning home. I suspect my life will never be quite the same after spending time with you Mimi, you are a wonderful gift to all who are fortunate enough to cross paths with you. Love, light, laughter and many blessings" Adrienne Kane