We met Alan Shoemaker in La Casona in Iquitos, after coming back from our visit and ayahusca retreat with Huitoto Muroy tribe in Amazon jungle.

We are truly thankful to Shoemaker for sharing his experience and knowledge with us and therefor we share it with the whole world too! We believe this interview is worth watching and listening!

Alan Shoemaker is the founder director and host of the International Amazonian Shamanism Conference, an annual event that started in July 2005 in Iquitos, Peru.
Shoemaker is the author of a recently published book called “Ayahuasca Medicine: The Shamanic World of Sacred Plants Healing“ (available in Amazon). He works at Ayahuasca Medicine House in Iquitos, a “home” healing, and visionary center where people can live, cook their own food and attend Ayahuasca and San Pedro ceremonies several days per week.

Alan was born in Southeastern Kentucky and graduated from the University of Kentucky with a pre-law major, focusing on psychology, criminology and theatre arts.  He has worked teaching 35mm and dark room photography before becoming a child psychologist for several years. During this time he was also involved in mountaineering and rock climbing, representing companies and becoming distributor of Vertical Footwear rock climbing shoes in USA . Alan was the co-founder and co-artistic director of Sanctuary Theatre Group in Seattle, a professional theatre company.

Twenty years ago, he received his spiritual call to come to the Amazon to study shamanism. His first teacher was Dr. Valentin Hampjes outside of Quito, Ecuador before he arrived to Iquitos crossing The Putamayo river and a 15 meter dugout canoe for 2,500 km. In Iquitos he began his next apprenticeships with various maestros curanderos.

He has lectured on curanderismo all over the United States and Europe and has been published in Shamans Drum, Journal for Peace and Humanities, Magical Blend, etc. as well as having been a featured presenter in Conferences. Alan founded Soga Del Alma (Vine of the Soul) eleven years ago and recently finished building their second chapel on the Rio Itaya just outside Iquitos, Peru.

(A partial part of this text has been extracted from Alan Shoemaker bio on www.vineofthesoul.org)