With the Plants of the Jungle – My Journey to the Peruvian Healing Plants
- Gudrun Silvestre
- Nov 11, 2025
- 4 min read
A Journey Begins
Sometimes a single step changes your entire life. For me, that step began in a shamanic ceremony with Ayahuasca. When I held the cup in my hands, I knew there would be no tomorrow for the person I had been until then. I was aware that after that night, I would finally be myself.Already after this first ceremony, I stopped going to excessive parties and never touched alcohol again—not because I forced myself, but because the need simply vanished. It was as if someone had opened a door to a new world. I suddenly felt what life truly is. I began to fly.
From that night on, my adventure with the plants of the Peruvian rainforest began—an adventure that not only brought deep healing, but also opened my path as a shamanic practitioner.
Why Peruvian Healing Plants Are So Powerful
The Energy of the Amazon
The greatest biodiversity on Earth
Thousands of years of indigenous knowledge
Plants that act on body, mind, and soul
The Spiritual Dimension
In the jungle they say that every plant has a spirit—and that these spirits speak louder and clearer there than anywhere else. Each plant is like a teacher that can open gateways to consciousness.
My First Steps with Ayahuasca and Mapacho
Ayahuasca – The Initiation
Ayahuasca was my initiation. I dove deeply into my own themes, met my shadows, and experienced healing I had never thought possible. My consciousness expanded—not only that night but permanently—though I had to integrate what I had seen through many small steps in everyday life.
Mapacho – The Tobacco of the Jungle
Ayahuasca was almost always accompanied by Mapacho, the sacred tobacco of the Amazon. Unlike the tobacco known in the West, Mapacho is pure and potent. It is used in ceremonies for cleansing, protection, and connection with the “other world.” Through the tobacco we can also carry intentions and amplify energies. For me, it remains a strong and reliable ally to this day.
Plant Dietas – Learning Directly from the Plants
During my stays in Peru, I practiced plant dietas. This means retreating into simplicity, living quietly, and taking only one specific plant for days or weeks—besides one or two small meals a day made only of cooked vegetables, rice, or similar foods, without any salt, spices, or oil.We cleanse and open our bodies and energy systems in this way. In that silent encounter, the plant reveals its teaching—sometimes comforting, sometimes strict, but always healing. My dieta felt like a dialogue with a new teacher.
The 10 Most Important Peruvian Healing Plants
1. Ayahuasca – Mistress of TransformationOpens the (sub)conscious mind, brings the repressed to the surface, connects us with the Divine, shows wisdom, unites us with nature, and enables profound healing.
2. Mapacho – The Tobacco as Protector SpiritCleanses, protects, and grounds. A powerful, masculine energy and a teacher of presence.
3. San Pedro (Huachuma) – The Cactus of the HeartGentle, luminous, full of warmth. Opens the heart to love and compassion, and connects us with nature, music, and our surroundings.
4. Chacruna – The Plant of VisionsComplements Ayahuasca with visions and inner imagery that offer insights and messages. Chacruna leaves are brewed together with the Ayahuasca vine. The plant is associated with the jaguar, as its leaf patterns resemble its fur. Among the indigenous peoples, the jaguar is seen as sacred and magical—the king of the jungle, and often the spirit animal of shamans.
5. Coca Leaves – Connection to PachamamaSacred in the Andes. Used in Despacho ceremonies as offerings to Mother Earth. A symbol of connection to heart and ancestors. Also used to ease altitude sickness. The effect is both calming and awakening—it expands the inner space.
6. Cacao – The Medicine of JoyOpens the heart, brings lightness, and strengthens community. Shows that healing can be gentle and full of love. Creates a warm, embracing feeling.
7. Uña de Gato (Cat’s Claw) – Strength for the BodyAnti-inflammatory, immune-boosting, and supportive of inner resilience.
8. Sangre de Drago – The Red Blood of the JungleA tree resin that heals wounds and prevents infection. A symbol of vitality and protection. When I suffered numerous scratches from jungle plants, the shaman gave me Dragon’s Blood to apply—and the wounds healed beautifully.
9. Camu Camu – Light and VitalityA fruit with an extremely high vitamin C content. Brings energy and strengthens the inner radiance.
10. Maca – The Power of the AndesA root that provides energy, fertility, and balance. Symbol of strength and life force. A little mixed into morning coffee tastes lovely and gives an amazing boost of energy and good mood.
Conclusion – Plants as Gateways to Ourselves
My journey with the healing plants of Peru has been a journey to myself. Every plant, every ceremony, every dieta was another step on my path.These plants are more than medicine—they are teachers, companions, and gateways into a world where healing, consciousness, and nature become one. They work uniquely for each person, powerfully cleansing and transforming; they are the threshold to another dimension.
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