The River Course

The River Course offers a deeply enriching learning experience for those interested in ancestral spiritual healing and psychedelic-assisted therapies.

  • 50 Enrolled
  • All levels
  • Last updated Aug '24
  • English
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Course Description

The River Course is a 7-week online course that explores ancestral spiritual healing and its relevance to psychedelic-assisted therapy. Taught by physician and curandero Dr. Joe Tafur, this course draws upon his book The Fellowship of the River as well as his experiential knowledge of Amazonian plant medicines.

Through weekly classes and discussions, students will examine the integration of sacred plant medicines into modern healthcare and the intersection between biology, emotion, and spirituality. Dr. Tafur will guide participants through Shipibo shamanism, psychedelic therapies, limbic healing, and epigenetic modification. Grounded in ancestral wisdom and evidence-based science, this course offers tools and knowledge for utilizing spiritual approaches to promote healing and transformation.

You will learn:

  • What is Bwiti?
  • Roles in Bwiti initiation/treatment
  • Instruments in Bwiti: ngombe, mogongo
  • What is an Nganga
    • Maboundi/Yombo
    • Maboundi/Yombo
  • Sustainability/reciprocity

You will learn:

  • History of the Fang tradition
  • Dissumba vs. Dissumba Fang
  • Ombwiri/Mbumbayano Fang
  • The kambo
  • State of Fang Bwiti in Gabon
  • Impact of Westerners coming to work with the sacred wood

You will learn:

  • History of the Missoko tradition
  • Various branches of Missoko initiation:
    • Miobe/Mioba
    • Ngonde Na Dipuma
    • Sengedia
  • The impact of logging on the tradition
  • What the future of Bwiti could look like in Gabon

You will learn:

  • History of Dissumba
  • Various branches of Dissumba initiation:
    • Abanji/Mabanji
    • Ilombo
    • Ombwiri
    • Ombudi
    • Loro
  • The ngombe (sacred harp)
  • Healing rituals involved in her tradition
  • Training to serve the wood
    • What does it involve?
    • How long does it take?

instructor-image

Tatayo

Instructor

About Instructor

Tatayo (“Fruit of the Wind”) first arrived in Gabon in 1971 at the age of 21 and became a Gabonese citizen. In 1979, he became the first white person to be initiated into the Bwiti Fang tradition in Gabon. In 1994, he was initiated into the Misokko tradition. As a guide for numerous expeditions and missions, including those of National Geographic, the BBC, and others, Tatayo is considered to have “opened the door” to westerners in Gabon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please see below for start and finish dates/times. This course is currently being offered live and dates/times will change throughout the year.

$875

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This course includes

  • Modules 7
  • Duration 7 Weeks
  • Skills All levels
  • Language English
  • Availability Cohort
  • Certificate No

Course Tags

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