Songs Of The Amazon
Ancestral Shamanic Study with Ambiwaska
Led by Taita Carlos and Eli Rechtschaffen - July 20 to 30, 2025 at Putumayo, Colombia
10 days of deep study and healing in the jungle!
This year, we are offering once again one of our most unique experiences ever! We are excited to bring a small group of individuals, a maximum of 15 people, to the Amazon jungle to study the Yage tradition with Taita Carlos.
In past years, I have had the opportunity to visit Taita Carlos three times in Putumayo, Colombia, and there are truly no words to express the level of healing I received while there. Taita explained that if one truly wants to delve into the mystery of medicine, it must happen in the birthplace of the medicine itself, where we are protected by spirits and the energy has remained pure.
For this reason, we are offering this upcoming retreat, but participants must have a certain degree of spiritual work behind them and be stable in themselves. It is not recommended that this is your first experience with Ayahuasca.
Working with Taita Carlos in the jungle is a very different and unique experience. We will go for walks in the jungle and drink raw medicine during the day. The location for our night ceremonies is not a traditional ceremonial space but an outdoor area we have created to keep our connection with the medicine intimate. During this retreat, we will have two-night yage ceremonies, two-day ceremonies with raw Yage, plant steam showers, ancestral medicine talks with Taita Carlos, private consultations, and much more.
Retreat includes:
Two yagé night ceremonies
Two yagé day ceremonies with raw medicine
Ancestral wisdom talks with Taita Carlos
Plant purgative with bobinsana for cleansing and strengthening
Multiple private consultations with Taita
River bathing and jungle walks to learn about the Amazon plants
Daily steam showers with medicinal plants
Closing fire ceremony celebration
Stay at Ambiwasi Putumayo Retreat Center
Pricing includes all retreat activities
The Team
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Taita Carlos Chindoy
Medicine-man, Taita and Botanist.
Taita Carlos is a medicine man, botanist, and healer from the Ingano Indigenous tribe of Putumayo, Colombia. From a young age, Carlos has been devoted to the art of healing, studying Yage plant medicine. He has learned from many grandparents and elders of the Yage tradition, with the jungle itself being his main teacher. Taita Carlos has spent extensive time traversing the jungles of Putumayo, absorbing its deep inner wisdom.
Taita Carlos offers genuine wisdom teachings. Despite his profound knowledge, he can easily transform into a friend or even a playful child, laughing at life. He is one of the most remarkable healers I have ever worked with, helping many to heal from what once seemed impossible. Taita Carlos is a true gift to the world.
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Eli Rechtschaffen
Medicine-man, Shaman and Guide
Eli was born in upstate New York and since a young age he has felt a strong connection with the spirits of nature. In his journey he found that the paths of meditation and shamanism have provided him the most supportive awakening tools.
Eli is a long-time practitioner of meditation where he has studied in many lineages and spent intensive time in retreats and in silence. He also has frequented the Amazon jungle and there he studied the medical plant medicines through the tutelage of the Ingano tribe. Eli is the founder of The Nature Within and leads medicine retreats in Costa Rica with the Taita Chindoy family. His life intention is to bring these sacred healing tools to all beings in order to support the collective awakening.
Where will the retreat take place?
Putumayo, Colombia
Putumayo is part of the Amazon Basin and is known for its incredible biodiversity. The department is characterized by its lush jungles, rivers, and diverse ecosystems. The Putumayo River, a major tributary of the Amazon River, runs through the region.
Putumayo is also the key center of the Yage tradition in Colombia and is home to many medicinal plants. In Putumayo, you find Indigenous tribes, including the Ingano, Siona, Kofan, and Kamentsá. These communities have rich traditions and maintain a deep connection to the land and its natural resources.
Ambiwasi Putumayo
Ambiwasi Putumayo is a new healing center created by Taita Juanito to facilitate an in-depth study of the Yage tradition. It is located in the Amazon basin, surrounded by lush jungles and rivers.
This center was established as a pillar of conservation and support for the ancestral wisdom and tradition of the tribes in Putumayo. As you walk along the property, you see an abundance of medicine plants, which are used in healing rituals and for study.
The center has a variety of room scales to suit your needs. We have private or shared cabins with your own bathroom or shared rooms. We hope to welcome you soon.
Your safety is our priority.
It is mandatory to read our Safety Guidelines prior to booking.
For our sisters joining..
Please take note that, in this tradition, women who are pregnant or on their menstrual cycle do not participate in the ceremonies. If you have your cycle during the retreat and can’t partake in the plant medicine ceremonies. In our retreats, we always have a moon ceremony for you. To learn more about our traditions and connection with the sacred time of bleeding visit here and for any questions write us at retreats@thenaturewithinus.com
Program Pricing
Total Investment - $2,900 - $3,300 depending on the room you choose
Initial Deposit - $800 to secure your space
It is required to read our Safety Guidelines and if you have any questions visit our FAQ page and
For more info or to retreat write to eli@thenaturewithinus.com
Cancellation and refund policy
The Nature Within reserves the right to cancel a program at any time. If The Nature Within cancels a program, you will receive a full refund. A refund, minus a $200 processing fee, will be offered for cancellations made on or before the close of business, 45 days before each program. No refund or credit will be offered for cancellations made with less than 45 days' notice; if you do not show up; or if you leave a program early.
We highly recommend that you purchase travel insurance, which insures you against unforeseen sickness, injury, job loss, inclement weather, and more.
Our Medicine Family
It takes a family to bring life back into love. With our collective prayers, connections and meditation we can plant seeds for the future that are worth reaping. We thank you and hope to sit with you soon.
May all beings be happy and free.
