Tuna Karamamu is one of the most demanding and least-known spiritual practices beyond the Amazon rainforest itself. It is neither a tourist ritual nor a piece of folklore, but an ancestral technology of knowledge passed down through generations. Its central purpose is to establish contact with Arutam (the Great Spirit), the spiritual force that, according to the Shuar worldview, sustains the balance between human beings, animals, and the forest. Drawing on the account of Arutam Ruymán, who has practiced this ritual throughout his life, we can reconstruct not only the steps of the ceremony but also the universe of meanings that supports it: purification, dreams as sacred territory, the relationship between time and consciousness, and the body as an instrument

Deep in the Amazon rainforest, amid damp leaves and the songs of the night, encounters unfold that seem to belong to another sense of time: ancient traditions preserving profound understandings of human existence meet visitors from distant cultures searching for a way to reconnect with themselves. A recent conversation between a Shuar elder and an apprentice from Turkey reveals not only the richness of Amazonian Shamanism, but also the surprising convergences between bodies of traditional knowledge separated by continents. This article explores those resonances—ritual, trance, shadow work, and cultural memory—and offers an educational perspective on why these practices remain relevant today. Everyday Shamanism: Inherited Practices Without a Name One of the Turkish participant’s first observations is that, in his homeland,

In the Shuar worldview, Arutam Ruymán tells us that life is not merely a series of biological processes; it is the vibrant presence of a spiritual principle that permeates all beings. That principle has a name: Arutam. More than an abstract belief, Arutam shapes a way of understanding health, illness, and healing practices. This article explores how, from the Shuar tradition and other ancestral medicines, the strengthening of the spirit —rather than merely fighting pathogens— becomes the key to lasting well-being.   Arutam: body, spirit, and vital continuity For the Shuar people, Arutam is the source of life, the soul that animates humans, animals, and plants. It is not conceived as something separate from the body or as a distant

In the Amazon, the relationship between person, plant, and shaman is not an isolated ritual but a practice that, over time, transforms habits, perceptions, and ways of being in the world. The voices gathered in the testimony reproduced here speak to this idea: ayahuasca does not appear as a miraculous “product” but as a mediator that reveals and sustains inner processes. From intimate experience to ceremonial technique, what emerges is a cultural cartography of healing that combines nature, sound, and spiritual discipline.   The Persistence of the Experience One recurring idea in the conversation is that discoveries made in ceremony “stay inside.” These are not merely fleeting visions; sustained practice produces lasting changes in perception and emotional life. This explains

  The Inner Call and the Structure of Ceremony    Across cultures and eras many people report an inner, often unarticulated yearning—a mystical calling that presses gently at the edge of everyday life. Ceremonial traditions, particularly those arising from indigenous shamanic lineages, have long recognized this impulse and shaped it into a disciplined process: ritual as invitation, ceremony as lesson, and everyday life as the classroom in which teachings are integrated. In these communities ceremonies are not one-off spectacles; they are iterative encounters. Participants receive guidance or insight during ritual, then return to ordinary life to practice what they have learned—what elders often call “homework.” Without that post-ceremony integration, lessons repeat until the person either learns the lesson or abandons

In recent decades, interest in traditional spiritual practices—from meditation to ceremonies with teacher plants—has grown steadily. Transplanted from Indigenous contexts into global urban spaces, these practices inspire both hope and skepticism. The conversation that inspires this article—where Ruymán and Scotty compare the trajectory of yoga and meditation with Amazonian shamanism—offers an opportunity to calmly explore what each path offers, how they intertwine, and which ethical, cultural, and personal conditions are essential for an encounter with the medicine to be transformative and sustainable.   Meditation and shamanism: converging paths Meditation and shamanism are not mutually exclusive; rather, they can be complementary phases of an inner journey. Meditation, in its many schools, trains attention, emotional regulation, and a state of emptiness or

The search for meaning in life is a journey many undertake, and spirituality can offer powerful paths to healing and self-knowledge. This article reflects on the experiences shared in ayahuasca ceremonies, an ancestral ritual that has resurfaced in modern times and transformed lives, providing new perspectives on reality. Reports of a Personal Journey The voices of those who have attended ayahuasca ceremonies reveal inner struggles and the light found in the darkness. Many come to these ceremonies seeking relief from the pain of mental and physical health issues. One participant mentions that their encounter with ayahuasca was an urgent need for healing. In their first ceremony, they discovered that the experience shattered their preconceived notions, allowing them to rebuild their

In the contemporary context, where the divisions between the scientific and the spiritual seem more pronounced than ever, the need to explore the connection between these two dimensions becomes urgent. Shamanism, an ancestral practice rooted in the connection with nature and spirit, is in constant dialogue with modern psychology, a science dedicated to understanding the human mind and psyche. This article delves into this intersection, reflecting on the relevance of both approaches and their healing potential. The Holistic Approach and Mental Disconnection For too long, the Western world has adopted a fragmented view of the human being. We have immersed ourselves in an abstract framework of ideas and thoughts, where emotions are often seen as mere interruptions. Academic psychology, while

The jungle as a living teacher In the depths of the Amazon, where the air is dense and every sound seems to have a soul, shamanism reveals itself as a return to what is essential: to healing, to truth, and to the living force of nature. In this primordial territory, the human being sheds everything that is not authentic. There, between the murmur of the rivers and the distant singing of the birds, life vibrates in its purest form. The Shaman does not teach through speeches or theories. His wisdom is transmitted through presence. When someone sits before him with an open heart, something invisible begins to move: an ancient memory awakens, as if the earth itself were remembering who

The Mark That Cannot Be Forgotten There are experiences that leave a mark impossible to erase. In ceremonies, something profound happens: you cannot forget what was in your body. What is lived is not an idea or a story to tell, but a truth engraved in the memory of the cells. In that instant, the body remembers its origin, the sacred connection that unites every being with the power of the Great Spirit. When the soul touches that place, life is never the same again. It is not about a belief or an external ritual, but an inner awakening that changes the way we see, feel, and exist.   From Seeking to Finding Since childhood, many of us have felt

The Awakening of the Shaman Becoming a Shaman is not a rational decision, but a deep calling of the Spirit. In the Amazon, those who feel this call soon discover that learning is not only about studying or imitating rituals, but about an inner transformation that lasts a lifetime.The awakening of the Shaman along the path begins with a quest: the desire to understand the invisible, the faith that something greater exists, and the commitment to serve life. Not everyone hears this call. Few possess the strength, devotion, and perseverance to endure the years of discipline, silence, and surrender that shamanism requires. In the words of the Amazonian Masters, to awaken as a Shaman one must have more than desire:

Flute Poem Memory of grandparents, old  …I will do my best to keep youthrough the passage of ages.I’ll bathe you in oils and resinsas if you were alive,as if you were not just a memoryin which I put life and breath,as Arutam do in this momentin me and now again. Memory of grandparents, old wood…the man raised you at the precise momentand you did not come back to earth.He carved you and in wisdom found the pointswhere his breath would sing in your memory.Harmony of a lifereflecting this worldin sacred beauty. You, Arutam,breathe Spirit into my body.My life singsthrough the passing of the seasons,that’s beautiful.Your memory, grandfather,will enchant my life when the man blowsand wakes you up sharing his Spirit.Your

The Medicine and the Sacred Arts of Human Tradition Ancient medicine considered man as a totality: world and man coexists in perfect relationship as a great being or entirety. The sickness was understood as a disharmony in that infinite relationship, caused by the conflict of separating the man from the world. The being, in his sustained and inexistent self, resists grievously to the joyful Union with everything. Dark spirits take this place, supported and fitted with a certain type of presence, draining the energy of those who painfully squander there. In His ecstatic matrimony, the Being expands in the endless blaze, in the Perfection. The intensity of the vital cramp makes all beings shout in delight in the great chant

Sacred feeling, you wet the mornings amongst the light which loves meeting us.The “Uwishin” (Shaman) collects this crying in covered enchantments, which draw hope and medicine for men. I wet my black and hairy snout to shine one last glance to the heart of this moment. Where life is born and draws the miracle which sings in the jungle. And between the leaves and the tireless delicious murmur of the crickets, I befriend the flow of eternity. That diamond polished by the sacred presence of the Spirit to the crystal of his countenance. Once I’ve acquired the serenity of the trees, I await the healing that comes from his caress, where I bear the pains of the warrior who fights

The voice of Arutam is steadily revealing everywhere in the jungle. Day and night His whisper slips through logs, leaves, breezes, feathers and furs. Its tone only changes itself to render allegiance to heavens and, at the same time, it enjoys His sacred presence. Even though the whole thing is the last truth revealed in howling songs, the shadow holds our attention until a day when, completely confused, we ask ourselves who we are. Between lights of gold and silver, time fades as we get distracted by longings we never needed. Your voice, sings every single thing. Void of an environment that distracts man from his Spirit, and immersed in an inner silence where thought finds no place and time.

Create a world drawing from our resistance, put us far away from our nature. We can’t define ourselves basing on the “I” games, while taking photos and laughing in ignorance the tomorrow. The tendency pushes us towards the failure, in a self-condemnation that burns and etches the beast. A warrior would react with character and strength, arising the battle every upcoming sunrises. The beast submitted under the shade’s designs, doesn’t have a moment nor nook to rest in peace. The bliss that runs throughout his veins is ignored, putting down after other purposes service, being consumed. It’s the coherence and natural evidence observation, the one wich moves away the palace windows curtains. Drop by drop, we sign on the asphalt

First question Participant: I had a very powerful dream yesterday, with a lot of visions. The whole night. And I was very negative. I have the feeling that I was in a rollercoaster. I think that place was not bearable, or I couldn’t take it… so I felt I was dying. Once, twice, three times. A thousand times. I think there was nothing left of me. And at the same time I was in peace. Ruymán: that’s okey. Participant: At the same time I felt that sense that it was absolutely necessary, and I was grateful that I went through it. That’s crazy. Ruymán: It was totally necessary. It was your first vision, right? Participant: When you were chanting, playing

Participant: In the first week that I was with you, I had very intense visions. They were good, but brief visions. Many things were revealed to me. However, in these last ceremonies, my visions are no longer so intense as they were before. My question is this: is it really important to have visions? Is it possible to achieve the healing effect required without having any vision? Maybe the Great Spirit is angry with me, and that’s why I have no more visions. In the first ceremony my visions were in color, while in the latter, the visions were black and white or gray. You vomited last night? Yes, I usually vomit. After drinking, how long did it take to

The purpose of the man’s way in Shamanism is to rediscover the union with Arutam (Great Spirit). Man must release his feelings by remembering where he came from and how he was born. Our body, as well as its feelings, came from the depths of existence in order to live in total union with itself; beating and breathing in every instant of transient glow. Any purpose other than this, comes from the conflict caused by a dark resistance, which responds to a name and deliberately fails as an obvious result of its harmful nature. Though we attend a ceremony with many thoughts, purposes and objectives, we must let go of that monster that craves inside of us.  The outcomes or

First question Participant: For the second time, during the second ceremony, I feel fear of death. This fear does not begin immediately, just when Ayahuasca begins to take effect, but a little later, during the night. And I still feel it even at night. Even for most of the day, I was mortified, and so I was asking to see if I could take more. Because I’m really scared. Ruymán: You’re afraid to die, you say. Good. Are you sick, do you feel any discomfort? Any problem, some pain? Participant: Consciously, no. Ruymán: have the doctors told you there’s anything wrong with you? Participant: No, I’ve had stomach problems, and I’m not yet fully recovered. For example, I have trouble