Author Topic: Roman Hanis, Eugene Bersuker, & SpiritPathPeru.com  (Read 42797 times)

Offline educatedindian

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Roman Hanis, Eugene Bersuker, & SpiritPathPeru.com
« on: December 28, 2006, 02:59:39 pm »
This one's not even a close call, an "ashram" of white Europeans in Peru who will make you a shaman and give you ayahuasca, mixed with a hodgepodge of other beliefs.

They made the clumsy mistake of trying to recruit Rob Schmidt over at Blue Corn Comics, who passed this along to me.

Interesting that they never say their last names anywhere on the site I could find.

http://www.spiritpathperu.com/
"Since 2002."

With that kind of lengthy experience, how can you not trust them?

And check out the incredible egos of this bunch.

http://www.spiritpathperu.com/about-us/index.html
"We have explored in depth the tradition of the Peruvian shamanism as well as many other shamanic traditions from other parts of the world. Unfortunately, most of the shamans living in the Amazon at this time lack the clarity and direction of the Eastern teachings, that strongly emphasize the goal of achieving purity of mind, compassion and selflessness, essential qualities on the path of healing and discovering the Truth. We have studied with a number of shamans, and are currently working with a few that provide authentic experience and not just a tourist attraction....
August 2005

SpiritPath Opening Introduction, January 2003
When we arrived to Iquitos, Peru, the gateway city for the Amazonian rainforest, for many months we explored the many territories in the jungle and participated in many ancient native ceremonies of Ayahuaska, Sacred Mushroom, Virola, Salvia Divinorum, Toe (tree Datura) and San Pedro, all of which are part of an ancient culture of Divine Wisdom and Light, which is still very much alive to the present day. We have discovered that Mother Earth, here in the Amazon, is extremely saturated with natural energy through thousands upon thousands of years of giving birth to infinity of life forms, allowing us to lift the covers of illusion and letting us know our true nature with greater intensity then most places on the globe today.
Finding from experience, that the essence of all spiritual cultures points to the same universal processes in the human body, we have integrated the divine wisdom of ancient disciplines of the Orient with the knowledge from ancient civilizations of Central and South America. Under the guidance of the One Spirit and Sacred Plants, we have opened an ASHRAM dedicated to Mother Earth and infinite human potential...
Roman, Eugene, Miriam and all in the growing family of SpiritPath January 2003"

In other words, in a few months they claimed to know so much more than any dumb NDNs could in a lifetime, and they're now open for business.

Offline Diana

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Re: SpiritPathPeru.com
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2006, 05:19:58 pm »
I believe these are the the first and last names of the so-called leaders. I also found an address for Eugene in Texas.
It looks like their on a couple of travel sites for retreats. As a travel agent myself for many years these web sites look questionable.


Retreat Leaders: Roman Hanis and Eugene Bersuker
Leader Credentials: 5 year extensive study and training in Yoga, Chi Gong, Vipassana Meditation and Zen Buddhism.
2 years with Landmark Education
3 year study and practice with Alternative healing modalities, which include Massage, Shiatsu and Acupuncture.
5 years of facilitating retreats with SpiritPath.
Leader Telephone: 512-507-6661
Leader Web Site: www.SpiritPathPeru.com
Leader Email: SpiritPathPeru@yahoo.com

http://www.seekaretreat.com/events/peru.html

Eugene Bersuker
6910 Hart Ln, #310
Austin TX 78731
United States
Phone 512-507-6661

http://www.byregion.net/CategoryPages/CommunityPages/Communities%20-%20Alternative


Lim lemtsh


Diana

frederica

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Re: SpiritPathPeru.com
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2006, 09:28:13 pm »
They are probably in Peru as they are using "Sacred Plants"? also as a alternative healing therapy. I see they have "workshops in the traditions of Castaneda". Since they do not name the "Sacred Plants", and say these traditions have all but been lost to the Indigenious people in Peru, I guess they are claiming rediscovery. Aside from the routine Nuage philosophy and technique, they are pretty vague. frederica

Offline educatedindian

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Re: SpiritPathPeru.com
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2006, 06:30:41 pm »
Diana, are there any kinds of travel agents groups that have codes of ethics, self policing, warnings put out by them, etc.? Are there any laws against travel agents offering to provide you drugs like ayahuasca? I've heard of travel agents facing problems for arranging tours to look for underage prostitutes. Myabe there are either laws or codes of conduct that are being violated here.

Found more on them. These guys seem to all be in their 20s.

Roman Hanis on myspace.
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=63504587

Hersuker
http://www.dragonflyorganicfarms.com/eugene/index.html

http://www.byregion.net/profiles/spiritpath.html
"Ayahuasca ceremonies and other plant diets are conducted by our resident shaman, Don Luis Pinedo, and his wife. Don Luis has over 20 years of healing experience with many Sacred Plants of the Amazon region.

Currently there are 4 facilitators trained to support a group of up to 15 participants.

Roman Hanis is one of the founders of SpiritPath. He has an extensive experience with South and Central American Shamanism and the use of Sacred Plants. Additionally, he has been practicing Jungian Transpersonal Psychology, QiGong and Vajrayana Buddhism for over 6 years and has a degree in Oriental Medicine and body work.

Eugene Bersuker is one of the founders of SpiritPath. He has an extensive experience with South and Central American Shamanism and the use of Sacred Plants. Additionally, he has been practicing Vipassana meditation for over 6 years, has been teaching Hatha Yoga for over 5 years, and has 3 years of personal transformation coaching study with Landmark Education. He is liscenced theraputic massage therapist, with extensive knowlege of Oriental medicine and energy work.

Maria Nally has been practicing Yoga, various meditation techniques, and Buddhist approaches since early childhood. She has extensive knowledge in the subject of spiritual evolution and many years of experience with energy work, out of body exploration, expressive dance and art, as well as nutritional healing.

Kate Kelly has been practicing Vipassana meditation for over 7 years and has 3 years of personal transformation coaching study with Landmark Education. She has many years of experience in theraputic body work, energy work, expressive arts, dance, and Macrobiotics."

Offline Diana

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Re: SpiritPathPeru.com
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2006, 09:02:41 pm »
I didn't see where they belong to ASTA-American Society of Travel Agents, Clia #, IATA # or even registered with BBB. All reputable travel groups are required to display their business license such as:

State of California seller of travel License No: xxxxxxx
We are on the Better Business Bureau Honor Roll.

These should be displayed on their web site or on any advertising that they do.

If "ayahuasca" is a controlled substance and illegal in this country and they are promoting, ie; vacation packages, retreats, and or tours specifically to indulge in this type of behavior they are in violation of the law.
I would check with the BBB Better Business Bureau or call their local licensing bureau to see if they even have a business lic#. If they don't have a lic. or tax # and or are promoting illegal activities they should be reported immediately to the local authorities.



Offline Eugene

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Re: SpiritPathPeru.com
« Reply #5 on: February 18, 2007, 02:59:37 am »
Mr. EducatedIndian - i came across this forum today and remembered an anonimmous email i believe you sent us some time back. I took it pretty openly then and checked in with myself and my authenticity on this subject, so thank you. Just to clarify about what we are doing and our website and what we are up to as far as business, so there is no confusion about legality and honesty of our intentions. The website was made a while ago(there is no more ashram, as description says), when we lived in Peru, we had a legally opened local business there, with a website that invited people to fly down and participate or join us in the ayahuasca discipline that we were learning with our shaman teacher, while doing a healthy diet, yoga and meditation disciplines that were following. Integrating and following those disciplines opened wonderful things for us and everyone who came in as a tourist or flew down to live with us for some time. A few years back we left Peru to come back to our families and friends, and study arts of healing like massage and acupuncture and get licensed to practice. At this time we were attempting to continue visiting the amazon for 30 day retreats, couple times a year, sponsored by people who are willing to participate. So far we had a few retreats sponsored by people from other countries and our families and friends. We are not making any money on these projects, although we are starting to think in this direction and are advertising more, to see what kind of response we get, which is currently extremely low to even register a business, and so far no-one from the US except our personal friends have come. We are planning to register as a local business as soon as we are sure that this service is needed and allowed and supported by present society.

If you see something wrong with our expression or the way we do things, by all means offer your opinion, we are very open to any help or input, because we are complete newbies at this. We found something that really works for people and are learning to make it into our expression and service. Our intentions are pure to the best of our knowledge, we are not teaching anyone, we just offer people opportunity to experience  a magical transformation journey that we experience every time we retreat in the amazon.

I wish you all the best,
Eugene from SpiritPath

Offline Barnaby_McEwan

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Re: SpiritPathPeru.com
« Reply #6 on: February 18, 2007, 12:17:00 pm »
...checked in with myself and my authenticity on this subject


Typical nauseating newager-talk. That voice which supplies the syrupy, reassuring answers comes from your drug-addled ego, not some higher self or higher being.

Stop giving people hallucinogens which may drive them insane. Stop being a culture-vulture. Give back, anonymously, all the money you've made to a Peruvian farmer's co-op, school, hospital, trade union or human rights group. Then leave native people alone.
« Last Edit: February 18, 2007, 12:24:11 pm by Barnaby_McEwan »

Offline educatedindian

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Re: SpiritPathPeru.com
« Reply #7 on: February 18, 2007, 02:16:13 pm »
Hi Eugene. Just how high were you as you were writing?

"i came across this forum today and remembered an anonimmous email i believe you sent us some time back."

I don't send anonymous emails and I've never emailed you or your group. That's your paranoia talking.

Already you're providing an example of how you and your group don't kn ow what you're doing and harm not only others, but yourself.

"I took it pretty openly then and checked in with myself and my authenticity on this subject, so thank you."

 ;D
Barnaby might be nauseated by you, but I find your self delusion amusing.

Just so you know, I checked in with tens of thousands of years of hundreds of Native traditions on you, and they all said you're a group of frauds.

So thanks to you as well. Even though you're naive young people, you have so much money and arrogance from your sense of white privilege it's drowning out any spiritual teachings you've learned from yogis and other teachers.

"when we lived in Peru, we had a legally opened local business there"

In Peru it's quite common for mestizos to hustle naive tourists by pretending to be Indians and selling phony cures or offering to get them high on ayahuasca. Seems to be what happened to you and what you are now doing in concert with a local.

The fact remains, ayahuasca is not legal outside of Latin America and you can be prosecuted in your home countries for setting up come-get-high tours.

"We are not making any money on these projects, although we are starting to think in this direction and are advertising more, to see what kind of response we get"

So much for your I'm so spirchul stance. You hear the cash registers ringing and that's all you care about.

"If you see something wrong with our expression or the way we do things, by all means offer your opinion, we are very open to any help or input, because we are complete newbies at this."

Are the drugs interfering with your ability to read, or does the thought of money simply blind you to the obvious?

Self described newbies should not be setting themselves up as teachers. They should not be handing out powerful drugs to anybody wanting to get high and play Indian for the right price. Ayahuasca should only be used by those who will become healers within Indian communities, people rigorously chosen for their seriousness and mental stability, not any flake who feels like flying to the Amazon.

"We found something that really works for people and are learning to make it into our expression and service. Our intentions are pure to the best of our knowledge."

Again, you don't seem to know much of anything. Your sense of white privilege and desire to make money has blinded you to how much of a group of charlatans you've all become.

Offline Eugene

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Re: SpiritPathPeru.com
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2007, 03:14:12 pm »
Hi EducatedIndian,

It is clear you are very prejudice against white, rich and god knows who else, so there is nothing i can say that will make any difference - you have made up your opinion about me and collected all the evidence. I am sorry white people took away your land, your families and your lives some time ago. Must we keep carrying this grudge? In my opinion, it's not very healthy or productive.

Just to clarify, everything you say is true, we are young and by far not perfect. But we are authentic in our learning and open to grow - and the great spirit (who is the only real teacher) leads us every step of the way. Like i said before, we got the personal benefit from these retreats and we simply opened them up for anyone interested to follow this path. We have no money, and to run these retreats you need money, so we ask for money to sponsor the retreats. We don't give ayahuasca to people during retreats, we bring them to a shaman, who is our teacher of ayahuasca.   

I am sorry for saying that you wrote us that anonimous email - there was a line in it "look at the egos on these guys" that seemed to match word for word your first post.

The plants are the teachers and they are teaching me to live right, that is all i can say. All you opinion, judgment and anger is pretty irrelevant in the face of what the great spirit shows me every day on my path. If you have something constructive to add, please do. Otherwise, may the spirit open your heart to it's entire creation.

eugene

Offline Ingeborg

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Re: SpiritPathPeru.com
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2007, 05:38:09 pm »

It is clear you are very prejudice against white, rich and god knows who else,
You're certainly not wasting much time - it took you only two posts to seek refuge in the quite usual 'defence' of accusing ndns of being prejudiced. Congrats.
As you rather painstakingly explained that you unfortunately weren't making money, I do wonder how the term 'rich' entered your sentence. Little Freudian slip? Or the simple but highly racist assumption that educatedindian, being ndn, can't be anything but in financial dire straits?

Quote
I am sorry white people took away your land, your families and your lives some time ago. Must we keep carrying this grudge? In my opinion, it's not very healthy or productive.
As I said - racism raising its ugly head.
I especially admire the sentence: "must we keep carrying this grudge?" What d'you mean 'we', kemo sabe? Now, what kind of grudge are you carrying against ndns, then, for the fact your ancestors took ndn land and lives?

You mentioned you were 'open to growth' - alright, get a grasp of what racism is. 'Living right' does not include racism, never did, never will.

frederica

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Re: SpiritPathPeru.com
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2007, 06:05:09 pm »
I always like references to "the Great Spirit". Is that the same as have mercy on us. frederica

Offline AlaskaGrl

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Re: SpiritPathPeru.com
« Reply #11 on: February 22, 2007, 08:00:50 pm »
As I was discussing with another list member, that one "Mr. EducatedIndian"  post really blew me away...

They admit to being "total newbies" and yet are out experimenting in the jungle with psycho-actives  and thinking about making a business out of it to boot!    They use the blanket excuse;  "we just offer people opportunity to experience  a magical transformation journey that we experience every time we retreat in the amazon."    Yeah I can imagine... I hope no one gets hurt in the process there are many ways that could happen;  Physically, mentally, spiritually.....  I wonder if they consider that?    Or do they consider that above them? the possibility? They must have some pretty heavy legal waivers.     

Another thought I had along the same lines as the above, they said "and the great spirit (who is the only real teacher) leads us every step of the way."    How do they know it is "the Great Spirit"  as they see it leading them?  There are many spirits and things out there and not all of them are good and some manifest as others.  These people are in the jungle with other newbie, open people who really don't know any better - like who is going to tell them anyway?  The organizers are also at risk as self proclaimed "newbies" hoping to turn a profit from all of this.  I see this as an abuse and experimentation myself.  One does not abuse ceremony but others treat it like they do going on a skii trip. 

This is a very large business in general with the drugs with some heavy hitters backing research.  FYI: I am not against true research, I am against abuse.  See article post under Etcetra: "Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies" whose base is located up the road from me in Sarasota Fl.   

Lindaa
« Last Edit: February 22, 2007, 10:26:34 pm by Lindaa »

Offline Eugene

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Re: SpiritPathPeru.com
« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2007, 04:03:55 am »
Lindaa:
I understand your concerns about the use of psychoactives in spiritual disciplines - but we have done well over 20 or 30 retreats and no one ever got hurt - in fact all 100% of people who participated with us were left very transformed and empowered. We still keep touch with them all and consider ourselves a community - and again i reasure you, SpiritPath is our path of the heart and it is not for profit. Also, there are tons of other companies, i know personally at least a 12 in Iquitos, Peru, mainly run by westerners, that are bringing tourists from other countries to drink ayahuasca with their shamans. In my personal opinion, most of them are purely business, and not authentic in their spiritual service, although i still honor and empower them on their path, for i beleive that they are fulfilling a necessary service, because the spirit created everything for our evolution, and everything has it's role. In my view, they are simply serving a certain area of society, while we creates retreats for people seriously interested in having a breakthrough in their spiritual development, and we have had amazing success in the last 5 years of doing this service. How do we know we are following the actual spirit? Well, the best way i can answer that is the same way you do. My intent is to always encounter myself and come back to emptiness, from which the truth is able to manifest itself to me. Plants are wonderful teachers, expecially when combined with the direction of eastern disciplines. Anyone who ever used them says so.

Indengborg - i see Educatedindian as a human being, i don't even know his position, his title, or what NDN means. I said rich, because he kept talking about us doing this for money (which i see nothing wrong with, because for me money is just energy of this world, no going around it at this point for me)

Frederica, i guess i am using great spirit, because i am trying to relate to you, and i consider that term to belong to native american tradition. These are just concepts, what is your point?

Why does a group of serious people spend their time looking for something wrong in other practicioners? And so much verbal abuse and name calling - like barnaby-McEwen said "shut up hippy"??? Isn't this a little childish? I don't consider myself a hippy, although i appreciate some of their values. And all this done in secret. You spent weeks looking for our info, while my phone number and email is plastered all over our website - why not ask? i would have told you - i have nothing to hide. At first i through this was something serious run by native americans, by now it looks like a bunch of people with unfounded personal opinions and judgements. It really breaks my heart to see people of such an amazing tradition succumb to such darkness of blame, hatered and paranoia. I feel this forum does a bit of dis-service to the world during such an amazing time of transformation.

Why not reach over and empower people on their path to freedom for our world. Why knock people down? I am sure you have your reasons and they are valid. Good luck with you endevours
eugene

frederica

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Re: SpiritPathPeru.com
« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2007, 05:44:02 am »
Eugene, All you will need is one incident with ayahuasca. So far you have been without problems. Do you do screenings, or is this given random? There have been other incidents in Peru. I see the objection as it is given random, there is no belief system that associates these sacred plants with the Eastern religions. What most people object to is the mixing of religions. The main reason is it becomes corrupted. You end up with false medicine people that are a mixture of who know what and it is pass of as authentic.      As far as your use of the "Great Spirit", I believe that term was coined by others. Try Creator or God, most Nations have their own term, and you wouldn't be expected to know these.  Just my opinion, but you need to be very, very careful with what you are doing. frederica

Offline Eugene

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Re: SpiritPathPeru.com
« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2007, 07:32:14 am »
Thanks Frederica, I totally hear and understand what you mean. I definetely cannot guarantee that no problem will come up. I suppose i just do my best and trust the intent. We have a screening application and we connect with the people closely before going on the retreats with them. Also, the response so far is very low, and recently, since we don't live there anymore, we have done these retreats mainly with family and friends. My path has led me to integrating not only descriptions of the process of transformation, but also integrating practical applications and techniques. It's true that very little information exists on integrating practices from different traditions, and i do agree that ancient practices from different traditions work best when mastered in their purity. But in my experience, i reached a point when i started experiencing this process directly and all inclusively, and it made no difference which tools i utilize, as long as i maintain integrity with myself, by impecably purifying layer after layer of my inner inauthenticities. Weather i practice yoga, meditation, power plants or massage, it all takes me through the same process in different ways, so that each tool i am mastering supports and empowers the others effectiveness. But all this is my personal experience,  and the experience of a few other people I know, and i do see that mixing techniques irresponsibly could create problems and confusion for some, and yes i have heard of incidents like that.

Please know that i take your concern seriously. Also, i appologize for getting personal at the end of my previous email, got a little reactivated.

I wish you all the best and promise to be responsible with what we offer.

eugene