Shipibo Plant Medicine

Ancient ancestral knowledge

The Shipibo plant medicine tradition is widely regarded as the most potent method of healing in the Amazon Rainforest, and centers around cleaning and purifying the physical, mental and spiritual bodies. For millennia, the Shipibo have worked with and built deep relationships with plant medicine spirits, and the spiritual dimensions of nature. Their technical knowledge and understanding of the flow of nature, of the planets, the astral dimensions, and how to utilize different plants for specific purposes have been passed down for generations.

Everything alive has a spirit, but most of the world today has forgotten about these dimensions and realities. The field of Western medicine has also lost this knowledge, focusing exclusively on the physical; but a human being is more than just the physical – our minds, bodies, and spirits are intricately interwoven, and when trauma and disease occurs, it affects every aspect of our being. Most sicknesses begin on the spiritual level, and the ancient science and knowledge of Shipibo curanderismo revolves around communicating with the plant spirits to obtain information on the cause of illness and preparing and working with plants to cure the illness at its roots. Each curandero has their own relationship and technical expertise with the plants and employs individual methods of preparation with various plants to treat different forms of illness.

The primary healing method that comprises the core of the Shipibo tradition, and the focus here at Moyano is master plant dieta. The curandero determines the plant which is best suited for the purpose of the patient, and opens the energetic pathways to call in the spirit of the master plant into the body of the patient to heal trauma or disease. During the period the dieta is open, the person needs to observe discipline in thoughts, interactions, and food in order to give the plant spirit the ideal conditions to grow well and give the gifts of healing. Medicinal steam vapors are another example, where specific plants such as Piñon Colorado, Achiote, or Ajo Sacha are boiled in a large pot and then administered to the patient. The steam works to remove toxic energies and sickness through the sweat and offers protection from negative energies that may be affecting the person's overall health and well-being. Flower baths and purgatives are also examples of frequently utilized therapies of Shipibo medicine, using plant such as Rosa Sisa to clean the energies of bad luck and mal-aire, Ruda for protection, or Azucena to clean the stomach of impurities.

Below you'll find a list of plants we work with here at Amazonia Moyano for master plant dieta and other healing therapies. If you have any questions about any of these plant therapies and their uses and wish to know more, please contact us.

Master Plants used for dieta and healing at Amazonia Moyano

Ayahuma

Ayahuma is a powerful plant ally and protects against dark aggressive spirits and energies. It teaches us how to stand up for ourselves and build strong boundaries, and gives us great clarity and self-esteem to solve the problems in our lives we may feel "stuck" on. Ayahuma endows us with great protection, like an impenetrable armor, and strengthens and fortifies our mental, physical and spiritual bodies. It is an important master plant in the Shipibo tradition and is used as a great ally in healing aggressive diseases and for ceremonial protection. Ayahuma is an extremely powerful plant and is typically only entered into dieta for advanced shamanic apprentices. It can be dieted for healing or learning.

Yagé/Oni

Oni, also known as the Vine of the Soul, is an integral part of the Amazon, with various species growing throughout the lowland Amazonian Rainforests of South America. The vine can grow to over 50 years old, but only three or four species of the plant group can be used for making the ceremonial drink. A young plant must be at least 5 years old to be used for the preparation of the brew. Oni on its own is used for cleansing the stomach of impurities, and will not cause the visions experienced in ceremony, only nausea. She is a master plant and can be entered into dieta but is only for highly advanced shamanic apprentices.

Achiote

Achiote has been a significant part of the cultural heritage of various indigenous groups for centuries The seeds within the pod are crushed to create a paint that is used to cover their faces and bodies for protection, as well as for cosmetic purposes (indigenous women use it as a lipstick). In dieta, achiote is a powerful protector against dark, aggressive sexual energies, and can teach the dieter how to protect themselves from moon (menstrual) energy. It is also burned together with Palo Santo to protect a space or added into flower baths for protection.

Ajo Sacha

Ajo Sacha, known as "false garlic" and the "opener of the way" is a master plant that contains a lot of light with warming qualities similar to garlic. It also smells very similar to garlic when crushed or pulverized and made into juice. One can enter into dieta with this plant and receive profound healing and teachings. Ajo sacha works to cleanse the blood and energizes and strengthens a weak body prone to colds, infections, and bronchitis. It brings protection, warding off aggressive sexual energies, and is a great teacher of self-love, helping us learn to make good choices for ourselves.

Bobinsana

Bobinsana is a beautiful plant spirit of the water. Her mystical world holds profound teachings on healing deep childhood traumas in the mind, building healthy boundaries around relationships, and healing low self-esteem. She teaches us how to love and respect ourselves, to parent ourselves, and give the love we need in the parts that were lacking and were not received in childhood. When dieted well, Bobinsana opens the vision into the spiritual dimension and gives resilience and strength to the dieter. She strengthens a weak body and helps with issues like rheumatism, fibromyalgia, and cold conditions, as well as various disorders of the uterus and female reproductive system. She is a master plant and can be entered into dieta for healing or learning.

Boahuasca

Boahuasca is a vine and a master plant, and is used to heal patients with progressive and long-standing illnesses such as cancers of the uterus, the blood, breast, and other organs. The plant is a powerful healer and purifies and excavates deeply rooted, diseases like cancers caused by contamination from toxic chemicals in a person's workplace, hereditary cancers, contamination and damage in the body from hard drugs, weaknesses and issues caused by the side effects of medications, and other various illnesses. It also excavates and expels deep-seated fears in the mind. It teaches us how to trust in ourselves, and guides us to have more courage to fight for what's truly important in our lives, helping us become stronger and more resilient physically, and spiritually.

Coca

Coca is used as a natural anesthetic – it can anesthetize the deepest wounds. When chewed, or brewed in tea, coca leaves give energy and cleans the stomach. Coca can also help to predict the future and is often used for Pachamama rituals. In dieta, Coca helps to bring light to and open the mind, deepening our perception of life. The Incan culture was tightly connected to coca and through their relationship with the plant, gained tremendous knowledge on building their intricate structures and statues.

Caballo Waste

The Piri Piri family of plants includes more than 100 species, each of which differs in properties like opening love, opening the mind, opening creativity, healing a broken heart from childhood trauma, or filling the dieter's dreams with light. These plants are also used to restore the body after injuries.

Caballo Waste is specifically used for people with weak bodies and for healing issues in the mind like depression and a lack of enthusiasm for life. It can open strong, dynamic energy within the dieter and clears out feelings of resentment and regret, bringing the mind, body, and spirit into greater vitality, clarity, and happiness.

Chiric Sanango

Chiric Sanango is considered one of the most advanced diets one can enter into. It is a powerful protector and teaches self-esteem, self-love and heals a broken heart. It provides great mental clarity, teaching the dieter how to have boundaries in relationship and protecting oneself. Chriic sanango is also used as a remedy to treat rheumatisim and for strengthening the body, the bones, and healing inflammation.

Escalera del Chuychaqui

Escalera de Chuyachaqui is a vine that grows in the jungle amongst dense vegetation. Chuyachaqui is a guardian spirit and jungle protector, and provides resin used to cure wounds and infections. The resin is also used to cure stomach pain, kidney and bladder diseases.

In the Shipibo culture the plant is called tapicmanasho un tapiti, which means “the ladder of a turtle”. Some ayahuasca manufacturers water down their ayahuasca with the addition of this plant, and as a result, the effect of the brew is significantly different, so it's important to be cautious and only drink medicine from a trusted source.

Hierba Liusa

Hierba Liusa is generally prepared as a tea for cleansing the stomach of impurities and bad food, and for its fragrance in perfumes. The plant carries the energy of light and is very soft and feminine. It is also used by the curanderos to heal and repair broken diets. The fragrant aroma cleans and protects from negative energies. Hierba liusa can also be administered as a plant dieta.

Ishanga

Ishanga contains thorns growing all throughout its stem and is used for the relief of acute and severe pain, edema, joint pains and rheumatism.

To treat an area on the body, a branch is cut and the affected area is gently tapped with the thorns from the stem until the pain is gone. This procedure is a bit painful and can cause some irritation, however, it is a powerful remedy for reducing pain and inflammation.

Indigenous people sometimes scare obstinate children with ishanga, threatening to spank them with the branches. Ishanga has a variety of applications, but the major one is pain relief.

Lengua de perro

Lengua de perro, or "dog’s tongue" in spanish. is a plant used to cleanse the mind and open heart. It helps to alleviate pain and cleanse the energy of sadness, boredom, misfortune, and bad dreams. The plant is also used as a fragrance or aromatic bath component, and is also sometimes used to attract the opposite sex.

People, who have dieted with Lengua de perro resonate with others who have also dieted with this plant due to the positive light energy the plant transmits through the dieter.

Marosa

Marosa is a plant filled with light, love, feminine energy, energy of the universe, of the water, of clouds and the wind. Marosa helps to heal the heart, open the mind, and aids in compassion and understanding teaching us to take people as they are, without criticizing because no one is perfect.

Marosa is a key link in providing the connection with the world of Shipibo visionary art, and connects with the spirits of the sirens, nymphs, water, sky, light, and energy of the Moon. The plant can also teach massage, which is very important for those who wish to study this art

Mapacho

Mapacho is a powerful master plant ally and is used during Ayahuasca ceremony to enhance and give clarity to visions, and to protect and clean the curandero, the participants, and the ceremony space. It is used in dieta to help connect the dieter to their plant to make communication more clear, and for grounding and protection. Mapacho is a critical part of Ayahuasca shamanism. Mapacho can be enterted into with dieta, but is an advanced plant diet and only for experienced dieters. It's leaves contain 8 times more nicotine than traditional tobacco and the alkaloids contain psychoactive properties enabling visionary states.

Mucura

Mucura has a smoky, spicy aroma. It is most typically used in rapoté which is a traditional shipibo method of cleansing the nasal passageways. The plant is pulverized, then steeped in water for approx. 15-30min. The liquid is then extracted and administered through a syringe. Rapoté works on both physical and energetic levels, cleansing the nasal passage from bacteria and congestion, as well as clearing negative thoughts and tension in the mind, bringing a clear and focused mind-space.

Mucura is similar to Ajo Sacha with its garlic-like aroma and is also used to enter dieta for healing various ailments.

Oje

Oje is a powerful master plant used for clearing the body of toxins, viruses, metabolites of drugs, alcohol, and fungal infections. The resin is extracted and taken orally. The amount taken depends on body type and severity of the disease. Oje is also a good medicine for allergies and helps to detoxify the blood. Its bark can be combined with other medicinal plants, to strengthen the medicinal components creating a more potent mixture to cure diseases that are more advanced. In dieta, Oje’s spiritual domain is extensive and incredibly multidimensional. It is an extremely demanding diet, but if dieted well, will open it's worlds to the dieter by sharing it's energy, knowledge, history, and healing abilities.

Piñon Blanco

Pinon Blanco's leaves and stems contain resin which is used to disinfect and heal wounds and sores, both external and internal. It also helps to cure ulcers and other diseases, such as allergies to various foods and animals. Typically a spoonful per day is sufficient.

Pinon Blanco is one of the core plants of a curandero's diets. It is the plant of light and a powerful doctor, and it's worlds contain vast pharmacies of medicines and healing knowledge, Piñon Blanco connects us to the light within ourselves and to the light of other plants enabling clear communication and knowledge.

Piñon Colorado

Piñon Colorado belongs to the same family as Piñon Blanco and contains a great amount of medicinal compounds. The resin is used in wounds, skin infections, allergies and fungal skin diseases and have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, and the leaves are pulverized into juice and used as a purgative. Piñon Colorado has a great amount of light and teaches maturity and responsibility. It also helps to strengthen the body and excavates and clears heavy energies and fears in the dieter's body, mind, and spirit. Pinon Colorado is prepared as a steam bath to clear bad energies and bad luck, and is also used as a purgative to clear heavy dense energies and sicknesses.

Rosa Sisa

Rosa Sisa (mexican marigold) is a beautifully fragrant flower with the energy of the sun. It's typically used for people who have mal aire, or bad luck, for cold conditions due to overexposure from cold and wind, and for soothing dysregulated nervous systems. due to trauma or overowork and stress. In dieta, rosa sisa embues light and warmth into the dieters body and brings feelings of gentle calm and tranquility. It is a powerful protector of dark, cold energies and is also used in aromatic flower baths to clean heavy energies.

Ruda (Ruta Graveolens)

Ruda is a beautifully sweet aromatic plant commonly used in plant baths. It cleanses negative energies and brings light into our lives and our dreams. If one is hoping for a career change, Ruda is known to support opening pathways specifically pertaining to our jobs.

We prepare daily plant baths at our center for all of our guests and Ruda is always in the mix.

Sacha Gergon

Sacha Gergon is a medicinal plant with antibacterial properties and helps to disinfect inflammations and wounds. Sacha means “the process of development” and Gergon is the name of a species of snake in the Amazon with the same coloration as the plant’s stem. The Shipibo say you must be careful when walking through the jungle as it’s easy to mistake the snake for this plant. Interestingly, in the indigenous Amazonian Ucayali cultures, the plant is used to protect against snakes. When a child is 2 or 3 years old, the stem of Sacha Gergon is removed and the parent or guardian gently smacks the child’s legs with it 3 times when he or she is distracted. The stem is hollow, so it doesn't cause much pain. Once this ritual is complete, it is said the boy or girl will never have any problems with snakes in the jungle. Rider underwent this procedure himself as a child and says it really works. Sacha Gergon contains certain toxins so it is not advisable to work with this plant without the knowledge of a curandero. The plant is also prepared in steam baths.

San Pedro

San Pedro cactus is used for shamanic rituals, mostly in the Peruvian Andes which have their own medicinal practices, wisdoms, and sacred plants, as well as their unique methods of work with mind and body.

San-Pedro is masculine, and is considered a father and Ayahuasca – a mother and helps in curing spirit and body, and can alos be used as an external remedy for inflamed or injured areas to reduce pain.

Uña de Gato

Uña de Gato, or Cat’s Claw is a liana (vine) and grows many meters high. The name Cat’s Claw was given because the plant has the energy and spirit of a cat, is protective and it's branches grow thorns which look similar to the claws of a cat. This particular feature distinguishes it from other lianas which may look similar. It is a medicinal plant and is prepared by removing the bark and cleaning the core which is the medicine, and helps to cure diseases of the kidneys, urinary tract, bladder pain and a great number of infections. In each culture where Uña de Gato grows, the application methods can vary.