La Familia Ayahuasca offers small group (15 guest maximum) retreats in the area of Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. These retreats are generally 8 days/7 nights/ 4 ceremonies in length.
We recognize how important and "big" this work with Ayahuasca is. We have been running retreats for the past seven years and through that experience we have found that small group retreats are an ideal setting for deep transformational work with the medicine.
Small groups allow us to provide a very high level of personal attention. In addition, an intimate setting allows you direct access to Zach and Jess such that you can really get to know them on a personal level, ask questions about the medicine and the larger process of working with the medicine.
To take this concept even further, we want you to get to know us prior to you booking a retreat with us. We want "all parties involved" to feel as comfortable as possible prior to booking your retreat. Sure, this creates a few more steps in the booking process (an application and Zoom call with Zach & Jess), but again through past experience, we have discovered that these extra steps are very much worthwhile.
Our Roots
La Familia Ayahuasca has its’ roots in Amazonian mestizo shamanism as Zach moved to Genaro Herrera Peru in 2010 where he studied with the Galindo family (Maestro Gumercindo Galindo and Maestro Don Roldan Galindo). The Galindo family was an extension of the lineage started by Maestro Don Julio Gerena Pinedo.
After moving to Peru in 2010, Zach co-founded (with the Galindo Family) the retreat center La Familia Medicina in 2011. La Familia Medicina was in operation from 2011- mid 2014.
Our Initial Evolution
Mid 2014- 2018, Zach, with the blessing of his teacher, went ‘solo’. It was during this time that Zach continued to work intensely with Ayahuasca and other jungle trees and plants. In addition, Zach began working with N. American trees by applying the shamanic dieta protocol with trees such as redwood, sequoia, oak, juniper, pando (quaking aspen), cedar, and the bodhi tree. It was through this work that Zach and his students working with him came to appreciate how the shamanic dieta protocol could be used around the world to tap into the wisdom of plants and trees in every location.
In 2015 Zach met Jess on a redwood shamanic dieta retreat in Northern California. From that retreat onward Jess immersed herself completely in the medicine. Together, Zach and Jess not only worked intensely with plant medicines, but also dove deeply into the practices Buddhism.
Late 2017 Lake Atitlan Guatemala began calling Zach and Jess through visions and synchronicity. Prior to these experiences, Guatemala was not “not on the radar”.
It was during our first visit to Lake Atitlan wherein we received a strong message that we were expanding beyond our traditional Peruvian mestizo lineage. We still pay homage and respect to our roots and we feel that we have moved forward with the intention of skillfulness- dropping that which was not useful in the root lineage and bringing in new views and approaches that are. One might say, in a way, we have begun a new medicine journey.
Our Current Revelation
Truth is obvious. Truth needs no defense nor argument. Truth simply is. It might be worth considering that resistance to Truth is the cause of suffering.
On May 15th, 2018 Zach realized a significant Truth. It was time to step aside and encourage Jess to step forth as the spiritual leader of La Familia Ayahuasca.
Zach simply realized that Jess has surpassed him on the great spiritual journey, it was time for the teacher to become the student.
Many spiritual teachers have noted that it is time for the divine feminine to step forward, and be honored as the masculine has been overshadowing the feminine for much of the last 3,000+ years. While Zach had heard this message and agreed with this message, it was not until now that he was ready to fully embrace it.
Back in 2015, Zach “hooked Jess up” by introducing her to the plant medicines path and supporting her re-orientation on the larger spiritual journey. Since that time, Jess has grown leaps and bounds, exceeding expectations and knocking the socks off of just about everyone in her presence. Now it is time for Jess to “hook us all up” by sharing her medicine and expression of the divine feminine with myself and anyone who chooses to work with La Familia Ayahuasca.
Zach realized what a special being Jess is- she fully represents and embodies the positive aspects of the divine feminine. She is the loving and nurturing mother incarnate. She understands and represents the lunar divine feminine perspective that the divine is imbued in everyone and everything. The divine is in us and we are part of the divine.
Jess is now the “go to” person at La Familia Ayahuasca in regards to the spiritual direction of La Familia Ayahuasca. This also means that Jess will be the lead on all retreats, ceremonies and group circles.
Zach, on retreats and in ceremony will take the role of the masculine- acting as protector and support. Of course he will remain step up when necessary, particularly when our son Bodhi needs Jess’s attention, and at the same time he will defer to Jess.