Bandeira de Oxalá & Forest Path
Umbandaime Immersion
A 5-night Immersion at Casa Floresta, Guatemala
December 5 – 10, 2026
We warmly invite you to join us for a unique immersion into the living Afro-Brazilian tradition of Umbanda, hosted at the sacred lands of Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, in collaboration with Forest Path Family, Bandeira de Oxalá, and Earth Medicine Alliance.
Set within one of the most spiritually significant regions of Central America, this gathering creates a bridge between Afro-Brazilian ancestral traditions and the sacred wisdom of the Maya territories. Together, we will explore the teachings of Umbanda and our Sacred Orixás and Caboclos while honoring the ancestral presence of the Maya peoples and the many visible and invisible beings connected to this sacred land.
Umbanda is a living spiritual tradition rooted in ancestral wisdom, the forces of nature, and the sacred relationship between the visible and invisible worlds. Through connection with the Orixás — divine manifestations of nature’s strength — and the ancestral spirits who guide and assist humanity, Umbanda offers pathways for healing, spiritual development, balance, and service.
Throughout these days, participants will study and experience this tradition through sacred drumming, ritual songs, dance, herbal baths, sacred defumação with herbs and resins, mediumship work, healing passes, prayers, offerings, and ceremonial practices.
The rhythms of the atabaques are more than music. They are a sacred language used to communicate with the Orixás and Caboclos, and other spiritual lineages of Umbanda. Through rhythm, movement, and prayer, participants are invited into a direct and embodied experience of the spiritual foundations of this tradition.
At the heart of our immersion are the sacred ceremonies known as Giras, where music, movement, mediumship, and devotion come together to create spaces for healing, guidance, and transformation.
As we gather beside Lake Atitlán, we will also honor the ancestral presence of the Maya peoples, recognizing the spiritual intelligence of the mountains, waters, forests, and sacred beings who have been revered here for countless generations. In a spirit of respect and reciprocity, we seek to create a dialogue between traditions, allowing different ancestral wisdom lineages to meet, learn, and grow together.
About Maracajá
Maracajá will be your guide on this profound journey. A Brazilian Northeasterner, priest of Umbanda, multi-artist, healer, historian, and ethnographer of African-rooted traditions in Brazil, he has dedicated his life to the study, preservation, and sharing of ancestral spiritual knowledge.
His spiritual path began more than 20 years ago through the Santo Daime doctrine, where his deep connection with the medicines of the forest opened the doorway to the study and practice of Umbanda. Since then, he has devoted himself to understanding the sacred relationships between the Orixás, ancestral spirits, nature, and human transformation.
Over the years, Maracajá has traveled to various countries around the world, sharing teachings, facilitating ceremonies, and conducting cultural and spiritual studies rooted in reverence for the power of the Orixás and the entities of Umbanda. His work bridges spirituality, art, history, and cultural preservation, creating meaningful encounters between traditions and communities.
He is the founder and facilitator of O Trono retreat, a spiritual study and retreat project dedicated to exploring the many lines of Umbanda through direct experience in their natural points of strength across Brazil. These immersions are held in carefully chosen sacred landscapes, where participants engage with the teachings of Umbanda in communion with the medicines of the forest and the living forces of nature.
With years of experience in the spiritual traditions of Umbanda and Candomblé, and a profound connection to the wisdom of the forest, Maracajá is committed to creating a safe, respectful, and sacred space for healing, learning, and transformation. His approach combines deep traditional knowledge with embodied practice, inviting participants into authentic experiences of devotion, self-discovery, and spiritual awakening.
Together, we will walk a path of discovery, learning, and spiritual growth, supported by the powerful energies of the Orixás, the guidance of ancestral spirits, and the healing intelligence of the natural world.
About Bandeira de Oxalá
Bandeira de Oxalá is an itinerant spiritual and cultural project dedicated to preserving, practicing, and sharing Afro-Brazilian ancestral traditions through ceremonies, education, music, cultural exchange, and community gatherings.
Rooted in the teachings of Umbanda, Jurema Sagrada, and traditional Brazilian spiritual practices, Bandeira de Oxalá creates spaces where people can reconnect with ancestral wisdom, sacred music, ritual arts, and the healing power of nature.
Its work bridges cultures and territories, bringing traditional knowledge from Brazil into respectful dialogue with indigenous, ancestral, and earth-based traditions around the world.
About Earth Medicine Alliance
Earth Medicine Alliance is an educational and cultural organization dedicated to creating respectful bridges between ancestral traditions and contemporary communities. Through retreats, ceremonies, educational programs, and cultural exchanges, it supports the preservation of traditional knowledge while fostering spaces for healing, learning, and meaningful human connection.
Founded by Ari Brasil, the organization collaborates directly with Indigenous elders, Afro-Brazilian spiritual leaders, and traditional knowledge keepers, helping bring their teachings to diverse communities with integrity, reciprocity, and long-term relationship at the center of its work.
Rather than presenting these traditions as isolated experiences, Earth Medicine Alliance seeks to cultivate lasting relationships that honor the communities from which these teachings emerge. Its work is rooted in cultural respect, ethical collaboration, environmental stewardship, and a commitment to making ancestral wisdom accessible while preserving its depth, context, and dignity.
Through these partnerships, Earth Medicine Alliance supports the continuation of living traditions while creating opportunities for dialogue across cultures, strengthening the understanding that the wisdom of the Earth belongs not to the past, but remains a vital force for healing, responsibility, and collective transformation today.
Flow of the retreat
Saturday — December 5, 2026 (Full Moon)
Opening Ceremony – Protection, Faith, and Consecration of the Study
This ceremony marks the beginning of our immersion and study together. We first honor the Guardians, asking for protection, balance, and safe passage throughout our journey. We also ask permission from the ancestors of this sacred land, honoring the spirits of the volcanoes, the waters of Lake Atitlán, and the ancient wisdom of the Maya people who have walked these lands for generations.
We will then gather in an Umbandaime ceremony, singing to the Moon under the irradiation of the Line of Faith, guided by Oxalá. During this ritual, the Bandeira de Oxalá (Flag of Oxalá) will be raised, consecrating the space for learning, prayer, community, and spiritual development.
The white color of Oxalá symbolizes peace, unity, purity, and divine consciousness. Within Umbanda, the White of Oxalá contains and harmonizes the seven sacred irradiations of creation, represented by the Seven Orixás and their Divine Thrones. As the source of faith and spiritual elevation, Oxalá reminds us that all paths ultimately return to the One Divine Source.
Sunday — December 6, 2026
Fire Ceremony - Xangô, Oroiná and Iansã
The Fire Ceremony, honoring the forces of justice, purification, transformation, and the sacred power of renewal.
We’ll be honoring Xangô, lord of justice, balance, and truth, whose fire illuminates what is essential and invites us to stand with integrity and responsibility. We’ll also invoke Oroiná, the living fire within the Earth, whose transformative force burns away stagnation, purifies what no longer serves, and rekindles the strength to begin again. Alongside them, we welcome Iansã, guardian of the winds and storms, who fans the sacred fire, clears old patterns, and teaches us to embrace change with courage and presence.
Together, these forces invite us into a deep process of purification and renewal, helping us release what has reached its end, strengthen our commitment to truth, and step forward with greater clarity, purpose, and vitality.
Monday — December 7, 2026
Theoretical Class: Umbanda and Santo Daime
This class offers an introduction to the spiritual traditions of Umbanda, Jurema, Candomblé and Santo Daime, important expressions of Brazil's rich spiritual and cultural heritage.
Rhythm Workshop
On this day, we will gather for a special workshop led by Biano and Maracajá, exploring the rhythms, drums, clapping patterns and musical traditions that are at the heart of Afro-Brazilian spirituality.
Tuesday — December 8, 2026
Forest Path + Bandeira de Oxalá Ceremony
YABÁS – The Mothers of the Waters (Oxum, Iemanjá and Nanã)
Wednesday — December 9, 2026
INTEGRATION DAY
Swim and lake time, relax and rest
Sauna & Plant Baths
Sharing Circle
Integration of experiences, reflections and closing conversations.
Thursday — December 10, 2026
Departure after breakfast
Pricing
Lake Atitlán, Guatemala:
$1795 USD pp- Shared Accommodation
$2195 USD pp - Private Accommodation
$1245 USD pp- Off-site Accommodation, food included
Offsite Note - Please specify where you have booked to ensure it is suitable. We can not allow you to walk after ceremonies into town to an accommodation- it is not safe to do so. See the Off-site options below.
Included in the Immersion
Umbanda teachings and fundamentals
Umbandaime terreiro experience
Sacred drumming and traditional chants
Rhythm and Drum Workshop
Gira ceremonies
Herbal baths and cleansing practices
Storytelling
Cultural and spiritual exchanges
Group discussions and integration circles
Nature connection practices
Translation support (Portuguese ↔ English)
See our policies for cancellations and transfers on our policies page.
Economical Off-site Neighbouring Accommodation options from Casa Floresta, Guatemala
If you are on a budget, you may book an Airbnb in Pasajcap area as long as you know it is within a 5 minute walk from Casa Floresta (ideally along the lakefront only - the road is not safe to walk late at night). We recommend these Airbnbs; Luzmi’s Eco Cottage, Eco Cabin and Eco Studio, or Eric’s La Casa at Vistas de Pasajcap and Studio Sol y Luna, as more economical options than our accommodation providers, and all a safe 5-10min lakefront walk away. See more options here. If you are able to book one of these accommodation options, you may choose the No-Accommodation Off-site option - please indicate in your registration that you have booked one so we are aware.
More Support for your Immersion Experience
If you feel you would like more individual support for your experience; you can book an online Preparation &/or Integration session as an add-on to your immersion when registering. Learn more about Paola, our Integration Guide here.
ARE YOU SITTING FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH AYAHUASCA?
We will schedule a free 30 minute preparation call with Paola to be sure its a suitable fit for all. Be sure to specify in your registration if it is your first time.
IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME SITTING WITH US:
PLEASE FILL OUT THIS FORM BEFORE REGISTERING WITH PAYMENT.
“It’s too late to be ready.”