I used to be afraid of the jungle.
Especially, because of the insects.
I held the memory of the conquistadors, of the wilderness, the green hell that devours people, and where the sense of time and space disappears, leaving people trapped in an unreal place populated by wild creatures.
How wrong I was.
For the insects part, all you need to do is to take thiamine (B1 vitamine) beforehand and have a good insect repellent (I loved Tropical Armor, it’s natural and smells delicious).
And as for the jungle, wow… sigh… immersing myself in the green sea, opened my heart to the mystery of trees and water, where everything is alive, vibrant, and humid. Green that I love, lemon green, apple green, pulsating green, dark, shiny green. Giant trees, crystal-clear rivers, people with a dignified and profound gaze.
Besides feeling safe throughout the journey, where the logistics were impeccable (internal transportation, food, and accommodation), I felt immensely fortunate.
We were welcomed by indigenous people in their homes, within their indigenous reserve. Being embraced by those who inhabit the territory changes the whole perspective. Beyond the romanticized image of the indigenous person with feathers on their head and bare feet, or the pejorative image of the drunk indigenous person, what emerges is people living, and as part of their lives, they open the door of their homes and welcome us.
There, I found a purity that I still can’t place; it might be the clean air without machine noises or children running and laughing without adult shouts of anger. Maybe it was the birds singing or that immense yellow moon I saw rising from the river. It could also be the sense of attention and presence from adults, who, although they don´t speak that much, maintain an attitude that seems to perceive everything that happens while taking care of what they are doing without haste or worry.
About the powerful Yagé medicine, I don’t have much to say, except that I deeply understand, in every cell of my body, the wonder of taking it in its territory, where it teaches and is an integral part of the life of each person in the community. I am grateful to the elders who uphold the tradition and to those ancient peoples whose children learn to live among the river stones and the earth they walk on, who know the spirit of plants and how to use them to keep us healthy.
To the jungle, I will return.
A thousand times.
To help with my presence, money, and time so that these ways of life, which are not wild or primitive, but different and powerful, endure over time, to learn from them.
I return to breathe the air and listen to the water, to remember life and the love that life is.
@laia.engaia
If you wanna feel this, join us in our next trip. Contact us here
