SAMAI Travelers Page

"This is a magical & sacred place. I loved been here. It help me physically, mentally & spiritually."

"Thanks very much for a wonderful night, your hospitality is a joy to be around. xx"

Thanks for your hospitality Ed gives one of the best massages I have ever had. I have had a lot of massages all over the world.

Tania, Ed.....I want to come back to this uncovered jewel..., since i am back and busy....i find myself still dreaming every night (in spanish), of my journey and about South America. I smell the alcohol Ed used during ceremony, i hear the bird whistles and think of the special nature that Tania exudes. The comfort and natural state of interchanging energies with you both, has been both soul ful'filling and heart comforting. It is so nice to see you both again, i have definetely meet you both before.
It is snowing up a storm, the grounds and snow caped mountains are all covered in this pure, innocent shade of white. The weather has kept us all comfy, chilled indoors and enjoying hot chocolate and cognac.
I was feeling you guys and wondering how the healing went in Cuenca.? Enjoy the shamanic intensive, wish i could be there. Take photos if you can for the website..
i just took a peak at your site again and feel it should be updated with new, exciting information and photos. In addition, some future workshops and ideas would be beneficial to keep people
interested. One more thing Tania, don't forget to take down email addresses, muy importante! Especially during intensive's and seminars/workshops.

Love to you all at Samai.....
.escazu02@gmail.com

Will forward my ceremonial journey soon...my apologies, it is a bit busy around here.

Un Besitos...
Your sister,
Wendy

Hi all!

Just a quick hello to say how very much I enjoyed and benefited from my stay with you all at Samai - I am continuing a practice and constantly smile as I remember the peacefulness and beauty of the rainforest and the sea...

Thanks again for a very special time!

Deb Strafuss

Live from Ecuador - The Heart of the Earth! by Carol Madsen

Sunday, January 31, 2010 at 7:29pm

The latest from Carol, still in Ecuador on her journey!

A group of 6 travelers left Boston on Friday, January 8th headed to Quito Ecuador on the adventure of a lifetime – Exploring Ecuador from the Andes to the Amazon, a Community-Based Experience. Three returned to Boston on Sunday, January 17th, and the DFC’s own Deborah Strafuss left on the 21st after spending 4 glorious days at the coast at Samai with our friends and journey facilitators since AlliancExchange’s early days, Ed & Tania Tuttle. My husband and I will remain for four weeks in total enjoying some personal downtime in this beautiful country and exploring expansion opportunities for AlliancExchange.

Some highlights of the Journey:

We’re here in Ecuador, the heart of the earth. We have embraced the unexpected and valued the diversity.

It’s Day 4 and we have experienced erupting volcanos, rode horseback at about 15,000 feet altitude, ate wonderful food, interacted with charming people. An example of the unexpected. Stopped from reaching our remote hacienda in the foothills of Cotopaxi, one of the highest active volcanoes in the world at 17,000 feet, because of a 2- and 4-wheel motor vehicle race.

We spent an hour wondering through a little village with dozens of others waiting for the vehicles to begin arriving down the cobble-stoned rural one-lane road we needed to use. We visited the local church, admired the sheep grazing on the village green, took pictures of the women and children sitting in front of a public building. One of our group wondered off and found a couple of beers. Finally things became very exciting as the vehicles began to arrive, driving very fast down this village lane. Waiting at the finish line, we and everyone else scampered to the sideslines every time another vehicle sped toward us, brakes on but skidding on the wet cobblestones.

It’is Day 8 of our Journey. We experienced the rainforest and its wonderful people over 4 days. We met with the Rainforest Scholars in town at an ice cream social at our hotel. The journeyers met each of the children and the children met each of us. We had an opportunity to hear their dreams and hopes for their futures and how they would like to contribute to their community with their education. We then spent time with the administrator of the program to discuss the future of the program and its expansion possibilities. An AlliancExchange dream has always been that the Rio Blanco community, as it progressed, would assist us with helping other communities. And we saw that possibility during the discussion.

The following morning we left the city of Tena to travel to the port town of Porto Ahuano to take a canoe to the “trailhead” of the 1.5 mile trek to the Rio Blanco Eco-tourism community. The 3 hour journey took us up and down thickly forested trails which crossed streams, climbed hills, decended into valleys, traversed plantings of cacao, rice, coffee, bananas, yuca, and more.

We had a wonderful guide, Dario, who has learned English and served as not only a naturalist and guide but a great resource in negotiations and discussions with community leaders throughout the rainforest experience. Dario learned English in an institute and has maintained it by leading groups into the jungle. He is also picking up German and other languages from leading groups from Europe. One of the requests during our stay in the village was that Alliance Exchange support the young guides from Rio Blanco in learning English.

It’s Day 10. We arrived back in Quito yesterday afternoon and are at the Charles Darwin Hotel. We had a grand wine reception before the farewell dinner and a show and tell of things bought in the markets of Otovalo. Half the group will take off for the airport in the morning and return to the states. Four of us (including our guide Ed Tuttle) will fly to Guayaquil and drive to Samai on the Pacific Coast. Our driver returns to his home in Cuenca. All is well.

Stay tuned for the next installment and reflections on this year's journey!

Carol Madsen is a founder and President of AlliancExchange. She has been a member of the Dream Factory Community since 2004.

Our mission is to provide rainforest children with educational opportunities. We do this by bringing together people from a wide range of backgrounds to partner for economic development and cultural sustainability at the community level. At the root is our desire to help prepare the next generation for their work -- to be stewards of their Kishwa culture and their Amazonian rainforest environment.

AlliancExchange is a 501(c)3 founded in 2003 and based in Somerville, Massachusetts. We are dedicated to promoting a culturally diverse, compassionate world. In order to foster mutually beneficial global cultural and economic exchange, we promote partnerships among developed and developing communities."

Dear Friends,

I salute you and wish all the best for this 2008 and the coming times.

I saw your site and the great purpose in expanding wisdom and light in our planet community. I felt myself connected, because we are also devoted to it at our mountains.

I am a spiritual leader from the Andes and want to establish this power link with your work and hope one day can meet you, I also invite you in any future to walk the sacred path of Pachamama in the land of the Inkas, the children of the Sun and discover the amazing power of nature and culture.

My recognition for your mission.

Blessings,

Mallku
Author of the books: "The Awakening of the Puma," "Machu Picchu Forever," "Cusco Forever, Ancient Wisdom of the Inkas," "Inka Power Places".

Hey guys, thanks for the list. yes, ever since i got back i've been playing music almost not stop, and I enrolled at indiana university and am going to major in music. After this semester, though, I'll most likely take one off in order to travel and explore shamanism further. That's when I will most likely return, although i have no idea of the dates. I hope everything there is going excellent with all of you, and i can't wait to come back.
all the love,
Eric

Dear Ed and Tania,
My new book, "Dan's Story," was released in Tucson, Arizona yesterday! It
was released in Tucson because that's where my publisher is located. I wrote
the rough draft for this book when Carol and I stayed at your place for a
week last year. It took a while, but the final result was worth the work.

I thought you might like to see what the book will look like, I'm attaching
a picture of the book cover, front and back. The endorsements on the back
can be clearly seen and read in this picture. A couple changes were made in
the final book, but it will look very much like the picture you see.

Centro Samai was the perfect place for me to begin this book, and I give you
credit on the acknowledgment page. If you would like a copy, I'd be happy to
send one to you next month, if you can give me a mailing address.

Thanks!

Ed Dodge
_________________________________________________________________________

More adventures soon. Thanks for reading!

Pura Vida!

Andrew
andrew4cr@gmail.com
http://www.AngelValleyFarmBandB.com

Every journey I have ever taken around this world is different, and for me, this journey to Samai Ecuador was incredible, I know that I am very fortunate to have participated in the Ecuadorian trip surrounded by my incredible group of friends, meet and enjoy the hospitality of the two most wonderful people, Ed and Tania Tuttle of Samai. I came to Samai Ecuador with the will and hope to experience the Rainforest, the wonderful Ecuadorian people and places, (that reminded me so much of my Home country were I was born), the healing ceremonies, and to see the most majestic Sea creatures off all; the Humpback Wheals. Everything I had ever hoped and wished for in this trip came thru. This amazing journey filled my Heart with wonder, awe and peace. I have been so blessed by this experience that I know I will be going back.

Marianne Josem, Washington, DC
"It is an extraordinary experience and opportunity to travel to the rainforest and Andes of Ecuador with Tania and Ed to visit the shamans in their own homes and communities. All three families of shamans are greatly revered and respected by both the indigenous and non-indigenous Ecuadorians. They all have deep and strong ties to Tania and Ed. Ed was the first gringo to study with 2 of the shamans and probably has as much if not more experience and knowledge of ayuhuasca than any other American. Many years ago, Tania, who is Ecuadorian and acts as our interpreter, was taken under the eldest shaman's wing and many of his gifts have been transferred to her making her a wise and skillful healer and shaman herself. (she has also studied with the other shamans and incorporates all of their teachings into her own practice, as well as feng shui, meditation and tarot.) Tania and Ed create a trip atmosphere that is both safe and fun and you come away with having an adventure of a lifetime. This is a trip not to miss!"

Carol Madsen, Somerville, MA
President
Alliance for Cultural & Economic Exchange, Inc.

Dear Friends, Supporters, Colleagues:

We are back from Ecuador and so eager to tell our stories and the stories of the communities we visited and are supporting. What transpired on our journey was transformational for each of us and for those we meet. Come and hear about the children in the rainforest and our commitment to the Rio Blanco community. Donations we made to the artisans, jewelry we bought and marketing of the ecotourism community we will sponsor. Hear about the Women Composters of San Miguel del Comun in northern Quito and our effort to jump start a languishing, but important project business for Ecuador, a large exporter of flowers which does not now use organic pesticides and fertilizers whichl San Miguel will produce. Learn about the Women of Catalugua, a community where many of the men are unemployed and the women are attempting to support their families with a variety of micro enterprises. Learn about our adventures in the rainforest, in the highlands and on the coast.

On of the Wildest Dream Team, Kathy shares her experience:

Recalling what the Shaman told me about the love and support I have always had around me, I never realized or appreciated how fortunate I am. Maybe because it has always been there and like so many people, when you get caught up in life demands, you don't often see the obvious. I think the experience with the Shaman helped me stop and think about it and open my eyes to it. This is an amazing gift.

During the summer we are hosting a series of potluck suppers at which we will share our stories. The first will be in Jamaica Plain at the home of Liz Scully, one of our adventurous travelers.

Liz will host us on Sunday, July 11, 2004 at 5-8 in Jamaica Plain. Please RSVP to Liz at erscully@comcast.net. Liz is also coordinating our potluck feast. Let her know what you will be bringing.

Carol Madsen
President
Alliance for Cultural & Economic Exchange, Inc.
www.AlliancExchange.org

Generous Partnerships in a World that Works for Everyone.
Creating Prosperity wherever we go. Starting in Ecuador,
the Center, the Heart of the World.

"My Ayahuasca experience was transformational. The Jungle was beautiful, specially the butterflies. Papallacta was beautiful, restful, and joyful. Tania and Ed Tuttle did a great job leading the group. I felt totally safe with them. Good food, easy transportation."

"I feel that I am one of the fortunate ones to have participated in the Shamanic Ecuadorian trip with Tania and Ed Tuttle. In fact I like the first trip so much in 1997, that I had to do it again in 1998. The experience has changed my life and I am forever grateful for it. I would recommend this trip to anyone who is looking to have a personal and insightful experience."

"…Every journey is different, and for me, this journey was incredible. The beauty of the land. The deep blue sky. The forest. The wonderful, loving people who so graciously took us into their homes. The healing ceremonies. The safety I always felt. I was filled with wonder and awe. I have been truly blessed by this experience and it continues to open and reveal itself to me every day. To all of you who decide to make this adventure your own, may you also be touched in a very deep way. For to journey on a quest back in time helps us discover hidden wonders about ourselves, It is truly an adventure and a gift that touches the very core of who we are.

July 1999 Journey. She came back with Sacred Journeys on January 2000, as a facilitator with Tania Tuttle.(This is a fragment of her article on The Edge, Dec. 1999, Minneapolis, MN)

Dream Factory Community: Live from Ecuador - The Heart of the Earth! by Carol Madsen

The summer 100

Phew! We've ransacked the brochures, scoured the web and interrogated the industry to uncover the planet's best holidays. Mark Hodson did the hard labour, all you need to do is take your pick

Send mail to samai@easynet.net.ec with questions or comments about this web site. Adress: E15 Km 700 VIA DEL PACIFICO San Jose - Santa Elena / Phone: 011 593 42780167 / Cell: 011 593 94621316
Copyright © 2005 Samai Center - Sacred Journeys
Last modified: febrero 28, 2010

Dream Factory Community: Live from Ecuador - The Heart of the Earth! by Carol Madsen

The summer 100

Phew! We've ransacked the brochures, scoured the web and interrogated the industry to uncover the planet's best holidays. Mark Hodson did the hard labour, all you need to do is take your pick

Send mail to samai@easynet.net.ec with questions or comments about this web site. Adress: E15 Km 700 VIA DEL PACIFICO San Jose - Santa Elena / Phone: 011 593 42780167 / Cell: 011 593 94621316 Copyright © 2005 Samai Center - Sacred Journeys Last modified: febrero 28, 2010

Send mail to samai@easynet.net.ec with questions or comments about this web site. Adress: E15 Km 700 VIA DEL PACIFICO San Jose - Santa Elena / Phone: 011 593 42780167 / Cell: 011 593 94621316
Copyright © 2005 Samai Center - Sacred Journeys
Last modified: febrero 28, 2010