Teobaldo Ochavano Lopez was born in the Ronuya district of Iparía, in the Ucayali region of the Peruvian Amazon jungle. His father, Teobaldo Ochavano Mahua Doña Luisa Lopez Maynas, was the first bilingual teacher and shaman in his community, and his mother used plant medicines to cure and heal. All of his grandparents, on both sides, were also shamans. His entire family was very familiar with plant medicines, particularly ayahuasca, and from a very young age Teobaldo was surrounded by this medicine work. After witnessing its immense healing power, he chose to continue on the path himself, particularly since he had the experience and knowledge to navigate within the shamanic realm of healing. He felt that since the most important thing was to understand how to handle and navigate within this space, and he had been given the tools and knowledge to do so by his family, he was called and equipped to continue on this path. He apprenticed under 4 different Maestros – his father, his uncle, his cousin, and another teacher, and has been working with the medicine for 30 years.
In his community, he has treated many patients for a variety of illnesses, helping people who need to be cured with plants. In doing this he has been able to provide education for his children as well as help orphaned children in the village. He also has a strong desire to save the plants and sustain biodiversity, and so works with local native communities to replant ayahuasca vine and chacruna (the two ingredients used in our ayahuasca brew), among other permaculture projects. In 2017 he has planted over 5000 seedlings of the Ayahuasca vine, as well as several dozen chacruna shrubs, near his village. He believes this is imperative to ensure the sustainability of the ayahuasca vine, as well as have botanical variety and medicinal plants on hand in order to continue healing and helping people.
Teo received his diploma in Pedagogy, the method and practice of teaching, and was a professor for 19 years, overlapping with shamanic work in his community. He has been retired from teaching for the last 5 years, and now devotes his full time to Soltara and his family. We are honored to be working with Teo and his wife Marina at our center, whose devotion, love, and infectious laughter will lift your spirits both in and out of ceremony.
