10/18/2026
Inside the maloka at Taita Bernardo’s home in the Colombian Amazon, an ortega, or king nettle, cleansing becomes an intense practice of presence and release. The body is struck with fresh nettle branches, creating a powerful physical sensation that asks for focus, surrender, and the ability to move through discomfort rather than resist it.
The experience is followed by prayer, music, and blessing, with traditional tools such as the waira, or chakapa, and to***co used as part of the cleansing. Within this ceremony, the physical and spiritual experience are held together, creating space for release, renewal, and deeper connection.