ceremonies in brazil | The Edinburgh Shamanic Centre

Meet our teachers and ceremony leaders

We have been working with them since 2016

Maná Madhá

Maná has received from his own people, the name of "Santo" (Saint), what already tells us much about his noble mission on the service of healing.

As stated by Yawanawá leaders, Maná and his wife Ratsuhá, are "human beings of 500 years ago" and "kings" of spirituality. Maná has received a traditional training that very few shamans [pajés] have today and he also possesses an extraordinary knowledge of plants and a technique of spiritual healing that allows him in some cases to bring the disease into his mouth and materialize it into small stones that he then spits out.

Maná is a great master when it comes to healing of a spiritual nature, being a "complete shaman", both in terms of physical and spiritual matters.

Ratsuhá Madhá

Ratsuhá has undergone traditional training that few healers possess today. As a birth specialist, she has attended the births of thousands of children and is also a knowledgeable plant specialist.
She collaborates with her husband, Maná, in the healing arts, following the Madhá tradition.
Ratsuhá also sings beautiful Icaros during the ceremonies.

Vêsku Yawanawá

Vêsku devotes her life to preserving and promoting the culture of indigenous communities across various states in Brazil, with a special focus on empowering women and revitalising the use of medicinal plants.
As the eldest daughter of the esteemed leader Raimundo Luiz Tuimkuru, Vêsku carries on a rich legacy of healing. Her grandfather, a renowned healer, passed down to her deep love for medicinal plants, ensuring that this wisdom continues. She supports the Sitoakore Women's Organization, working with 18 indigenous nations, thus witnessing and studying various healing modalities with the use of oils, plants, trunks, leaves and roots.

Vesku has also developed a healing centre, the IRPY Instituto Runyn Pupykary Yawanawá, a medicinal plant pharmacy and a seed bank.

Runuiná Yawanawá

Runuiná carries in his name the mystery of great healing beings of the forest. Grandson of a great leadership Raimundo Luiz Tuimkuru, he is the son of Vesku Yawanawá and Antônio Apurinà, two great leaders within the indigenous movement in Brazil.

He is an apprentice of Maná Madhá and did diet guided by Biraci Nixiwaká and his aunt Putanny in the Holy Village (Aldeia Sagrada).

Runuiná is a very talented musician with a unique voice, bringing songs from a very deep Yawanawá root.

Our work: creating connections and sharing wisdom

Taking part in ceremonies guided by traditional Indigenous shamans is a deeply transformative experience. Maná Madhá is a keeper of ancestral wisdom and cultural traditions passed down for generations.

Our Ceremonies are far more than the act of drinking a plant medicine—they are sacred rites with the presence and guidance of experienced guardians, healers, shamans, and elders. Shaman Maná Madhá holds not only the knowledge of the medicine itself but also a profound understanding of the spiritual, emotional, and energetic dimensions it opens.

Sacred ceremonies guided by traditional shamans go beyond physical healing — they offer a path to inner transformation, helping us confront and heal from deep emotional, psychological, and even ancestral wounds. The indigenous elders we work with serve as navigators through this intense journey, utilizing their understanding of the plants, songs, sacred indigenous wisdom, and spiritual energies to create a safe and transformative space. Their presence is essential for ensuring that the healing is holistic, deeply integrated, and guided by ancient wisdom that extends far beyond the plant itself.

This type of healing is a journey that calls for respect, intention, and skilled guidance. The spiritual and deep connection of our traditional indigenous shamans helps you connect with the natural world, your inner self, and the profound energies of the plant, making the journey both meaningful and transformative.

It is a rare and remarkable opportunity to participate in this most ancient tradition and honor the indigenous people's contributions to our collective journey of healing and transformation.

In our transformative retreat, we come together in unity, reverence, and gratitude. It is also a wonderful opportunity for us to learn, grow, and strengthen the bonds of global friendship.

Stay tuned and join us for this highly anticipated event every year in Brazil.

Exchange:

Exchange for the week: £990 (only £141 per day). Paid directly to the indigenous people.

Included:

All ceremonies, vegetarian lunch, and a healing session held in a group setting on one of the ceremonial nights. If time is limited, the session may be scheduled during the week to ensure everyone receives attention.

Not included:

Flights, 2 x airport transfers of 3 1/2 hours journey (around £22 each if sharing a taxi with another 3 people or £80 if you prefer a taxi on your own), accommodation (hotel between £20 and £50 per night according to your choice), cost for local waterfalls visits.

Medicine retreat in Brazil: All-week immersive.

Notes: Accommodation ranges from £20 to £50 per night, depending on your choice and whether you are sharing. A hostel is located directly across from our centre, and and it costs around £23 per person per day without breakfast and £28 with breakfast. Alternatively, there are lots of accommodation at the village of Alto Paraiso, which is only 5 min driving from our Centre. If you decide to stay at the village it is quite easy to get to our centre

The healing session will be offered with translation support by Claudia. The Shaman Maná Madha practices a rare, ancient healing technique preserved by only a few shamans in Brasil.
This profound method is challenging to express in Portuguese or any linear language due to its complexity and its foundations in different paradigms and perspectives of physical reality. In some cases, small stones may be removed from the person’s body during treatment, followed by specific dietary and protective guidance.

Another service available is "opening of the voice," a practice involving both body and spiritual work to deepen one’s understanding of sacred songs. Students familiar with the Yawanawá tradition will recognize the prestigious role of the Kulina-Madhá people in this unique form of spiritual study.

Included in your exchange is a session with the shaman in a group setting during one of the ceremony nights and you can choose one of the modalities listed above. If you would like to experience both modalities (two sessions), there is an additional fee and an extra time will be arranged for that. Please talk to Claudia about this.

All funds raised will support infrastructure projects for their communities. To secure your booking, a £250 deposit is required. All bank transfers will be directly to the indigenous people.

How to get to where we are in Brazil:

Book a flight from your location to Brasília. Note: This is not a trip to the Amazon but to the central part of Brazil.
Then it is a 3-hour journey by car from Brasília to reach your final destination, Alto Paraíso de Goias. Ideally, you should arrive in Brasília in the morning, as shared cars typically depart after 12pm.
Once confirmed, Claudia can help you organise a shared car with a driver to pick you up at the Airport in Brasilia. There are cars going every day and it costs about £20 for a shared car or £80 for a car on your own picking you up at the airport or hotel at any time. Very easy!

Here’s our timeline to consider:

Deposit: £250 paid at the time of your booking.
Second Payment: £250 paid two months latter.
Final Payment: £490 paid when you arrive in Brazil.

Or you can spread the payments in any way that suits you paying it before the retreat.

All the above will be paid directly to the indigenous people. This provides time to handle any last-minute adjustments, for you to purchase the flights to Brazil, and for you to plan financially.
We strongly recommend booking flights as early as possible.

Cancellation Policy and Refunds:

Cancellations made 7 days or less before the event: No refund.
Cancellations made 8 to 15 days before the event: 25% refund.
Cancellations made 16 to 30 days before the event: 50% refund.
Cancellations made more than 30 days before the event: 70% refund.
In the unlikely event that we need to cancel, a full 100% refund will be issued.

What to bring:

Comfortable summer clothes, a towel, and swimwear for the medicinal plant bath and clay bath.

What we will provide:

We will provide lunch, tea, coffee, water and all the support you need.

About the 'Recanto do Beija-Flor' The hummingbird's home

The Recanto do Beija-Flor overlooks stunning mountains in the Cerrado, offering unforgettable sunsets.
Just a 20-minute drive from the centre are many stunning waterfalls. The region boasts over 200 breathtaking waterfalls in total. Check this link and just past forward to see some of the waterfalls in the region.

What Cláudia says:

Since 2016, I have had the privilege of meeting, visiting, working and learning from Amazonian Shaman [Pajé] Maná, Ratsuhá, Vesku, and Runuiná. I have always wanted to share these meaningful experiences with the people of Scotland and others from around the world.

It was both exciting and a deep honor to welcome them to Scotland in 2023 and 2025, where they shared their wisdom.

I am thrilled and honored to welcome the people of Scotland, whose support has been invaluable to the indigenous communities since 2016, as well as individuals from all around the world, to Brazil.

This retreat is more then a cultural exchange, it will also provide crucial financial support to the indigenous communities, helping them build infrastructure and create sustainable growth in many areas.

In heartfelt remembrance, I would like to honor and acknowledge the revered elder Tatá Txanu Natasheni (Tatá Yawanawá), who has transitioned to the Spirit World. Tatá served as a profound bridge, connecting Brazil and Scotland in 2016.

With his wisdom and radiant spirit, Tatá, at the age of 104, touched the hearts of many. It was his guiding spirit that led us back to the Amazon, igniting a deep commitment to support the indigenous communities through the Indigenous projects initiated by our Planetary Healing Charity and the Edinburgh Shamanic Centre. Tatá's legacy continues to inspire my work, and I hold his beautiful soul in eternal gratitude.

Retreat in Central Brazil

06 to 12 of February 2027

and every february thereafter

When, Where and What

Our programme: