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Our Program
At Arkana, we create the space for you to get in touch with your truth, opening your path for deeper meaning and greater fulfillment in your life. We work with ancestral medicines such as Ayahuasca, San Pedro, Bufo Alvarius, Rapé , using the traditional practices of the indigenous cultures of the Peruvian Amazon. We currently operate two centers in Peru, one in the Peruvian Amazon and a second one in the Sacred Valley (close to Machu Picchu), and one in Mexico, the choice is yours.
With great respect for the plants and the knowledge and healing that comes with them, our lineage of Shipibo shamans set the stage for truly deep and profound healing. Awaken your inner power through their sacred and powerful icaros (healing songs), and discover your connection to all things by exploring some of the 2.2 million hectare Pacaya Samiria National Reserve which is our backyard. Nourish your body and soul with fresh, clean, delicious meals that promote your Ayahuasca experience, and integrate healthy habits into your routine with our yoga classes and extensive selection of gym equipment for all levels. We believe the health of physical body sets the foundation for the health of the energetic body – Often ignored in this type of spiritual work, we find this to be an important part of the healing process, so you can begin implementing the healthy habits that will carry this work with you into your life back home. Finally, relax your mind and spirit with sound baths, meditations, breathwave sessions, and OM circles, or simply enjoy the tranquil views of both sunrise and sunset from our front porch on the banks of the Ucayali River, surrounded by lush biodiversity and the mesmerizing sounds of the jungle.
Arkana’s exceptional team of highly-trained Shipibo Master Shamans represent an unbroken lineage of plant medicine work. With a combined history of over 70 years of experience working closely with Ayahuasca and other master plant teachers of the jungle, our compassionate healers lovingly share their teachings, healing songs (icaros), capabilities, and knowledge with integrity and honor. We strive to maintain the traditional practices passed down through thousands of years of indigenous Amazonian culture, in order to continue to promote the true purpose and nature of plant medicine work.
Experiencing the medicines with us is a transformative personal journey, and so much more. We also work closely with our local community, the Amazonian village of Libertad, to ensure that our Center can benefit and give back to the people who have so generously let us into their homes and hearts. We create employment opportunities, teach free English classes, provide a space for the ladies to sell their handmade crafts, and assist in construction projects, among other things. Our latest endeavor is outfitting the entire village with free solar panels, so every house can have light and electricity. When you join us, you are helping the rainforest and the Amazon communities that live here.
Guests that come to our Center often say they feel like “part of the family” with us – that’s no coincidence, as we are one big family at Arkana! The people that are with you throughout your experience can simply facilitate your own healing journey or become an integral part of it. Our experienced, loving, and professional team of caregivers welcomes you to join our tribe, where we strive to make you feel at home and at ease, supported and cared for with all the love and compassion that is at the core of the plant medicines and people we work with.
Ayahuasca is a powerful medicine that offers us the opportunity to understand our true nature, by shining a light onto our darkness, and holding a mirror up to our fears, negative thought patterns, and self-limiting beliefs. We provide the environment and expertise of a team of highly skilled, warm, compassionate Shamans and facilitators to guide you through the process of awakening, of choosing differently, healing, and expanding. It is a slow but steady path towards freedom – from fear, from illusion, from self-constructed boundaries – resulting in a lighter, brighter, more authentic self, and the full experience of love. It is our honor to help you on this most fulfilling of all journeys: the journey back home.
We look forward to having you with us!
Lots of Love,
The Team
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Recent Reviews
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jhazim
July 22, 2015 at 12:00 amThis place is incredible. I?m writing this review 4 months after visiting for 7 days. But that week in the jungle may have been the most profound experience of my journey thus far. So much has changed in my life since then and I?ve never been more excited about the trajectory of my path.
I remember how amazed I was simply soaking up the environment before we reached the actual center. Beyond it?s profound beauty, the jungle seemed to have a natural healing vibration to it. I finally arrived to what seemed like a floating sanctuary after 30+ hours of traveling. The loving staff were all there to greet us including Wiler, who warmly introduced himself. I felt like I had just come home. We were shown to our rooms and then informed that one of the associate shamans was offering a ?limited edition? batch of Nu-nu, a psychoactive snuff made from Mapacho and other medicinal herbs. How could we resist? After having that invigorating powder shot into our nostrils we went late night alligator hunting! Haha After about a half hour we caught a baby and took turns admiring it before letting it back into the river. That night I slept more soundly than I had in weeks.
The next morning was Kambo day! We woke up early and met in the Maloca. The Kambo had been prepared along with a warm drink made from yucca to assist the cleansing. We downed the dreaded liquid and awaited our initiation. One by one we came forth to the center of the room to receive our burns and subsequent doses. By the time it was my turn there was a number of our group already puking their guts out. I remember feeling particularly sensitive to the venom and beginning to sweat and feel my heart pounding even before getting up to return to my spot. After about ten minutes the puking and sweating and crying and swollen face had subsided. An hour later I felt clean and clear.
I can?t quite remember if we had a ceremony that night or the one after but ultimately it came time for the true medicine, what we had all been waiting for. After having been blessed by fragrant flower baths prepared by Wiler we slowly made our way to our mats in the Maloca. We sat silently for an hour before ceremony, meditating and trying to prepare our minds. Even having had quite a few psycadelic experiences in my life I knew I was in for a tremendous shift in consciousness. After the hour of silence Wiler and Angela entered the maloca and took their places across from us. One by one we were called up to receive our dose. A small cup filled with a dark, foul-tasting liquid. I tossed it back and thanked him. After everyone had their fill the candles were put out and we sat in the darkness. It?s hard to say how much time had passed but after a little while of little to no effect a small wave came washing under the property. The sound of this rippling water seemed never ending and thus Wiler had received his queue. It began as a beautiful whistle and then emerged as a series of fantastic, unintelligible songs. These sounds evoked what began as powerful imagery, of ancient structures morphing and evolving but soon the experience took a leap in potency. I was no longer aware of my physical body watching interesting patterns with my eyes closed. I was like a floating consciousness swimming in the cloud of our groups collective consciousness. I remember seeing on more than one occasion the traumas of others arise in my awareness and a feeling of taking part in the extraction of these energies. This often coincided with bouts of sobbing and feeling terrible emotional pain. Soon I was dealing with my own personal issues and I felt the assistance of others returning the favor. By the end of it all, I was beyond drained. I felt completely empty but with an overwhelming confidence and peace I breathed easily.
Instead of going into detail about every day of the retreat I?m going to summarize some of the visions and wisdom I received throughout my stay: I saw amazingly complex and beautiful structures that moved and transformed. I felt my taking part in peoples healing. I felt myself being healed. I saw what I perceived to be my role in the service of others as part of my life?s path. I saw fantastic visions of primordial man living in perfect union with nature. I was shown the importance of omens and timing through visions of wildlife. I experienced our responsibility as stewards of nature. I realized for the first time my true potential. I felt for the first time the truly palpable expression of love from all that is. I saw and understood ancient wisdom emanating from deep space. I witnessed palaces of light and entities that seemed like spiritual royalty. I was pushed to my limit. I was shown my purpose. I felt more like a man than I ever had before.
I can?t sing enough praise about this place and the people that make it up. Dan and Tatyana are amazing, the perfect balance of their leadership is apparent in all aspects of the experience. Adriano is the man, and his knowledge, respect and admiration for the jungle in which he lives is unrivaled. But the crown jewels are Wiler and Angela! Haha What beautiful souls! Their commitment to service and maintaining this rich practice is so impressive to me. Their beautiful songs will bring you to tears of joy and then purge from you your deepest fears. Thank you also to Val, Anna, Brendan, Andrea and all the other beautiful souls that made it possible. I?m so thankful for their work and what everyone received while we were there
I?m hoping to return next month and I can?t wait!
PS. In trying to submit this as the 100th review I forgot some things. Did I mention I made friends with some of the nicest, most awesome people I?ve ever met from all around the world!? And the food! Excellent, fresh and delicious meals prepared daily specifically under the ayahuasca dieta guidelines. And all the jungle excursions where we fed monkeys and wild river otters jumped in our canoe! Haha What an amazing experience! I could never thank you guys enough! Light & love <3
race2wonderland
July 22, 2015 at 12:00 amI arrived in Iquitos with few expectations I only knew this would be the most life changing undertaking I had gone through in my years on this earth. And I was totally right. The beauty of the Amazon paired with a wonderful team of individuals working at Pulse Tours makes for the most breathing taking and life changing adventure you will ever have. The fact that they take the time to give you more than just Ayahuasca Ceremonies and show you the majesty and pure wild that is the Amazon is truly awe inspiring on many levels. From the sunrise to the sunsets, to the monkeys, dolphins and insects. You could not ask for more. I can say with all honesty I cannot wait to get get to the Amazon and spend more time with pulse. Although I have not gained all I wished for through Ayahuasca the experience has put me into a realm in which I can move on with my life and begin to take greater strides towards being a whole and spiritual being. I could not have done this without the care and love I experienced at Pulse. Through all the carefully planned elements and additional medicines as well as exercise options you could not choose a better place to spend your time. Here’s to a new chapter of a more spirital life, something I hope we all find and I know that pulse can put you on that path.
Methos
July 22, 2015 at 12:00 amA few months ago, I felt a calling to go to the Amazon and try my luck with the Ayuhasca medicine. Some research indicated that Pulse Tours had the retreat that best matched what I was looking for, and off I went. I expected a fun two week adventure in the jungle, but I could not have at all imagined the magnitude of the experience that was underway.
Everything about the retreat is incredible; the medicine, the shaman, the people, the adventures and the facility, each fantastic on their own, coalesce into an utterly profound life changing force. I came out a completely new person purged of dark, terrifying energy and filled with love and light that I have never before experienced. I was skeptical coming in, but rest assured, all doubts will be cast away after your first ceremony.
The medicine is incredibly powerful, and you can expect everything from intense emotions to vivid vision to extreme mental clarity. I connected deeply with the icaros of Wiler, and each one elicited a unique response in my soul. Words cannot describe how profound the ceremonies are – you can only find out for yourself. All I can say is that the Ayuhasca ceremonies have been the most powerful experiences of my life.
The people at pulse create a culture that is fun, loving and encourages deep spiritual growth. I really felt like we were all a family at the end, and that means a lot coming from someone does not get emotionally attached very easily. The facilitators, the facility workers and the guests were all some of the most interesting and positive people I have ever met, and I will never forget them.
Finally, the adventure. The facility is build on top of the river in an exceptionally beautiful environment that inspires a sense of freedom and connection with nature. The multitude of adventures include jungle tours, meeting exotic animals, swimming in the river and more. I was skeptical about the gym before coming, but it actually has almost all of the equipment that you could need, and it definitely helped me keep up my strength so I could get the most out of the ceremonies. Every day was filled with action with just enough time left in between for reflection and rest.
Ultimately, this will not only be an incredible journey, but you will experience profound personal and spiritual transformation on a scale you never imagined possible. I strongly believe that pulse has the best current formula for giving their guests the best Ayuhasca experience possible, and they are only getting better with each retreat.
Big thanks to everyone at pulse, I am excited to go again when I can.
-Boris
nataliewallace5
July 22, 2015 at 12:00 amDeciding to take a trip with Pulse Tours was the best decision I have ever made. For me it was obvious to book with PULSE. I had a friend who made a trip with them about 6 months before my own and after hearing about his adventures I knew I had to have this experience for myself.
For me the thought of being a 20 year old single woman traveling alone in Peru was a little scary. After just a few emails back and forth with Pulse I knew there was nothing to fear. I had booked the 14 day Amazon and Machu Picchu expedition and I was excited. With this package airport pick up and drop off is included. I stepped off the plane and there was someone there waiting to take me back to the hostel. Pulse tours does not mess around when it comes to safety and security.
The first night we stayed in the large city of Iquitos before heading out to the jungle the next day. That night we got to meat the group who had just finished a week in the Jungle. When signing up to do aya most people have done their research and realise how difficult the experience can be. Seeing the faces of these people who had just completed 4 or more aya ceremonies was so inspiring and encouraging. The smiles did not leave their faces for one moment and they were literally glowing. I knew that whatever difficulties I might encounter out in the Jungle it would be worth it too come out looking and feeling like that!
The next day we traveled out to the Jungle. We took a peaceful boat ride down the Amazon river. The group was beginging to get to know one another. As we pulled up to the Ayahuasca Adventure Center, I was in complete awe, heaven on earth. A beautiful place surrond by nature. The accommodations here are awesome.
Something that really made a difference for me through out the process of working with the medicine was group share. This is something that I feel was very important through the healing process and something that not all centers offer. During group share everyone in the group meets in the malaoka along with the facilitators and the shamans. The first night arriving into the Jungle we had our first group share. Everyone shared why they came and what they wanted to get out of the experience. The first group share can be a little hard. You are sharing your deepest secrets with people you have only just met. It takes courage and it is very humbling to be apart of. Though, you can choose to share as much or as little as you want. From my experience it was better to share as much as possible, but there is no pressure. After the initial group share there is one after every ceremony (the next morning) where you talk about your ceremony and what you expeirenced. After you share the Shamans help to give you insight on what your visions might mean. They also give you input on your progress and what you still need to work on. This makes a huge difference. After your first ceremony group share becomes very easy. Once you have made it through ayahuasca with a group you are no longer strangers you become family. This makes a huge difference, its nice to have people to talk to and relate to on a journey that can be difficult at times.
The most important part of the whole aya experience is your shamans and facilitators. Pulse tours has the most amazing facilitators and shamans. I was so grateful to be able to work with them, let alone meet them. The facilitators are the people who are looking over you and helping you throughout the aya ceremonies. They do everything from bringing you your bucket, helping you walk, or most importantly giving you words of encouragement during difficult times in the ceremony. The facilitators at pulse are extremely experienced with the medicine and it shows. The experience is truly unreal when you are having a hard time and all the sudden a facilitator is sitting next to you, telling you exactly what you need to hear, at exactly the right moment. This is one of the great mysterys of aya but it really feels like these people are channeling for you. I mean words can not describe how incredible it is! They are very powerful and when they say just a few words to you durring ceremony it can make all the difference in the world. I don?t even know where to start with describing how amazing the Shamans are. They are the most joyful beings and truly selfless. Wiler and Angela are the perfect match, Wiler has a deep strong voice, while Angela has the most angelic voice. They both hold so much power within their Icaros. Wiler (the head shaman) is constantly clearing the space. I don?t know how many times I saw him take the negative energy out of people and purge for them. He is soo amazing. Even though aya can be really scary I felt so safe in his precess. I could go on and on, but you will see for yourself how amazing all of these people are.
Through out the rest of the week we had 4 aya ceremonies and countless adventures. My favorite activity was swimming in the Amazon river. It felt so amazing and cleansing the day after a ceremony. Its the perfect combination between down time and activities. One day I was so tired and fell asleep right before our group left to go see the sloths. I really wanted to see the sloths and the facilitators were more then happy to take me and few other group members back again before the trip was over. At Pulse you can choose what you want. You can lay around in hammocks listening to music, journaling, chatting. Or you can go to monkey island, jungle expeditions, etc. Everyday is a new adventure and you choose what you want to do based on how your feeling.
After leaving the Jungle we headed to the beautiful city of cusco for the second half of the 14 day Amazon and Machu Picchu expedition. During our stay we got to travel to the Mountain House which is located about 200 yards away from an ancient andean spiritual site (The temple of the Moon). Here is where we got to experience San Pedro. We drank in the morning and spent the day lounging around the beautiful mountain house garden. There is one garden for silence and another one where you are alowed to speak. Through out the day the facilitators would come around the garden finding each person and bringing them light snacks…it was so amazing and delicious…. In the afternoon we went for a walk around the Incan temples, learning about them. It was incredible to see these sacred lands on San Pedro. You are so in connection with nature and spirit, it is truly an unforgettable experience. I am so greatful to have had the experience of San Pedro at this location.
The next day, we left for a 4 hour train ride to head to Agus Calientes (Machu Picchu town ). This is no ordinary train ride though. For most of the ride you are traveling along side a beautiful strong rocky river, with snow capped mountains on either side of you, it is absolutely breathtaking. Plus this is a great time to journal about your San Pedro experience.
The rest of the trip was spent exploring this beautiful town. Going for hikes, bathing in hot springs, massages, and of course the magnificent Machu Picchu. I think that photos of Machu Picchu really speak for themselves, so I won?t go on and on about all of the beauty. But I will say that the local guide for this trip knows everything there is to know about this place. He has so much knowledge and loves to answer questions.
All in all this was the trip of a lifetime. I will warn you though that after leaving peru you will miss it! The facilitators and workers here truly treat you like family. You make life long friends. I can?t wait to go back and visit them.
AlexBarragan98
July 17, 2015 at 12:00 amIf there ever is a real heaven on Earth we have found it. Articulating the amazement of this place is quite ridiculous considering the fact there is no way i can sum it up with words. the powerful emotions that I have received at the Ayahuasca Adventure Center and the rest of my 14 day journey in Peru are beyond human language. I came here with my family which was a blessing (a must do if possible). Since sharing these experiences with them just made it even more magical. The connection and bond between us only grew exponentially. I came here with 3 family members and I left with 10+. The fascinating like-minded people you’ll meet is just another reason to come. Especially the staff and facilitators. They’re like real life angels on planet Earth. I felt so comfortable with the Shamans as well. You know you they’re absolutely trustworthy when they’re able to laugh and smile with you. The icaros are something everyone has to expirence at least once. And also you’re experiencing the most of the Amazon Jungle! The Jungle excursion guide Adriano is an extremely passionate loving man and knows the jungle like the back of his hand. There is no point into going into the plant medicine because wow, please this is something you just have to experience yourself. I absolutely urge you to visit the Pulse Ayahuasca Adventure Center, you will more thank likely go through the most transformative enlightening “vacation” of your life. And it’s possibly one of the greatest investment for your soul known to man. Thanks you Pulse Tours, I am certainly ready to put use the knowledge I’ve gained and bring it back into society for now. I’m going to miss it & everyone greatly but I am happy to know I’ll be back! Love you all – Alexander