Mapacho / Rapé icaro for calming and grounding energies
In the Amazon tradition, when an apprentice follows the path of the curandero (“healer”), he follows diets that allow him to connect with the spirits of the plants. In this moment of deep communion and meditation, in total isolation, he can then receive icaros, healing songs taught directly to him by the plants he is dieting.
Today I would like to share with you a personal icaro, which I received during my shamanic practice. This icaro is a prayer to the spirit of tabaco (or Mapacho), a very powerful and central teacher plant in Amazonian shamanism.
Tabaco is a grounding, calming, cleansing and protecting plant. It is used in many ways: either in sopladas (tabaco smoke is blown on the person being treated), as a purgative decoction, or as a snuff powder (called Rapé – pronounced Ha-pey). Rapé combines Mapacho with different plants or tree ashes, and many recipes exist depending on the tribes and the people who prepare it. It is a very powerful medicine that calms the mind and opens the heart.
It was while working with tabaco that I received one day this icaro, which I now use regularly in treatments and ceremonies. It is very effective when energies are too intense or chaotic, and it brings serenity and grounding.
In the Amazon, some shamans don’t want to share the icaros they received from the plants. A bit like a war treasure, they keep them jealously, and sometimes only whisper them to prevent them from being stolen. However, I have been receiving the same message for a few weeks now when I prayed with tabaco or performed Rapé ceremonies: it is now time for the plants to widely spread their healing energy, wisdom and science. In these particularly troubled times, the Mapacho asked me to share this icaro, to help those who need to calm their fears, mental agitation or anxiety.
So I decided to help, at my humble level, the spirit of the Mapacho to share its energy. One evening, I did a Rapé ceremony to connect with the spirit of the plant, I settled down near a river (which you can hear in the background), and I recorded this chant. Thanks also to the crickets for their backup vocals. In this delicate period of our history, may this icaro help you to stay in the eye of the storm.
Thank you fredericcalendini.com
Stunning artwork by Luis Tamani : https://www.luis-tamani.com
Fulni-ô tribe
Meet the Fulni-ô: Guardians of Sacred Tradition in Brazil's Northeast
The Fulni-ô is the only indigenous group of Northeastern Brazil that was able to keep its language – the Ia-tê – alive an...
Rapé and the Sacral Chakra: Unlocking Creativity, Sensuality & Life Energy
Rapé (also spelled hapé) is a sacred Amazonian medicine that has been used by indigenous tribes for centuries. In the West, it is becoming increasingly appreciated not just as a ritual plant, but a...
Dragon’s Blood – A Natural Treasure from the Amazon
Dragon’s Blood is a rare and powerful resin hand-harvested from wild-growing trees deep in the Peruvian rainforest. It comes from the Croton Lechleri tree, also known as Sangre de Drago or Sangre d...
How to Use Rapé: A Step-by-Step Guide
Start with a pea-sized amount of Rapé in your palm. Consider a smaller amount if you are sensitive, have low pain tolerance, or if you’re new to Rapé. It is better to be underwhelmed and then work ...
