Day 7- A Day of Reflection and Travel

The best sleep in the jungle was that last night.  I awoke with such a sense of excitement and peace I wish I could have lived in that moment for all time.  We went down to breakfast to share in one last group gathering before our journey home.  Everything was so delicious and it got me thinking of just how I want to be eating at home and how much I will miss Miguel’s fresh and delicious cooking.  We share in one last session before we leave and then grab all of our gear to go. 

I will miss every one of these people at the Tierra Vida, they have all become like family.  I am so grateful that Jill and Casey were brought into our lives.  I now look at them as the example of a life that is so selfless.  They offer a place of serenity that allows you to process yourself and although they have a multitude of knowledge to share they only choose to share that which you need in the moment.  I know are paths will cross again for sure.

The staff here I will also miss greatly.  Aga's very calm and positive demeanour, she was so comforting to me on the day when Meagan was extremely sick.  Also without her guidance I don’t think that I would have recognised that the medicine had taken me the first time if it hadn’t been for some of the words she shared with me.   Also Miguel providing the best variety of fruits and vegetables daily kept my body refreshed and rejuvenated.   His passion for this work and medicine is so apparent.  Miguel was such an inspiration to me with how he conquered his fear that it gave me the courage to do it myself and then comprehend it after. 

And last of the staff, Ramses, who is my long lost brother in the jungle.  I had no idea upon arrival just how life changing his presence would be on me.  He helped Meagan when she could barely stand or move, he never left Kristen’s side when she was in her dark place, and without him I wouldn’t have been able to handle my own demons.  Every conversation or piece of advice that would come out of his mouth was always exactly what I needed to hear.  He always knew how to describe things in a way that brought so much perspective.  I really hope that when this is all over and I am home that we keep in touch because he has much more to teach me I am sure of it. 

As for my new family I have really connected with so many unique individuals that I cannot say I would have this level of respect for had I not just shared this astonishing trek.  Harvey has been like the dad here always looking after everyone and spreading so much love and joy.  I hope that he is able to sort out what he needs to at home so that he can share his powerful influence with them as well.  They don’t know what they have if they can’t see he is a beautiful human being. 

Irfan and Rifat have become very close to Meagan and I.  Irfan and I shared some very deep conversations and having similar backgrounds and interests I can see us keeping up communication and possibly participating in another ceremony at some point down the road.  I really wish him luck in his emcee career, I know how tough that can be but I have no doubt that after this experience that his rhymes will be inspired and his power of manifestation will bring him where he needs to be. 

The other Cody was the surprise of my trip.  He and I were slow to become friends but by the end we were sharing some of the craziest parts of our experience with one another and learning from each other without even knowing it at the time.  He is by far the most interesting of the group and also had the most eye opening experiences out of all of us from the sounds of his stories that are so vivid I felt like I saw them too.  He helps keep me humble and focused and I will miss him greatly.

Our Alberta crew Todd, Kristen, Lee and Jen who we shared a tambo with all week.  We will all miss Lee’s infectious personality that kept us vibrating high even when things weren’t always going so smooth.  Todd also played a very fatherly role throughout the week and we shared lots of fascinating conversations.  I really pray that he goes in and has a profound experience on his last night.  He and Harvey deserve to have a selfish night after having been there for the rest of us all week.  Jen has completely transformed before our eyes like a beautiful butterfly.  She is smiling and happy and is even talking to everyone.  I can see that her eyes have been opened and whatever pain she was feeling is filling up with joy. 

The Alaskan’s Brian and Andrea, the veteran hippies as I have come to see them.  Brian always seemed like he was in the medicine even when we were hanging out at the kitchen table.  I always felt that he had the most knowledge but kept it more as a secret to himself.  I wish I had more time to learn more about him and his experience.  Andrea was the biggest beam of light you could ask for.  Both her and Brian having done the medicine before helped us all prepare for our realizations by having them walk us through theirs.

Lastly Matt and Jonnie, who I am also sad to say I did not get to know either one the way I would have wanted to but they too were always a welcome addition to all of the weeks events and I truly felt there energy shift to a brighter place by weeks end. 

As we are getting everything together Jill comes and grabs a pic with us and tells us about how inspired she was when she went to bed last night and how it had reignited her energy in the work they were doing.  She let us know how proud she was of all of us of the work we were doing and how we were no ordinary group that she had had.  She then shared with us how many times she had had ceremony, she said over 100 for personal but over 250 total. They took small doses when we were all in ceremony so that they could vibrate on the same level.  This floored me and made me realize that this could be a way of life and a path.  I began to have thoughts that maybe my mind was capable of handling the challenges and perhaps I needed to move down here to see my full potential.  The thought was not overpowering but definitely worth evaluating, and with my new level of consciousness I could keep this idea in check.  

As Casey began to gather us up for a final photo and some last minute hugs he also told us about how our power of manifestation was going to be very powerful now, we would see things coming to us faster than before, he also told us that we may still purge and see visions after we left as the medicine was still active in us. 

I then gave my hugs to everyone and told them that we would all keep in touch through facebook and other forms of communication.  When I got to Miguel however he told me the thing that I needed to hear most.  He said, “don’t be afraid if you feel the medicine calling to you, I feel that she isn’t done working with you.”  It was like an echoing explosion in my head and it made me realize that I wouldn’t just do Ayahuasca again but that it would be soon.  

As Casey took us to the entrance to get in our motokar back to the airport Clark said "it would be so great if we could see the sloth before we leave."  Meagan had missed out on seeing the sloth because she was sick that during the plant walk.  Just as Clark had said the words we turned the corner and boom there was a sloth right over top of the pathway to see us off.  We couldn't believe we had manifested something so quickly.  It was only the beginning.