Welcome to SankenMai

Our center SankenMai “the land of the medicine” is 100% owned and run by native Shipibo shamens. When you join us you can be sure that you are not only supporting the sacred medicine of our ancestors but also the Shipibo culture that sustains the knowledge for future generations. We live in and serve the Shipibo community, so its our duty as shamens to see our culture which we love to continue to survive in this rapidly changing world. We have worked with the medicine for a long time now, we know it deeply as it’s part of our Shipibo heritage. When you visit SankenMai you will receive the great sacred medicine, the healing it provides and the protection it gives. This is so because this is the work our spirit ancestors and the sacred medicine called us to provide. This is our promise to you.

The most ceremonies with the smallest groups in the Amazon, available at our center.

The Shipibo Brothers

Efrain and Walter are two shaman shipibo brothers with over 25 years experience each. The two are highly dedicated, hard working and brilliant healers. They come from a long tradition of healers in their family, stretching back generations on both the mother and fathers side. They both were called to work with the medicine at a young age because it’s in their blood and also an inheritance from the family tradition. You will search long and far to find two hard working shamans who are as dedicated to the medicine plants and the protection of the tradition and knowledge for future generations. Efrain took the traditional route and trained with the greatest and most respected shamans in the shipibo community and still keeps close personal ties with the older shamans. He even married the daughter of legendary shaman “don mateo” and he is highly respected in the shipibo community and is seen as a great talent. Walter the younger of the brothers saw that Efrain was excelling as a traditional shaman and he wanted to bring something unique to the partnership. So after his initial training he went it alone to help addicts in the city. As you can imagine this was a hard life and even harder work to engage in, but he persisted and was able to heal people within such a chaotic and unstable environment. He did this to return to his brother with a unique set of talents. The two brothers were then able to work in partnership combining Efrain’s traditional shaman training with Walter’s modern view of the illnesses and lifestyles that create them. They are a perfect example of the old tradition combining with the modern world. The modern world is changing fast and it is inevitable that the sacred medicine will continue to adept to this reality. Efrain and Walter are well positioned to adapt to this modern reality and the demands that are been increasingly asked of the shaman community. The two shamans are intelligent men, with an intuitive understanding about the problems of the guests who visit their center on a regular basis. Also they are very compassionate and patient healers possessed with great knowledge of the healing plants. They are both very humble people and have the maturity of insight to know they have always more to learn from the vast library of knowledge that the ayahuasca medicine possesses. Efrain is a busy shaman and has five children to rear, helping his extended family, working within the community, hosting ceremonies and still he makes it look easy. Walter is not married but he is also busy helping others within his community, guests at the center and his work on sustainable plant harvesting. They are both powerful shaman who complement and support each others work without brotherly. They say even as kids they always got along and were helping and supporting each other. They continue to quietly do their work healing and helping people at the center on a regular basis. Efrain’s shipibo name is neten kea which means “guide of the universe”, symbolizing his gift of knowledge and familiarity with the medicine. Walter’s shipibo name is panshin nima which means “goldsmith” symbolizing his days in the city and his ability to work in a chaotic and nosiy environment and still able to produce something of value. Anyone who visits the two brothers should know they are visiting an integral part of the future of shipibo culture, medicine and knowledge. You will be working with two highly competent, talented individuals and you will be in excellent hands for your coming journey.

“Our center offers 5 ceremonies over 7 days with small groups of only 4 guests, to partake in some of the most traditional style ceremonies in the Amazon.”

Review (1)

4.0 out of 5
Overall 4.0
  • forestlife
    forestlife
    January 14, 2017 at 3:21 pm

    I am very grateful to the healers that I had during my retreat and the great care and help at Sankenmai. I had been struggling with depression and PTSD for years after serving in the military in the Middle East, needless to say I tried all kinds of therapies. I found Sankenmai on the internet and because of the small groups and high number of ceremonies it felt right for me. I received healing here like I could never have dreamed of, and feel like a huge burden has been lifted off my life. Efrain and Walter are truly doing something special here. The environment is so peaceful which allows you to truly relax. These guys really have built a great center, offering excellent ayahuasca retreats and are the kind of humble people that make you feel at home when you’re there.

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