In this episode of the Wild Tree Partners Podcast, Jack Edwards sits down with his old college roommate, Jeff Allen, to explore the journey that eventually brought Jeff back to Peru four separate times.

What begins with the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu eventually leads Jeff deeper into the Amazon, where he encounters ayahuasca, indigenous plant medicine, and a completely different way of experiencing life. Jeff shares what it was like traveling from JFK to Lima to Iquitos, navigating the Berlin Market, and making the transition from modern life into a remote jungle retreat.

The conversation explores what happens before the ceremony even begins—the anticipation, uncertainty, fear, preparation, and sense of being drawn toward something difficult to explain. Jeff also reflects on his experiences learning from the Shipibo tradition and how the jungle environment itself became part of the journey.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why Jeff felt “called” back to Peru after his first experience

• What traveling from JFK to Lima to Iquitos is really like

• The Berlin Market and the final preparations before entering the jungle

• What people bring when traveling to remote retreat centers

• Why fear can be such a central part of the ayahuasca experience

• Jeff’s experiences learning from the Shipibo tradition

• What it feels like to step away from modern life and enter the Amazon

• How the journey challenged Jeff’s anxiety, intuition, and way of thinking

Jack and Jeff also discuss the culture shock of arriving somewhere where English is rarely spoken, the intensity of the rainforest environment, and the traditions surrounding plant medicine.

For anyone curious about ayahuasca, the Amazon, psychology, healing, indigenous traditions, or the experiences that happen before a ceremony, this episode offers a firsthand look at how the journey begins long before entering the ceremonial space.

Guest: Jeff Allen
Host: Jonathan Edwards