SOAK Retreat with Don Santiago
– Temazcal & Ancestral Wisdom.
THE HOUSE-SCHOOL OF ANCESTRAL OLMECA MEDICINE
presents its in-person basic training workshop "The Eagle’s Flight"
A weekend program in three parts or modules
Would you like to explore your reality and connect with the perfection of creation, using it for the healing of your body, mind, spirit, and personal empowerment?
This introductory workshop on Olmec ancestral wisdom is based on direct practices and consists of four modules, guiding you through an initiation process.
“You will embark on this journey voluntarily, experiencing transformative practices that introduce you to The Eagle’s Flight. Before you can fly, you must first understand where you stand, choose your path, and walk the vision quest to embark on the transmuted flight of Quetzalcoatl, symbolizing the “conscious death” of the spiritual journey.”
About Don Santiago
Santiago Ortela
Santiago Ortela was born in 1951 in Guadalupe, Oaxaca, within the Mazatec region — a territory and community that later disappeared under water following the construction of a dam. This profound rupture with land and memory has deeply shaped his life’s path and commitment to the preservation of ancestral knowledge.
He currently resides in Temascal Soyaltepec, Oaxaca, and comes from a Mazatec lineage of healers, including traditional doctors, medicine men, and medicine women. From a young age, he was initiated into ancestral ways of healing, carrying forward teachings rooted in respect for nature, plants, ceremony, and community.
Don Santiago is a traditional doctor with extensive experience in herbalism, master plants, and the therapeutic Temazcal (sweat lodge). A significant part of his life’s work has been dedicated to protecting, promoting, and transmitting ancestral medicine and culture, both within Indigenous communities and internationally.
Over the years, he has participated in cultural exchanges and collaborations with universities and institutes in Mexico, India, Canada, and across Central and South America, serving as a bridge between ancestral knowledge and contemporary contexts.
He currently serves as President of the National Council of Traditional Mexican Medicine, and continues to lead food and nutrition projects in Indigenous and rural communities, alongside offering healing therapies rooted in medicinal plants and the Temazcal.
Don Santiago is also a promoter of Olmec medicine and culture, recognised as the mother and original culture of the region. Through his travels, he shares the sacred and therapeutic Temazcal, as well as his teaching “Your Kitchen: A Living Pharmacy”, a medicinal cooking workshop that reconnects food, plants, and daily life as sources of balance and wellbeing.
His work is guided by humility, service, and a deep responsibility to honour the wisdom of the ancestors while making it accessible in a respectful and ethical way for future generations.
Ancestral Knowledge Method
This method allows you to enter a non-ordinary reality to gain knowledge, healing, and problem-solving through initiatory rituals incorporated into daily life. Learn how to use ancient and powerful spiritual tools to facilitate the changes you seek, develop deep personal transformations, and connect with your own power to achieve your goals.
A special focus is placed on the classic spiritual journey of "The Eagle’s Flight", a vision quest—one of the most significant visionary methods used by the ancient Olmec elders to access spiritual reality and explore the hidden world within our Being. This includes the sacred elements: Mother Earth, Grandfather Fire, Grandmother Water, and Grandfather Air.
"Do not seek outside what you already carry within you."
All answers are within. The initiatory path for men and women of knowledge serves as a bridge, helping you transition between different states of consciousness, from mind to heart, from present to past or future.
What You Will Experience
Traditional Temazcal (sweat lodge) ceremonies
Ancestral teachings shared orally by Don Santiago
Connection with fire, earth, water, and air
Space for reflection, rest, and integration
Community circles held in respect and care
A feeling of renewal, grounding, and expanded awareness
This retreat is not about performance or belief — it is about experience, presence, and embodied learning.
WHY SOAK / WHY THIS RETREAT
Why Join a SOAK Ancestral Knowledge Retreat?
SOAK exists to protect and transmit ancestral knowledge in an ethical, grounded, and respectful way. This retreat is not a workshop — it is a living transmission from an elder who carries lineage, responsibility, and prayer.
By joining, you support:
The preservation of ancestral traditions
Ethical hosting of Indigenous elders in the UK
A community-led approach to healing and learning
WHO IT’S FOR?
Who This Retreat Is For
This retreat is open to:
People on a personal or spiritual path
Therapists, facilitators, and healers
Those feeling called to ancestral wisdom
Anyone seeking reconnection, grounding, and renewal
Those curious about Temazcal in a safe, guided environment
No previous experience is required — only openness and respect.
Spaces are limited to honour the depth and care of the work.
FIRST year overview: A WEEKEND IMMERSION
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
In this first stage of initiation, you will immerse yourself in nature, learning to be in harmony with the cosmos as a living entity, understanding that we are an integral part of this universe—alongside Mother Earth and her essential creatures: plants, animals, and minerals.
You will explore the biodiversity of Mother Earth and her healing and restorative powers.
Learn to understand and work with the energies of light and darkness.
Integrate into the Olmec Medicine Wheel, where a replica of the microcosm will be installed, incorporating the movements of "OLLIN" (the rolling movement) and "MECALT" (the sacred cord that measures time and space).
Through traditional prayers, we will invoke the ancestral guardians of the universe’s four directions, using chants, drums, and vibrational techniques. This spiritual journey and natural movement practices will allow you to experience shamanic consciousness, awaken your spiritual abilities, and deepen your connection with nature. You will also have the opportunity to share the discoveries gained through your practice.
You will learn to restore your spiritual power and health and apply shamanic wisdom in daily life for personal and planetary healing.
Schedule:
Duration: Three days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday)
Friday: 12:00 PM (continuous session), overnight vigil at the Olmec Medicine Wheel until 7:00 AM Saturday. Closing ritual to welcome the Father Sun, followed by a Temazcal (sweat lodge).
Saturday: 1:00 PM lunch and rest, then at 9:00 PM, we begin the overnight Vision Quest (9:00 PM – 7:00 AM Sunday).
Sunday: Breakfast and rest until 6:00 PM, closing with a sunset farewell ceremony at the Medicine Wheel.
Total price for Part 1: £350
WHAT TO BRING
Comfortable clothing
Blankets and a sleeping bag
A bottle of water
Offerings: Fruits, flowers, and copal (sacred resin)
Rattles
Conch shells
A red scarf or bandana
A sleeping mask
This is an opportunity for profound transformation—a sacred space for learning, healing, and spiritual growth through the timeless wisdom of the Olmec ancestors.
Are you ready to embark on this sacred journey?
Don't miss this opportunity to gain invaluable knowledge and insight from one of the most respected traditional doctors and healers in the Mazatec community.
Join us for the whole retreat and open yourself up to a world of ancient wisdom and healing.
