My journey with Rapé! Minha Jornada com Rapé!

PARA PORTUGUES LER EM BAIXO (ESTA TRADUZIDO NO PORTUGUES)

My journey with Rapé, pronounced ‘ha-peh’, in English, has been an interesting one.  It is one heavily connected with ayahuasca.  I remember being in Peru at an ayahuasca ceremony and was asked if I would like to try Rapé.  I was told it is normally done at Ayahuasca ceremonies to prepare you for the work and open up the third eye chakra.  Being that I am a daredevil and adventurous I will certainly try anything once. So I said yes.  The Shaman blew the Rapé in one nostril without any explanation, of what to expect, to me.  Let me remind you that I was in Peru where they only spoke Spanish in this ceremony.  Immediately I stopped breathing.  Fear entered, I began to panic.  Thoughts of death aroused.  The Shaman began to say breathe in Spanish, but I couldn’t.  He said breathe again.  I was just filled with fear and could not hear anything he was saying.  Breathe, what is breathing anyway.  Breath is life.  Breath is the thing that helps us relax, think clearly and bring us back to a healthy state, which is why breath work is fundamental in yoga, meditation, pilates, dance and singing.  Breathe.  He touched me and said breathe.  I was able to take a deep breath.  The panic left.  Then he prepared to blow the Rapé in the next nostril.  I started a process and had to continue. He blew, I choked up again but this time I was able to breathe sooner.  A shooting pain  went to the back of my brain with both blows.  But the first blow, I just choked up, the second blow I was able to rub on my head some. Tears ran down both cheeks.  I began to spit and blow my nose, but then a sense of peace came.  It made it all worth it.  I had an amazing meditation, felt completely and deeply relaxed and knew everything would be ok.

As I continued on my journey through S. America and doing Ayahuasca ceremonies, I continued to do Rapé.  After living in brazil for 3 years Rapé became a bit more of a regular practice.  I hadn’t been trained on it officially but began to use it myself.  I would buy the Rapé and snuff it myself for deep meditations.  Eventually I bought a self applicator, called ‘Kuripe’, with more time I bought an applicator in which I could administer to others.  This is called ‘Tepi’ or blow pipe.  They are made from bambu or bones.  The Kuripe is a V shape and Tepi is long with the smaller end being the end to insert into the nose.  I guess you could say I had a training directly through Rapé, but then I began a Shaman course in which I did receive a training on how to blow Rapé and how to insert it into the applicator.  

I remember doing Rapé once in Imbassai, Brazil at the beach with a friend for an outside meditation.  After snuffing I vomited for the first time.  Now I have vomited when doing Rapé after ayahuasca, but this is the first time when I did it with nothing else.  As I purged, I could see all of my fears exiting.  I was cleansing my soul and body.  It was a wonderful and well needed purge that I was thankful for.  It wasn’t painful or uncomfortable.  It was just a well needed cleanse.  I sat back down and that sense of peace returned. I generally do Rapé about four times a month sometimes weekly.  Usually I will do it for new or full moon ceremonies  or times where I feel like I would like to have a deep meditation.  I am thinking of doing Rapé more often as it profoundly helps to re-align and open all your chakras, improves your grounding, releases any sickness on physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels, opens-up the third eye, de-calcifies the pineal gland, clears any mental confusion, releases any negative thoughts, connects you to your divine breath, and elevates your connection with Spirit.

Rapé is a very rare, sacred, powerful, precious, profoundly healing and cleansing miracle medicine that I am thankful to have come across in my lifes’ journey.  Each journey with Rapé, I have received valuable insight on what I should do, it has helped me to connect with my precious breath, taught me how to trust myself and have given me a sense of peace and faith. Thank you sacred medicine.  Thank you Rapé!

 Minha jornada com Rapé, pronuncia-se 'ha-peh ", em Inglês, tem sido interessante. É ligado com ayahuasca. Lembro-me de estar no Peru em uma cerimônia de ayahuasca e foi perguntado se eu gostaria de tentar Rapé. Foi-me dito que é feito normalmente nas cerimónias de ayahuasca para se preparar para o trabalho e abrir o chakra do terceiro olho. Sendo que eu sou uma mulher retada e aventureira, vou certamente tentar qualquer coisa uma vez. Então, eu disse porque não. O Shaman soprou o  Rapé em uma narina, sem qualquer explicação, do que esperar, para mim. Deixe-me lembrá-lo que eu estava no Peru, onde eles só falavam espanhol nesta cerimónia. Imediatamente eu parei de respirar. Medo entrou, eu comecei a entrar em pânico. Pensamentos de morte despertou. O Shaman começou a dizer respirar em espanhol, mas eu não podia. Ele disse que respirar novamente. Eu estava cheia de medo e não conseguia ouvir nada do que ele estava dizendo. Respire, o que está  respirar. A respiração é vida. A respiração é a coisa que nos ajuda a relaxar, pensar com clareza e nos trazer de volta a um estado saudável, e é por isso que o trabalho de respiração é fundamental para yoga, meditação, pilates, dança e canto. Respire. Ele me tocou e disse respirar. Eu era capaz de tomar uma respiração profunda. O pânico saiu. Em seguida, ele se preparava para soprou o  Rapé na próxima narina. Eu comecei um processo e teve que continuar. Ele explodiu, eu engasgado novamente, mas desta vez eu era capaz de respirar mais cedo. A dor aguda foi para a parte de trás do meu cérebro com ambas as vias de fato. Mas o primeiro golpe, eu só engasgado, o segundo golpe que eu era capaz de esfregar na minha cabeça alguns. Lágrimas correram para baixo. Eu comecei a cuspir e assoar o nariz, mas, em seguida, uma sensação de paz veio. Ele fez tudo valer a pena. Eu tive uma meditação incrível, me senti completamente e profundamente relaxado e sabia que tudo seria ok.

Como eu continuei na minha viagem através S. América e fazendo cerimônias de Ayahuasca, continuei a fazer  Rapé. Depois de viver no Brasil por 3 anos  Rapé tornou-se um pouco mais de uma prática regular. Eu não haviam sido treinados sobre ele oficialmente, mas começou a usá-lo eu mesmo. Gostaria de comprar o  Rapé e apagá-me para meditações profundas. Eventualmente, eu comprei um auto aplicador, chamado 'Kuripe', com mais tempo eu comprei um aplicador em que eu poderia administrar a outros. Isso é chamado de 'Tepi' ou tubo de sopro. Eles são feitos de bambu ou ossos. O Kuripe é uma forma de “V” e Tepi é longa, com a extremidade menor ser o fim para inserir no nariz. Eu acho que você poderia dizer que eu tinha um treinamento diretamente através de  Rapé, mas depois eu comecei um curso Shaman em que eu tenha recebido um treinamento sobre como soprar  Rapé e como inseri-lo com aplicador.

Lembro-me de fazer o  Rapé de vez em Imbassai, Brasil na praia com uma amiga para uma meditação fora. Após aplicando Rapé vomitei pela primeira vez. Antes eu ter vomitado ao fazer  Rapé após ayahuasca, mas esta é a primeira vez que eu fiz isso com nada mais. Como eu purgado, pude ver todos os meus medos saindo. Eu estava limpando minha alma e do corpo. Foi um expurgo maravilhoso e bem necessário que eu era grata. Não foi dolorosa ou desconfortável. Foi apenas uma limpeza bem necessário. Sentei-me de volta para baixo e que a sensação de paz retornado. Eu geralmente faço  Rapé cerca de quatro vezes por mês, às vezes semanais. Normalmente eu faca isso para cerimônias de lua nova ou cheia ou tempos em que me sinto como se eu gostaria de ter uma profunda meditação. Estou pensando em fazer o  Rapé mais frequentemente como profundamente ajuda a re-align e abrir todos os seus chakras, melhora a sua ligação à terra, libera qualquer doença em níveis físico, emocional, mental e espiritual, abre-se o terceiro olho, de-calcifica a glândula pineal, apaga qualquer confusão mental, libera todos os pensamentos negativos, você conecta ao seu sopro divino, e eleva a sua conexão com o Espírito.

Rapé é um muito raro, sagrado, poderoso, muito, profundamente cura e medicina milagre de limpeza que eu sou grata por ter na minha jornada da vida. Cada viagem de  Rapé, recebi informações valiosas sobre o que devo fazer, ele me ajudou a se conectar com o meu precioso respiração, me ensinou a confiar em mim e me deu uma sensação de paz e fé. Obrigado medicina sagrada. Obrigada Rapé!

Thank you Nefertiti Atlan for the wonderful pics!
#JustbeingRenee

Welcome to RetreatwithRenee(RwR)

My name is Renee Marie Adolphe.  I am a Psychotherapist and Reiki Master, who has been traveling through India and S. America for the last two years.  I am currently living in Salvador, Brazil and decided to begin RetreatwithRenee in order to bring people from different countries to Brazil to grow, love, enjoy, laugh, and experience what I am experiencing through retreating within themselves.  My goal for this blog is to post things I plan on doing and teaching in my retreats and to learn from you what you would like to experience in retreats.

Home Is Where The Heart Is

I have been in my new home for 6 days now.  I feel so grateful and bubbly inside, words can’t express.  I look around and feel like I am home.  Now of course I felt this way when I bought my first home in 2001. I also felt this way when I first arrived in Salvador.  As I think back, I arrived to Brazil with $0.  I took the boat through the Amazon from Colombia and arrived in Manaus.  A friend I met along my journey lent me money for a flight to Salvador. Once in Salvador, my brother was able to wire me money, which was a tremendous support.  I am thankful for him and my family for supporting me and thankful that I have not had to ask for money to be sent since.  I started to teach English and after a year of moving from place to place I finally found a place I could afford and call home.  I stayed in a favela, but it was my own place, I loved it.  It was small but all I needed.   I had a simple life, did not want for more.  The name of the favela is Morro da Sereia, which means Mermaid Hill.  I lived there for almost 2 years.  I moved in January 2012 and lived there until September 2013.  There I was able to grow my Reiki practice where I taught regular classes as well as gave sessions.  I was able to do yoga with different practitioners.  I took part in Variety shows, workshops and grew spiritually.  The downside was the amount of steps that I had to walk up to get to my house, the days or weeks we would go without water, the dog and cat poop on the steps and in front of the house and not to forget the noise.  I realized how precious water is, and how much I use it and need it in my day to day life.   I also, learned how strong and perseverant I am.  To hike up the steps with grocery bags, to deal with the neighbors’ music early in the mornings or late at nights some time, the foolishness of some of the neighbors, but I also had loving neighbors who watched out for me and my home, and it felt like a sense of community.  I loved it and am thankful for every experience I had there as it helped me to grow.  I know I also stayed there because I thought I could not afford more and through my personal work learned that I was there as a way to honor my ancestors.  But I know now, my ancestors do not want me to honor them through lack or a poverty mindset.  So I will honor them another way.  Now I moved into my new home, which has space in the back for a BBQ and a little garden.  I look forward to this space to plant herbs and to allow my Aloe Vera plant to flourish.  I feel like I can make a home here for however long that will be.  I am just open to what the universe sends to me. 

39 Years of Reflection

39 Years of Reflection

Today I turn 39 years old.  I honestly can't believe it.  I feel so much younger than 39.  I lay in bed reflecting on my life and have thought of the many things I have done and the many more to come.  In this 39 years I have worked hard to achieve a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology. I worked to put myself through college, as a waitress, bartender and salesperson at Lowe's.  After earning my Bachelors from Florida State University I moved to Virginia where I began to work at a technology firm doing accounting work, then teaching at a preschool and later going back to earn my Master's at Marymount University.  I've worked for Mental Health Hospitals, a Mental Health Insurance company, a crisis center and at the age of 29 started my own business as a Private Practice Psychotherapist.  All the while planning events such as ski trips, camping trips and socials.  My life has always been a busy one, preparing me for what is to come.  I've had several religious paths such as Catholicism, Baptist, Christian, Buddhist all to learn more about myself and this world. In 2009, at the age of 35 I decided to travel the world.  I started in India, then went to Argentina, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia all of which I stayed for 3 months, then on to Brazil where I decided to put down roots for some time.  I entered not knowing the language and within 7 months began a Post Graduate Program in Transpersonal Therapy where I studied for the last 2 years in Portuguese.  Wow that is a big accomplishment.  I am currently taking a Dance class to work on seeking the interior self and work on individuation.  Speaking of dance I have danced Belly Dance, Tribal Fusion and have performed here in Brazil.  I can't forget my acting in the States when I was a child.  I performed in Musicals, Plays, and Comedy Skits.  It has always been hard for me to write about myself.  This is my healing right now as I write for myself.  Most people look at my life and think how easy I have it and how much fun I am having, but Salvador is a tough city to live in.  I have faced many struggles that many don't know of, I have cried many tears, but I have also loved, and laughed many laughs.  That is part of life.  The balance without the sad times we could not appreciate the happy times.  I have written for magazines, was a weekly guest on a talk show, have been interviewed for magazines and radio shows.  I have done a lot in these 39 years and if I could give advice to someone I would say follow your heart and live your dreams.  Don't be afraid of carrying out your dreams. The universe and God is there to help!  You just have to trust and have faith! I have also studied Reiki traditional and Egyptian, am a Master and teach Reiki as well.  Wow have I done a lot.  Now it is time to dare yet again and start doing my retreats around the world to share what I have learned and to help others travel the world and grow at the same time.  Somewhere deep inside I have doubted myself which is why I haven't started yet, but I have accrued a lot of knowledge and experience and am ready to share. 

Health of a Woman

In September 2011, I went to the doctor here in Brazil and was told I had cysts and fibroids.  The doctor told me to have them surgically removed.  I opted not too, as I thought that there could be natural ways to have them leave the body.  I was also told that they can leave on their own.  Due to the symptoms, I decided to research the ways in which to have them leave in a holistic way.  Online I found many cites recommending a change of diet, strenuous exercise, acupuncture, and Chinese medicine.  A good friend also gave me her book:  Sacred Woman by Queen Afua.  I began to read this book and learned so much about woman and our bodies.  There are so many foods that cause the growth of cysts, fibroids, and tumors.  I followed the strict diet and simultaneously received acupuncture three times a week.  Within two months my symptoms were gone.  Yes, I could have had them surgically removed, and at times I felt that would be easier.  I am a meat eater.  I love meat and even more I love shrimp, oh and how I love cheese.  I had to become a vegan.  This is extremely difficult in Brazil.  The restaurants put pork or meat in every dish as a condiment and do not consider pork meat.  But I persevered and learned how to make vegan dishes such as vegan cornbread, vegan pumpkin pie for the holidays and many other vegan dishes that surprisingly delicious.  It wasn’t just eating vegan, but I had to cut out all white, processed foods such as white flour, regular rice, sugar, etc.  This makes it even more difficult as I can find vegetarian options but with white rice, sugar or white flour in there dishes.  You can now imagine my difficulty, but it was all worth it.  After three months of the diet, I occasionally splurge, but for the most part I maintain a vegan diet.  Queen Afua states the growths can re-grow if you eat these mucus increasing foods, so I keep them at bay.  I do feel however that anything in moderation is fine for you.   In addition, to the diet and acupuncture I incorporated her womb dance into my routine.  This knowledge is one of the things I hope to share in one of my many retreats.  What have been some of your struggles and triumphs for a lifestyle change?  Have you struggled with cysts, fibroids, or tumors?