From Humble Beginnings to Thriving Community: A Heartfelt Thank You

Kumankaya Healing Center
Jul 30
4 min read

Updated: Sep 4

Owning and running Kumankaya has been one of the most humbling and meaningful experiences of our lives.

When we began this journey seven years ago, we had no roadmap — just a dream and a deep desire for something different. We didn’t know how it would all unfold. What we did know was that we loved each other, we believed in the medicine, and we were determined to build a life of freedom, purpose, and community.

We weren’t afraid to fail — because failure never felt like an option. If it didn’t work out, at least we would have tried. There were many moments when we were on the edge — of running out of funds, of energy, of hope. But every single time, something or someone came through. The right support arrived just when we needed it, nudging us forward, step by step.

Now, seven years later, we’ve created exactly what we set out to build — and so much more. And honestly, it wouldn’t have happened without you. Your unwavering support — your faith in us — has carried us through the hardest moments and made the most beautiful ones possible.

So today, we pause in deep gratitude to say: thank you.

You’ve not only believed in us — you’ve donated, shared, encouraged, and shown up. And because of that, we’ve been able to give back to the people and places that have shaped us.

Here’s just a glimpse of what our community has made possible:

You helped our beloved team member Rogelio receive urgent medical care for a broken leg.
You supported Don Fidencio, our head mason, in repairing his truck so he could keep working.
You funded a new maloka roof and major upgrades to life at Kumankaya.
Through our partnership with Keith Harris and the Harris Family Foundation, we now have:
- A brand-new solar power system for 24/7 electricity
- A repaired road
- Lighting in the main house
- Fresh paint on every building
- An updated website
- And so much more

Now, with Keith Harris, we’re launching a nonprofit called EcoSofia. Its mission is to support indigenous healers so they can focus fully on their practice — not side jobs or city work — and help more people through their wisdom and medicine. EcoSofia’s first major goal is to help build a traditional medicinal school led by world-renowned Shipibo maestro Ricardo Amaringo at Nihue Rao Centro Espiritual near Iquitos, Peru. We're also committed to supporting healers from long lineages who haven’t had the opportunity to share their medicine more widely — including Marco Antonio Venancio, with whom we’ve worked closely for years. We aim to fund the creation of his own healing center, Korin Mea, in Pucallpa, Peru.

Our dream has always been to create a space where you feel supported in your healing and growth. Now, this community is allowing us to expand that impact — to support the very people who taught and transformed us.

One of the most powerful moments of this year was our first group journey to Nihue Rao. For almost 15 years, Ricardo has been Remi’s and my teacher and healer. We’ve both been to Nihue Rao countless times — always seeking healing or guidance. But this past March, something shifted.

For the first time, we came to give back.

We brought 35 people over the course of 20 days and contributed more than $50,000 USD to the center and the families who work there. And in return, Ricardo and his team offered us the strongest medicine we’ve ever experienced. It was a life-changing retreat for everyone involved — not just because of the healing, but because of the spirit of reciprocity. For us, it was also the first time we sat alongside guests not as healers, but simply as passengers — laughing, sharing, and receiving. It was beautiful.

We are no longer in survival mode. Kumankaya is thriving — and in that abundance, our focus is on giving back: to our teachers, to the people who shaped our path, and to you — the community who made it all possible.

What’s New at Kumankaya

We’ve launched a new website!
Safety improvements have been made to the maloka.
We’ve updated our schedule: Open from August 2025 to April 2026, closed from April, 2026 to August, 2026 to rest and recharge. Then, we will reopen August 2026- April 2027
We will go take groups back to Nihue Rao Espiritual Centro in Peru April 2026
We’re welcoming new facilitators this season:
- Eric Brown
- Joshua Kahn Russell (August–November)
- Matthias Brand (starting in October)
- And the return of Quentin Pouyat (who will return in November)