CONVERGENCE! Schedule

CONVERGENCE Day 1 - Thursday, July 10, 2008
7:00 A - 9:00 P	Arrival, Registration, Orientation Tour, Room and Camp Assignments
7:00 A - 8:30 A	Breakfast
10:30 A - 12:30 P	Orientation Tours and Information in Conference Area
12:30 P - 2:00 P	Lunch
2:00 P – 4:00 P	Musical Soundscape - Area Two – DJ iika
2:00 P – 4:10 P	Film Screening "Entheogenesis – Awaking the Divine Within" Entheogenesis: Awakening the Divine Within is a feature length documentary which invites the viewer to rediscover an enchanted cosmos in the modern world by awakening to the divine within. The film examines the reemergence of archaic techniques of ecstasy in the modern world by weaving a synthesis of ecological and evolutionary awareness, electronic dance culture, and the current pharmacological reevaluation of entheogenic compounds. Entheogenesis invites the viewer to consider that the answers to questions about our ecological crisis, our collective psyche and how to reinvent ourselves lie within the consciousness of each and every human being, and are accessible if only we give ourselves permission to awaken to the divine within. Stan Grof, Marilyn Schlitz, Ralph Metzner, Alex Grey, Terrence McKenna, John Markoff, Daniel Pinchbeck, and Kat Harrison among others, postulate how the disenchantment of the modern world may be remedied by summoning the courage to take the next leap in the evolution of planetary consciousness.
4:15 P – 5:30 P	Presentation and Q & A with Pablo Amaringo Shamanism, Plants and Art
6:30 P - 9:00 P	CONVERGENCE 2008 Dinner & Welcome Talk Welcome & Introductions by Sitaramaya Greeting by Guillermo Arévalo Valera “Kestembetsa” and Sonia Chuquimbalqui Váscones “Soiyaca”
9:00 P - 11:00 P	Musical Soundscape – Area Two Impromptu Jam – Bring your instruments
9:00 P – 11:00 P	Film Screening – “Renegade” A Film by Jan Kounen Featuring Kestembetsa and Maria Valera Blueberry battles to unite the natives who raised him with the people he belongs to. Initiated by the Indians, Blueberry tries to maintain the fine balance between the two civilizations, at the risk of not belonging anywhere.

CONVERGENCE Day 2 - Friday, July 11, 2008
7:00 A - 8:30 A	Breakfast
8:30 A - 12:30 P	Bodywork, Reiki, Massage, Acupuncture and Yoga Sign Ups - Area Two
9:00 A – 10:00 A	Yoga with Sharon Stetter – Area One
11:00 A - 12:30 P	Presentation – Shipibo Cosmovision Guillermo Arévalo and Sonia Váscones
12:30 P - 2:00 P	Lunch
2:00 P - 6:00 P	Musical Soundscape – Area One – DJ iika
2:00 P	Optional Preparatory Ritual Purge for Ayahuasca Ceremonies with Azucena Medicinal Plant Tea
4:00 P - 6:00 P	Presentation -Visionary Art Roberto Venosa and Martina Hoffmann
6:30 P - 8:00 P	Dinner
8:00 P – 9:45 P	Presentation – Jan Kounen Creative visions of "Blueberry" (“Renegade”), “Other Worlds,” with new visionary elements. How can we bring back information from the other realms of perception? How can we share this information?
9:50 P - 11:10 P	Film Screening – “Shipibo-Konibo – A Rite of Passage” A Film by Willem Malten Narrated by Gene Hackman Original Score by Correo Aero and the Mahua Shamans Shipibo-Konibo is a journey into the heart of the Amazonian rain forest but also a metaphorical journey, an exploration of Shamanic states of mind. The Mahua Shamans invite us to partake in Ayahuasca for healing and telepathic communion. It was the Shaman’s plan to revive the tribal ‘Aneshiati’ ritual one last time. During the ceremony the entire cultural heritage of the Shipibo-Konibo: dances, songs, drinks, clothing and ceramics come alive around a Rite of Passage. Shipibo-Konibo is about the narrow passage between the mind and the forest, the male and the female, the profane and the sacred, the raw and the cooked. It is about the meeting between ‘us’ and ‘them’, a realization of innocence and loss of it and yet, finding unexpected hope for humankind.

CONVERGENCE Day 3 - Saturday, July 12, 2008
7:00 A - 8:30 A	Breakfast
8:30 A - 11:15 A	Bodywork, Massage, Reiki and Acupuncture - Area Two
9:00 A – 10:00 A	Yoga - Area One
9:00 A – 11:00 A	Individual Meetings with Kestembetsa Schedule posted in Conference Area
11:30 A - 12:15 A	Guided Medicinal & Botanical Garden Walk with Guillermo Arévalo and Sonia Váscones
12:30 P - 2:00 P	Lunch
2:00 P - 6:00 P	Bodywork, Massage, Reiki and Acupuncture - Area Two
2:00 P – 4:00 P	Musical Chill – Area Two – DJ Semuta
2:30 P - 4:00 P	Presentation Frank Echenhofer, Ph.D. Similarities and differences between a variety of psychedelics and meditation techniques.
2:30 P – 4:00 P	Presentation – Chris Kilham The Shaman's Pharmacy, Medicines and Plant Allies Shamans of South America and the Amazon utilize many hundreds of plants for overall health, ritual and exploratory purposes. From coca to tobacco, cat's claw to San Pedro cactus, we'll explore some key plants in the shaman's pharmacy, and the role they play in healing and environmental and cultural preservation. Location: To Be Announced
4:10 P – 6:00 P	Presentation – Pablo Amaringo In this presentation, Pablo Amaringo will provide detailed descriptions of, and the story behind, his paintings.
2:00 P - 6:00 P	Bodywork, Massage, Reiki and Acupuncture - Area Two
6:30 P - 8:00 P	Dinner (if not drinking ayahuasca)
8:00 P - 8:30 P	Gather for first Ayahuasca Ceremony
9:00 P	Ayahuasca Ceremony
9:00 P - 11:00 P	Musical Chill - Area One

CONVERGENCE Day 4 - Sunday, July 13, 2008
7:00 A - 8:30 A	Breakfast
9:00 A - 11:00 A	Bodywork, Massage, Reiki and Acupuncture - Area Two
9:00 A - 10:00 A	Yoga with Sharon Stetter – Area One
9:00 A - 11:30 P	Workshop - Drawing/Painting Your Experience Martina Hoffmann and Roberto Venosa Location: House in the Garden
12:30 P - 2:00 P	Lunch
2:00 P - 3:40 P	Presentation – Maria Valera and Ricardo Amaringo Shipibo Designs, Textiles, Plants and Cosmovision Workshop – Natural Materials and Visionary Expression Body Art & Painting with Natural Plant Dyes Location: Area Two
2:00 P - 3:30 P	Sound Journey Experience Richard Grossman, Ph.D. Location: Area One
4:00 P - 6:00 P	Gathering Circles to share ceremony experience - Maloka Grande
4:00 P - 6:00 P	Musical Soundscape – Area Two
6:30 P - 8:00 P	Dinner
8:00 P - 8:30 P	Introduction of Film “Other Worlds” Jan Kounen, Jeremy Narby
8:30 P - 11:10 P	Film Screening - “Other Worlds: A Journey Into The Heart of Shipibo Shamanism” Documentary: 75 Minutes followed by discussion with Jan Kounen and Jeremy Narby After a short introduction, the Dutch director will present his highly appraised documentary, leading us into the heart of Shipibo shamanism: "Kestembetsa is a Shipibo-Konibo Shaman, who enabled me to experience Shamanism from the inside. There are 45,000 Shipibo Konibos living together along the Amazon River in Peru. Kestembetsa is the spiritual guide of all Shipibo Konibos. He is the Master Shaman who trains his people’s Shamans. Kestembetsa enabled us to film a summer solstice ceremony, which lasted for three days and three nights. This traditional celebration has never been recorded on film, and justly so. It has not occurred for 70 years and has obviously been seen by very few ‘non-Indians.’ Using night-vision cameras, we were able to immortalize these unique moments.”

CONVERGENCE Day 5 - Monday, July 14, 2008
7:00 A - 8:30 A	Breakfast
9:00 A - 10:00 A	Yoga with Sharon Stetter – Area One
9:00 A - 11:00 P	Bodywork, Massage, Reiki and Acupuncture - Area Two
9:00 A – 10:30 A	Individual Meetings with Kestembetsa Schedule posted in Conference Area
10:30 A - 11:40 A	Film Screening – “Living Yoga – The life and teachings of Swami Satchidananda” Written and co-produced by Joshua M. Greene Directed and co-produced by Shiva Kumar This documentary chronicles the birth of the modern Yoga movement and its impact on the world. Yoga is over 5000 years old, yet it is relatively new to Americans. Swami Satchidananda was one of the first Yoga masters to bring the classical Yoga tradition to the West and popularize the philosophy and practices. He taught Yoga postures to Americans and introduced them to meditation and a vegetarian and more compassionate lifestyle after he was invited to America in 1966 by the iconic pop artist Peter Max. He led some half a million American youth in chanting OM, when he delivered the official opening remarks at the 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Festival, and he became known as "the Woodstock guru." The distinctive teachings he brought with him blend the physical discipline of Yoga, the spiritual philosophy of Vedantic literature and the interfaith ideals he pioneered. These techniques and concepts influenced a generation and spawned a Yoga culture that is flourishing today. The film features archival footage from around the globe; segments with Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Mehmet Oz; Pop artist Peter Max, Felix Cavaliere (lead singer, The Rascals), Dr. Bhagavan Antle (founder, The Institute of Greatly Endangered & Rare Species), Sharon Gannon and David Life (Yoga teachers to Sting, Willem Dafoe and Russell Simmons) and Swami Asokananda (president, Integral Yoga International) are among others also interviewed.
10:00 A – 12:30 P	Presentation – Kenneth W. Tupper Ayahuasca in the 21st Century: Philosophical and Policy Challenges Location: Dining Hall
12:30 P - 2:00 P	Lunch
2:00 P - 3:30 P	Presentation & Discussion - Jeremy Narby, Ph.D.
3:40 P – 5:00 P	Presentation - Dennis McKenna, Ph.D. Healing Journey: Psychedelics as Medicine
5:10 P – 7:00 P	Moderated Discussion - Ayahuasca Tourism, Cultural Appropriation & Rainforest Impact Guillermo Arévalo, Pablo Amaringo, Jeremy Narby, Jessica Bertram, Richard Grossman, Dennis McKenna, AyasminA In this discussion, we will hear from panelists on the above topics for the first fifty minutes. We will then invite audience participation and commentary for the remaining hour. Moderated by Sitaramaya Location: To Be Announced
5:10 P – 7:20 P	Film Screening – Renegade A Film by Jan Kounen Featuring Kestembetsa and Maria Valera Blueberry battles to unite the natives who raised him with the people he belongs to. Initiated by the Indians, Blueberry tries to maintain the fine balance between the two civilizations, at the risk of not belonging anywhere.
6:30 P - 8:00 P	Dinner (if not drinking Ayahuasca)
8:00 P - 8:30 P	Gather for second Ayahuasca Ceremony
9:00 P	Ayahuasca Ceremony Two
9:00 P - 11:00 P	Musical Chill - Area One

CONVERGENCE Day 6 - Tuesday, July 15, 2008
7:00 A - 8:30 A	Breakfast
9:00 A - 10:00 A	Yoga with Sharon Stetter – Area One
9:00 A - 11:00 A	Individual Meetings with Kestembetsa Schedule posted in Conference Area
9:00 A - 12:00 P	Bodywork, Massage, Reiki and Acupuncture - Area Two
11:00 A - 12:20 P	Presentation – Sonia Váscones Plants as Teachers – Master Plants and Medicinal Plants of the Amazon Location: Area One
11:00 P – 12:20 P	Screening – “IMAGINE THIS!” Rafael Monserrate & Eion Bailey HumaniTV. The pilot show, IMAGINE THIS! explores how the entire world can be seen as a canvas of creation where everything and everyone are inextricably connected. Each week a team of inventors, engineers, environmentalists and artists will come together somewhere unique to do the unthinkable. In 6 days, they will attempt to complete a life-changing project for people in need. On the 7th day, rain or shine, the project is unveiled. This pilot episode takes place high in the Andes Mountains overlooking the Sacred Valley of Peru, where children as young as 6 years old wake up every morning at 4 am to begin a 24 mile roundtrip journey on foot to get to school. One People. One Life-Changing Project. One Week. IMAGINE THIS!
12:30 P - 2:00 P	Lunch
2:00 P – 4:00 P	Film Screening – WorldSpirit A Film with Alex Grey and Kenji Williams WorldSpirit is a prayer For the realization of our integration with The web of creation And for the transformation of our species From one gripped in fear and self annihilation To a species that stands for love, Wildly creative peace and liberation. WorldSpirit is an audio-visual experience of the live performance interwoven with Alex Grey’s art featuring poetry and storytelling by visionary artist Alex Grey, music by electronic composer and violinist Kenji Williams, and multi-screen projections of Alex Grey’s paintings.
2:00 P - 4:00 P	Workshop – Drawing/Painting Your Experience Martina Hoffmann and Roberto Venosa Joined by Artists Pablo Amaringo, Mita Lozano and Eric Avondo Location: House in the Garden
2:00 P – 3:50 P	Moderated Discussion Shamanism, Spirit & Science Guillermo Arévalo, Jessica Bertram, Frank Echenhofer, Dennis McKenna, Jeremy Narby, Sitaramaya Moderated by AyasminA Location: To Be Announced
4:00 P - 6:00 P	Gathering Circles to share ceremony experience
6:30 P - 8:00 P	Dinner
8:00 P – 9:00 P	Presentation – Jeremy Narby, Ph.D. Though rational observers have misunderstood shamans for centuries, times are changing. Scientists are now opening up to learning with their indigenous colleagues. Jeremy Narby is an anthropologist active between systems of knowledge. Building on the emerging themes and conversations of CONVERGENCE, Jeremy will speak from his wide range of experience and study of shamanism and science.
9:10 P – 10:30 P	Presentation & Q & A with Guillermo Arévalo Shamanism – Where do we go from here? Visions of the forest, plants and global transformation.
9:00 P - 11:00 P	Musical Soundscape – DJ Semuta

CONVERGENCE Day 7 - Wednesday, July 16, 2008
7:00 A - 8:30 A	Breakfast
9:00 A - 10:00 A	Yoga with Sharon Stetter – Area One
9:00 – 11:00 P	Bodywork, Massage, Reiki and Acupuncture - Area Two
9:00 A – 10:00 A	Sound Journey Richard Grossman, Ph.D.
9:00 A – 11:00 A	Individual Meetings with Kestembetsa Schedule posted in Conference Area
9:00 A – 10:50 A	Film Clip and Presentation – “In Search of the Divine Vegetal” AyasminA and Tom McKinnon “In Search of the Divine Vegetal” explores the nexus of Western and Indigenous cosmologies in relation to plant intelligence and aspires to engender a species of hybrid consciousness consisting of Western science, Indigenous technology, phytospirituality, and the Great Unknown. Tom and AyasminA will be presenting on the making of their documentary, the process and pitfalls of eliciting and evaluating culturally-specific information, and some of the logistical, environmental, legal, political, and ethical challenges they have faced in attempting to make esoteric, Indigenous practice accessible to the Western mind.
11:00 A - 12:30 P	Moderated Discussion Plants & People Dennis McKenna, Martina Hoffman, Sitaramaya Moderator: To Be Announced
12:30 P - 2:00 P	Lunch
2:00 P - 3:30 P	Presentation – Dennis McKenna, Ph.D. Protecting Indigenous Knowledge, Indigenous Rights, and Indigenous Intellectual Property Rights.
3:15 P – 4:50 P	Discussion and Q & A with AyasminA, Maria Valera, Sonia Váscones and Sitaramaya Women on the Path – Personal experiences with Plant Medicine
5:00 P – 6:00 P	Film Preview, Introduction of Topics & Discussion “DMT: The Spirit Molecule” A Film by Mitch Schultz THE SPIRIT MOLECULE - a film in progress - investigates dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a naturally occurring psychoactive compound, which exists in the human brain as well as in numerous species of plants and animals. The feature-length documentary traces Dr. Rick Strassman's government sanctioned human DMT research and its many trials, tribulations, achievements, and inconceivable realizations. This includes looking deeper into the intense psychedelic experience that DMT causes when consumed, and examining its scientific, spiritual, and cultural relevance. Ultimately, THE SPIRIT MOLECULE explores the connections between cutting-edge neuroscience, quantum physics, and human spirituality. The film preview is an assembly of raw interview clips to prompt discussion of the themes, topics and ideas raised in the segments.
6:30 P - 8:00 P	Dinner (if not drinking Ayahuasca)
6:30 P - 8:00 P	Film Screening – “Darshan – The Embrace” A Film by Jan Kounen A Portrait of Sri Mata Amritananadamayi Devi called Amma Darshan – The Embrace is a powerful and moving look at Amma, one of India’s most celebrated Mahatmas (spiritual guides). Her fight for peace and campaigns against poverty and illiteracy earned her the Ghandi King Prize in 2002. (Past recipients include Nelson Mandela and Kofi Annan.) Known as “the hugging saint” for her eager embrace, for the first time Amma has allowed director Jan Kounen to document her passionate journey as she travels across India from Jaipur to Calcutta, changing her country-and our world-one embrace at a time. Darshan – The Embrace – Changing the world one embrace at a time.
8:00 P - 8:30 P	Gather for third Ayahuasca Ceremony
9:00 P	Ayahuasca Ceremony Three
9:00 P - 11:00 P	Musical Chill - Area One

CONVERGENCE Day 8 -Thursday, July 17, 2008
7:00 A - 8:30 A	Breakfast
9:00 A - 10:00 A	Yoga with Sharon Stetter – Area One
9:00 A - 11:00 A	Bodywork, Massage, Reiki and Acupuncture - Area Two
8:30 A – 10:30 A	Individual Meetings with Kestembetsa Schedule posted in Conference Area
10:30 A - 12:30 P	Presentation – Frank Echenhofer, Ph.D. EEG correlates of spontaneous mental imagery after ingestion of Ayahuasca.
12:30 P - 2:00 P	Lunch
4:00 P - 6:00 P	Gathering Circles to share ceremony experience
4:00 P - 5:50 P	Film Screening – “Baraka” A world beyond words, photographed in 70mm in 24 countries. Baraka, an ancient Sufi word with forms in many languages, translates as a blessing, or as the breath or essence of life from which the evolutionary process unfolds. Baraka is a transcendently poetic tour of the globe. Set to the life affirming rhythms of varied religious rituals and natures own raw beat, Baraka is a visualization of the interconnectedness humans share with the earth. Spanning such diverse locales as China, Brazil, Kuwait and major U.S. and European sites, among others, Baraka captures not only the harmony, but also the calamity that humans and nature have visited upon the earth. However, mere words do not do the film justice ― Baraka must be seen, felt and experienced to be understood.
6:00 P - 7:00 P	Special Presentation
7:30 P - ?	Event – “Convergence” Dinner Banquet Dance Party DJ iika and DJ Semuta

CONVERGENCE Day 9 - Friday, July 18, 2008
7:00 A - 8:30 A	Breakfast
8:30 A - 10:30 P	Individual Meetings with Kestembetsa Schedule posted in Conference Area
10:30 A - 12:30 P	Workshop and Discussion: Nature & Art with Martina Hoffman, Roberto Venosa, Pablo Amaringo, Mita Lozano, Eric Avondo Location: To Be Announced
12:30 P - 2:00 P	Lunch
2:00 P - 7:00 P	Musical Soundscape
2:00 P - 7:00 P	Departures - till next time!