While living in the Southeastern Peruvian Andes and Amazon for 22 years, the co-founder leading practitioner Jessica has been trained and is working with Ayahuasca in the Shipibo tradition. She is certified as an “Onanya” (Ayahuasca master) by the School for Traditional Shipibo Medicine in Pucallpa and member of its advisory board.
A former Manu National Park rainforest guide, she does ongoing healing work requested by the indigenous people of the region. As a traditional practitioner she regularly participates in international conferences.
As a woman and mother, she is highly experienced in assisting people in bringing about positive life change by very practical and down-to-Earth means. She organizes and takes small groups of Westerners (2 to 5 persons) on 7-day-long retreats to “Parign Hak” (Grandma´s Home), a unique initiative of Manu´s indigenous Harakbut people to host her retreats, located in the mountain rainforest adjacent to Manu National Park, where she provides a culturally adapted healing and cleansing process that consists of traditional plant baths and three ceremonies in Ayahuasca´s natural home, combined with an intimate immersion into Harakbut culture.
Other local healer are usually on site and participants may be brought together in ceremony with Harakbut community people in an attempt to not only facilitate integral healing for all ceremony participants, but also to foster mutual cultural understanding.
As recommended by the International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research & Service (ICEERS), all participants go through an integral process of selection, preparation, ceremonies and integration. This process includes a pre-ceremonial information package, a previous personal interview, traditional dietary restrictions, integration circles, further one-to-one integration interviews in between ceremonies and availability for further consultations for as long as necessary after the third ceremony.
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Jim
June 19, 2019 at 11:01 pmBy the end of the week at Parign Hak it felt like I had a second home in the Amazon. The way of living here is so wholesome and feels so natural; eating whatever you pick or catch from the river, spending time together, learning about the local flora, fauna and cultural traditions. Not to mention all of this takes place in the most beautiful setting.
These experiences coupled with the ceremonies helped me heal from past trauma and give me a new outlook on everyday life along with steps on how to apply what I had learned to my every day life.
My experience here is something that I’ll never forget thanks to the knowledge and guidance of the Harakbut people, Jessica, Viki, Alberto, Steve and our nature guide Alexis. I couldn’t recommend Parign Hak highly enough for anyone looking to experience ayahuasca in a safe and welcoming environment.
ayadreams
June 19, 2019 at 3:52 pmWords don’t really serve well to say how much the week I spent at Parign Hak has meant to me. I felt myself reawaken. Jessica has committed her life to this medicine, to the healing it offers and to the people who form her team and her family there. Every single person and every single plant at Parign Hak serves a purpose and supports and works in honour of healing. The experience I had and the things I learned and realized have a value that is impossible to attach a price tag to. I will forever be grateful to Jessica, Vicky, Alberto, Steve, Herman, Gladys, and the whole Parign Hak family. I would recommend this centre to anyone who is serious about transforming their lives, about diving deep and making a commitment to their healing and to their personal growth. The way Jessica has combined cultural exchange that is enriching and heart opening for all involved with the incredible healing potential of ayahuasca is truly inspiring. Thank you Parign Hak for all the incredible gifts, dakishi. I know I will be back.
Jonquils
June 17, 2019 at 9:55 pmParign Hak is pretty special. The new Ceremony space (grandma’s house) is a loving little, round building filled with transformative nights.
Jessica is a powerful Onanya, and wonderful advisor and interpreter, not only of the meaning of the ceremonies, but of so many languages, human and otherwise.
Victoria, Alberto, and Steve all helped to take care of us and it was so nice to meet and play with the baby Howler Monkey they had adopted.
The jungle near the center is rich, diverse and beautiful and Jessica and the other guide who came with us were both incredibly informative about plants. insects, animals and birds. We saw a lot of beauty, and met a lot of incredible locals who helped and partook in the ceremonies with us.
The entire experience included jungle hot springs, clear river pools, plant education, ancient carved river rocks, local dances and villages, epic views, and more birds and birdsong than I could imagine. I loved it so much, I stayed for ten more days after the retreat to do a plant dieta.
I will return to Parign Hak, and to these people who became family.
Silvia
June 17, 2019 at 3:10 pmI recently returned from my second visit to Parign Hak. I went specifically to continue the healing process I began the first time. And I got what I was looking for – big time. If the beauty of the Amazon rainforest isn’t enough to soothe whatever ails you, the love and support of the beautiful people who own and operate the retreat will. The food is fresh and organic because so much of it is harvested right there in the jungle. Outside of ceremonies there are numerous walks in the rainforest and trips to hot springs and other “hot spots” in the jungle that only the expert guides such as Jessica, Victoria, Alberto or Alexis can show you. Any one of these features is enough to commend Parign Hak, but this retreat has it all. I shall be always grateful for the love and healing that Grandmother’s Home gave me.
Calsifer
April 22, 2019 at 11:08 amI’ve been to a Parign Hak retreat a few months ago, and I’d like to talk about my experience, which involved not only the Ayahuasca ceremony.
First of all, Parign Hak is not simply an Ayahuasca retreat centre. What I’ve learned there is not only concerned with Ayahuasca cleansing and learning process. Parign Hak is a very special place where you can learn a lot about the forest, the people living there and their history, the plants, what the plants really are, and how you can relate with them.
When you arrive in Parign Hak, a wonderful place in the forest down the Upper Madre De Dios river, you realize you are not simply in a retreat centre, but in a family, in a small community that will lead you through the knowledge of the forest and her spirit.
Thanks to Jessica and the people of the community you will learn many things about the uses of the plants of Amazonian basin, you will discover the plants and you will be taught how to recognize them. You will walk along rivers and through the forest, experiencing particular sensations and feelings, and being deeply connected and grounded to Mother Earth.
Talking about Ayahuasca experience, first I’ve to say that for everyone is a particular and unique experience, so it’s difficult to talk about it. What I just want to say is that Jessica is a skilled and experienced ayahuasquera; I always felt safe with her, and in this area I think it’s what really matters. The environment is safe and protected, and you will join the ayahuasca ceremony surrounded by local people who deeply know what “plants teacher” are, and they will support you with their experience in a very respectful way.
It’s a blessing to have the possibility to join an authentic and familiar place where you can know the history and the culture of local people, live in the forest and connect with her energy, and among this environment receive the teachings from Ayahuasca.
As I already said, what I’ve experienced was not only a cleansing and learning process, but a very human and touching relationship with people and nature.
Last but not least, the food was amazing.
I’ll always be grateful to Jessica and Parign Hak people. I think experiences like this could change many things in this world, and I hope more and more people will join the heart of Amazon and his natural richness.
Andrea
kmlafleur
April 3, 2019 at 5:02 pmMy time at Parign Hak was one of the most transformative and profound experiences of my life. It has now been 5 months on from the retreat I attended and I feel I can just now properly write a testimonial as I’m still unpacking the power and wonder of this retreat! I dare say I’ll never be the same.
Before this retreat I had not experienced Ayahuasca, or any psychedelic, before. I chose Parign Hak because, as far as I could tell (I didn’t have a personal referral) it would be an intimate and supportive environment in which to experience this medicine for the first time. Well, I couldn’t have been more right. I felt such warmth, support, and love from everyone involved – and I’m sure the experience was more powerful because of this setting.
Some of the things I particularly loved about my time at Parign Hak:
*The small retreat group. I really got to know the other retreat members, and they me. I felt supported by them and I am sure this feeling of safety and familiarity allowed all of us to have deeper experiences.
*The food was simple, flavorful, and delicious! I think the secret ingredient was the hands that made it – thank you Steve and Gloria!
*The cultural exchange with the Harakbut people was so meaningful for me. Learning about their history and traditions (even experiencing some firsthand) provided a whole other layer to the experience.
*The ceremonial hut and its location were magical
Jessica is a talented and immensely knowledgeable shaman. I felt completely safe in her hands and still can’t quite believe how lucky I am to have found her.
The family of Parign Hak (Vicky, Alberto, Steve, Vanessa, and Gloria) are truly special people. You feel such love and acceptance from them the instant you set foot on their land. They, too, have experienced the power and healing of Ayahuasca through Jessica’s ceremonies and have offered their home and land for all of us to come and experience the same.
I had set an intention (not expectation, but intention) before embarking on my journey to experience Ayahuasca at Parign Hak and I can say, without question, that my intention – and then some – was fulfilled. The entire experience will be in my heart forever.
shadowcat
February 27, 2019 at 2:03 pmParign Hak is not JUST an Ayahuasca retreat. It’s arguably the most unique and respectful cultural experience you can have, if you truly want to learn about indigenous Amazonian peoples and jungle life. The week I spent there was filled with immersive lessons in ethnobotany and anthropology, tasting traditional Harakbut food, getting Wachiperi tobacco snuff blown up my nose, and listening to ancient Matsigenka songs. Parign Hak, has not only helped me connect with Ayahuasca (Jessica’s work is unparalleled). It also helped me deeply connect to the Amazon rainforest itself and to the people living there. This was truly an experience unlike anything I could have imagined. Drinking Ayahuasca in this unique context really helped me integrate my experience, and gave me a better understanding of where the medicine originated from, and how it’s been traditionally used. I felt safe and taken care of every step of the way, and the strong maternal presence at the center echos the spirit of “The Grandmother”. This center truly works to give back to the indigenous people in the region, providing the local communities with life-changing access to traditional medicine, as well as giving them an outlet to share their stories with open-minded visitors from around the globe. If you care about a reciprocal relationship with Amazonian peoples and the jungle itself, Parign Hak is THE place to go.
Oamaenoe
January 22, 2019 at 8:39 pmChanged my life! So incredibly grateful! If you are lucky enough to access this remarkable unequalled experience then you will be blessed. Jessica Bertram, the Ayahuasquera, rainforest guide and cultural facilitator of Parign Hak has a wealth of knowledge and remarkable skill. She gracefully facilitates the interaction of cultures, healing practice and environment in a way that is digestible and completely accessible to participants. Parign Hak is set in a fabulously beautiful jungle hosting a cornucopia of plant, animal and insect life. It is absolutely breathtaking and stimulating. My eyes and senses danced from one delight to the next. Victoria, Alberto, Steve, Gloria and Goyo (howler monkey delight), the family hosts of Parign Hak, are deep souled people with their own remarkable group and individual skills. Also, the food was local, traditionally harvested and prepared and absolutely delicious. This center hosts small, intimate groups which allows for proper assistance and integration on all levels, and full personal healing potential. Having a female Ayahuasquera added to my strong sense of safety as a female participant. Highly recommended!!
KerloTech
January 20, 2019 at 2:53 pmI finished my retreat with Parign Hak about a week ago now and I’m extremely happy with my experience with them. Not only with the attention and care they provided during the retreat and but also after the retreat with integration
Immediately you are welcomed in like family when you arrive at the Parign Hak grounds. Vicki, Alberto and Steve are the local Harakbut peoples that own and run the retreat and it’s great to know that the money being spent is going straight back to the community. I had never done Ayahuasca before and they provided a safe and secure environment both in and outside of ceremony.
Jessica is the shaman for the retreat and I was BLOWN AWAY by her commitment to each and every one of the attendees, by her integrity when it comes to the practice of ayahuasca, and by her skill and power during the ceremony. She is friendly and accessible throughout the retreat for your questions and post retreat for integration work.
Also, there’s more than just Ayahuasca ceremonies with Parign Hak. I learned a lot about plant medicine, plant communication, how to identify plants with potential medicinal qualities, natural insect repellents, dyes, food sources and more! You will definitely improve your connection with nature on these special jungle hikes.
Alberto shared some of the cultural traditions of the Harakbut peoples of the area that have been passed down through generations by his father to him. He showed us how to use some traditional tools and also how to harvest material to make bow and arrows. The traditional food that is prepared for meals is simple yet delicious! Perfect fuel for your day no matter what’s in store.
Understand that this is a no nonsense ayahuasca retreat in the jungle following the shipibo tradition. There’s no yoga, there’s no spa treatments, there’s no air conditioning or running water, but there is lots of love and respect for you as a person and a massive amount love and respect for indigenous cultures and nature.
You will not be sorry with going on a retreat with Parign Hak!
freedomtopark
January 17, 2019 at 9:31 amThank goodness for Jessica and Kat. Even without the ayahuasca ceremonies, the experience changed my perspective, especially hearing from Alberto and Vicky. My jiu jitsu reached another level from how calm I am under pressure, and my golf game has never been better, because I now get out of my own way. If you’re serious about working with Mother Ayahuasca, this is where you can meet her.