In place of our monthly Hudson Valley Psychedelic Society Meetup, join us at the N.E.S.T. for a Sacred Talk and Medicine Circle: Exploring Umbandaime, Rapé & Sananga
You are warmly invited to a compelling lecture and sacred gathering exploring Umbandaime—the unique spiritual fusion of the Afro-Brazilian tradition of Umbanda with the Amazonian force of Santo Daime.
This enlightening conversation opens a portal to the ancestral wisdom of the Orishas and the healing spirits of the forest. It offers fertile ground for shamanic practice, spiritual insight, and a deeper relationship with the Divine through nature’s medicines.
The talk will be guided by Dara Freire and Camila Vasquez, both lifelong Umbanda practitioners deeply rooted in the sacred teachings of the Temple of Umbanda São Sebastião (TUSS) in Brazil. With over 20 years of spiritual dedication, Dara and Camila walk in close communion with the energies of the Orishas, the forest medicines, and the spiritual guides that shape the Umbandaime path.
They are also ceremonial drummers in the Umbanda tradition, and during the gathering, will share sacred songs and rhythms from their traditional drumming practice. In Umbanda, the atabaque—the sacred drum—is not just an instrument but a vehicle of connection with the Orishas and a vital tool for developing spiritual mediumship. The vibration of the drum calls forth the divine forces of nature, aligning spirit and body in ritual harmony.
Topics that will be explored include:
The Origins of Umbandaime – A look into the spiritual and historical merging of Umbanda and Santo Daime.
The Medicine of the Forest – Ayahuasca’s role in healing, vision, and awakening within the Umbandaime current.
Orishas and the Elements – Understanding nature’s divine forces as allies in restoring harmony.
Mediumship and Spiritual Guidance – How spiritual communication unfolds and evolves through ritual and inner alignment.
Medicine Circle: Rapé & Sananga
Following the talk, we will offer an optional circle introducing the sacred forest medicines Rapé (hapé) and Sananga—ancestral tools used to cleanse, align, and awaken body, mind, and spirit.
✨ Sananga is a potent eye medicine made from the root bark of a sacred Amazonian shrub (Apocynaceae family). Traditionally used to clear panema—energetic heaviness, sadness, or stagnation—it supports clarity of vision (inner and outer), purification, and deep spiritual sight. Sananga activates the pineal gland, clears the aura, and gently opens energetic pathways for insight and healing.
✨ Rapé (hapé) is a finely powdered snuff prepared from sacred Amazonian plants, applied through the nose using a Kuripe or Tepi pipe. Used in ceremonial settings by tribes like the Yawanawa and Huni Kuin, Rapé is revered for its grounding, chakra-aligning, and cleansing properties. It helps release stuck energy, sharpen presence, deepen breath, and connect to spiritual guidance. Each blend carries the spirit of the plants and the hands that prepared it.
These medicines are not psychedelic, but rather subtle, powerful allies that support energetic hygiene, focus, grounding, and connection.
Important Note:
Both Sananga and Rapé are sacred tools of healing and should be approached with reverence. We invite you to engage with these medicines in a respectful and intentional way. Guidance will be provided during the session, and care will be taken to hold a safe, sacred space for all participants.
Come be part of this sacred conversation and ceremony. Let the wisdom of the forest and the ancestors guide us into deeper connection, healing, and purpose.
Facilitators:
Dara Freire, born in Brasilia, DF, has been practicing Umbanda since childhood and has studied and trained at the Umbanda Temple of São Sebastião in Brazil for the past 18 years. She received initiations in the Umbanda tradition and has expanded her studies to the USA, Europe, and Canada. Dara has also spent time in the Amazon with native communities to deepen her knowledge of sacred medicines. She is an actress with expertise in Brazilian cultural movements, rhythms, and dances.
Camila Vasquez, the daughter of Babalorixá Adolfo Pxanticosusque, was born into the Umbanda tradition at the Umbanda Temple of São Sebastião in Brazil. From a young age, she studied to be a Curimbeira, playing a vital role in ceremonies by playing the Atabaque drum, a sacred devotional instrument for the Orisha divinities.