Guided by Arutam Ruymán — 20+ years of experience

Arutam Ruymán has walked side by side with elders of the Shuar nation for over two decades, being recognized and honored as a Shuar Uwishin — a traditional spiritual guide entrusted with the deepest transmissions of this living legacy.
He dedicates his life to healing, teaching, and sharing the sacred art of Amazonian Shamanism and the path of Union in Arutam around the world.
Visit unioninarutam [dot] org to explore in depth the spiritual path, teachings, and full body of work of Arutam Ruymán.
Shuar Ceremonies
Advanced and traditional rituals as the waterfall and Natemamu initiation ceremony
Plant Teachings
Following ancient recipes and planting medicines for future generations.
Shared Spaces
Open spaces where we gather, meditate, and share in silence — embraced by rivers, birdsong, and the living jungle.
Protected Land
The retreat is immersed in 600 hectares of Amazon rainforest — a living reserve for nature.
Sacred Plant Retreat and Shuar Shamanism in the Ecuadorian Amazon, with Arutam Ruymán
In the ancestral territory of the Shuar people, our retreat center offers 7 to 21-day immersions guided by Arutam Ruymán and native elders — to learn and practice the roots of Shamanism and the Spirit.
These retreats open the path to deep practice with sacred medicines, requiring presence, fasting, discipline, and sincere commitment to healing.
Blessed with Tuna Karamamu, the traditional initiation held at the sacred waterfall, the journey may culminate in Natemamu, the most powerful and enriching ceremony —reserved for devoted and experienced practitioners.

7 and 14-day Retreat
A perfect duration to adapt ourselves to the jungle, using its power plants to find balance between our spirit, mind, and body in relation to the surrounding nature.
At least three traditional Shuar Natem ceremonies per week will be conducted in a authentic manner, guiding us to follow the path as our Shuar ancestors did.

21 days Long Retreat
In this type of retreat, the same information from the previous section applies but to this we must add more activities and intensity.
On the third week, the public will be initiated into the traditional Waterfall ceremony (Tuna Karamamu) and Natemamu, which are far more advanced practices requiring greater willpower, determination, extended fasting, and rigorous diets.
What others have experienced at Cumbres de Arutam
EXCELLENT Based on 9 reviews Gordey V2021-07-20Verified Absolutely amazing Thank you my dear Friend, Brother and Maestro, Arutam Ruyman, for sharing knowledge, Unity and strength. For that long time that you helped me in a safe and noble manner. It was a great experience in Ecuador, beautiful retreat center in rainforest, sacred plants of Ayahuasca and San Pedro shared in the ancient tradition of Shuar. Healing my soul and bringing back to Unity and Harmony. I definitely recommend this retreat. It changed my life in a better way, mindful and heart-opened, made me feel the way I never imagined. It is a luck and blessing to meet a real spiritual tradition in these times and a Master who holds it and shares it. And what a pleasure to feel it in the heart of Amazonian rainforest, in Ecuador. София Т2021-07-16Verified Успешно I participated for the first time, and that was two nights. It was a bit scary to be in the state of anticipation, as no one knows what the Great Mother will show! In the end I experienced a feeling of being enough, awakening. The process of the ceremony itself is very safe, everything is done according to the tradition. I think it’s impossible to leave without your own inner answers. The ceremony took place in beautiful surroundings in nature, with so much space for solitude and meditation. Everybody who also participates becomes a family and it doesn’t matter at all if you are together only for a couple of days. I began to realise that every single one can become my brother and sister, even mother and father. Arutam Ruyman is a great person with an opened heart and loving soul. With his beautifully put words he liberates the mind and lifts the soul. A chance to meet him is a real blessing! And for those who decides to come I only have one advice - be opened, sincere and with pure heart. Don’t think too much, just accept what is. I am planning to visit the centre in Ecuador in January and open new doors with possibilities in my life. Natalia V2021-07-15Verified Безопасный путь к себе When I first got in touch, I was so deeply closed within myself, that I felt like everyone around was an enemy, I was lost.After, my life has completely changed.I realised and felt who I am, that I have heart, soul, that I am alive and the world around me is beautiful and in harmony.When I received my first knowledge I couldn’t comprehend this puzzle and didn’t first understand what happened. But when I started to see how my life was beginning to transform I started to trust, surrender and allowed myself to go on!When I met Ruyman again I felt myself comfortable in my skin surrounded by family. It is an unbelievable feeling. I’m happy that I came here and began the process of healing and spirit transformation. The dates, the people who I meet there are all at the right place, right time. For me it was important to surrender to the process, also concentrate, and follow Ruyman. His songs, his melodies, words. He is the best shaman, safe and well trusted, who keeps his tradition. He treats everyone with care and love. The people who help him are ones with big hearts who look after the space, help with any questions (from the most simple ones to the ones that might appear during the work). Ruyman’s love reaches everyone, in his mysterious way he leads everybody to his own answer. I am grateful, I found myself, my wholeness, life and I returned on my path! I think that the time I spent here is better than any other retreat. Ksenia K2021-07-08Verified Authentically and seriously I wish to express my gratitude and respect to maestro Ruyman for his mysteries. His sacred Ceremonies bring me deep healing and transformation to the light. Besides mystical discoveries and insights, after the ceremonies my life gets better and new ways open. The ceremonies pass in peaceful, kind and caring ambience, where one can feel trust and support. Ceremonies are held safely and with great care for each one. Maestro Ruyman is very serious and knowledgeable medicine man, it’s a great luck to meet him and to learn with him… Valerie S2021-07-08Verified Safe and deep work I have travelled to Ecuador in 2017 and 2019 to learn and study shamanism with Maestro Ruyman. The ceremonies that are held there are safe, real, and definitely recommended by me to anyone who is looking for a real ancestral tradition. I have met other people along my path in shamanism, and I say with a heart full of gratitude and respect that Ruyman is the best transmitter of the healing art.The Center is situated far in the selva, where you can truly dive into the embrace of the Anaconda. I have participated in Natemamu ceremonies (that are very rarely held nowadays) and that was very hard, challenging and difficult to grasp, though after some time I felt the un turning changes within my whole system. I felt much healthier, lighter and way more sensitive and in unison with life. Thanks to deep purging, to Ruyman who is a real warrior of Spirit who inspires me to the bones during his attentive, safe and profound ceremonies.Also, I participated in Tobacco ceremonies at the waterfall, which deepened my connection to Tobacco medicine.What I loved about the Center itself, was :1) great location, pure land and abundance of rivers around it2) healthy food which was provided, it was very nutritious yet simple and fulfilling3) I loved our Jea ( the ceremonial house), which is made in a traditional way. Honestly, it’s the most amazing home I have lived in! We always have a fire in the Center, and all of the sounds of the jungle are always weaving through the dreams.After spending three weeks in Ecuador at the Center, I returned home full of strength, faith in humanity and in my own pure heart. I felt like a tonne of illusions have left me and finally I could laugh and live in much greater peace.The second time I was coming back to selva like coming back home. I was going through a very challenging time in my life, and I knew that coming here to face everything inside myself will be very hard. But I knew that that was the real way to the healing, even though many tears would have been shed. Coming to the ceremonies with Ruyman is not a joke - it’s the real medicine here with a real Uwishin - and be prepared to face shadows of your own identity and do the work. I am so grateful that people like Ruyman exist who are saving the tradition, play the traditional instruments of the jungle and sing ancient songs that have been passed on generation by generation.I recommend to come to Cumbres de Arutam if you are looking for your Spirit and connection with it, while being sure that you are guided through with love and knowledge. Eugenia C2021-07-08Verified Amazing miracle I would like to express all my gratitude to the Master in words from the depths of my heart filled with happiness, truth, strength, light and love for the whole world. For the most ancient and subtle art, for an incredible heart, for the ability to heal and open incredible spaces and flows inside and outside the universe. Each ceremony is like living your whole life in one moment, simultaneously healing, cleansing, being filled with light. How to express in words the universe that you see with your own eyes. The Master and the medicine gave me life itself, the only life that exists in the moment, the very support, light, happiness, love and protection that can be found only inside myself and expressed to the whole world. At that moment in my life, when it seemed that there was nothing to cling to and there was no sense, the Master with his huge heart, reliability, strength, spirit, faith, stretched out his hand and picked me up when I was falling, showing dark corners. The shadow behind which there is power, light, resource, pointing the way to the true self. The ceremonies, the medicine, the Master makes it possible to find all the answers to the most difficult questions, to find them yourself. His ceremonies are very safe all the way through and bringing to the light of truth. I'm really looking forward to the retreat. With gratitude, with an open heart of the Spirit of Strength. p. s Is it worth trying, if there are doubts. Its better to try once than to regret all my life that I haven’t. I recommend the best Master, time-tested, reliable, carefully preserving the ancient tradition of the Great Spirit, Arutam, the Sacred Crystal. Kostya2021-07-08Verified Beauty 1. A stunning experience of realising the eternal beauty of being.2. Kindness, Love. 3.Great Medicine, Strong Medicine. The centre - as it should be. 4. Authenticity of tradition. Strong Master, Bodhisattva5. Be happyMy name is Kostya, spiritual name Manchunka Marina S2021-07-06Verified The best shaman I have dreamed of attending a retreat at this center for a long time. Many of my friends have already been there and they are in awe of it and say that this is the best center that they have visited. I have attended many ceremonies in other countries with this shaman. This is a very great soul, an enlightened teacher, an unsurpassed master in his field, an ingenious healer and a masterpiece musician. Ruyman conveys the doctrine of shamanism without distortion, such as it was hundreds and thousands of years ago. The ceremonies are very safe and efficient. I especially love to take tobacco in the Shuar tradition. It's very soft. Ruyman's music is unique and completely authentic. Alexeynavnav2021-07-03Verified Passing Shuar way My name is Uwi and I'd like to share a few words about retreat in Ecuador with maestro Arutam Ruymán.Being a part of our family in Cumbres de Arutam in January 2019 I spent 3 weeks in the jungles of Ecuador in Sangay National Park.Frankly saying, these 3 weeks were the most changeable times in my life which transformed my world and perception of life, as well my consciousness to good. Getting out of the box was the hardest part, because for the person living in the city of Moscow, taking a daily bath in the river and merging all that jungle life as I was indian guy, was unusual and let's say a big challenge. However, I always felt the support and care of maestro Arutam Ruymán and the local Shuar Family. I've been practicing the tradition of Ayahuasca or what we call the sacred plan - Natem for 6 years, but never did that for 3 weeks. Taking Natem or San Pedro almost every day is a challenge and a blessing at the same time. We also cooked Natem on our own from the cleaning of sacred liana of Natem till cooking it on fire till the drink was ready. And yes, that was the most magical Natem I ever took. Living in a village in the middle of Selva (jungles) was a great time, merging with mother nature and all the spirits, meeting sunrises and sunsets every day, as well as enjoying great views of the Sangay volcano watching and listening to unknown birds, animals and insects. Maestro Arutam Ruymá is a master of traditional chinese medicine, filosof and shaman, who passed initiation in the Shuar tribe. He transmits ancient shuar tradition with care and true love, this responds in my heart, helping me to overcome personal tragedies and darkness which kills me for years, opening doors to spiritual growth and happy life in the end. Please take in consideration all the dangers of living in the jungle and take your medical insurance with you. I wish you great times in Cumbres de Arutam and remember , since you get out of jungles and return to your home, jungles never get out of you!Aho!
“In these retreats, we aim to unite man to the Spirit through coexistence with the uncorrupted nature that our grandparents knew”
Our Vision
Cumbres de Arutam is a traditional Shuar healing and teaching center, born as the concrete manifestation of a spiritual path rooted deep in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
It is guided by master Arutam Ruymán, whose life is devoted to preserving and transmitting the legacy received from his elders, together with Jordi Tucán Rojo, who has helped ground this vision and care for the land in which it continues to grow.
This is not just a retreat center. It is a space where the memory of Arutam (Great Spirit) is honored, where the practice of true trance remains vivid, and where the jungle is not scenery but teacher, home, and spirit.
The project arose from a real need — to give continuity to what opens in ceremony, allowing space for integration and for this seed of transformation to take root, sustained by the surrounding nature, community, and silence.
Cumbres de Arutam is here to remember and honour the way of our elders
The center was born on sacred land donated for this purpose. We dedicate ourselves to cultivating the medicines that carry the memory of this tradition and ensure their presence for future generations.
This vision carries a deep responsibility — to protect the jungle that gives life to shamanism. Together with our Shuar family, who live and walk this path with us, and with the many brothers and sisters who come from around the world to deepen their practice, we care for over 600 hectares of land entrusted to preserve not only the forest, but a way of life where ancestral knowledge, sacred plants, and real spiritual work can continue to take root.
Cumbres de Arutam is not oriented toward tourism or spiritual consumption. It is for those who wish to follow the footsteps of those who came before us — to learn to live as they did, to breathe as they did, and to carry their legacy forward in this world.
Our Team
Guided by Arutam Ruymán, supported by our native family and advanced students, committed to assisting you throughout your path.
Inside Cumbres de Arutam
Visit our FAQs about application policies, daily life, guidelines, and more.