Obviously, we have personal bias on this topic, being Westerners ourselves. But our answer to this question is unequivocally yes.
Are all Westerners who are facilitating this work doing a great job? Definitely not — but that’s a topic for another time.
So why do we feel that Western facilitators have a place in all of this?
Because they can serve as a bridge in an incredibly powerful way—bringing this work to people who might never have been exposed to it otherwise.
Healing isn’t only for those who are ready to travel to the jungle. Some people will never do that — and that’s okay. For some, it’s actually inappropriate. Going to the jungle is a deep experience, and often not ideal for those just beginning this path.
In many of those settings, there may be no thorough orientation, no opportunity to build a relationship or establish trust with the person pouring the medicine beforehand. Physical comforts we take for granted in the West may be entirely absent.
Many people feel very vulnerable and very alone when traveling to a new place — especially across cultures and language barriers. These factors can be deeply disorienting in the midst of such a tender process.
None of this is wrong. We’re absolutely not saying people shouldn’t go to the jungle. We study under indigenous teachers ourselves. We believe Western facilitators should be in relationship with a lineage of medicine-carriers — and engaged in both ongoing reciprocity and continued study.
And if someone feels authentically called to experience the medicine at the source, they should absolutely honor that calling. It can be a life-changing journey — when properly prepared for and held with the right support.
But we also believe in the power of healing within familiar terrain, supported by someone who truly understands your world.
It’s the same reason there are therapy directories for every demographic and identity — because shared lived experience often brings a deeper feeling of safety, understanding, and resonance. And when people feel safe, healing unfolds more gracefully.
There is something about being a Westerner that makes one uniquely equipped to support other Westerners. We understand the specific stressors, trauma patterns, and cultural narratives that so often shape our inner landscapes.
Of course, relatability alone doesn’t make someone a good facilitator. Many people will always prefer to sit only with indigenous teachers, and we honor that wholeheartedly. There is room for all of it.
But we’d like to offer this story from the Yawanawá people of the Brazilian Amazon to bring a more nuanced perspective:
There was a great Pajé (shaman) named Pajé Tata, who remains deeply revered by the Yawanawa people to this day. Before he passed, he shared a powerful vision he had received: he saw the teachings of his people spreading beyond the forest, reaching the outside world.
He saw Westerners coming to learn—not as tourists, but as sincere students. And he recognized that those who approached the path with humility, reverence, and discipline could one day become powerful carriers of the medicine themselves. He directly emphasized that these “outsiders” would have the potential to become even more powerful and skillful in these realms than the Yawanawa themselves — not because they were somehow better, but because of their work ethic, their unique qualities shaped by the societies they would come from, and the depth of their calling.
We hold this calling with great care.
Not to replace or appropriate, but to serve.
To bridge.
To protect what is sacred.
And to make healing accessible to those who need it most.
