#17 - This is not self help with Eda - Amazonian medicine woman, ayahuasquera and community elder

What if healing wasn’t about the self, but about the whole? In this powerful conversation, I sit with Eda Zavala Lopez, an Amazonian medicine woman, ayahuasquera, and community elder, to explore the true meaning of reciprocity, ancestral wisdom, and the modern world's obsession with self-help. Following on from my last episode, this one is a moving call deep from the Amazonian jungle. Join us as we explore:Honoring Indigenous Knowledge: The importance of respecting and dignifying the wisdom of Indigenous elders rather than extracting from it.The Myth of Self-Help: Why Western spirituality focuses on the individual rather than community, and how we can shift toward collective healing.Sacred Reciprocity: How we can approach plant medicine, Indigenous traditions, and spiritual exploration with integrity and respect.Reclaiming Ancestral Roots: A call to remember the magic and wisdom already present in our own lands and lineages before seeking it elsewhere.The Journey of a Lifetime: Eda’s deeply personal story of visions, destiny, and how her spiritual path led her from the Amazon jungle to the UK.This is a conversation that will challenge, inspire, and open your heart to a new way of seeing the world. If you've ever questioned how to engage with spirituality in a way that truly honors its origins, this episode is for you. You will stop fooling yourself after this, and will be able to know when something is ‘adoption’ and when it's out-right appropriation. Exciting news: Eda will be returning for an in-person gathering next year in 2026! Sign up to my mailing list here to hear all about itEda is a Wari-Ashaninka medicine woman, ayahuasquera, community elder and activist from Peru deeply committed to the Amazon Jungle and her people to protect sacred indigenous territories. You can read more about her and The Shawi Project here.My meeting with Eda has profoundly shifted my work in a deeper direction, one that has been a long time coming but wasn’t quite ready to be shared. Until now. If you want to connect and start building a relationship with your ancestors in a way that feels playful, deep and healing that will totally transform the way you do life come and join the waitlist for Ancestral Awakening hereGet your Mayan horoscope sign hereBe the first to know when the Joy Witch's Cacao from El Salvador lands!✨ Want more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram @carogomez_joywitch for deeper conversations on unconventional thinking, creativity, and spirituality!Spread the joy! Did this episode leave you feeling empowered or inspired? Help others find the same magic by leaving a rating and review on your favourite podcast platform. Your feedback is like fuel for the show, and it helps others discover the power within themselves.