Wixárika Retreat in Nayarit, México
October 11 - October 18, 2025
Brant Secunda and Nico Secunda alongside local Mara’akate shamans from the nearby Wixáritari (Huichol) village.
Contact:
eliza.mandel@shamanism.com
About the Retreat
Experience a transformative retreat along the Pacific coast of Mexico and connect with the origins of the Wixárika shamanic traditions.
Join Brant Secunda and Nico Secunda, along with local mara-akate (shamans) from the nearby Sierra Madre homeland of the Wixáritari (Huichol people).
Immerse yourself in the tranquility of the sea and delve deeply into daily spiritual practices to heal body, heart, and spirit. This retreat is an invitation to step away from your everyday and shift your consciousness – to open your heart to the beauty and healing power of this sacred land and people.
Click here for further information.
Schedule
Overview:
Morning, afternoon, and evening sessions
- Tribal songs, chants, drumming & rattling.
- Journeying exercises working with the 4 directions.
- Meditation practices to connect with the elemental powers.
- Lecture & discussion including indigenous cosmology and myths
- Question and answer opportunities.
Dance of the Deer Ceremonies
- Ancient ceremony to honor the light of creation, celebrate the autumn season and pray for healing for ourselves and the planet. These ceremonies will take place each evening.
Pilgrimage to the Ocean
- Learn how to approach places of power in prayer.
- Receive a transmission of power from the ocean.
Itinerary:
Saturday, October 11th3:00 pm – 5:30 pm | Check-In
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm | Dinner
8:00 pm – 9:00 pm | Opening Session + Blessing
Sunday – October 12th – Friday, October 17th
8:30 am – 9:30 am | Breakfast
10:00 am – 1:00 pm | Morning Session
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm | Lunch
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm | Free-time (optional group trip to lake)
3:30 pm – 5:30 pm | Afternoon Session
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm | Dinner
8:00 pm – 9:30 pm | Evening Session
Saturday, October 18th
8:30 am – 9:30 am | Breakfast
11:00 am | Pack up & Goodbyes – we prefer to say We’ll see you later!
Payment & Cancellation Policy
$1,050 tuition (full priced). We offer significant discounts that reduce every two months leading up to the retreat. Please refer to https://www.shamanism.com/programs/mexico-shamanism-retreat for the most up to date pricing.
About the Teachers
Brant Secunda
Brant Secunda is an internationally acclaimed shaman, healer, and teacher in the indigenous Huichol tradition of Mexico. During an intensive 12-year apprenticeship, Brant became the adopted grandson and close companion of Don José Matsuwa, the renowned shaman who passed away in 1990 at the age of 110. Brant was chosen by Don José to take his place in helping to carry on Huichol Shamanism. Recognized as a global thought leader and spiritual teacher, Brant has been a lecturer at the Mayo Clinic, the American Holistic Medical Association Conferences, and a faculty member of the Five Branches Institute of Chinese Medicine. He also co-founded the Humanistic Medicine Conference with the World Health Organization, the Peace University in Berlin, and is a founding member of the American Herbalist Guild. Striving to bridge the worlds of fitness and spirituality, Brant co-authored the award-winning book Fit Soul, Fit Body: 9 Keys to a Healthier, Happier You. Teacher’s website.
Nico Secunda
Nico Secunda has been steeped in the indigenous Huichol tradition and shamanic practices since birth. He completed an intensive shamanic apprenticeship with his father (Brant Secunda) at twenty-one years of age and underwent the rare transmission of power ceremony to become a Mara-Akame (Huichol Shaman) in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico. He is the Managing Director of the Dance of the Deer Foundation – Center for Shamanic Studies. Nico is also the Co-Founder of the Huichol Foundation, which provides economic and cultural support to the indigenous Huichol people of Mexico. As a child of both the modern world and the ancient Huichol culture, Nico has walked a unique path, bridging the new and old worlds. Because of this, he offers a very relatable approach for people striving to integrate spiritual practices into their daily lives and unify various aspects of the self. Teacher’s website.
Don Oweliano, Mara-Akame of the Wixáritari
Don Owelinao is a respected elder and ceremonial mara-akate (shaman). He has stepped into the role of the primary ceremonial leader within the villages of Don José Matsuwa and Doña Josefe Medrano’s families.
Virginia Rios Medrano, Keeper of the Temple / Ceremonial Assistant
Virginia is the daughter of Don José Matsuwa and Doña Josefa Medrano, and was married to the Eligio Carrillo, the renowned yarn painting shaman. She is the keeper of the temple in the village and supports the continued ceremonial gathering of her people, while also being traditional artisan specializing in embroidered medicine bags and beadwork.