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Roaming the Mind is the online home for the writing and work of Robert Tindall and Susana E. Bustos.

The Shamanic Odyssey: Homer, Tolkien, and the Visionary Experience is an exploration of the indigenous roots of Western literature, of the native mind lying in plain sight not only in the ancient epics of Homer, but also in the fantasy works of J.R.R. Tolkien. As such, the Odyssey as well as The Lord of the Rings can be seen as awakening and healing songs to return our disconnected souls back into harmony with the living cosmos.

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The Jaguar that Roams the Mind is a journey into the vanishing world of Amazonian shamanism. Robert Tindall travels through the churches of ayahuasca, with the Kaxinawa Indians in Brazil; to a Peruvian center for the treatment of addiction, Takiwasi; and reveals his studies with an Ashaninca shaman in the rainforest jungle. Moving beyond the scientific approach of reducing medicinal plants to their chemical constituents, Tindall illustrates the shamans' intimate relationships with plant spirits. He explores the three pillars of Amazonian shamanism: purging (drawing disease out of the body), psychoactive plants (including the use of ayahuasca), and diet (communing with teacher plants).

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Susana and Robert have endeavored for some years to make themselves available to those seeking treatment and psycho-spiritual development in the vegetalista tradition of the Amazon, but have been limited to leading journeys to the rainforest once a year.

Our circumstances have now changed with our move to Peru, bringing some flexibility into our capacity to receive and assist those who wish to work with the maestro Juan Flores at Mayantuyacu or with the therapeutic team at Takiwasi, the center for the treatment of addiction.

Not only will we be leading groups of pilgrims annually or bi-annually into the rainforest for two-week immersions into the vegetalista tradition, but can also now receive individuals and smaller groups according to their own schedules, arranging treatments and orienting them to the medicine work here.

Please contact Robert at tigrillo@gmail.com, or Susana at susana@roamingthemind.com for further information.

Integration sessions are necessary for many people who have experiences in non-ordinary states of consciousness. The access to these experiences may be spontaneous or induced by methods and techniques such as Holotropic Breathwork, drugs, meditation, or spirit quests, among others. They tend to impact the whole organism at the physical, emotional, mental, and existential levels, requiring a safe container to be processed and metabolized in daily life, particularly when people feel open, incomplete, or still dwelling in the state after the most intense experience is over.

The techniques used for integration vary depending upon the needs of the person, including sharing, framing of the experience, bodywork, the expressive arts, and dietary advice, among others.

A session lasts about one hour and a half. Phone consultations and skype sessions are available to people outside of Peru.

Holotropic Breathwork is a powerful method for healing and self-discovery that relies upon the inherent drive for wholeness within each individual. It was developed by Dr. Stanislav Grof, M.D., one of the founders of transpersonal psychology, and his wife Christina, based on insights drawn from modern consciousness research, transpersonal psychology, anthropology, Eastern spiritual practices and mystical traditions from around the world.

This method combines hyperventilation, evocative music, and focused energy release work to experientially access the deeper dynamics of the psyche that are ready to emerge for an individual, according to his or her particular circumstances. These dynamics may correspond to biographical, perinatal, or transpersonal realms of consciousness.

Holotropic Breathwork has proven to benefit people with a broad range of conditions, such as psychosomatic disorders, addiction, stress, anxiety, and depression. It is an excellent complement to psychotherapy and self-inquiry methods and practices.

For more information, please contact Susana at susana@roamingthemind.com.

Camino to Santiago
Mayantuyacu
Pucallpa, Peru
Shipibo