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at Guaria de Osa EcoLodge & Ethnobotanical Gardens
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Welcome endless possibilities while changing the outer world from within. |
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Join us on an unforgettable adventure of self-discovery, wellness and exploration of rainforest plant medicine traditions with time-honored maestros from the Ecuadorian Amazon, an experienced ethnobotanist and rainforest conservationist, an ardent fire-keeper, alongside mindful participants - gathering in the heart of the Osa Peninsula also known as "The Little Amazon by the Ocean" endorsed by National Geographic as "the most biological intense place on Earth!"
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Come with a beginner's mind, ready to learn as if this were your very first time!
A percentage of tuition funds on all Council Gatherings have always been channeled directly to the Secoya community in Ecuador, in order to accomplish necessary projects. In the past we have accomplished all kinds of small but potent works, such as building houses for the traditional elders, the building of ancestral lodges in the village for teaching centers and cultural revalidation and some health needs to the elders. From 1995-2000 we spearheaded a process to assist in territorial land reclamation and cultural revalidation initiatives in the village such as the publishing of a bilingual education booklet and courses among elders and youth. Our relationship with them is based on an old standing genuine friendship, love and mutual concern, not on ecotourism agreements. Since 2000 to the present, we have been able to continue the good works in the village overseen by himself with the community.
Ethnobotanist, Jonathon S. Miller Weisberger, director of The Council for Cultural & Biological Diversity has dedicated efforts ampong the Secoya since 1994 in the fields of rainforest conservation and cultural heritage rekindling processes. These have included participatory ethnobotanical field documentation and publication of this material in bilingual education booklets for local schools. It has also included the preservation of medicinal plant knowledge via workshops and educational council gatherings as well as the protection of the plants themselves in ethnobotanical gardens, in situ.
"Our work has always been in collaboration and support of traditional healers and their healing methods. Among indigenous peoples communities our approach is holistic and direct in nature aimed at finding creative ways to bridging the gap among the generations in order to collaborate in the efforts of safeguarding the rainforest and the knowledge pertinent for continued sustainable living, individual and planetary healing and well-being."
Legendary Secoya Plant Masters
The exploration of rainforest plant medicine traditions with time-honored maestros, are Secoyas - ceremonial masters from the Upper Napo Region of the Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest, an ethnic minority, whose name, Secoya means "People from the Multi-Colored River."
The Secoya language is a Western Tucanoan language spoken by 297 Secoya People in Ecuador and 144 in Peru. Tucanoan, consisting of 15 languages, is a language family of Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru.
The bad news: geopolitical borders, the encroachment and harassment of the petroleum companies, and the impact of colonization now imperil their culture and ancestral lands.
The good news: the few living Secoya traditional elders refer to their plant lore as an umbilical cord that connects them to their past.
Sentient Experientials will bring to Guaria de Osa during this Rainforest Plant Medicine Council Gathering "Nature as Teacher and Timeless Wisdom for Self, Community and Planetary Healing" a number of Secoya elders – over 70 years young - who will facilitate boundless healing transformation giving participants a first hand opportunity to meet deep-forest healers and cultural masters. Their songs, profoundly and uniquely cherished, will guide your journey's meditations.
Jonathon S. Miller Weisberger (aka Sparrow), Ethnobotanist and student of Traditional Chinese and Indigenous Medicine, a Naturalist, and Rainforest guide, has more than 14 years of ground level experience in the Ecuadorian Amazon. His friendship and work relationship with the Secoyas date back to 1994.
Jonathon has the important task of holding the container at the Council Gatherings - as well as Sentient Experientials Journeys into the Ecuadorian Amazon and all events at Guaria de Osa on the Osa Peninsula.
He is the founder and steward of Guaria de Osa Rainforest Ocean Wilderness Discovery Centre and the director of the Council for Cultural and Biological Diversity. Click here for more information.
Born in Berkeley, California, he was raised in Ecuador with his sister Ladna, he has over 18 years of Rainforest Conservation advocacy beginning from his early years at Humboldt State University. Jonathon writes and submits articles in Spanish and English, keeps volumes of excellent journals, and now, 'sandwiched between' rainforest conservation projects in the Ecuadorian Amazon and Andes, marine rescue turtle project on the Osa Peninsula, and the creation of Guaria de Osa and its medicinal plant garden, his book is now in progress.
"Over the years, I have been working on what I call The New Ethnobotany, an emerging discipline that seeks to enact new methods of cultural transmission to revive, validate, and strengthen the vast plant lore among and within Indigenous and rural peoples' communities. I believe that the preservation and attentive transmission of Indigenous plant knowledge both among forest communities and the world at large are crucial links in ongoing forest protection. Ultimately millions of hectares of priceless tropical Rainforest lie in the hands of Indigenous peoples' communities undergoing rapid changes and cultural dissolution, and the fate of these forest lies directly in the ability of Indigenous People(s) to continue renewing their relationship and sustainable approach to living in the forest. Consequently much work is necessary among these communities to, at the very least, strengthen traditional plant knowledge. The problems of deforestation are tremendously complex, yet, that shouldn't stop people from finding practical solutions to this global concern. We are seeking to discover effective techniques and strategies towards these ends. Let us wake up to a culture of service."
— Jonathon S. Miller Weisberger, ethnobotanist
Daniel Pinchbeck, guest speaker, well-known author, activist, and advocate of shamanism living in New York's East Village, where he is editorial director of Reality Sandwich (realitysandwich.com). He is the author of Breaking Open the Head: A Psychedelic Journey into the Heart of Contemporary Shamanism, 2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl, and the recently released documentary 2012: Time for Change. He is the son of painter Peter Pinchbeck and writer Joyce Johnson.
Dahlia and Ladna Miller (mother & daughter) are the ones who will get you to Guaria de Osa effortlessly by arranging all your Costa Rican logistical reservations and transfers. Once you get off your international plane you will be 'escorted' all the way to Guaria de Osa on the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica.
"It's a family operation (Ladna, Dahlia, and Jonathon,) and what a family! I have worked with all three and they do a wonderful job. The retreat participants just need to get a flight to San Jose and the rest is taken care of. They will arrange for the hotel in San Jose, the transfer from the hotel to the domestic airport, the flight to the Osa Peninsula, and the boat to Guaria. It's a real adventure and everything goes like clockwork. Once at Guaria, all meals are provided and the yoga/meditation space is wonderful. The participants can spend their free time on the beach or in the jungle, or Jonathon provides some really interesting trips for the more energetic and adventurous. In addition, our tuition supports rainforest conservation."
—DAVID MOORE, geological eco-engineer
You can 'meet' us by clicking The Staff.
Acupuncturist, Sarah Chase MacOM
Sarah holds a masters degree in Oriental Medicine and is nationally certified to practice acupuncture, Chinese Herbology, and Shiatsu massage. She studied for three years at the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in Portland, Oregon and one year in Jiangxi, China. She is the founder and director of the Brooklyn Acupuncture Project, a low cost community acupuncture clinic in Brooklyn, New York; where she practices full time. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve again at Guaria and looks forward to working with you. Acupuncture treatments have an extra fee and all proceeds go to Jonathon's conservation efforts and the Secoya Elders. Sarah will serve all three Councils.
Consider registering as soon as possible to guarantee a space for this epic, stellar experience!
After November 1:
Tuition is $2200 / participant / council
After January 7, 2013
Tuition is $2400 / participant / council
Discount available for more than 1 council.
Each Council has space for only 24 participants.
Note: All activities are optional because we know sometimes to do less is to do more.
Besides having the privilege of being in the company of Secoya Shamans of the Ecuadorian Amazon during this shape-shifting event, there will be:
[Rates are subject to change]
To Reserve Your Space
Dahlia Miller
E-mail:
Tel. (510) 235 - 4313 in California
In the spirit of networking,
we thank you for passing the news on to others about
this significant shape-shifting event.
We pre-arrange the following round-trip reservations
to get you to Guaria de Osa effortlessly!
Please check your passport to make sure it is valid for at least 3 months after you leave Costa Rica.
Costa Rica requires everyone to purchase a round trip ticket.
Before you purchase your international flight ticket, please e-mail us the itinerary to review. Thank you.
Important to read more on our Disclaimer and Safety Rules to the right of the sunset photo at our Fees and Reservations page. Please read in full.
Please note: Guaria de Osa is not a resort, nor a spa, nor a hotel.
Instead, Guaria de Osa is a road-less, wilderness discovery centre, powered by the sun, rooted in a rainforest beach / ocean environment on the Osa Peninsula, also known as 'the Little Amazon of Costa Rica" - endorsed by National Geographic as "the most biological intense place on Earth!"
Guests will undertake full responsibility for all that is experience because essentially your sojourn at Guaria deOsa, albeit an enriching adventure, is a personal experience.
Guaria de Osa wishes to reserve the right to change the itinerary if by chance there may arise unforeseen circumstances, such as raw weather or sea conditions or other physical or material logistics that may surprisingly arise. This also includes last minute cancellations by guest teachers. Please trust that whatever changes are made, these will not affect the quality of the experience.
Although we do our best to 'keep on schedule' we understand that there is more than one notion of 'time' that does not always coincide with the western notion of linear time. We like to call it "jungle/beach time." Therefore, we ask you to please be open and flexible to appreciate the multiple realities of what might be considered 'the norm.'
Although there is a lot to do at Guaria de Osa and its beautiful surroundings, we understand that sometimes 'to do less is to do more.' We also value the benefits of 'embracing the unexpected' and 'releasing expectations.'
For the 'seasoned traveler' – or otherwise – please come to Guaria de Osa with a 'beginners' mind.'
All guests are financially accountable for breaking or loosing any Guaria de Osa items or belongings – including surfboards. If such an occasion should arise, we ask for reimbursement at the current cost in Costa Rica of the particular item that needs to be replaced.
We ask that you sign in and sign out or inform Jonathon when you leave the campus. Please take your walks and swims with a buddy.
Respecting cultural sensitivity, we ask that you keep your swimsuits on when swimming in the ocean and/or sunbathing on the beach.
For All Visitors
No matter how seasoned a traveler you may be, we advise everyone to come with a 'Beginner's Mind.'
Expect the Unexpected ... and you will have everything.
We reserve the right to change the itinerary if by chance there may arise any unforeseen circumstances, such as raw weather or sea conditions or other physical or material logistics that may surprisingly arise. This also includes last minute cancellations by guest teachers. Please trust that whatever changes are made will not affect the quality of your experience.
Event Participants
When an Event Participant cancels his/her reservation, any monies received will be credited for any future program/event valid within three years of cancellation - or - Event Participant can give or sell the original dates to someone else. Please notify us of any change.
Credit within three years can also be transferable for another event to a friend, family member, colleague, etc.
Event fees are subject to change and will be recognized by the Event Participant.
Hotel Reservations
All guests are responsible for paying any un-met hotel reservations. If you did not cancel in due time, please be accountable by paying the hotel fees. (We can instruct you how to do pay.)
I feel eternally honored for this superlative Costa Rican experience; it is exactly what I requested to present itself in the linear beginnings of this poignant 2012-year leading into the transition of the upcoming world era renewal. Victoria from Australia
Third time is a charm!! PURA VIDA!!! Scott from Belize
Once again and again and again this place and tradition inspire me to live and love ever more. Infinite blessings for protection of this land, your pure spirit Jonathon, so precious and like thunder breaking through dark clouds, soft, strong, sweet, and true, one love. Sarah from New York
THIS SPACE IS A BLESSING! The experience was life changing, and I look forward to returning someday soon! Thank you so much Jonathon for holding and facilitating such exploration and spiritual growth. I hope to continue spreading this universal oneness and love to all being of humanity, The Earth, and all cosmic love. Thank you so much! PEACE LOVE HAPPY HIKING! Andrew from New Mexico
Every day I think of my experience in Costa Rica and I thank you Jonathon, and the medicine for calling me to learn and heal deeply. Pura Vida, Andrew from New Mexico
Thank you Guaria for being so amazingly beautiful! The experience was the most wonderful of my life. Your son Jonathon is an amazing being. Mucho Love! Shane from Northern California
What a beautiful honor!!! I will carry this experience and these lessons throughout my life ... off the magical charts!! Thank you for the guidance, protection, and healing. So much love, Amelia Mae from Northern California
This Retreat was Greatly Beneficial to balancing out my health and getting my body back on track. It is not perfect by any means, but I have recognized the value of real food, proper nutrition, and laughter. The plant medicine opened my eyes to simplistic living, harmony and new respect for all things in my life. Thank you for providing this opportunity to all of us. I feel great and will be more conscious about the relationship between my body and soul forever. Thank you so much, Brad from Montana
I feel renewed beyond words. Creative energy with good intention is abounding. We deeply admire each and everyone who we had the privilege to meet and travel with on this metaphysical journey. As we looked back at all the pictures and video, we realize how much of an impact this has been on our souls. WOW! I appreciate the world in a whole new light, thank you Jonathon!!! You will all be thought of often and we wish you all the very best, may are paths cross again in the future! Heather from Montana
Jonathon, we had an amazing experience! What a beautiful place with beautiful people. We feel very blessed to have had this life changing experience. We appreciate all you did for us and what you do for all those you help-especially the earth. You and your retreat is one of a kind! Brad and Heather from Montana
Jonathon, wow! It is a life changing experience. Thank you so much for all the love and wisdom and showing us the traditions. The chanting and healings were amazing. All the best with your projects and I will help you to achieve your goals. Cheers Duncan from Amsterdam
What an amazing week! Probably the most beautiful place I have ever been in my life, with the most amazing people. Lots of highs and some great adventures. I will definitely be back to what is an incredibly inspiring place. Jonathon, I wish you the best of luck with all your projects and Thank you for your hospitality this week. Lots of love, Rob from Canada
Jonathon, Thank you so much for building this beautiful place for all of us to share. Thank you so much for working so hard to allow nature to exist. I needed healing so badly. I needed it so much more than I thought I did. And thanks so much to all your staff for being so caring, hardworking and considerate. I've never been so pampered in all my life. I feel a real person, empowered, ambitious and full of life. This experience has truly been a blessing. And of course thank you for your patience. With love and gratitude, Lydia from Northern California
Let love in. Tio Jonathon, You are absolute legend. No combination of words could ever come close to expressing my gratitude. Thank you for opening my eyes. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share these beautiful days with you and all these beautiful people, in more than one realm. To call this experience a blessing is an understatement. Keep making magic in all that you do, you beautiful human being! I will forever practice love, learning and gratitude. Thank you thank you thank you from the bottom of my heart, I have never felt so happy to be alive. The universe is divine. Oneness, peace and infinite love, Nina from Australia
The waves that crash on the shore here, constantly telling the secrets of love and power and truth echo the waves of gratitude and reverence that I have for all that this journey has been. From the beginning of connecting with Jonathon and Guaria, I feel a deep resonance of inspiration in all that you have dedicated your life to. Your commitments to selfless service and to indigenous wisdom and to nature are such a deep blessing for all who come to Guaria and truly for the whole planet and all the dimensions. This sanctuary of Guaria and all the projects you are involved in are sparkling jewels that radiate healing and love and compassion in action into the world. May all that you strive for and surrender into be graced by the Goddess. Blessings, Holly from Southern California
With tremendous love and reverence to you, brother Jonathon. Tiffany from Southern California
I came to Guaria and received many deep, life changing blessings. What better time then two days before I celebrate my 73 birthday. Guaria is Heaven 'near at hand' and satisfied my need for a raw rain forest visit. Magic! Mystical! Tyler from North Carolina
Thank you so much for an amazing experience, in such a beautiful place with amazing people. Britton from Utah
Thank you. It has been an honor to share this sacred space and learning with you. I have learned so much. Respect and peace to the collective consciousness. All for one and one for all. Namaste, Treasure from Australia
Guaria de Osa renews the spirit and re-directs our lives in a spiritual direction... thank you Jonathon for being the guardian at your special oasis and the ambassador of the Indigenous traditions ... I look forward to all our future celestial adventures. Chuck from North Carolina
Thank you for creating such an amazing space where so many can come and reconnect with the source. For the first time since I was a child I am feeling with my whole heart and soul. Thank you, thank you! Danny from Utah
Thanks for the unforgettable experience. Quite a journey through the jungle, universe, ocean and the cosmos. Jeoff, Southern California
"I had an wonderful experience and learned a lot being at Guaria de Osa. I was very inspired of the work Jonathan is doing in order to help people in Ecuador. It was quite hard to get back from "paradise" where I only needed a toothbrush, a pair of sandals, bikini, towel and a dress. With love and Light." Cecilie A. naturopathic healer from Norway
"Wonderful to visit paradise here! Much love." Daniel Pinchbeck from New York, author of Breaking Open the Head (Chapter 22 "My Shamanic Vacation")
"Our experience was great. We stayed in the newest and best cabin ! The bed was great. The food was great. The place itself is amazing. We'll return for another visit. Met some great people. I was blessed to receive a lot of medicinal benefit and healing. I feel very fortunate. On our last day at Guaria, we were the last guests, all three dogs slept on our porch and followed us to San Josecito, and barked and cried when we left!" Daniel T. gardener from New York
"It will come as no surprise to you that I received the most amazing and loving care from everyone there. I was very sick and although I would not consciously choose that or to inconvenience others, what unfolded seemed part of a larger plan and I received many gifts as a result. I am extremely shy about asking for or needing help from others, especially strangers. I am also very shy about people seeing me in a completely "messy" state. These two circumstances were taken out of my hands and became part of my healing. Jonathon is a truly remarkable being. He is so authentic, kind, loving, generous, and an excellent healer. He ranks with my own son, and for me, there is nothing higher. The Elders are, of course, stellar. As promised, I had amazing experiences. And as big as that was and continues to be for me, the genuine human caring remains closest in my heart. Also David was my knight in shining armor during my illness. He made sure I made it from the beach to the lodge after I collapsed there upon arrival. He stayed up with me that first awful night, and accompanied me to the hospital, where he stood by me the whole time. This is a lot for a 26 year old man to do for an old lady stranger. Thank you is not enough. I wish to reach through the invisible Field and let you feel my heart, my gratitude. Be well Dahlia, you and your family are doing an amazing thing for this world - true warriors. You have my admiration." Debbie H. teacher from Vancouver
"I grew in so many magnificent ways at Guaria De Osa. I arrived expecting nothing, and I left with so many dreams and aspirations for which are still arising.
Motivation.
Transformation.
Opportunity.
Manifestation.
Release.
Creativity.
Acceptance.
Death.
Rebirth.
"There are no words (English, Spanish or beyond) that could possibly express my gratitude for all of the beautiful souls I met and all who made Guaria de Osa possible. I traveled physically, mentally and spiritually without fear... I received love and light and life beyond comprehension. I am so happy to have traveled on such an amazing journey with some brilliantly bright guides. THANK YOU to the power of 10! Thank you! Merci! Gracias!" Kaeli, artist from Ontario, Canada
"Guaria is doing special work, and we're glad to be able to support it by bringing it to the attention of the Reality Sandwich community." Ken Jordan, online pioneer of award-winning SonicNet.com
"The Council Gathering was such a beautiful experience. I loved every minute of it. The group was really special. I can't wait to go back next year. I'm already inviting friends to come with me. Thanks so much for everything. You do such a fabulous job planning everything for the trip." Karen P. yoga teacher from New York
"I highly recommend this retreat.... the level of healing, the light, the love, the blessings the elders bring with them is something unbelievable....it is difficult to describe what you live and what you receive in this retreat. Another VERY good thing is that the group is not too big so you get plenty of attention so the opportunity to interact with almost everybody is effortless. I also take this moment to say that Jonathon, the coordinator, is an amazing, amazing guy!!!!" Patricia C, software developer
"Thank you Dahlia and Ladna! This was a very profound experience. Thanks for your orchestrating and brilliant intentions for getting us all together!" Krista K., Brooklyn, New York bed & breakfast owner
"From start to finish, my experiences at Guaria were amazing. The physical beauty of the Osa Peninsulia is overwhelming and the Guaria de Osa Ecolodge is a beautiful jewel in this lush garden. The Ecolodge is right off the beach and Jonathon and the entire staff are enthusiastic to share their knowledge of the flora and fauna that share the space. The accommodations blend perfectly into the environment and the meals and services are top notch. I look forward to returning soon." Scott M. from Belize
"Sweet Dahlia! Your son, Jonathon Miller Weisberger, is an amazing spirit--a shaman, eco-warrior, plant medicine healer, and so in touch with not just the many species of plants and animals of the rainforest, but also, their interactions, medicinal uses, and the ecology of the land itself. He is absolutely an inspiration for MY life, as he dedicates and commits his manifold talents to not just saving/preserving the rainforest, which is so devastatingly threatened, but also to the divine spirit of the indigenes, including the Secoya and the many other native peoples whose land is under severe threat. There should not only be a book on Jonathon--but also a full-length movie that could only star himself--who else could possibly fill his shoes? This man/spirit is making a real difference for a whole population of humans, plant and animal communities, and his passion is contagious! I desire to work with him in the future, in a variety of modes, to assist him in making a real difference, on the ground, in the front lines, in a world that so urgently NEEDS his heart, and his action, and his PASSION! Thank YOU, dear Dahlia, and to your daughter, Ladna, for your love of life, and your desire and action to actually make a damn difference! much love." Dr. Steven E. chiropractor from North Carolina
"We had an amazing time. Thank you so so much for everything. Your son Jonathon is an amazing person, thanks so much for having him and bringing him up so well. The planet is truly blessed to have him. We have a very strong connection that will never be broken. Thanks again from the bottom of our hearts, our lives will never be the same again. We have had a major transformation. The Secoyas and Jonathon are so beautiful and powerful." —Karen Passalacqua and Larry Weinberg, New York yoga teachers
"With regards to our experience at Guaria, it was fantastic. The experience at the Council Gathering way exceeded our expectations and we could both say that this was one of the most important and meaningful 10 days of our lives. It was a life changing experience and I know that from now on life could never be the same for the better. The elders are overwhelming with their wisdom and humbleness. It is an honor for us to get to know them and drink the medicina with them. We really miss them and Jonathon. It was also a great pleasure for us to meet Jonathon. He definitely created a true paradise on earth. This planet just needs more people like him." —Silviya and Daniel Slavova, owners of Italian Restaurants, Bulgaria
"The wind, the sun, the sand, the water, the jungle. Although we can't find these everywhere, here at Guaria the depth of experiencing all of these is awesome. The elders and their ancient wisdom, and songs, as well as their healing powers, is an experience that a few fortunate souls get. When I look at the richness of my life and the great blessing given to me, this point in my life's journey is one that greatly enriches the road it follows. Thank you for bringing me here for the first time. Thank you Jonathon for making possible this experience in healing for me and the many who came to this jewel in Costa Rica. With much gratitude." —Ken Hammerlund, Garden Center Owner in Florida
"A beautiful journey. The elders are such a magical experience of the walking divine in ultimate simplicity. Thank you to my sister Lina for bringing me here and for all of her wisdom and vitality and to our group full of wondrous people celebrating my time. Birthday here was so special – facing the reality that we are dying and being born every moment, every breath, and that life is a choice and that it may be a difficult road at times but that we owe it for ourselves and each other to shine the brightest light that we are all made of. Blessings of love and health to all. Con Cariño" —Krista Kujat, Bed and Breakfast owner in Brooklyn, New York
"'Love' is the word that keeps coming back to me as I reflect on the past 8 glorious days that Martin & I spent at Guaria de Osa. It is so apparent in the intention of this magical place – from the trees Jonathon planted, to the care in the craftsmanship, in the caring staff and in the people who are drawn here from all corners of the world. Words cannot express the gratitude I feel toward Tin Tin, Rogelio, Marcelo, and Jonathon and the plants, animals, ad spirit that reside here for making this journey a transformational and memorable experience. I will carry the lessons learned here forward. Love and thanks to all!" —Ellen & Martin Barr, massage and occupational therapists from Washington State
"Spending the past 20 days at Guaria de Osa has been a monumental, shifting occasion. The gardens seem to speak an invisible language. Magic flows, whether sitting, wondering, or just allowing the mind to contemplate. The past ten days were shared with amazing traditional elders from the Secoya Community in Ecuador, a truly unforgettable time! I wish them well on their ascension to the heavenly realms, and to you Jonathon for your stories, huge heart, and passion. Gracias!" Andy from Australia
"Thank you Jonathon, Dahlia, Diego, Josep, Irma, and especially the Secoya masters for your vision, effort and support on behalf of us as guests and for the planet, the plants, the forests." Armand from Canada [his fourth Council Gathering]
"Jonathon, the elders, the apprentices and the staff have greatly changed my perspective on life and love. This is no small task. I am greatly indebted to them for all of the work they performed so unselfishly. I came here for healing and I feel as if I am leaving a better person, body, mind, and spirit." Carl from United States
"A superb venue for natural work, very well supported by high-quality assistants and nutritious food. The presence of Ecuadorian elders and their chanting made this event extraordinary." Chris from Australia
"Plant Medicine Council! A life-changing event! Excellent support from the master elders." Carla & David from Canada [their second Council Gathering]
"My dance with life will forever be more vibrant, more clear and anchored in the bigger realities. I superbly appreciate the quality of attention and devotion of every one - volunteers and staff - kitchen choppers and ascending masters. This retreat is not at all what I expected- however was more than I ever imagined. Much more. Much love, always." Kathy from United States
"Wow! Thank you! For all the experience, knowledge, wisdom shared & bestowed upon us. Sincerest gratitude for your visions in action! Love prevailing. Hope to share more experiences soon!" Sonia from United States
"A huge thank you to Jonathon and his staff, and especially to the Secoya Elders for their unconditional service. An amazing week in this Garden of Eden!" Steve from Australia
"Dahlia Miller brings her gaia/kali spirit to the Council Gathering while invoking the balancing presence of the Great (Feminine) Mystery." Armand Huet de Grenier from Canada, Spiritual Ceremonial Counselor and Teacher
"I felt as if I were on my own private South Pacific Island! Everyone is so kind, knowledgeable and helpful! Food is amazing! The orthopedic mattresses were well worth all the trouble it must have caused to get them here. Thank you for helping to make me conscious of my impulses and the power of my investment. You are a treasure that I will always keep in my heart." Bobby Sager, Sager Family Foundation from Boston, Massachusetts
"Jonathon! What good magic here at Guaria de Osa! Presided over by a most benevolent array of plant energies and animal intelligences, leafing and leaping spirits, laughing under a gazillion gleaming stars, accompanied by the steady drumbeat, like a dark heart of the wave on the sloping strand in wilderness and wonder." David Abram, author of The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception and Language in a More-Than-Human World
"Love, Love, Potency. Fabulous eco journey in the jewel of Central America." Ganga White, founder of White Lotus Foundation, Santa Barbara, California and author of Yoga Beyond Belief
"For Jonathon! Thanks for your work in the world! With best wishes." Jeremy Narby, author of The Cosmic Serpent, DNA, and The Origins of Knowledge
"Beautiful spot, great gardens, fantastic buildings, wonderful forest, very rich people. Thanks for the help, hospitality, generosity, honest, and all around good vibe. And the presence of the plants is palpable." Lincoln Stoller, physicist
"Many thanks for sharing the beauty and wisdom, shining the deep listening and the natural healing vibrations. What an inspiring and uplifting, magical and amazing meeting place. And the sounds … the music …" Nerupa Hoffman-Paiss, yoga teacher; and Amir Paiss, musician
"My trip to Guaria de Osa was a psychospiritual journey that opened up possibilities in my personal and professional life that I had only dreamed of before. And it was exotically beautiful, rejuvenating and fun!" Dr. Rachel Harris, psychologist
"I came here as one and left as another. Thank you." Simon Astaire, England (one of Queen Elizabeth's consultants)
"Sacred Love." Sting, musician from England
Ayahuasca Visions: The Religious Iconography of a Peruvian
Shaman
by Pablo Amaringo and Eduardo Luna. To order: North Atlantic Books,
Berkeley - chard@northatlanticbooks.com
Ayahuasca Reader: Encounters with the Amazon's Sacred
Vine
edited by Luis Eduardo Luna and Steven F. White;
(read A Huaorani Myth of the First Miiyabu
by Jonathon S. Miller Weisberger)
Book of Changes and the Unchanging Truth, attaining
Unlimited Life
by Hua-Ching Ni
Breaking Open The Head
by Daniel Pinchbeck (read Ch. 22 on Sentient Experientials in the Ecuadorian Amazon)
Coming Back To Life: Practices to Reconnect Our Lives,
Our World
by Joanna Macy and Molly Young Brown; foreword by Matthew Fox
El Bebedor de Yajé / The Yaje Drinker
by Alfredo Payaguaje, Secoya ethnobotanist, Ecuador Amazon
HerbalGram: The Journal of the American Botanical
Council
http://www.herbalgram.org
If You Love This Planet: A Plan to Heal the Earth
by Helen Caldicott, M.D.
In the Rainforest: Report from a Strange, Beautiful,
Imperiled World
by Catherine Caulfield
One River, Explorations and Discoveries in the Amazon
Rain Forest
by Wade Davis
Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the
Pillage of a Continent
by Eduardo Galeano
Permaculture: A Designers’ Manual
by Bill Mollison
Riding the Horse Backwards
by Arnold and Amy Mindell
Romancing the Beloved: A Sacred Sexual Adventure into Love; Her Story
by Joan Heartfield - Chapter 2 Eco Emissaries
Seven Life Lessons of Chaos: Timeless Wisdom from the
Science of Change
by John John and F. David Peat
Shaman's Drum Journal, A Journal of Experiential
Shamanism and Spiritual Healing
http://www.shamansdrum.org/
Shamanism, Colonialism, and the Wild Man: A Study in
Terror and Healing
by Michael Taussig
Taoist Inner View of the Universe and the Immortal
Realms
by Hua-Ching Ni
The Cosmic Serpent: DNA and the Origins of Knowledge
by Jeremy Narby
The Forest Within: The World-View of the Tukano Amazonian Indians
by Gerardo Reichel-Dolmatoff
The 100th Monkey: A story about social change
By Ken Keyes Jr.
The Lost Language of Plants: The Ecological Importance
of Plant Medicines to Life on Earth
by Steven Harrod Buhner (Please read Ch. 11 Living Biognosis ≠ the work of Sparrow, pgs. 249 ≠ 268 and other writers.)
The Nature of Shamanism: Substance and Function of
a Religious Metaphor
by Michael Ripinsky-Naxon
The Reenchantment of Art
by Suzi Gablik
The Reenchantment of the World
by Morris Berman
The Shaman's Body
by Arnold Mindell
The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception & Language
in a More-Than-Human World
by David Abram
The Tao of Physics
by Fritjof Capra
The Three Halves of Ino Moxo: Teachings of the Wizard
of the Upper Amazon
by Cesar Calvo and Kenneth Symington
The Way of the Shaman
by Michael Harner
The Web of Life: A New Scientific Understanding of
Living Systems
by Fritjof Capra
Thinking Like a Mountain: Toward a Council of All Beings
by Joanna Macy, John Seed, Pat Fleming, Arne Naess
Thought As A System
by David Bohm
Vine of the Soul, Where the Gods Reign
by Richard Evans Schultes
Workbook for Spiritual Development of All People
by Hua-Ching Ni
World as Lover, World as Self
by Joanna Macy; foreword by Thich Nhat Hanh
In the spirit of networking,
we thank you for passing the news on to others about this significant
event.
rainforest - paradise beaches - bird watching
- scuba diving - surfing - ethno botanical gardens - yoga |
