Mexico Pilgrimage 2025

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” Carl Jung

The art of life is finding balance. Quetzalcoatl, the man-god who inspired the Olmec, Mayan, Toltec, Aztec and Mixtec people, embodies the balance and mastery of the three levels of consciousness:

• Above - represented by Quetzal (bird) - We connect to the wisdom of the Eagle
• Centre - Jaguar, or later Priest/King - We connect to the wisdom of the Temple Keepers
• Below - Coatl (serpent) - We connect to the energy of the Serpent

As we walk our pilgrimage, we will take time to explore these archetypes as a gateway to explore our own shadow realms. Our journey begins in the lead up to the journey, through the three stages of the pilgrimage, and then the integration into our lives.

"The old ways of Indigenous peoples can light our way into the future." - Winona LaDuke

We draw upon the wisdom of the teacher plants, the indigenous wisdom keepers of the ancient lineages and the wisdom from the energetic vortices in the sacred sites of the land itself. These include:

• Mara’akame Don Julio - second oldest healer in the Wixarika unbroken lineage and carrier of Hikuri
• Rafael Garcia - Keeper on the ancient Temazcal tradition of the Nahua,
• Hugo Esteban Perez - renowned holder of the Mazatec "nti-ši-tho" ceremonies of Oaxaca

• Hikuri (Peyote)
• Teonanácatl (Sacred mushrooms/ Little Saints)
• Huachuma (San Pedro)

• Cerro de Adoración - Sacred mountain of the Nahua
• Matlalcuéyetl (La Malinche) - Sacred Mountain of the Tlaxcalteca
• Teotihuacan - housing some of the largest pyramids in mesoamerica, including a pyramid devoted to Quetzalcoatl
• Cholula - sacred pyramid - largest in the world and devoted to the worship of Quetzalcoatl
• Cenote - secret underground cave in the footprint of Teotihuacan
• Undisclosed special access to an off-limits renowned temple

• Limpias (cleanses)
• Temazcalli (sweat lodge)
• Despacho (offering to the mountain spirits)

"We are the descendants of the people who built the great stone cities of the Americas, who followed the great herds of buffalo across the prairies, who voyaged across the Pacific on double-hulled canoes. Our ancestors changed the world. We can, too." - Julian Brave NoiseCat

To ignore a calling is akin to rejecting our own light! A calling can come in many forms. When part of our destiny reaches backwards in time to wink at us, we can feel it as an urge, or a knowing. Often the body is better than the mind at hearing a calling.

Synchronicities and serendipities are signs that we are following the path we are meant to. A calling, whether it makes sense to us or not, is a way our internal compass points to us the direction of our most intimate longings. Like a pilgrimage - the path may be hard, but purpose and fulfilment are the sweetest of rewards

EAGLE

From Guadalajara airport we travel together 2,200m up into the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains in Jalisco where the Wixarika people settled after escaping the horrors of the Spanish conquest. We will be greeted by the second oldest mara’akame (healer) in the Wixarika, Don Julio. Our gifts will change the lives of our friends here, and we will be heartily welcomed to the community. We will share two Hikuri ceremonies, and be free to explore their simple, ancient culture and crafts.

This part of the journey is the direction of Above - Eagle - the feathers of which are used in the sacred healing tool called the Muvieri - and who are spiritual messengers who guide the Wixarika on their pilgrimage to Wirikuta to gather the sacred cactus. You will receive healings, blessings and limpias (cleanses) from the Eagle spirits by Don Julio

JAGUAR/ KING/ PRIEST

We settle in the mountain and megalith capital, southeast of Mexico City, where we explore the Centre of our totem - The realm of the Jaguar/Priest/King.

As is tradition on Sacred Tree pilgrimages, we will connect to the Sacred Mountain Spirit (Apu Matlalcueyetl) with the help of the Grandfather energy, and leave an offering (offerendo) so we can make spiritual alliance for ourselves and others.

We will travel to the energetic vortices at Teotihuacan and Cholula - pyramids devoted to Quetzalcoatl - built upon sacred natural underground caves (cenotes). We will have private access to restricted areas in a very special temple and cave.

We will share the ancient Temazcalli (sweat lodge) ceremony at the home of our host Rafael Garcia, and play Ōllamaliztli - the ancient ball game played in the "tlachtli" (Great Ballcourt) at Chichen Itza, in his personal ballcourt

SERPENT

We complete our journey in the underworld with the Serpent energy, perfectly embodied in the Teonanácatl (Sacred mushrooms/ Little Saints). The mushroom spirit sometimes appear as serpent-like entities and brings transformation and renewal.

Holding the Mazatec lineage and our healer is the curandera healer Hugo. He will lead us in two ceremonies using fresh traditional medicine from the land. On our rest day we will travel with him to the Cerro de Adoracion to make offerings, as all the Mazatec curanderos do in May as the season begins. Here we will be offered traditional limpias (cleanses)

Here in Huautla de Jimenez we will have our last full day together, relaxing and enjoying the local offerings, before taking you back the next day to Mexico City airport (if you want that).

The Wixárika (Huichol) people's ability to maintain their traditions through the conquest and colonial periods of the Americas is a remarkable story of cultural resilience, using syncretistic tactics, and oral tradition. They live very simply, growing much of their own food, and with few of the creature comforts we have come to consider ‘needs’ like mattresses and bedding. As a result of their resilience, peyote traditions across the Americas now continue. We in the UK know how it is to be robbed of our shamanic heritage.

Today their plight continues, as fences block their traditional pilgrimage routes, and Canadian mining companies lay claim to the sacred Hikuri fields of Wirikuta. The fences add hundreds of kilometres of distance to their route, requiring them to have vehicles to keep their traditions alive. Don Julio, when he visited the UK to see us, said that the death of the traditions would be like the death of their community. The film ‘Huicholes: The Last Peyote Guardians’ encapsulates this plight.

During their visit, they told us of their challenges and how much difference having a vehicle would make to them, and so we have an opportunity when we visit to help them keep their traditions alive by donating a minibus van to them, amongst other gifts we will bring for them. We will be able to give them:

• A reliable multi-person vehicle which can carry them on their journey, with funding to make it legal to drive
• Bedding and mattresses so they can have guests like us to share in their traditions

When we offer despacho, we introduce the concept of Ayni - good relationships through reciprocation. This is an opportunity to walk that talk and bring some balance. Your participation in the pilgrimage will pay for part of that contribution.

There are just 17 spaces on this journey, with several eager pilgrims ready to make a deposit. These journeys are one-offs. Seize the day!

If you want to continue with the booking, the next step is to click on the link below to complete your application here

INCLUDED

• All accommodation, in shared rooms
• All food except 5 meals
• All the medicines, ceremonies and activities
• All our services

NOT INCLUDED

• Your flights to Guadalajara and out from Mexico City
• There are a handful of meals which are not included, mainly at the beginning and the end
• The refreshments in the airports are not included
• Lunch and dinner on our final day in Huautla de Jimenez are not included
• Tips are also not included. Although there is no requirement to tip, Mexicans have become accustomed to tips from American tourists. We will advise you on appropriate amounts if you ask and wish to tip

Until October 31st we are offering an early bird discount of £556, taking the total price to £4444, with a deposit of £1111.

This trip will be offered to several thousand people within our community over the next month and is already booking quickly.

This is a one-off for us and we won’t be running it again. There are not many places available so if you’re feeling the calling, don’t delay. Get in touch!

Sometimes when the spirits are conspiring for our betterment, and they see an opportunity to be able to show you your path through synchronicities, it manifests as a feeling like there is a calling inside. Don’t ignore this feeling!

If you want to continue with the booking, the next step is to pencil your place and we'll send you a detailed welcome email.