Jhonatan: Student of The Amazon

Introduction

In this post under the Students of the World segment, I have the privilege of speaking to my friend, Jhonatan. Jhonatan was born and raised in the Amazon Jungle from his youngest years until he moved into the neighboring city of Iquitos, where he attended high school and a higher education program to become a certified tour guide. Jonathan's family history stretches back countless generations from the Brazilian Amazon to Iquitos, Peru. In our conversation, we delve into his life's journey, starting with his return to the Amazon in his early adulthood and how he became Jhonatan: Student of The Amazon.

Early Inspirations

We began by exploring his inspirations, such as his grandfather, who as an herbalist used natural remedies to maintain longevity and lived to nearly 100 years old. Jonathan learned to handle everything from the common cold to deteriorating eyesight using these remedies. His structured background in relevant sciences led him to become a tour guide working with scientists, NGOs, and doctors.

Shamanic Journey

Jhonatan's next calling brought him deeper into his roots as he began working with Shamans as a translator and apprentice.

"...(I've done Ayahuasca) more than 100 times..."

Jhonatan walks us through his experience, having worked with countless Shamans of many parallel practices. He explains how he took on unique experiences from each of them as both a student of the medicines and through personal growth through each of his 100+ ayahuasca ceremonies. He continues to explain how through Ayahuasca he found the healing he desperately needed after divorcing the love of his life and mother of his child. He described his powerful experience of healing his body. "The energies came through my feet, into my body, and then I could feel the four energies on my belly like working on me like surgeries," he explains. He felt his body be rebuilt from the ground up and finally found his peace as he watched from an observer view of himself with his family where he finally let go of all the built-up emotions and could cry uncontrollably. The ayahuasca then showed him that he could now laugh and he began to laugh uncontrollably. It finally showed him that this was the process of acceptance and that he could now truly be happy.

"I believe in the medicine... I believe in the medicine."

Transformation into the Black Jaguar

Jhonatan recounts his second most powerful ayahuasca ceremony, which brought him deep into the jungle. He awakened as a new being in the Amazon with heightened senses. He experienced a profound transformation, embodying a "black jaguar." This epiphany led him to start his new business "Black Jaguar," offering custom survival tours deep into the Amazon Jungle.

Daily Life and Spiritual Journey

Jhonatan explains that the behavior of local jungle people is influenced by the constant dangers in their environment, making them defensive. Through ayahuasca, he learned to live more harmoniously and spread love rather than perpetuate a defensive mindset.

Parting Advice

"Keep the Jungle alive. Try to ... protect the life. Just imagine a world without jungles, no air, no medicine, no food... we are done. Many people don't realize and can't see what's going on. So many people think about money and don't realize the future, (they) don't think about their children and grandchildren."

This is the lesson that Jhonatan, Student of the Amazon, leaves us with. He encourages others to come down and see the Amazon in all its wonder for themselves. After all, the Amazon belongs to all of us and we to it.

Black Jaguar

To find out more on Jhonatan's services as a custom tour operator in Iquitos, Peru and neighboring Amazon Jungle, please contact him on instagram @black_jaguar_peru

Full length interview coming soon on our Youtube Channel @JasonsMindset