Shapeshifting into Higher Consciousness with John Perkins and Daniel Koupermann
January 12th, 2023 - January 19th, 2023 — With John Perkins and Daniel Koupermann
These are magical times, prophesied by the ancient Mayas! Today, Mayan elders and shamans are dedicated to leading us into a new era of compassion and transformation. “Touching the Jaguar '' to Mayan and Amazonian Indigenous cultures means confronting your fears and transforming them into action to change ourselves and the world. It is also the title of John’s new book.
Soar into the power and mystery of the ancient prophecies. Join John Perkins, NY Times bestselling author and leading expert on indigenous cultures and shamanism, Daniel Koupermann, expedition guide and environmentalist, and local Mayan shamans (“Nanas” and “Tatas”), teachers, and Day-keepers (Calendar readers) on this life-changing adventure to the mountains and rainforests of Central America. Apply “shapeshifting” approaches; elevate yourself to higher states of consciousness; touch your jaguar; receive personal healings, calendar readings and divinations of your future from Mayan shamans; transform yourself and the world around you.
December 21, 2012 was identified by Mayan astrologers more than a millennium ago, as the Great Turning – the beginning of a time of amazing opportunity to “shapeshift” human societies away from exploitation, brutality, and materialism into cooperation, compassion, love, and spirituality. The prophecies proclaimed that the process would begin several decades earlier and continue for many to come.
We have now entered this magical, shapeshifting portal!
Now, with upheaval all around our planet, many of us are wondering what all this means for the future of the world and for us personally. Be part of this select group of travelers who will explore, study, and dialogue about this turbulent time on our planet.
You are invited to join John, Daniel, and our Mayan friends on this journey to the heart of the Mayan culture and sacred sites in the magical lands of Guatemala.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Guatemala City
After arriving at the Guatemala City international airport, you will be met by a driver and transferred to a beautiful and very special colonial hotel in Antigua. If you arrive by late afternoon, you may join other members of our group for an informal dinner.
Day 2: Antigua
After breakfast, we will meet for more formal introductions. John and Daniel will welcome everyone and create the context for the journey. Then you will participate in an introductory shapeshifting event facilitated by John at a site near our hotel where we will be surrounded by amazing plants. Each of us will have the opportunity to set our intentions and connect with the energies and spirits of the land.
During lunch we will meet Julio Tot, the Mayan guide who will be with us for the rest of the trip. Julio is a Mayan shaman and friend of John and Daniel’s for many years and an authority on the Mayan calendar, culture and traditions. He speaks English, as well as Spanish and Mayan. He grew up in and around Tikal, raised by a father who was the assistant to the head of the Mayan excavation team that worked with the University of Pennsylvania in the 1950s and 60s. He has amazing stories and will also do healings and private calendar readings for each participant during the trip.
After lunch we will take a walking tour of Antigua, visiting the most relevant sites of this colonial treasure of Guatemala.
We will have dinner at a superb local restaurant.
Day 3: Sacred Mayan Fire Ceremony– Flores – Tikal National Park
After breakfast we will leave the hotel for a ceremonial site near Antigua. Julio Tot will teach us the mysteries and intricacies of creating a Mayan fire. Together, we will build the fire and particiapte in an initiation fire ceremony.
In the late afternoon we will fly to Flores – Petén. We will drive through primary jungle that is inhabited by jaguars, monkeys, coatis, and many other animals (with luck seeing a jaguar at the side of the road) and spend the night at the Tikal Jungle Lodge located inside the Tikal National Park (declared a World Heritage Site in 1979).
We will meet another Mayan shaman, Tata Domingo – who has worked with John, Daniel, and Julio for many years and will stay with us during the rest of our trip. In the past, Tata Domingo has often been joined and assisted by his wife and young daughter (a shaman in training) and we expect they too will be with us during our travels. Tata Domingo is an expert on Mayan seed readings – powerful divination tools that are incredibly accurate at defining a person’s character and future paths. He will offer individual readings for each participant and also will lead us through fire ceremonies that release blockages and empower our journeys along our future paths.
Dinner will be at the hotel.
Day 4: Tikal
After breakfast we will begin our first exploration of Tikal, one of the most important cities in the ancient Mayan World. At the entrance of the park, we will stop at a giant guardian Ceiba (Kapok) tree where we will join John and Mayan shamans in asking permission from the spirits of the trees, the land, animals, plants and elements for all of us to be there for the next three days. We will continue our walk in silence, deeply mindful of all our senses and all our surroundings, including the monkeys, coatis, jaguars, and different bird and plant species, to the Grand Plaza. Here we can explore the magnificent palaces and structures with Julio Tot and Tata Domingo. In the Grand Plaza, surrounded by pyramids and temples, we will have the opportunity to take shamanic journeys, meditate, and connect with this magical place.
We will continue our walk through the forest to Temple IV, the highest of the Tikal pyramids. From the top, we can witness a magnificent view of the entire area. Near here we will make an offering on our behalf to the Mayan Wisdom Keepers honoring the transition to the new cosmic cycle and the beginning of the new era (which officially opened in December 2012 and continues to unfold). We will learn about the Long Count calendar (26,000 years), the Short Count calendars (5,200 years) and the optimistic prophecies of the new calendars that have just begun.
As we walk back to the hotel area, we will pass through several ceremonial sites. We can spend time exploring on our own or learning from our shaman guides the significance of the area. We will then continue back to the hotel for lunch.
In the afternoon we can rest or explore some of the other areas.
After dinner we will participate in a very special ceremony that only people who have received preparation from Mayan shamans (as we will have, during the previous days) are invited to join. This will be led by and include personal healings from Julio and Tata Domingo.
Day 5: Tikal
After breakfast, we will return to the Grand Plaza and then to the “Lost World Complex” (the oldest area in Tikal), where we will do a Shapeshifting Ceremony and workshop and continue our process of rising to higher consciousness, realizing our greater purpose, completing our missions, materializing our “dreams,” ridding ourselves of blockages, and “touching the jaguar” (confronting our fears and hesitations and using their energy to empower us).
Lunch will be in the park.
The early afternoon is for individual explorations of Tikal – inner/outer journeys in this magical place of the prophecies, with an emphasis on your personal role in your life, the planet, and the universe.
This will be followed by a late afternoon-early evening special fire ceremony inside Tikal, at the altar of an ancient Ceremonial Pyramid
Reiterating: During the days while we are in Tikal, Yaxha and Lake Peten Itza, Tata Domingo and Julio will offer special individual “seed readings” and personal calendar interpretations (Mayan traditions) for each of the participants.
Day 6: Tikal – Uaxactún – Peten Itza Lake – Hotel Camino Real
After breakfast, we will leave Tikal and drive to the ancient site of Uaxactún. This is an important astronomical and ceremonial complex. Occupation of Uaxactún began in the Middle Formative Period (900–300 BC) of Mayan culture. Before the close of the Late Formative Period (300 BC–AD 100) a number of ceremonial buildings had been erected, including a temple with giant stucco masks reminiscent of the more ancient Olmec civilization. As in Tikal, the major constructions date from the Classic Period (AD 100–900). In the 9th century, Uaxactún was part of the general decline of other southern lowland Mayan centers, and was abandoned in the 10th century.
In the late afternoon we will travel to the Tikal Camino Real Hotel, located on the shore of Lake Peten Itza. This gorgeous and sacred lake is set within the Maya forest which constitutes the largest continuous expanse of tropical forest remaining in Central America. Lake Peten Itza is about 48km long and covers an area of 98 km2. The lake is likely to have held water during arid glacial periods.
We will have time to rest in this beautiful and elegant hotel (laundry opportunity), enjoy lunch, the great views, and luxurious facilities.
Day 7: Peten Itza Lake – Purification Ceremony
We will have a free morning to rest and relax. Also, John, Daniel, Tata Julio and Tata Domingo will be available for personal consultations.
At 3:30 pm we will gather on the beach of the lake to participate in a Ritual Bath and Purification Ceremony. (John and the Tatas ask everyone to bring and wear white clothing for this ceremony – a bathing suit can be worn under the clothing if desired). While in the lake we will submerge ourselves 13 times with an offering that will be prepared for each of us, and then participate in a fire ceremony on the beach.
Our farewell dinner will be at the hotel.
Day 8: Peten Itza Lake – Guatemala City
After breakfast we will transfer to the airport for our flight to Guatemala City, arriving mid-morning for our connections home or to other destinations.
Costs & Reservations
Cost per person: $3,250 (double occupancy).
Single Supplement: $900 per person.
Reservations: All reservations are subject to availability. To make a reservation for the journey or for information about how to reserve your space and make your deposit, please contact Linda Leyerle at lleyerle@aol.com. In Guatemala, it is not possible to reserve rooms, air tickets or park entrance fees without a copy of the traveler’s passport. Linda will give you details about how to send a copy to us. Time is of the essence so please respond as soon as possible if you are interested in this journey.
Cost includes: Private tour bus or van for travel during the journey, all meals, hotels, tips for restaurants and hotels, water during meals, transportation to and from the airport in Guatemala, intra-country flights, entrance fees, local and shamanic guides to share history and archaeological information, Mayan shaman to share ancient teachings and traditional ceremonies.
Cost does NOT include: Round-trip airfare to Guatemala City, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, “seed readings” with the shaman, tips for the guides, shamans and private bus driver, personal items and souvenirs.
Health Information
This journey is for individuals ready to have an educational/experiential experience. Persons with physical or psychiatric challenges may find this journey too difficult or uncomfortable. We recommend a visit with your doctor at least 6 weeks in advance of departure. No immunizations are required unless you will be entering Guatemala from a country with Yellow Fever – in which case you will need a Yellow Fever immunization and be prepared to show proof. We will not be in high altitudes in Guatemala. More information is available on the CDC webpage.
No visas are required for most people entering Guatemala (US, Canadian, EU, Australia and New Zealand citizens). If you have questions about this, please let us know. Your passport must be valid at least 6 months after the date of your return (July 02, 2023).
Please be aware that at some of the locations there may be limited or no cellphone and Internet service.
Once you have reserved your space, we will send you more information – packing lists, info about the country, etc. You will be fully prepared for the journey. Also, Linda is always available by email for any questions or concerns – whatever they may be.
Cancellations & Refunds
Due to availability of space on our journey and the time required to process trip reservations, your deposit will not be refundable if received after October 1st, 2022. We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance in order to protect yourself in case extenuating circumstances force you to cancel your trip. Travelex or CSA are two respected possibilities.
Responsibilities: ANDEAN PATHS reserves the right to accept or reject any person as a participant at any time, and to make changes in the itinerary whenever deemed necessary for the comfort, convenience, and safety of our participants, and to cancel a journey at any time. In the event a journey is cancelled, ANDEAN PATHS shall have no responsibility beyond the refund of monies paid to it by program participants as listed. By registering, the participant agrees that neither ANDEAN PATHS and/or their affiliates shall be liable for any damages, loss or expense occasioned by any act or omission by any supplier providing services to any program participant. The only reason that Andean Paths would cancel a program is for safety reasons due to impassable roads, protests in Guatemala, or similar unforeseen events.
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By Andean Paths ©
John and Daniel are very excited about the opportunity to share this amazing journey with you.