Day 6: Mapacho Ceremony

The vibe here is so incredibly relaxing. We have loose time-frames of when we will do things or meet up but there is no urgency or strictness kept to anything. That’s been incredibly enjoyable and also relaxing, I feel like only now am I really beginning to let go of all the tension. Maybe that’s why I can sleep better.

After breakfast and conversation, we made our way down a path through the forest and to an open space where don Rober, his wife and don Howard initiated the Mapacho ceremony. I found this to be quite intense and found myself having similar thoughts to what I was thinking in the second ceremony. After the ceremony was a period of long silence where we all just listened to the sound of the Amazon, it was a really beautiful time.

The sun made quite a lengthy appearance today, which was nice but also made things rather hot and steamy. The moisture in the air here is very consistent and things don’t really dry – if anything, things become moist. My notebook, for example, has become slightly soggy since coming here and I've kept it in my room the entire time.

After lunch I napped briefly in my room and then we met again to discuss tonight’s ceremony. I was called over by don Howard and don Rober who asked me to participate in an additional healing ceremony tonight during the main ceremony. Myself and two other people will go to the center of the Moloca on a special mat where the shamans will purify and cleanse us especially. I don’t know what to expect. I’m trying not to think about it.

It’s almost 6pm now and the ceremony will begin in three and a half hours – I’m going to watch the sunset and prepare for tonight.