ABOUT US
AMA
/ˌɑː.mə/
in many different languages around the globe, Ama translates as mother or grandmother
KAYA
/ˈkaɪ.ə/
our favourite word in the Shipibo language,
translated as soul, shadow or reflection. It can also mean
“that which makes us exist”
We have seen how ayahuasca has transformed our own lives and the lives of countless others. We have also witnessed how difficult it is to find the right people to guide you through the process and the right setting in which to engage with this powerful medicine. This is why we created Amakaya.
There are hundreds of places that serve this medicine with various methodologies and motivations. At Amakaya, we blend timeless indigenous wisdom with modern, scientifically-grounded approaches to self-examination and healing. During our retreats, the medicine is the primary teacher and source of inspiration and insight. Our Shipibo maestro, Nete Besó (Richard) leads the ceremonies with his enchanting ancestral singing (icaros), with Kajsa and Jonathan always present to support and hold space. Our retreats are designed to allow you to confidently explore, learn and grow ― in a safe, encouraging, and dogma–free environment.
Coming to Amakaya isn’t about being pampered or treated like a guest at a luxury resort. This is an opportunity to step away from the world of marketing and hype and into a world of subtlety, nuance, and hard work. You may experience bliss and love like never before, but you will likely need to experience something far less pleasant first. You may find answers and guidance beyond your wildest expectations, but you may be required to ask deeply uncomfortable questions or let go of something you thought was precious. You may leave feeling like you’ve been reborn ― but you may also feel as though a part of you has died.
This is the work we continue to cherish for ourselves ― and the work we encourage you to do.
With love,
The Amakaya Team
NETE BESÓ - RICHARD
His Shipibo name, Nete Beso, means 'the one who awakens the universe', but he prefers to just be called Richard or brother or maestro.
He had his first drink of Ayahuasca 34 years ago in a world that looked and felt much different than the world around us today. Over the years, he has worked at some of the very large, well known ayahuasca centers (which is how we met him), but strongly prefers small, intimate ceremonial settings. He takes enormous pride in his work and loves working with foreigners, commenting often about how interesting and different their minds and struggles are from his own indigenous community.
During ceremony, Richard sings with a force and energy that are hard to describe, at times thunderously masculine and at times delicately soft and subtle. He is a man who loves his family, his farmland, his chickens, and, above all, his work as a maestro. He often smiles while reminding us, “Let go of the past and stay focused on where you are going.”
JONATHAN
23 years ago, Jonathan had his first encounter with Psilocybin, an experience that initiated a process of learning and seeking that would lead him to Brazil and ayahuasca a decade later. Since 2016, Jonathan has been living in Peru studying the effects and indigenous traditions of both ayahuasca and huachuma.
A scientist at heart, he was once a staunch Shipibo skeptic — but now considers himself a defender and apprentice of the Shipibo tradition. He loves to tell the story of how this change occurred — the evidence and experiences that he could not ignore, the synchronicities that helped him
open his mind, and his ongoing quest to understand how people, plants, and nature are connected underneath the surface. He loves to work, identifies first and foremost as a student, and holds gratitude and humility to be of the highest value.
KAJSA LISA
The medicine had been working in Kajsa’s life long before she moved to Peru. In a story that is almost beyond belief, Kajsa’s mother had come to the Amazon in the 1970’s as a nurse to work specifically with the Shipibo tribe. This was a time when the Peruvian jungle had almost no contact with the outside world — she was one of the first white women many of the Shipibos had ever seen.
Kajsa then grew up in Sweden with mysterious embroidered fabrics, painted wooden beads, and monkey teeth necklaces throughout the house, glimpses into a far away world.
Thirty something years later, Kajsa finds herself living in that far away world, an apprentice of the Shipibo ayahuasca craft, student of the language, and a virtuoso of the Shipibo embroidery tradition. And if that weren’t enough, she has her own little monkey — a Shipi, the species from which the Shipibos derive their name! The story sounds too good to be true, but it is. Kajsa radiates joy and strength. She is an artist at heart and an inspiration to everyone who comes in contact with her.
LOUIE - Louibaba, el jefecito, hijo mono...
In 2023, we found this little miracle on the jungle floor with a hurt arm and no mother in sight. We think he was only weeks old at the time. Now, he simply knows us as mom, dad, and uncle Richie. He is absolutely beyond description — intelligent, naughty, hilarious, cuddly, and always ready to share a snack with the humans. Being with him is like a medicinal dose of joy and a constant reminder of just how magical mother nature and the human experience can be. Though weighing in at only a little over half a pound (300 grams), Louie is simply larger than life and a core member of the Amakaya family.
VETERAN PARTNERS
ADAM - VRF COORDINATOR
Adam is a 13-year Army infantry veteran who served from 2003 to 2015, including four combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. After being medically retired, Adam found himself adrift, carrying an invisible burden and struggling to recognize who he was without his uniform.
A desire for change eventually became a quest for transformation that led Adam to Peru to experience ayahuasca for the first time. That week-long retreat became a distinct turning point in Adam’s life. In the months that followed, he lost 100 pounds of extra weight and found a sense of purpose and direction in his life that has propelled him in new directions
of mindfulness, entrepreneurship, and a passion to help other veterans live life to the fullest. He loves technology and hard work. His smile is infectious and his enthusiasm inspiring.