England
I could write an essay on my stay at Qhispikay Kawsay, but I feel like regardless of what I write it’s going to fall short of conveying just how amazing my time here really was. So because of that, I’m going to try to keep this review as concise as possible – although there is A LOT to say about this place.
I’ll start by saying that William is one of the most amazing individuals I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. He’s incredibly compassionate, affable, and welcoming. It’s plain as day to see how big his heart is after spending a few days with him, and it’s very obvious that he truly believes in the work that he and the other shamans are doing here. I feel like my stay would not have been complete without his company, and I also feel like I have made a friend for life in him.
My intention for coming to Kawsay was born out of pure curiosity. Although I knew that I have areas of my life in which I had the potential to grow prior to my attendance. My experiences were not all pleasant, overall I’d say it was a very challenging ordeal to put myself through, although with conquering that challenge I feel like I have grown as a person, both mentally and spiritually. If you are coming here expecting a nice relaxing holiday in the astoundingly beautiful Amazon then you might have to reassess your reasons. I’m not saying don’t come here, quite the contrary – DO come here, but realize that it WILL be challenging, that there will be times when you may feel beat up, when you may want to quit, when you may feel defeated. Ayahuasca is tough medicine to work with, but after persevering through three ceremonies I was granted a beautiful gift in the fourth. During the ceremonies you really get a sense of appreciation for the work of the Ayahuasqueros, Don Romolo and Don Winister, as through their work it becomes so apparent how much they care about truly healing people – it’s almost as if it oozes from their pores as a pure, visceral, unconditional love.
I feel as though this is quickly turning out to be exactly the opposite of the concise review I was intending to write in the first place, so I’ll wrap it up. Coming to Kawsay was an ineffably amazing experience that I would recommend to anyone. Being immersed in the Amazon for over a week and falling in love with it (one of the most profoundly beautiful places I’ve had the pleasure of visiting), being surrounded by amazing people and being welcomed with arms wide open, and learning a lot – about myself, different cultures, shamanism, how amazingly fun monkeys are to play with!
This has been the experience of a lifetime, and I will definitely be returning in the future. I’m incredibly thankful to William and Co. for all of the hard work they do to make this possible, and I eagerly look forward to coming back in the future!
TripAdvisor
APR
2015