Sacred Roots Retreat
Journey to the Center of your Soul
in the Sacred Waters of the Yucatan
September 25 – 30, 2024, Valladolid, Mexico
Have you heard the call from the Toad?
Are you looking for a powerful, solid container?
One with honor, respect and reciprocity?
Then exhale. You have found what you have been looking for.
Buckle your seat-belt and join me for a very personal and magical journey!
Soothed by warm tropical waters, your body and mind are deeply relaxed and open. High above this magnificent pool sunk deep into the earth, a network of fig tree roots reach down to form a living curtain that drinks from the sacred waters. As you swim, shafts of light filter down as if from heavenly portals, and the echoes of native flutes bounce off the walls, inviting you to open your heart ever more deeply. Sighing with wonder, you sense that you are surrounded by ancient wisdom, being held in the very womb of Mother Earth.
Is this real? You wonder, “Where am I?”
You are swimming in a sacred cenote, part of a network of deep, underground rivers that help you remember who you really are… And that is exactly what you have come to do on this journey! Just for a moment, imagine dropping in with Toad medicine, deeply and sacredly held to explore the vastness of being, creation and your place in it. Coming back to the bird song of the luscious jungle, deeply sinking into a new reality, more clear, more purposeful, deeply rooted in YOU.
So… why should you join me?
Simple, this is a journey planned with YOU and your uniqueness in mind! As a native of this land whose family has lived here for generations, I’ll whisk you past the typical touristy sites and usher you into the heart of my family’s home town and way of life. We will take a peek behind the veil of the usual Yucatan retreat and immerse ourselves in the wisdom of this very rich ancient culture…
The energy of these healing lands will be the backbone of our journey.
The Toad
5 MEO DMT has been used ceremonially for centuries in the Caribbean and South America. It has been called the God Molecule because more than any other medicine, it has the ability to dissolve the ego and take you to a place of complete connection to all that is.
When I started working with the Toad, I was led to the Sonoran desert, where my maternal family comes from and put my bare feet on that land. I met the COMCAAC tribe who works with this medicine and asked permission from the ancestors to be able to connect with the spirit of the Toad. He has been partnering with me for several years to help people deeply connect with their soul, their path, release blocks, get clarity and so many more beautiful experiences!
To prepare for this ceremony, set the intention to fully surrender to where the medicine wants to take you. Prepare as though you were going to meet the most important soul on the planet, YOU! And celebrate the depth of that sweet connection!
The Ceremony will take place at…
Cenote Chenxunan is nestled deep in the jungle about 45 minutes from Valladolid and the name signifies “Cenote of the Lady” in Mayan. This land is impeccably tended to by my family and it os one of the most beautiful and special cenotes I have ever visited. The ceremony will happen on solid land above the cenote and after each ceremony, you will have an opportunity to dive into these magical waters to reset, regenerate and integrate your experience.
Accommodations
Where are we staying? La Posada San Juan is a 19th century home found by my cousins when they wanted to leave the hustle and bustle of the city (Cancun) and get closer to nature. When they realized that living in the middle of the jungle was not practical, they fell in love with this large home in the colorful city of Valladolid, which is known for its rich culture, strong traditions and majestic temples.
After an extensive renovation project that honored the architecture and style of the original home, Alfredo and Sara opened up this 8 suite boutique hotel in the epicenter of the sacred sites and mysticism of the Mayas. Exquisitely decorated with the all the comforts of a high quality hotel and the touches of the local culture, the rooms include a gorgeous locally woven hammock, a bright spacious bathroom and of course, super comfy beds (although you can opt to sleep in the hammock as the locals do!) Located a few blocks from the main plaza, Posada San Juan is a little sanctuary with the convenience of fabulous food, great shopping and fascinating culture all within a short walking distance!
The Cuisine
What happens when you combine exotic flavors with organic healthy, creative mouthwatering delicacies in a tropical climate?
You will meet Sara and Alfredo, owners of La Posada San Juan and restaurant La Esquina. They are my cousins and tend to their guests with the most impeccable Mexican hospitality. Their cooking will tickle your every sense…
Imagine sinking your teeth into freshly picked pitaya (dragon fruit), mangos and avocados that garnish the fresh sopa or sipping one of their fruit elixirs with exotic coconut water and local moringa for the first time! They’ve promised me that we’ll celebrate Yucatan’s unique cuisine while also nurturing our physical temples for a feel-awesome, taste-amazing experience. And if you have special dietary needs, they are happy to honor them. We won’t just be dining in, you’ll have plenty of time to get adventurous. After all, the carnitas (pork tacos) of Valladolid are divine! Or you might want to try the churros from the street cart (my kid’s favorite!)
These are just a few of the titillating delights in the treasure trove of tastes of the region’s specialties!
The Inside Scoop
Why the Yucatan? My own personal transformation journey has brought me full circle to back to my Yucatan roots, where my father was born.
I grew up in Mexico City with my mom, who was fascinated by the Tao and became a healer when I was in elementary school. My sisters and I all ended up following her footsteps through our own journeys Every summer, we visited our grandmother in the Yucatan and I remember how hard it was to climb the huge steps of the pyramids of Chichen Itza, holding tightly to the chain so I wouldn’t fall but making sure I got to the top before my little sister!
Back then, the Mayas were another page in the history book at school and a cool pyramid to conquer. Little did I know that I would get closer and closer to the wisdom of my culture as I grew up.
I left Mexico at 17 to study music in Los Angeles and the further I got from home, the closer I got to understanding the spiritual principles of the culture I had left behind. After a fulfilling career as a Music and Spanish teacher and Founder of a Language Academy, my life took a complete turn. My soul was yearning to fulfill its purpose, and in a few short months, everything changed.
In 2012, I joined with the Mayan elders to reconnect with my roots by doing sacred ceremony in my own homeland. I took off my shoes and felt the call of the Mother. I smelled the incense of the wise elders who held the knowledge. I danced and celebrated the shift of humanity. That same shift was happening in myself, and it continues to this day. This retreat is part of my journey back, and I am inviting YOU to join me!
When I moved to Colorado in 2015, the medicine found me. It was as if the Grandmother herself was summoning me to go deeper in my work. To deeply heal and to humble myself. I sat with Grandmother Ayahuasca for a few years, listening, learning, crying, purging…
She then led me to Los Niños Santos (aka magic mushrooms) and they led me to Oaxaca to learn more about the lineage from where they come. I found myself smack in the center of a “psychedelic renaissance” learning a lot about ancestral medicine who’s lineage was unbroken, and therefore not a renaissance at all.
I had so much to learn about this world, I ended up in an internship with an amazing therapist/healer who had been working with medicines for a while and had healed herself from brain damage. Little did I know then that my path would lead me to The Toad.
The Toad called me in and again my life changed. My ancestors clearly spoke to me and led me down the path to study this medicine. They told me to put my bare feet in the land of my maternal ancestors in the Sonoran Desert, so I did. They showed me how to work with this very unique medicine who’s ancient roots come from a seed in the Caribben and South America, and more recently the Toad from Sonora, Mexico.
My most recent teachers are from the Andes, they work with the seed of this medicine and many others. I have gone on pilgrimages to Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. The learning continues and deepens every moment.
I was invited to deepen my roots as a Mexica Dancer, ceremonially dancing to embody the understanding of the sacredness of Indigenous Wisdom of the lineages from which I come.
Many many people have come to learn and expand from the Toad medicine since I started partnering with that beautiful medicine years ago.
It is my pleasure and honor to weave so many threads together, offer the medicine of the mother in the land of the father in the sacred waters of the ancestors. Hope you join me!
In Lak’ech, A La Kin (I am you, you are me)
I give deep respect for the Indigenous wisdom and the keepers of that wisdom. The ways of the medicine keepers has been passed down not only generationally, but by people who were born with that mission to other people in the lineage who were also born with that mission. Maria Sabina, the Grandmother of Los Niños Santos, said that the ways of Los Niños Santos could not be taught. You were either born with it or you were not.
The so called Psychedelic Renaissance has brought the medicines to the surface of society where people think they can have a “career” by being a guide or facilitator.
When I partnered with these medicines, I had no idea nor plan to make a living sharing them with others. It is a deep honor and I am very humbled to be able to partner with Master Teachers and I do not take it for granted.
The moment I feel that my mission with these medicines is complete, I will allow myself to be led to my next mission. That’s how this works.
Education, spiritual coaching and ancestral healing have been consistent life missions for me. I am committed to helping my clients re-root and re-wild, achieving emotional freedom and a deep connection to The Mother. Finding their own coordinates of belonging in their known and unknown lineages can help heal deep separation wounding, release blocks and re-define success in our lives.
What’s Included
- Group get-to-know-each-other zoom gathering before retreat.
- Transportation to/from Cancun airport to Valladolid.
- Boutique accommodations: Double and single occupancy (Queen and King Rooms available, see Rates page for options) for 6 days and 5 nights.
- 12 delicious and healthy meals between Wednesday dinner and Sunday breakfast. There will be a couple of opportunities to have lunch on your own as you adventure in town.
- Bufo Ceremony at Cenote Chenxunan.
- Entrance fees to the cenote.
- Integration Circle post ceremony.
- Zoom integration circle a week post retreat.
What’s Not Included
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- Your round trip transportation from home.
- Your optional excursion and lunch on Thursday and Sunday. You will have an opportunity to explore the local delicacies.
- Your round trip transportation from home.
- Souvenir shopping and personal items.
- Tips for hotel staff (We recommend $3 per person per night), masseuse and other optional services.
- Tips for yoga instructor (we recommend $5 per person).
- Masseuse and other optional services.
- Private coaching and additional integration sessions with Ana.
Once registered, you will receive a list of what to bring, how to prepare and a link to our private signal thread.
Welcome! The journey begins the moment you register and… it never ends! 🙂
Learn More About Me
The Healing Arts and the medicine were a calling for me, not a decision! During my transformative journey, I have been honored to train with incredible masters such as Dolores Cannon, Leigh Ann Phillips, Tony Bergins, John Beaulieu, Don Conreaux, Christiane Pelmas and Maná among many many others. I have traveled far and wide to gain wisdom from elders, medicine people and sacred sites, and have been humbled to have been invited to co-lead trainings, workshops and retreats with amazing healers in Mexico, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Virginia, Washington DC, San Francisco, Denver and Boulder. I have sat in malokas with elders and ancient medicines in Peru, Colombia and Bolivia.
I created and co-led a Mystery School for a few years and I am now planning my next teaching adventure as Ancient Wisdom and Sacred Medicines come to the forefront of the Healing Arts, but yet need to be protected so the essence of the medicine does not get lost in the capitalistic, colonial ways of the so called “Psychedelic Renaissance”
As I have seen all my passions converge, from musician, to teacher, to healer’s catalyst, to medicine woman, it only makes sense that I add my love for travel and my sacred roots to the mix and put it all together in a retreat that will encompass it all! This is it!
I deeply believe that our healing depends on reconnecting to our roots, Mother Earth and the More than Human World.
I am so very excited to share this journey with you, help you reconnect with your own roots and deepen your relationship with who really matters!
