Thank you
for this wonderful opportunity Brett. I speak often of "we" in this
interview. The other space holder here is my life partner Samay. She's a great
healer and supports me and the guests here in a wonderful way. She holds the
feminine balance of the container/space well. We plan to get married in Oct. of
this year.
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| San Pedro flowering |
Steve wants
to be clear that he is not a shaman. He is a Counselor and a specialist that
works with San Pedro.
Steve was
born in Oklahoma in April of 1958. He had a great childhood and was raised on a
farm. He was adopted at birth by two very loving parents. His spiritual and
shamanic path began at age 10 when his Mother died. He withdrew from the
comfort of others and connected (instinctively) with the Cherokee
understandings of nature. He would later learn at the age of 35 that his Father
was half Cherokee and his Mother was a quarter Creek (Muscogee). His spiritual
and shamanic path has never stopped since.
In 2001,
after obtaining a Certified Addictions Counselor CAC III certification, he
founded the NORA Clinic in Colorado and started treating dis-ease, dis-order
and addiction with intravenous amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and spiritual
counseling. Since that time he has employed many doctors, nurses,
acupuncturists, massage therapists, Reiki masters, and many other healers. His
70% success rate at healing addiction is still unrivaled in the U.S.
After
drinking San Pedro in 2010 he realized this medicine was a necessary addition
to any medical or addiction treatment. A year later he turned the clinic over
to his vice-president, sold everything he owned, and moved to Cusco, Peru. He
has since finished a two year San Pedro apprenticeship in Cusco. He completed his
apprenticeship in May 2013 having drank San Pedro over 200 times during his
apprenticeship. He has continued to drink weekly and as of May 2015 has
drank over 400 times. Since 2013 he has owned and operated San Pedro Workshops.
It is now located in Vilcabamba Ecuador.
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| San Pedro |
He believes
San Pedro is the ultimate healer of addiction, dis-ease and dis-order. He has
now begun doing guided meditation, counseling, and intensive workshops with the
San Pedro Cactus. The results have been miraculous. Steve states: “It’s not me
doing it. San Pedro is the one doing the work. It works in people’s own hearts,
showing them what’s real. He says “It guides my every word and action”. San
Pedro Workshops includes all the healing modalities he has provided to others
over the years, as well as additional healing methods.
Samay was
born and raised in Long Beach California. Born in in Nov 1964. She was always
very creative and curious about the healing arts. She finished college with a
BA in communication from UCSB. She later opened The Seventh Sense art gallery
in Rodondo Beach CA. The gallery
provided an outlet for her own works as well as many other artists. The gallery
also hosted many periodic wellness workshops. During the same time she studied
and trained in holistic healing and in Oct of 2017 she took her next step and
moved into the healing arts for good. She left Rodondo Beach and moved to
Ecuador. She is very comfortable with her healing gifts and shares them all
here. She offers massage, reiki, crystal therapy, creativity workshops, and
many other healing modalities. It is a pleasure and an honor to have her on
staff here.
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| Steve and Samay |
What drew you to
the Andes and working with the sacred plant medicine San Pedro?
Well I had been going to the jungle for Ayahuasca
for 3-4 years in a row and Ayahuasca told me every time: I would soon be living
in Peru. It never told me how or doing what, so it left me with more questions
than answers. I spent a lot of time wondering about that. Somehow knowing it
was true. Then in July of 2010 I met San Pedro at an Ayahuasca retreat. My
future teacher showed up to visit her friend the owner and offered us all a day
in San Pedro. The next day I drank and before it touched my lips I knew it was
my medicine. Before the day was over the lady facilitating the medicine ask me
to come and help/apprentice with the medicine. I left after the retreat and
went to Cusco and drank with her again asking the medicine what to do. I was
afraid to walk away from my clinic. I owned a Medical clinic in Durango Co. We
treated dis-ease, dis-order, and addiction with all natural intravenous amino
acids vitamins, and minerals. Pedro was very clear It was time to move away
from that and come to the real medicine. San Pedro would be my life’s work. My
teacher gave me a year to return. I made it in 10 months after giving my
business away and selling everything I own.
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| San Pedro cuttings |
You have completed
a two year San Pedro apprenticeship in Cuzco, Peru, can you describe what was
involved in this training?
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| San Pedro |
You do not call
yourself a ‘shaman’ which I find refreshing, can you tell us why this is?
I think the word shaman is a very
controversial word. Everybody seems to have their own idea of what that is. I
can't live up to that. I can't even live up to my own definition of it which
is: knowing every plant within 100 miles or more and treating/helping people
with ALL of them. I'm a plant specialist. Specializing in one, and a counselor
that helps people with one very special cactus.
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| San Pedro cuttings ready for planting |
How does San Pedro
work in healing, is it a diagnostic tool, a healer itself or both?
Good question. I'm still studying that one. So
as I see it many (not all) dis-eases have underlying emotional attachments that
haven't been addressed or feelings that have not been expressed and felt. Most
of us are taught not to feel i.e. "big boys don't cry" "ladies
don't get mad" so feelings get pushed down or stored. Making us not at
ease and not in order. When we finally express these old feelings in a safe way
and in a safe container (my specialty) people become at ease. So naturally
"dis-ease" disappears. Things are put in order so no more dis-order.
I believe many dis-orders are just overthinking and not letting go of the past
or feeling we should do "this" when everybody else says you should do
"that" or "you're crazy". There's always a Doctor to
diagnose and prescribe the drug of the month to help you "feel
right". San Pedro can also guide people on how to heal themselves with
diet, nutrition, and ways to stay connected to mother earth (Pachamama). Pedro
has many healing modalities.
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| San Pedro about to flower |
A lot of people who
seek out sacred plant medicines such as San Pedro, have problems with
addiction, is San Pedro potentially addictive and how can it help people with
addiction issues?
San Pedro is not addictive. I have drank over
600 times in seven years now, sometimes going a month or more without even
thinking of it let alone having any withdrawal, cravings, or need to drink.
I've never heard of anyone being addicted to this medicine either.
A word here about intention. It's very
important to have one. The medicine serves it well. If somebody shows up with
intention to heal "this" it will be healed. They believe the medicine
could help them heal or completely heal. I have seen people show up saying
"well my __________ said this might help heal my _________. I don't
know... I'll give it a try". These people usually have a great day in the
medicine but rarely walk away with a healing.
I believe San Pedro helps most people resolve
addictions by showing them what uncomfortable feeling or trauma they're trying
to medicate or escape. It shows them why they are addicted. After that has been
felt, understood and/or forgiven addiction ceases to exist. But again they have
to have that intention. I've seen people
with intention to heal their gambling addiction and their diabetes and get it,
but yet they walked away still smoking cigarettes with a bad back. They never
had the intention to heal those things. Specific intention is important.
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| San Pedro |
Can you tell us
about soul retrieval, what is it and how does it work?
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| San Pedro |
Are there any
dangers of working with San Pedro and if so, how can one avoid any potential
dangers?
Not really.
It's usually kind and gentle medicine. But it's always best to do it in the
presence of an experienced guide. It's sacred medicine, it demands respect, and
it should always be treated as sacred. If not done in a sacred way it could be
easy to misinterpret messages or visions in the medicine to be bad or negative
in some way. An experienced guide could unravel the metaphor, decode the
message, or explain the vision in a way that's completely different that’s
positive and re-assuring. Get a guide that understands this medicine and speaks
your language fluently.
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| San Pedro |
What are the
differences between the experience of San Pedro and the more well-known sacred
plant medicine Ayahuasca?
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| San Pedro |
How do you conduct
your San Pedro ceremonies, what is involved in the process?
First I
spend time alone clearing my thoughts and asking the medicine to guide me, my
words, and my actions and creating space. Then in circle I start by spending a
few minutes getting to know the guests over tea or water. I answer any
questions at that time and lay out the two rules, 1. No electronics. 2. No
talking, respect each other’s journey time and don't interrupt their journey.
Then we smudge in a traditional Native American style with White Sage,
cleansing and dropping into sacred journey space. We then "check in"
sharing how we are feeling. Then I call
to spirit, ancestors, archetypes, spirit guides, animal totems, San Pedro, and
others to come and keep us safe and show us what we need to see etc. Then we go
around circle and drink one at a time. We go around circle again and state our
intention. We all share our intention so that it becomes more powerful... a
group intention. Then as the medicine comes on guests go and find their own
special space in nature and lay down. Letting the medicine take them. I go
around and check in with people as the day goes on, explaining things if needed
or helping them do their work if needed. Most people don't need help. They're
too busy dancing on rainbows with angels. Then later in the afternoon as the
medicine goes away we come together again as a group and hang out sharing
whatever comes to heart. Then we serve vegetarian soup around dark and soon
after share angel card readings and how the day went for each of us. Soon after
I close ceremony. That's usually around 9-10pm. Then people hang out and enjoy each
other’s company for a while. Most are ready to sleep by midnight. Everyone
spends the night. We have plenty of beds, mattresses, pillows, and blankets. We
circle up again the next morning over breakfast and discuss dreams or things
that came to them in the night. Everyone that is leaving is usually gone before
10am.
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| White Sage smudge |
Sacred plant
medicines and psychedelics in general often have a bad reputation because of
people suffering so called “bad trips,” how do you reassure and guide someone
that is struggling with the experience and going through a “bad trip” during a
San Pedro ceremony?
Not many
people have a "bad experience" on this medicine. I don't like to call
it a trip. I feel that’s acid or LSD. I have facilitated San Pedro for around
6,000 people now and maybe 6-7 have needed help with a negative experience.
It's usually just fear caused by their being afraid to let go of their
conscious mind (ego). When the ego doesn't know what’s happening it can cause
problems. I help by doing guided meditation, energy work or just by being with
them. In a guided meditation I'm talking to the mind saying it's like taking a
nap. You'll be back online later just like waking up from a nap. Letting go in
order to sleep is much the same thing. If someone feels unable to get back I
journey to where ever they may be and bring them back. Part of the reasoning
behind drinking twice a week in the apprenticeship is becoming familiar with
the area people journey in. After all people are hiring me as a guide. That
implies I HAVE BEEN THERE.
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| San Pedro growing in a tree fork |
You offer a number
of workshops, working with San Pedro and other methods, can you tell us about
these?
They're all
the same really. It's just the length of time that's different. All workshops
include drinking medicine three days a week. The longer workshops allow us to
offer more body work, more in depth counseling, and more time to absorb and
integrate the lessons and reminders from the medicine.
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| San Pedro and Agave |
You are currently
raising money for a new healing space, can you tell us about that, how it will
be set up and how people can help?
Kind of a
long story. How we are guided to it and all. I've been feeling we need a bigger
space for a while now. Then one day Samay and I formed our intention together
to ask if we should move and then drank our medicine soon after the medicine
came on a large corner of the roof caved in and the boards underneath the eaves
of the roof crashed down. Then we noticed there was no wood to nail them back
to. Termites had eaten it all. A clear sign from Pedro it's time to go. Our
landlord is going to fix it but we don't care to be here while they remove the
roof. So later that night after our journey I looked at a place online that
lists houses for rent and for sale. No suitable rent houses were to be found.
Under houses for sale I found the perfect country home for our work and living
space. It's just down the road a few miles in Lentag. I knew immediately it was
for us. I felt moved to look at it and
talk to the owner explaining our situation. He agreed to take $10,000 down
payment letting us split that in two payments of $5,000. The first 5,000 due
when we move in before June 15th. The other 5,000 due in 3 months. The he will
let us live there for a year at which time he expects us to buy it or he will
finance the balance. A sweet deal. I think the medicine moved him as well. The
house is spacious and sits on 2.5 acres (1 hectare), Lots of space to wonder
around on. It has 4 bedrooms and can sleep a total of twelve people. A guest
can house two more. It also has a pool and a large covered outdoor space around
it. Perfect for lounging in the evening,
yoga classes, groups, etc. I plan to build a Moloca or a Yurt (a covered small
round house enclosed with screen) to hold ceremony in. If you donate and come later to a workshop your donation will be
discounted off the price of the workshop. If you the reader would like to
help the best way to donate is at our GoFundMe site. You can see pics and read
a better description of the property there also. Please feel into this. Ask
spirit if you should donate and how much. Then follow your heart. We appreciate
your love and support. Here is a link to our GoFundMe page:
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| New Healing Space |
Do you think that
the use of sacred plant medicines like San Pedro, can help change the world for
the better?
Yes for sure. It is already. As more people come to the medicine more
leave with more love in their heart and mind. That's the healer, Love. Our
world needs more of it right now.
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| Samay with San Pedro cuttings |
Seeing as though
stress and stress related illness has become an epidemic in the modern world,
do you think that the recreational use of San Pedro, to just have fun can be
beneficial and even healing?
I do agree
that stress is at an epidemic level but I don't think San Pedro should be taken
recreationally. It is serious medicine that should always be treated with
respect. To party on it seems dis-respectful. Besides it hasn't ever felt like
a party drug to me. I've known people who took some and went out to have fun
only to be traumatized by the "fun". The energy of other people and
places doesn't always feel good. LOL. It's not something to party with.
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| San Pedro flower |
What advice do you
have for someone that is new to working with San Pedro, and sacred plant
medicines in general?
First, stop
thinking and start feeling. Choose to take your medicine with an experienced
guide at a safe place that has a good reputation. Choose a facilitator that
speaks your language fluently. Take some time to get to know the medicine. I
have seen many people come drink one day, leaving the next for a busy tourist
trip when they really wanted to stay a while and drink another time or two.
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| San Pedro |
Is there anything
else you would like to talk about or get across to people?
This is an
interesting time we live in. The old macho capitalist masculine age is dying
out. Think of the human population as one big tribe. Every time one of its
members gets better or heals the whole tribe gets better. It's a good time to
remember love. Be love, speak love, and act from love. Take time to connect
with mother, get your shoes off, walk or lay in the grass, just get
outside. That's the sacred feminine and
it will save the planet. Let's spread that and not worry about the masses. They
will all be helped but just one person at a time, with love.
Our web
page here: http://sanpedroworkshops.com/
Read
reviews here: https://ayaadvisors.org/listings/san-pedro-workshops/
Help out
here: https://www.gofundme.com/3-months-to-raise-10000
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| San Pedro |
If you are looking for more information about San Pedro and Trichocereus cacti, join the San Pedro / Trichocereus Appreciation Group on facebook, for over ten years worth of information, handy hints, growing advice, pictures, alkaloid and potency information, brewing and extraction tips and lots lots more! ~ https://www.facebook.com/groups/317015961698556/
If you would like to be interviewed or have Tricho Serious Ethnobotany write a story about you San Pedro, Trichocereus or ethnobotany related business, feel free to contact me at bretloth@gmail.com
This article is the copyright of Brett Lothian © 2018. All Pictures used are the copyright of Steve Eagle Sewell © 2018.
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