Video channel
Reconnecting with My Purpose and Calling - Healing Experience at Takiwasi - September 2026
After 30 years working as a firefighter paramedic in Colorado, U.S., Dan came to Takiwasi for the first time with two intentions: to find healing for himself and to learn how to better support his brothers and sisters in the fire service. Through the retreat/dieta, he was able to reconnect with a deep and clear sense of his personal purpose and his calling as a first responder. In his testimonial he also reflects on the importance of his own healing and personal growth, and how this allows him to better care for his family, his community, and those who serve alongside him.
Author : Fabio Friso, Martín Huamán
Audio : English
Subtitle : Español, Français
From Anguish to Liberation: The Power of the Master Plants Dieta - September 2026
The power of medicinal plants and the dieta in the jungle can help bring to the surface emotions and experiences that have remained held within, such as anger, fear, sadness and anguish. Through the action of the plants and therapeutic accompaniment, these emotions can be recognized, expressed and processed, allowing the person to digest what has been lived, release what was blocking them, and recover energy that had remained trapped in these conflicts. In this sense, the dieta is conceived as a profound transformative process that can leave a lasting imprint on the person.
Author : Fabio Friso, Martín Huamán
Audio : English
Subtitle : Español, Français
From Separation to Relationality: Master Plants and Sustainability - September 2026
In this conversation, Professor David Manuel-Navarrete (School of Sustainability, Arizona State University) and Matteo Politi (Research Manager, Takiwasi Center) explore how the current ecological crisis calls for a profound transformation in the way we understand the relationship between human beings and nature. Drawing on concepts such as relationality, inclusive transdisciplinarity, and spirituality, they discuss the need to integrate scientific knowledge with Indigenous knowledge and direct experience with master plants. More than a reflection on ecology, this dialogue proposes a paradigm shift: moving from a logic of control and separation toward a culture of reciprocity, in which the Amazon and its ancestral knowledge become a source of learning for addressing the challenges of global sustainability.
Author : Fabio Friso, Martín Huamán
Audio : Spanish
Subtitle : -
Planetary Health: What if we related to the planet as a living being with a spirit? - September 2026
David Manuel-Navarrete is a Professor of Sustainability at Arizona State University and a researcher in planetary health. In collaboration with Takiwasi’s Research Department, he proposes to investigate and understand the professional transformations of people who, after undertaking a retreat/dieta with master plants at Takiwasi, began working with medicinal plants, either by undertaking dietas in their places of origin, relocating to the Amazon, or incorporating plants into their professional practices. During his stay at Takiwasi, David personally undertook a dieta with the aim of deepening his understanding of this particular therapeutic methodology of Amazonian traditional medicine. This experience inspired him to develop a new line of research focused on planetary health. Based on his observations and reflections during the dieta, David raises a new research question: could some of the principles of a therapeutic methodology that seeks to address human beings in their physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions inspire new ways of addressing the health of the planet?
Author : Fabio Friso, Martín Huamán
Audio : Spanish
Subtitle : -
Master Plants Dieta Testimonial - Finding Clarity and Renewal at Takiwasi - August 2026
In this heartfelt testimonial, Theodore shares his experience at Takiwasi after years of searching for healing, clarity, and direction. Through the traditional Amazonian medicine approach, including the master plant dieta, ayahuasca ceremonies, and the guidance of the Takiwasi team, he describes a profound process of transformation, renewal, and rediscovering his life purpose.
Author : Fabio Friso, Martín Huamán
Audio : English
Subtitle : Español, Français
U.S. Navy Veteran Finds Healing and Clarity with Medicinal Plants in the Amazon - August 2026
After completing his service in the U.S. Navy, Juan joined Takiwasi's Retreat for Veterans & First Responders in search of healing. In this heartfelt testimonial, he shares how the retreat helped him heal unexpected wounds from his past, reconnect with his roots, and gain a renewed sense of clarity and direction for his life. “The retreat allowed me to look at my roots that I walked in here with and allowed me to pull those old roots out, so that I can grow newer ones, deeper ones, stronger ones. So, I'm leaving here with a new set of roots and it's exactly what I needed.”
Author : Fabio Friso, Martín Huamán
Audio : English
Subtitle : Español, Français
A Journey to Find Myself - U.S. Marine Experience with Master Plants - August 2026
The retreat with master plants can be experienced by participants as a true rebirth process, especially by those who are seeking answers and a deeper sense of meaning in their lives. In his testimony, David, a former U.S. Marine Raider, highlights that he did not expect to encounter the spiritual dimension that accompanies experiences with ayahuasca and master plants. However, this dimension ultimately became, for him as well as for many other participants, the deepest and most meaningful aspect of the transformative process experienced during the retreat.
Author : Fabio Friso, Martín Huamán
Audio : English
Subtitle : Español, Français
Invitation to the IV Dialogue Between Medicines Conference – Dr. Jacques Mabit - August 2026
Invitation from Dr. Jacques Mabit to participate in the IV Dialogue Between Medicines Conference, organized by the GASS Association in collaboration with Takiwasi Center. Theme of the meeting: “Spiritual Illnesses, Traditional Medicines and Christianity”. Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026. Location: Barcelona, Spain. More information and registration: www.dialegsmedicines.org
Author : Fabio Friso, Martín Huamán
Audio : Spanish
Subtitle : English, Français
Ayahuasca and Traditional Amazonian Medicine - August 2026
Dr. Jacques Mabit was invited to participate in the Universe Within Podcast to speak with Jason Grechanik about his personal journey and more than four decades of experience integrating Amazonian traditional medicine with Western biomedicine and psychotherapy in the treatment of mental health. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Mabit explores the differences between Western and Indigenous worldviews, particularly in the way they understand human health, nature, and the spiritual dimension. He also warns about certain risks, such as the idealization of Indigenous traditions, the commercial use of master plants, and the lack of proper training among many contemporary therapists. Traditional Amazonian medicine cannot be reduced to the use of psychoactive plants; rather, it is a complex system based on rituals, diets, reciprocity, discipline, and a profound relationship with the invisible world.
Author : Universe Within Podcast
Audio : Spanish
Subtitle : -
Phytotherapy, Ethnobotany, & Ayahuasca - Matteo Politi - July 2026
Our Research Manager, Matteo Politi, was invited by Jason Grechanik to join the Universe Within Podcast to discuss his professional background and the research he conducts at the Takiwasi Center. During the interview, they explored a wide range of topics, including the pharmaceutical industry, phytochemistry, phytotherapy, Indigenous Amazonian medicinal practices, and the importance of integrating different knowledge systems to better understand the relationship between medicinal plants and human well-being. The conversation highlights the interdisciplinary approach that defines Takiwasi's work, where scientific research engages in dialogue with Amazonian traditional knowledge to foster a more holistic understanding of health, biodiversity, and the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants.
Author : Universe Within Podcast
Audio : English
Subtitle : -
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