Dec 20th 2025 Winter Solstice Hikuri Peyote Ceremony in Nicasio CA - A prayer for abundance. Registration details are on this page; but please first read this intro so we can be on the same page on our work.

 

Introduction to this initiative:

Welcome to our mission to support and protect the indigenous wisdom of the Wixarika (Huichol) elders who bring us the Hikuri (Peyote) medicine. This is our new initiative after taking some years off being a zero waste online retailer (feel free to browse the rest of the site). Part of the original vision for this brand came from this medicine and if you landed on this page it's because you have a password and you've been invited. 

 

Marakame Simon, Tata Miguel, Marakame Don Julio, Abuela Teresa, Miguel

 

We are working with the indigenous Wixarika (Huichol) community of La Laguna, Jalisco, an annex of San Andres Cohamiata whose spiritual elder leader is ‘Marakame’ Don Julio who is over 100 years old. Marakame is the title given to those who have successfully endured and transcended years of service and received the vision and the power to heal from the Hikuri. He started walking this path when he was about 5 years old. Don Julio is preserving and protecting the Hikuri Peyote ways of his people. 

Marakame Don Julio 

 

The sacred Hikuri/Peyote is the protector of the natural world.

The origins of this sacred medicine come from their ancestral sacred lands in the desert of Wixikuta and their entire cosmology and culture is centered around making annual offerings to the cardinal directions, actual places that hold our life generating elemental spirits (fire, water, wind and earth) that bring balance and abundance to the earth’s ecosystems. This entire movement is guided by the healing power, wisdom and teachings of the Hikuri/Peyote which show the Huichol how to live on this planet and with each other. Since we humans are also made up of the same elemental spirits that give us life, medicine also takes care of us in profound ways. We have to give to receive, and the gifts we receive are miraculous. 

 

We have to give back to the generators of life to establish balance on earth.

The Marakame elders teach us that the Hikuri is the protector of the earth and that the Huichol have been tasked by God to fulfil this work for the benefit of mankind. In a way they carry this burden for all of us. The Marakames lead the pilgrimages to the sacred sites to do the offerings year after year to continue the symbiotic relationship with the earth and the sacred Hikuri; the medicine heals us and our planet and in return we gratefully feed it.  Let them show us the way. 

 

Modern life has taken a big toll on this movement.

Today we face a big problem: Poverty in Huichol communities is on another level and most of them simply can’t afford to make the annual pilgrimages. Modern life has privatized their sacred lands where Peyote grows, they also can’t travel by foot to the sacred places to do their work, nor can they do their sacred deer hunts. One of their most sacred places in Wixikuta is under threat from a Canadian gold mining company and lately Narco’s have been infiltrating their lands with other nefarious interests. The current situation is bad. To make things worse, most of the young people are lured by modernity and have left the communities and gone to the big cities and left their ancestral traditions behind.

 

The earth's ecosystems are depleted and we need Huichol people doing their sacred work with Peyote now more than ever.

Our Abuela Teresa Rivas has been walking with Marakame for 35 years doing all the sacred offerings that allow us to spiritually work with Peyote to provide healing and abundance in our lives. She has single handedly been helping Marakame’s community make this trip year after year, offering her van and financial support to bring their family members on these annual trips. However Marakame’s community is large and most of them can’t afford to come on these annual journeys. 

 

There are SO many non-profits set up to help protect the Wixarika people of Mexico, but if you take a trip down to these communities it doesn't seem like any of the funds are doing anything. 

 

After many heartfelt conversations with Don Julio and his family, we chose to focus our collective efforts on raising funds for a minibus—a practical and sustainable resource that would have real impact:

• It would allow many more community members, including children, to make the annual pilgrimage.

• It would create an income stream for the younger generation throughout the year.

• And most importantly, it would help fulfill Don Julio’s dream to return to Wixikuta next year with all of his children and the children of his community, so they may learn how to carry these sacred offerings forward.

 

 

This is not only cultural preservation—it is planetary healing. When the Wixarika fulfill their ceremonial responsibilities, the benefits ripple outward far beyond their villages, supporting the balance of life for all beings.

 

We also hope to bring Don Julio to California next year so our communities can meet him, learn from him, and offer our support in a good way.

At this ceremony, we will share more details on this particular fundraiser, you are welcome to check out our non-profit donation page, thanks to our fiscal sponsor, Planetworks: https://secure.givelively.org/donate/planetwork-ngo-inc/the-huichol-wixarika-pilgrimage-bus-fundraiser

With that, we offer our next prayer:

WINTER SOLSTICE CEREMONY - SAT DEC 20TH 2025, NICASIO CA - INFO & REGISTRATION:

 

 Dear Sacred Friend,

We invite you to join us for a Winter Solstice Peyote Ceremony. This will be done in the Wixarika tradition led by Abuela Teresa Rivas Chicahuaxochitl ushering the medicine from Marakame Don Julio. Expect to start around 8pm on Saturday Dec 20th 2025, indoors on a beautiful Solstice Grove grounds in Nicasio California. 

(Amigos Sagrados, esta invitación esta en Ingles, si lo necesita en Español por favor me manda un mensaje y hago la traducción) 

About Abuela Teresa Chicahuaxochitl

Abuela Teresa is an Indigenous Mexica elder, a guardian of Hikuri (Peyote) and Teonanácatl, and a Sundancer and Temazcalera. She carries decades of experience working with sacred plant medicines and the natural healing arts of her lineage.

For the past 35 years, Abuela has walked the sacred Wixarika routes alongside Marakame Don Julio, receiving the Hikuri lineage and the responsibility to bring this medicine to the people in a good way. Her guidance is rooted in devotion, humility, and a profound understanding of how these traditions support healing and balance.

Throughout the night, Abuela will lead us through prayer, music, chanting, and movement, supported by the sacred Hikuri medicine. Together, we will receive the blessings of this Wixarika (Huichol) lineage—the original keepers and protectors of this ancient medicine.

We welcome you into this sacred space with gratitude. Thank you, from our hearts, for walking this path with us.

 

CEREMONY:

We will begin by opening Tatewari, the grandfather fire - during the winter we hold the prayer indoors so our sacred fire will be held in a fireplace and a candle altar.. Abuela will then guide us into the ceremony with cacao to warm the heart, followed by her Sundance Cañupa (sacred pipe), and finally the offering of the sacred Hikuri.

In the Wixarika tradition, we remain with Tatewari throughout the night in prayer. The ceremony unfolds in five phases, each held with song, movement, offerings to the fire, and prayers carried through Hikuri. We will continue through the night and close around 8:00–10:00 am on Sunday morning. We close the entire ceremony with a feather blessing from Abuela. By the time we share food, laugh and hug it will be around 11am when we will be ready to leave.

At some point in the night, you may feel called—or be invited—to offer a medicine song to Tatewari. If you feel called to sing, we welcome traditional medicine songs from the Red Road traditions of Turtle Island, Indigenous sacred lineages globally, and certain Camp Echo songs (we are making a one-time exception for this Camp Echo reunion).

These songs come from ancestral ceremonial, healing, and prayer traditions and carry specific teachings and protocols; offering them with respect helps maintain the cultural and healing integrity of the space. If you are unfamiliar with these traditions we will gladly offer guidance. 

There are specific protocols around the sacred fire and ceremonial space, which Abuela will explain at the start of the night.

We will have a caring and experienced support team present. If you bring someone new to this work, we ask that you prepare them in advance and orient them to the expectations of respect, presence, and conduct within the ceremonial container.

 

DONATION & REGISTRATION:

Please read this carefully because we updated this section. The donation for the ceremony is a sliding scale with the minimum level starting at $300 per person. Feel free to donate any amount above $300 if you are capable. A $100 non-refundable deposit is required with your RSVP to secure your seat. If you can’t afford the donation amount please contact us and we will find a way to support you, follow the instructions in the registration link for this. 

Your support ultimately helps cover all the associated costs of the extensive annual Wixarika pilgrimages our elders, Marakame Don Julio and his family and abuela, have to make every single year to offer this medicine to us. Also, our goal is to support Marakame Don Julio’s community. A portion of these funds go to our fundraiser to buy a minibus for them so their family can make an income and more of them can make the annual trips to the sacred places. The blessings and transformations many of us receive from the Hikuri is possible due to all this work. We will share more about this at the ceremony.

Below you will find a link to the official registration form. After you fill out the form and agreements, you will be instructed where to send the $100 non-refundable deposit (via Zelle). After you have confirmed your attendance with both an email and deposit, you will be added to a WhatsApp group for faster communication (add 415-305-6894). Please bring the remainder of your donation IN CASH the day of the ceremony please.

If you are certain you are able to attend, please register here:

Password: venadito25

https://airtable.com/app7QMkzIVUzG9Aqc/shrWtJL15Sj6Ns7ui

 

LOGISTICS

The directions to the venue will be sent out a few days before the ceremony via WhatsApp. Do not share this address with anyone. Our host is opening their home to allow this ceremony to happen. This is NOT a ceremony venue for rent.

Plan to arrive by 6pm to set up your ceremonial resting spot around the sacred altar in the cozy Solstice Grove ceremony room.  

Parking is limited so we ask that as many of us as possible carpool to the venue. 

The ceremony will start around 8:30pm or shortly after and will go into the night until it is time to rest. We will reconvene for a group share and close out the fire around 8:00 or 9am. 

Feel free to bring fruit or some healthy snacks to share with everyone on Sunday morning. 

 

PRE-CEREMONY RECOMMENDATIONS

If it is your first time attending a ceremony, please avoid reading about the medicine excessively on the internet. It is good to come with a blank slate to have your own experience; the best thing to focus on beforehand is your prayer/intention and what you are asking to receive from the medicine. We might contact you for a short interview and answer any questions you might have about this sacred ceremony before attending. 

 

PRE-CEREMONY RECOMMENDATIONS
Please take good care of yourself so that you come well rested and ready for the experience. Prepare your body by keeping a clean and healthy diet in the week or so leading up to the ceremony. Remove all processed foods and eat a more plant based diet with little to no red meat. 

The most important aspect of preparation is the intention or prayer you bring with you. Put some thought into why you are coming and what you would ask the medicine to show you. What would you like to affirm? What would you like to heal? No need to overthink this. What's in your heart? We know this is an intense time in the world so we feel it is a great opportunity to come together and pray.

Below are important guidelines regarding substances which are not compatible with this work. Please let us know if you have issues following these guidelines. It is recommended to abstain from these substances for at least 3 days prior to the ceremony, but best if you do this for 5 days:

• Prescription drugs: please let us know if you take any prescription drugs; while most are safe with this medicine, some can have serious interactions. The main contradiction is antipsychotic medications. If this is the case then we can not offer you a spot at our ceremony.
• Recreational drugs: absolutely suspend the use of these as many days as you can before attending as it will only help your journey.
• Please abstain from sexual activity (including masturbation) before the ceremony. 3 days is good, but if you aren't in a partnership, more time is better. This will help a lot and cannot be overstated.

 

DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS:

We recommend eating fresh, clean, and simple in the days preceding ceremony, and especially the day of. Chicken, fish, fruits, vegetables, salads, grains, bread, soups, etc. Quality salt and natural sugar (fruit, honey) is fine in moderation. We also recommend eating Nopales. If possible, home cooked food is always best in the days immediately before. Stay away from excess salt, sugar, processed foods and stimulants like caffeine. On the day of, eat a light and healthy breakfast, and then a lunch/snack at about 12 noon or a little later. No need to starve yourself but it is recommended to eat light. If you can live without caffeine it is highly recommended.

WHAT TO BRING:

Your Spot: The ceremony is traditionally done outdoors around Tatewari, our sacred fire.  You will have a spot on the ground around the fire. This will also be your resting spot so bring all the arrangements you need for your maximum comfort: sleeping pad, sleeping bag, blankets, pillows, backjacks etc.  If it rains we will go inside around a candle altar representing Tatawari. Please be considerate of others while setting up your seating/sleeping arrangements. 

Dress:  Bring the appropriate amount of layers so you can stay warm. Bring shoes that are easy to take on and off for going in and out (in case we move inside).  Please dress in a way that you feel honors and respects this sacred medicine and fireplace. No showing excessive skin. 

Offerings: bring a white candle (in a glass container). You can also bring flowers, cacao, tobacco, sage, for the altar.

Utensils: Bring your own cup to receive the medicine and your own bowl with spoon for the morning soup. 

Sleeping: At the end of the evening, we will rest in our ceremony spot so bring all your most comfortable outdoor sleeping arrangements, sleeping bags and pillows, etc. You will be tired afterwards and we recommend some sleep before getting on the road.

 

THE SACRED CONTAINER:

Women and people who menstruate:  If you are on your moon, you will be able to participate without any problems.

The Container:

We are all responsible for upholding the integrity of the ceremonial container. This is a shared space in which each person may have profound, personal experiences. As much as possible, we ask that you stay aware of the impact of your words, movements, and energy on others, and that you honor each person’s physical, emotional, and energetic boundaries.

Conduct:

A ceremony is a sacred space. It is not appropriate to pursue, explore, or project romantic or sexual energy toward anyone with whom you are not already in an established relationship—before, during, or immediately after the ceremony. This applies to everyone, including facilitators and helpers. Our shared commitment is to create a safe, grounded environment in which each participant can receive the healing they came for. We all agree to remain on the premises from the opening of the ceremony on Saturday night until we formally close the circle the next morning.

Confidentiality:

As part of holding this ceremonial container with integrity, we ask that you honor the privacy and dignity of everyone who attends. Experiences shared or witnessed in ceremony belong to the people who lived them. Please do not discuss or repeat anyone else’s process, insights, or challenges with people who were not present unless you have their explicit permission. This protects the vulnerability, trust, and safety that make this work possible.

Speaking From the “I”:

In this tradition, we honor each person’s experience as their own. During group shares or moments of reflection, we ask that you speak only from your own perspective—using “I” language rather than interpreting or commenting on others’ journeys. Please avoid giving advice, offering interpretations, or speaking on behalf of anyone else. Share only what happened for you, what you felt, what you received, and what you learned. This helps create a grounded, respectful, and non-intrusive environment where everyone’s process can unfold safely.

Returning Friends & Inviting Others:

For those who have prayed with us before, we are grateful to be together again. If you would like to invite someone who is new to this work, please email hikuriceremony23@gmail.com with their email address and a brief introduction to who they are and how you know them.

We welcome you into this sacred space and thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for sharing this journey with us.

 

If you are called, the registration form is pasted again here so you don't have to scroll back up:)

 

Password: venadito25

https://airtable.com/app7QMkzIVUzG9Aqc/shrWtJL15Sj6Ns7ui

Tlazocamatli

Abuela, Miguel & Simmy