Hummingbird Center Curandero & Staff

Don Hector began learning about the medicine plants and medicine spirits when he was eight years old from his grandfather, who was also a Maestro Ayahuasquero. Under the guidance of his grandfather, Hector spent several years dieting medicine plants and developing relationships with their spirits. It was not until he was 12 that his grandfather deemed he was ready to drink ayahuasca and have the much deeper and direct interaction with these spirits that ayahuasca can provide.

Don Hector was raised in Chazuta, a small town on the Huallaga river south of Tarapoto. He has been working with ayahuasca over 50 years, and is truly a master of this healing tradition. Hector has a profound connection with the spiritual world, not only with the medicine plants and trees of the Amazon, but also with healing and doctor spirits only found in spiritual realms. . This is clear from the complete change in voice and dialect when these other healing spirits are moving through him.

Hector has an encyclopedic knowledge of the medicine plants of the upper Amazon. Any discussion of an illness will elicit a description the plant and treatment process that can heal that particular problem. Don Hector has healed various forms of cancer, ovarian cysts, prostate problems, ulcers, digestive issues such as IBS, and many other ailments. For any problem he maintains “the jungle and the spirits have a solution”.

Humble and quick to laugh and make jokes during meetings, Hector brings high energy to the ayahuasca ceremonies. He has hundreds of icaros, and it is not uncommon for him to go four or five ceremonies without repeating one. As with most good healers, he has a profound faith in God and often calls in divine energy in his healing work.

Hector is committed to his work as a curandero and to helping people live healthy, authentic lives. As people share their experience in our morning meetings after ayahuasca, he will often pause the meeting and do healing work on someone based on what they had just shared about their experience.

Jim comes from Seattle, Washington in the USA. He’s had an interesting and eclectic career in various occupations, including working as a commercial fisherman in the Bering Sea, as a chemist, and as a software engineer. It was his study of religion and spirituality, as well as his own journey of healing that eventually brought Jim to Peru where he was led to commit to working with ayahuasca healing. Being on the other side of a life-long struggle with depression and alcoholism, Jim truly understands the pain, confusion and negative thought patterns that plague so many of us.

Because he’s lived through it, he’s able to connect with people, figure out where they’re at, and offer compassionate support and guidance to help them let go of false beliefs they harbor about themselves.

Jim has studied many spiritual traditions and was deeply influenced by the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Ramana Maharshi, Krishnamurti, A Course in Miracles and Ernest Holmes, the founder of Science of Mind. While not overtly spiritual in the language he uses, the recognition of our True nature underlies the coaching and guidance he provides. In his time with the Center for Spiritual Living in Seattle, Jim volunteered for two years in their Coming of Age program for teenagers, which was based on Lakota Indian traditions. He brings much of the Lakota wisdom he learned to his work at the Hummingbird Center.

In addition to completing 11 very strict master plant dietas under the guidance of an ayahuasquero, Jim has been through a number of different healing processes and transformative workshops, and has formal training in facilitation and spiritual healing. He brings practical wisdom to his daily work, as well the insight and skill from personally facilitating the ayahuasca process of over 1300 people.

Guiding people through this often difficult journey with ayahuasca has been Jim’s daily work since 2010. His compassionate and supportive presence provides a safe and loving space, allowing people the freedom to face their shadows and release the pain of the past.

Gina is a native of Iquitos, Peru and delights in ensuring our guests have what they need to enjoy their stay. Affectionately called "Mama Gina", her warm and loving presence is appreciated by all. From her upbringing, Gina has a rich knowledge of medicinal plants and frequently acts as the house nurse, using her knowledge of plants to help people with a variety of health and first aid issues.

Gina’s primary role at the center is managing the workers and facilities. She’s also an excellent cook and the reason the food we serve is so delicious! She loves gardening and has created all the beautiful plant arrangements on our property.

She is the devoted mother of two young men, and grandmother to 9-year-old Tayra, who she absolutely adores!

Our son Jean Piere is an indispensable part of the Hummingbird family. He is the primary care taker during ayahuasca ceremonies, gently helping people to the toilet and guiding them back to their spot in the moloca. Jean Piere drinks ayahuasca several times per year and knows its benefits and challenges. This allows him to bring patience and compassion to what is sometimes an unsteady walk back and forth!

He other roles are facilities maintenance such as electical, plumbing and generators, and doing the daily shopping for our delicious meals.

Vanessa and Gabi are our amazing cooks, taking the simple ingredients allowed in the ayahuasca diet and creating surprisingly tasty meals. Each morning they make fresh juice using a variety of fruits only available in the Amazon. Thier love of their work comes through and our clients regularly talk about how good the food is at our center.

Vanessa (on the right) is our daughter-in-law. She and Jean Piere live at the center with us along with their beautiful daughter Tayra.