Ceremonial Attentions

Heriberto Escamilla, PhD in Clinical Psychology and his wife, Yolanda Ramirez Escamilla will be your guides. "My meandering path through ritual, ceremony and healing probably opened at the age of twelve when I bought my first Joe Weider weight set and began a body-building career. The weights gave way to Hatha Yoga and strict vegetarianism in late adolescence. In the mid 70’s, the works of Carlos Castañeda carried me into the world of visions and dreams. Dr. Leland Johnson introduced me to Bio-energetics of Alexander Lowen, Ida Rolf and the critical importance of touch. Yolanda, my wife of over 40 years, helped plant my feet in the ground and continues to do so. In 1984, I participated the first of many Sweat Lodge Ceremonies, under the guidance of Don Eulert at the California School of Professional Psychology. The ceremony opened the door to a Vision Quest in the San Jacinto Mountains, workshops conducted by Victor Sanchez and in 2005, the Wirrarika people of the Mexican state of Jalisco. Between 2006 and 2019, I was blessed to assist, observe and learn from Don Marcelino Robles, a mara’kame of the five directions. In the last 15 years, I’ve endeavored to real-ize, to open my heart to Tatewari, Tatei Hara Mara, Tatei Urianaka, and all of the poderes – the elements that nurture us - that support our lives. The Wirarrika tell us that life is a precious gift, one that needs to be cherished and appreciated. Ritual and Ceremony are practices that bring us into communion with the poderes, grounding, orienting and healing us." - Heriberto Escamilla, PhD Heriberto and his wife, Yolanda regard ritual as re-orientation, “Our indigenous grandparents were oriented to the elements. The Sun is the living being in the sky. The earth is our Mother. The intersection of earth and sun creates the four Directions of sun, air, water and earth. These were our reference points, the beings (poderes in Spanish, powers in English). The poderes, (powers) were our guides. They still move our world, but we have shifted reference points to money, work, filling time-- new reference points. We are in need of re-orientation, re-grounding.” - Heriberto Escamilla, PhD Beto is a master storyteller. Now add the Warrarika creation story, how to “ask permission,” and how to ceremony Grandfather Fire, along with other elements of life.