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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neechi
June 4, 2018 at 12:30 ami’am quite cautious who i ceremony with. i was lead to jessica and can honestly endorse her as a gifted, safe and dedicated ayahuascara.
my experiences lead by jessica have been incredibly powerful, loving and yet challenging at times. she’s guided me and others before, during and after ceremony. her dedication is inspiring.
i also deeply appreciated her knowledge of life in the jungle and the opportunity to meet, share and live with indigenous peoples.
the experience was rich and life altering. i look forward to the next time i can visit.
Kyd C.
June 3, 2018 at 5:52 amI worked with Jessica and completely healed my asthma. It was completely life changing.
When I first met her I thought “what a weird German woman” and wouldn’t have considered drinking ayahuasca with her. But then a bunch of things and more importantly indigenous friends, each who happen to be healers from the Andes, the altiplano and from lake Titicaca, came together and said I should join them in the ceremonies and the timing was right. Jessica came and we talked to prepare for the work and she seemed very professional. Immediately when the first season began Jessica was transformed. I don’t know how else to say it, she was like a magical being and completely in charge, working with each person and containing the entire event. When I struggled she helped me. She taught me during and between the seasions a lot about how to “work” with the medicine rather than just fall into a chaos. I returned a year later to work with her in an even smaller and calmer group of just 3 people in which each person worked in their own very concentrated way. With Jessica’s guidance I asked the medicine to work on healing my lungs. To my complete and ongoing surprise, the three sesións ocurred like what can only be described as a long surgery, carrying on each of the three nights where we had left off the previous. After the sessions I was shocked that I felt that I had had a surgery and needed the physical and emotional time of a few weeks to recover. Half a year later I went on a hike and in the middle of it realized that for the first time I could breathe normally, no pain (I had previously ended up having such bad asma attacks when attempting any such activity that I would sometimes cough blood).
Jessica amazed me, she fully supported me before during, in between and after each session, even now, years later. When she becomes your healer is is a fully holistic and commited situation, as is the tradition in a traditional tribal situation. She is a down to earth, funny German lady but has completely become a traditional medicine woman.
I feel 100% confident in recommending her as an ayahuasquera. Her work is efficient, full of love and very very careful. I tend to be a very rational person but I greatly thank her for allowing me to witness, experience and believe in traditional and psychotropic healing. Jessica offers her ceremonies in the traditional Shipibo style, singing icaros herself. The indigenous have embraced her and her work for a good reason.
Levity89
May 27, 2018 at 10:06 amVisiting Parign Hak is an amazing experience unlike anything else on earth. The ayahuasquera Jessica (while not indigenous) has been deeply embedded in the indigenous culture for over 20 years, and REALLY knows her stuff! I’m a single female from the United States, and I’m fairly inexperienced with world travel… I was initially a little scared to go into the Amazon, but not anymore! In addition to being an Ayahuasquera, Jessica was a guide for Manu National Park for years, and she made the journey into the jungle informative, safe and fun! She has a brilliant sense of humor and is very easy to talk to (she speaks English, Spanish and German). She’s always there if anyone needs personal attention, or help integrating the ayahuasca experience OR a hug – thanks Jessica 😉 . Parign Hak has a huge focus on learning about the local Harakbut people, which is a beautiful and life-changing experience in and of itself. This place is phenomenal, and I can’t wait to go back!!
TGBelow
May 25, 2018 at 7:29 amThis is no ordinary Ayahuasca retreat that you’ll find just anywhere. You will go places and meet some very special people that you would otherwise not be able to meet if not for Jessica. When I was there, I realized that her bond with the indigenous community in Peru was very much like one of family. They love her, trust her, and open their homes and hearts to anyone that she decides to take on in the group. Jessica, and everyone that you will meet at Parign Hak are amazing people, who will make you feel at home. I know that going abroad to a new place, and participating in a ceremony as intense and life changing as one with ayahuasca can be frightening, but I am so thankful to have gone, because I felt very safe and well prepared thanks to everyone’s support and education. If you feel a calling to experience ayahuasca, this is the place. Personally, I chose this retreat over the rest for the simple reason of following my intuition. I can definitely, and happily say that I’m not the same person I was before the retreat. I felt the need to share this, and let others know what a special opportunity this is.
-Diana
molly
May 24, 2018 at 6:22 pmI just finished my first Ayahuasca ceremonies at Parign Hak and there are no words that explain how happy I am about my decision. I was very hesitant at first about if ayahuasca was the right plant for me. Jessica was so supportive and really helped guide me through my experience and I cannot recommend her enough. I heard about her through a friend and if I know of anyone really interested in this kind of experience I would recommend Jessica in a heartbeat. I don’t think I would have done it if it wasn’t for her and everyone at Parign Hak. You can tell she is not only passionate about what she does but she is also very trustworthy and committed to helping you better yourself.
The entire trip was truly a once in a lifetime experience. Jessica has such a deep connection with the people in the native communities. I am such a history buff and to really learn about the people in this area was incredible. I would have gone on the trip just for the jungle experience. We didn’t just learn about the native plants/ fruits/ and animals around the area. We learned about the people and built relationships with some of the people from the communities. We had a true jungle experience that you cant find with just any tour. This is truly an incredible experience and I feel so appreciative that I was able to be a part of this. I feel so lucky!
Mou
May 21, 2018 at 6:13 pmIt was a life change experience. We were treated as a family member within the community, the food is amazing (fishes were the best) and the nature is astonishing. The ceremonies were unbelievable, now i understand why Dennis McKenna suggests this retreat in Perú. I feel much more confident and clear about my life. I feel self-empowered again. In my oponion the work that the master does is oriented to responsability, love and respectful. Absolutly reliable… I am going to come back soon… greatful and humble =o)
RafaelMurr
May 20, 2018 at 7:08 pmI’ve recently had my first three Ayahuasca ceremonies at Parign Hak and could not be happier about that choice.
It was a long way of spiritual development that lead up to wish of encountering Ayahuasca. Nevertheless I was quite unsure if it would be the right point in my life. What further supported my uncertainty was all the ‘casual’ approaches to the plant I’ve seen while traveling through Peru that seemed very immature and hardly respectful. Especially in places like the Iquitos area or the sacred valley it is easy to fall in the new age trap of love and light 😉
So as I could not refer to any own experience I did not know how to differentiate wich almost let me give up. Very fortunately a friend of mine who lives in Peru that I deeply trust recommended me Jessica’s work when I told him about my seeking.
From my first contacts with Jessica on I had a very good feeling about the retreat because she really scanned my person and was extremely careful in the decision if she wanted to work with me. Now that I know how much harder these high standards make her work I can value them even more.
The family at Parign Hak itself would already have been worth the whole trip. Everyone created a very loving and open hearted surrounding wich made a beautiful framework for the experience to settle. Also I could not recommend Jesicas work more. First of all she is extremely experienced and committed to her work with the plant. She did an incredible job in keeping the space and also applying personal healing in the ceremonies. I especially liked her very grounded and honest being. Without any doubt there was zero spiritual ego involved. Besides that her healing work was definitely wholistic. Without her support outside of the Ayahuasca realm I clearly would have had trouble to integrate my experience but due to her strong insights about the vine she could really open my eyes and give me possibility to take responsibility for all the positive change in my life.
I finally want to add that this combination of the healing work and cultural/anthropological and botanical learning is surely very unique.
After all I am incredibly grateful that my path lead to Parign Hak. Should I feel like working with Grandma again I will return there without any question.
Muchas Gracias por todo!
Oumi
February 24, 2018 at 6:16 pm“The First Time Single Lady”
Choosing Nihue Rao for my first Ayahuasca experience, was the best choice I could have made as a single woman going alone to the jungle. From the first email contact to actually being there, I felt a sense of family & connectedness. there where at least 4 single woman staying during my time at Nihue Rao, with the 24 hour security we all felt safe. The staff is supportive and caring without being intrusive. During ceremony you feel the love,compassion and understanding for the individual experience that you may be having.(no one experience is the same) I highly recommend Niue Rao for the “First Time Single Lady” and All who want to feel at Home in the Jungle!
xoxo Oumi
k_o
February 22, 2018 at 7:21 pmIf Aya has in some shape or form entered your awareness, if the idea of doing Ceremony has come up for you, if you find yourself on this website… I would humbly suggest to you, from the bottom of my heart, that you dive in heart-first and just say Yes to having this transformative experience in your life. Just that. Just say Yes and bracket (for the moment) the logistics and the fears and the ‘buts’ and ‘what ifs’. This is precisely what I did once I felt the call to join Ceremony and all else worked itself out. Because if you heed the call, the path will unfold itself for you. I truly believe this and have experienced this over and over again in my life.
Saying Yes to visiting with Aya at Parign Hak was one of the best things I have every allowed to happen to me. Despite the perceived obstacles, the oh-so-real imagined fears. I am so grateful that Parign Hak exists in this world and that this is where I was able to have my first experience with Ayahuasca. Not all centers offering Ceremony are equal — I highly recommend you listen to your heart and allow your intuition to guide you as you make your decisions. Suss out the intentions and the feeling you get from the organizers and practitioners. Do your research based on this and not based on how attractive a website or description is.
What these beautiful human beings have created at Parign Hak is nothing short of miraculous. Tucked away from all capitalist models and tourism-driven spiritual retreats, Parign Hak is truly a hidden gem offering rare, powerful experiences. It is run professionally but is anything but corporate — it is extremely personal and entirely rooted in the heart. What you will experience here is a human experience — you will join the Harakbut in their wisdom, in their traditions, in their living ceremonial practices. You will join them as they gather with you in Grandma’s Home — not separate, together. Together living interconnected alongside all the living beings of the Amazon and immersing yourself in the heartful wholeness of life there on the land. They will share with you their knowledge of Plant Wisdom, of working with the Earth, of their cultural traditions, of their relationship to the spirit realm. You will be immersed in Amazonian life. What better way to unplug from any limited, partial, narrow life and plug into the expansive Living Organism that is all Creation. This was my experience: plugging in to a much greater and all-encompassing matrix of life. All limitation shed itself as irrelevant.
The beautiful people at Parign Hak, with Jessica taking great care in the collaborative process, have created a micro-socioeconomic development project driven by the indigenous community’s will to survive and thrive. You are not just joining an Ayahuasca Retreat — you are helping support the self-determination and survival of a rich cultural heritage and wisdom system. You are supporting a program designed to help a people, who have been labeled as extinct, to survive. You are joining them in healing and thriving together.
Forget tourism, forget self-help — this is Transpersonal Transcultural Transformation. Together!
Why spend your money on a simple self-help ‘retreat’ when you can contribute to the transformation and survival of a community as it evolves and takes on the encroaching forces that are destroying life in the Amazon.
My experience at Parign Hak was the most transformative experience of my life! It was safe, pure-hearted, deep, cleansing, and, above all, designed with expert care and devotion for the transformation and well-being of all. I am so thankful to the two powerful women at the forefront, Jessica and Vicky, and to every single one of my new friends there for how much they give — it was personal for them, and you can feel their investment in you. I invite you to invest in them back – invest in this beautiful program they have self-initiated for you – and you will reap innumerable rewards that keep giving. I am still unfolding and learning from my experience long after visiting Parign Hak!
Drop everything that stands in your way and say Yes. You will be forever changed.
With All Love
Shamana
February 8, 2018 at 4:34 pmAyahuasca is the gateway to awake, remember, and access other parts of the soul in order to purge, cleanse, learn and heal. During an Ayahuasca ceremony, one has the opportunity to heal traumas, addictions, rewire thought patterns, transform beliefs, and recover ones power and sovereignty, by opening the heart, mind and body into higher and deeper frequencies of consciousness.
I chose Parign Hak, “Grandmother’s Home,” as the source for my retreat, because I trusted in the authentic and therapeutic ways of the native Harakbut community members. All members “take pride in the fact that the ceremonies are small, female led and offer a safe space for serious transformational work. Parign Hak is committed to being “environmentally sustainable, culturally respectful and reaffirming, as well as mutually beneficial for both locals and retreat participants alike. The center is also available as a resource to community members.”
Parign Hak is truly a very unique retreat center. It resides in the Southeastern Peruvian Amazon, in Manu National Park. Not only is the location of the retreat center remote and raw, it is also one of the most amazing cultural exchange experiences I have yet to be a part of. Literally, I unplugged from the modern world and plugged into all that really matters-the Matrix. I easily found the gracefulness to navigate between the depth of the seriousness of the healing work and the playfulness of being completely connected to the people and the exotic natural world around us. I shared tears of laughter with this beautiful community, while also tapping into the cosmos all within the same day.
Harakbut people have a vast knowledge and connection to the plant and animal worlds. Parign Hak is immersed in nature, embraced by the powerful vibrations of the Peruvian Amazonian jungle and it has one of the most bio diverse ecosystems found in the Amazon. I felt safe and exposed in the eco-sustainable friendly environment that was provided. The people of Parign Hak unzipped the sacred hearth of their retreat space, and their hearts and invited us to jump right in. I felt vulnerable, secure and ready to dive deep into healing work that I came to do.
We hiked through the jungle, swam and floated in the river, collected seeds to make jewelry, caught fish with our bare hands, learned how to shoot bow and arrows, were serenaded by traditional songs and storytelling by the fire, and fell in love with the ancient heart rhythms of Manu and its people.
When I arrived, my heart was overflowing. I felt HOME. My purpose of being at Parign Hak was to encourage the remembrance of my soul’s inner knowing and to reestablish a deeper relationship with myself and the sacredness of being interconnected to everything. When I departed, all of my senses were activated and I could feel the pulse of all life, spirit and matter running through my entire being. I felt HOME and didn’t want to leave.