AHNA Global Healing Traditions: Amazon 2026
Trip Dates: Leave USA Saturday, March 7th, to arrive in Iquitos, Peru, Sunday, March 8, 2026.
Leave Iquitos, Peru, Saturday, March 14th, arriving back to USA Sunday, March 15, 2026.
Trip Itinerary
First night in Iquitos, Peru participants will stay at the Victoria Regina Hotel, then travel by river to Heliconia Resort Lodge http://www.heliconialodge.com.pe/#2 in the jungle for, 4 nights and 5 days. Final night of the trip will be lodged in Iquitos to prepare for flights home. Trip Price includes all lodging, travel on-site and meals. Travel to and from Iquitos Peru is not included and needs to be arranged separately. All-inclusive of food and non-alcoholic beverages, buffet style meals.
COVID Travel Requirements - Subject to change
Because we are visiting indigenous people in a third-world country, full CDC vaccinations are recommended. This includes COVID and influenza vaccines. We also recommend that you bring along a home COVID-19 test in your baggage. This will allow us to determine if any of our of us who may come down with cold symptoms to determine if we have Covid before we visit the indigenous villagers during our trip.
Course Focus
In this Nursing Continuing Professional Development course, participants will experientially learn about Amazonian healing paradigms and indigenous healing arts within the jungle of Peru, and how they compare and contrast with our modern medicine. Participants will explore the role of medicinal plants and spirituality in healing. Pre-trip reading and preparation will facilitate course outcomes.
The focus of this experiential course is to understand:
- the interrelatedness of the rainforest flora and fauna, the health of earth that supports them and the connections to the health of humans.
- introductory knowledge on the use of rainforest medicinal plants by local Peruvian peoples, the science known about the plants active properties, and the ubiquitous spirit that is behind all that heals. This content will be introduced by the course facilitator and local cultural guides.
- the opportunity to re-spirit healthcare in the deep understanding of the importance of ecological medicine by connecting with local jungle healers and learning how their intimate relationship with the healing spirits of nature and their knowledge of the medicinal plants positively impact body, mind and spiritual health.
Experiential learning to include:
- Limpia ceremony upon arrival to the Jungle lodge
- Forest bathing in the form of jungle medicinal plant walks under the guidance of local guides.
- Daily excursions on the Amazon River and jungle hikes to view local flora and fauna.
- Rainforest village visit to immerse in local culture and support local artisans and rural communities.
- Tour of local Amazon Clinic, hosted by Dr. Linnea Smith, MD
- Fishing opportunity for those interested.
- Daily Self Care opportunities to renew, reflect and restore personal health and well-being.
- Closing Copal ceremony, under the guidance of course leaders.
Participation is limited to 14 AHNA members - First come, first served
Price, deposit, and other details to follow shortly.
A general information session will be held on September 4 at 8pm Eastern - registration coming soon.
A formal informational in-depth Q&A session for those who put in a deposit will be held at a later date.
This Amazonian educational experience, has previously been facilitated by Connie when offered by CE, For-Credit, and Travel Study through:
- Winona State University
- University of Minnesota, Center for Spirituality and Healing
- Ohio Northern College of Pharmacy
- Wolters Kluwer Evidence-Based CAM Research Group
Facilitators
Connie Grauds, MNPA, RPh is a pharmacist by education, a natural medicine expert by training, and a healer by apprenticeship. Grauds has served as President of the Association of Natural Medicine Pharmacists; and faculty at the University of Minnesota, Center for Spirituality and Healing. Her inspired life–informing her many books (Jungle Medicine: from medicine to Magic; Amazon Speaks: as goes the Amazon so do we all; The Energy Prescription: give yourself abundant vitality, and others)–has spanned 26 years of apprenticeship in the Amazon jungles of Peru with one of the last original authentic indigenous Amazon jungle shamans. Here and in the Amazon, Connie teaches the science and spirit of nature as healer (www.conniegrauds.com).
Sara Humeny, MS, BSN, RN, NBC-HWC, HNB-BC, completed her Masters of Science degree from Drexel University where she now serves as an Adjunct Professor. In her current position at Hackensack Meridian Health, she co-leads the Holistic Nurse training program throughout 11 hospitals in the network. To date, they have trained almost 200 nurses throughout the system and have just under 100 nurses who are board certified in Holistic Nursing since 2017, in partnership with the Birch Tree Center for Healthcare Transformation. Sara also includes Holistic Nursing in her involvement with the nurse residency program, during nursing orientation, in her role on the Workplace Environment Council and in each interaction she has in the network and outside of her health system. She is a chapter leader in New Jersey since 2019 and currently serving as an AHNA Board of Directors member.