Traditional Amazonian Shamanism
Traditional Ayahuasca and Tobacco Ceremonies from the Root of Shuar Shamanism, with Arutam Ruymán
The living legacy of the Shuar people of the Amazon
A deep approach to the spirituality and medicine of the Amazonian peoples.
Arutam Ruymán guides us with truth through the shamanic tradition of the ancient peoples —especially as lived by the Shuar— helping us understand and integrate into modern life the full richness our ancestors lived and felt.
Issues that today seem distant, such as the understanding of their moral and spiritual values; the true meaning of the use of entheogenic and visionary plants in their ceremonies —tobacco, ayahuasca, floripondio, San Pedro—; and the use of herbalism, the understanding of disease, and the practice of healing, are covered in depth in his publications, lectures, and traditional ceremonies.
Upcoming Shamanic Events and Ceremonies
Throughout the year, Arutam Ruymán offers seminars, conferences, and retreats, both short and long, in different parts of the world. The ceremonies are held in countries such as Germany, Argentina, Ecuador, Estonia, Spain, England, Russia, Switzerland, and Turkey, bringing ancestral medicine closer to those who feel the call. Check the upcoming dates and locations to take part in these profound experiences of transformation and reconnection with the spirit.
Arutam Ruymán
Arutam Ruymán dedicates his life to travel, healing, and teaching the sacred art of the Amazonian Shamanism and “The Union in Arutam (Great Spirit)” throughout the world. He has spent years dedicated to humanity in a world that forgets, which in time, could lead to an irretrievable loss.
The roots of Shuar spirituality
Everything is Arutam (Great Spirit), an enormous and eternal perfection that contains everything in sublime delight. He lives in a lovely, never-ending eternity, in which he simply is. He is born in everything, because in that perfection he is one. He never trembles, for he resides in grace, without feeling anything like the passage of time.
The perfection of the Prime Creator can express only admirable art and beauty, and therefore our mind rests and cherishes the whole existence, singing in the very passion of life. To live awake in the Whole, to feel the whole world, and to be moved by the Spirit: that is the only thing for which we are born and prepared.
My ancestors in the jungle drank Natem (Ayahuasca, the Spirit of the Anaconda) and took the essence of Tobacco (the Blood of Arutam) to get closer to the Spirit. In our depths He rests, radiating warmth and life to all our cells. We are the bearers of His fiery spark, which sprang forth in the delightful embrace of the crystal of eternity, that from which creatures are born, and to which every man is loyal in faith and mercy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional Amazonian shamanism naturally evokes many questions in those who approach this ancestral wisdom for the first time. We understand that the path toward Union in Arutam may raise concerns about the ceremonies, the healing process, and the preparation needed to fully experience this transformative experience.
The following frequently asked questions have been carefully answered to support you in this sacred approach to the medicine of the Amazonian peoples, helping you walk with confidence toward the encounter with the Great Spirit that dwells in all that exists
What is shamanism?
Amazonian shamanism is the ancestral spiritual practice and medicine of the Indigenous peoples of the Amazon, especially the Shuar people. It is a complete healing system that connects the human being with the Great Spirit (Arutam) through the sacred use of master plants such as Ayahuasca and Tobacco. This ancient tradition understands illness, healing, and spiritual connection from an integral perspective that embraces body, mind, and spirit.
What deep meaning sustains this ancestral path of connection with the spirit?
In Shuar shamanism, the ancients sought union with their Creator (Arutam) through the path of the Uwishin (shaman), receiving their power in waterfalls and in the jungle, seeking the advice of Arutam and following in the footsteps of their grandparents.
This peculiar and unique art of the Shuar people was experienced as a sacred way of remembering the Spirit, returning to the body the sacred touch of life.
How is a traditional ritual lived within Shuar shamanism?
Traditional Amazonian shamanism consists of sacred ceremonies guided by an experienced shaman, in which master plants such as Ayahuasca, Tobacco, Floripondio, and San Pedro are used. These ceremonies involve traditional chants (with the more folkloric ones resembling Peruvian icaros), purification rituals, and ancestral teachings that offer a deep understanding of the moral and spiritual values of these ancient peoples.
What is the origin of this ancestral practice?
Amazonian shamanism is rooted in the ancestral traditions of the Indigenous peoples of the Amazon, especially the Shuar, as well as other ethnic groups who have preserved this wisdom for thousands of years. Its origins go back to the dawn of humanity, when our ancestors developed a deep connection with nature and the spiritual world as a means of survival and conscious evolution.
What purpose does the shamanic tradition serve in the process of healing and personal transformation?
Amazonian shamanism serves to heal on physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels. It helps to understand and address the root causes of illness, facilitates a deep connection with our divine essence, and allows the integration of ancestral wisdom into modern life. It is a powerful tool for self-knowledge, healing of trauma, and the development of spiritual consciousness.
What does Arutam represent in the spiritual tradition of the Shuar people?
Arutam is the Great Spirit according to Shuar cosmology—the vital force and universal consciousness that dwells within all creation. In Amazonian shamanism, Arutam represents the eternal perfection that contains everything in sublime delight. The Union in Arutam is the ultimate aim of ceremonial practices: to reconnect with this divine essence that we truly are.
What sacred plants are used in shamanic ceremonies and what is their spiritual purpose?
The main sacred plants in Amazonian shamanism include Ayahuasca (a visionary plant), sacred Tobacco (a plant of protection and spiritual communication), Floripondio, and San Pedro. Each plant has specific properties and is used under the expert guidance of the shaman in traditional ceremonies designed for healing and spiritual growth.
What is the physical, mental, and spiritual preparation like before participating in a ceremony?
Preparation for a retreat includes physical and mental purification through specific diets, abstinence from certain substances, and spiritual preparation through meditation and reflection. The care of vital and sexual energy is also contemplated, since this internal force is essential to sustain the process of healing and spiritual opening.
Following the previous indications with respect and commitment is part of the journey, like someone who listens to the advice of grandparents: not out of obligation, but because that wisdom prepares and aligns the body, mind and spirit with what is going to be lived.
What makes an ayahuasca ceremony truly safe and transformative?
When the guide is born from a true lineage and has been forged with years of experience and dedication, the path is sure. Safety does not depend only on the physical environment, but also on the deep respect with which the practice is sustained. A well-guided space allows you to open up to what is revealed, without forcing, without distracting.
Thus the ancient methods are honored: not as formulas, but as living paths that remind us how to walk with dignity, in silence, accompanied by the presence of the spirit.
What makes Shuar shamanism unique compared to other forms of spirituality?
The Shuar tradition is distinguished by its direct connection to the wisdom of the native peoples of the jungle, the ceremonial use of specific master plants, and its comprehensive approach to healing. Unlike other practices, it keeps alive the exact tradition passed down by generations of shamans, preserving rituals, chants, and knowledge in their purest and most authentic form.
How is a first ceremony usually experienced within a spiritual retreat with master plants?
Your first encounter can lead to deep visions, physical and emotional cleansing, and a sincere connection to the jungle and ancestral wisdom. Each experience is unique and personal; however, those who go through this path usually perceive it as a healing process that, although intense, awakens a transformation from the depths.
The essential thing is to approach with humility, an open heart and trust in the sacred process that dwells in each step.
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