203. Shamanic Family Living - The Sacred Family film

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Carmen and Sergio are shamans in Peru, guiding seekers through a spiritual journey through ayahuasca ceremonies. They are also parents to three teenage children. The new documentary, The Sacred Family, follows Carmen, Sergio, and their children on a thousand mile road trip into the Amazon to find balance in their lives. Against the backdrop of honoring the sacredness to be found in life, the family also experiences the all-too-familiar encroachment of the addictions of modern life in terms of technology - smartphones, video games, and Netflix. This film highlights the stark dichotomy of the modern world and ancient wisdom and spirituality.   

It was a joy to connect with Carmen and the film's creator, Borja, during the debut of The Sacred Family at a Scottish film festival. We talk about the tension between family life and spiritual growth, the dangers of the exploding demand for ayahuasca for the influx of Westerners flooding to Peru, and so much more!

https://www.lasagradafamilia.film

00:00.00
karagoodwin
Hello and welcome to the meditation conversation I'm Kara Goodwin and today I am joined by borha Aal Day and carmen who are both working on a film or have released a film called the sacred family. This film is ah or documentary is about family life, modern society and mental health against the backdrop of shaman guided ayahuasca ceremonies. So is that a fair. Ah fair.

00:28.66
Borja
In.

00:36.31
karagoodwin
Way to describe it borha.

00:39.16
Borja
Yeah I think ah yeah I think the interesting way to describe it? Yeah and yes I guess ah is ah is a documentary and about a family you know I mean the main topic as a family and relationships.

00:43.55
karagoodwin
Um, a.

00:52.63
karagoodwin
With.

00:55.74
Borja
Ah, this family is composed by Karamine and serio which are both ah shermans in Peru in in the sacred valley of the Incas and they have 3 teenage kids which are valentine and two anlua.

01:01.71
karagoodwin
A.

01:14.92
Borja
And yeah, the work carbon and circuit do is based on on ceremonies using different master plans on the 3 teenage kids do what any other teenage kid and. Us anywhere else in the world which is they're playing video games and they are also hooked getting booked with the smartphones and so on and what happened is Carine and serchio decided. To embark on a thousand miles road trip and into the Amazon where they used to live years before hoping to find some answers and through traveling through nature connecting with each other you know away from. Trying to be away from technology which still managed to get into anywhere and perhaps now find some kind of balance ah between their ancestral beliefs on urban life and but.

02:08.19
karagoodwin
Do.

02:22.40
karagoodwin
News.

02:25.86
Borja
As they find some maybe perhaps things that there were no expecting which I won't tell you.

02:29.67
karagoodwin
Yeah, it was. It was really a fascinating dichotomy that is illustrated in the film and the modern world and this ancient wisdom and spirituality and how those things. Play together and and where the conflicts arise from them. Um, as a mother myself I really appreciated seeing um the relationship aspect of. Carmen and Sergio and the children. Um because there there is definitely um, but again dichotomy is the word that that comes to mind but that shamanic living that infers deep spiritual knowing and then there's.

03:13.80
Borja
You.

03:25.66
karagoodwin
There's being a parent and trying to raise children and um and the film really beautifully shows this I I loved um the scene where they go to a sacred site and they're playing um Carmen and Sergio and lua are playing these. Instruments into this sacred space and then you have the 2 teenage sons who looked exactly like what my son would be doing more patient than my son would be but you know they're over to the side and you can tell they're just waiting.

03:46.96
Borja
Um.

03:50.21
Borja
And me.

04:05.29
karagoodwin
Just like are we done yet. Can we go yet and you know it was It was refreshing for me because this is how it is you know for for me wanting to be a spiritual seeker and and wanting to.

04:10.15
Borja
Um, to um, yeah.

04:22.98
karagoodwin
Have these mystical encounters. Um I would have really love to be able to be playing flutes. You know at that space and feeling that vibration and I know that I would also be pulled by my son.

04:23.15
Borja
Um.

04:31.62
Borja
Nothing.

04:40.40
karagoodwin
Who is just like can we can we move now. But um, it was beautiful to see that kind of how it's getting this look inside a family that is um, has these sacred roots. And but still figuring out how to manage relationships just like a normal family. Yeah.

05:04.21
Borja
Um, yeah, yeah, that's that's exactly you know and a big you know part of this field. You know is to to show you know the the who we are you know doesn't matter also look. Ah work. You do you know? and I remember you know when I met ah Sergio and he told me okay, yeah, we are shermans but this is just a job you know and it's quite refreshing also and I think it's important to share this with ah.

05:20.25
karagoodwin
A.

05:39.70
Borja
Many people on western coming from all these countries to Peru and they are seeking. You know like to have these experiences and to build these people ah because of the idea and they have reconcept idea they have from before they kind of sometimes expecting. You know, like white clothes and feathers and a delon wall you know and and it's good to to show you know them from inside. You know as we are all are and we all want the same thing you want the same law for your kids and that take care of them and.

06:11.12
karagoodwin
Um.

06:18.85
Borja
Love and beloved and and and it's ah it's a window into a world. You know that? ah as a family you know it's about relationships. It's about conflict resolution. You know they happen to be shamans. But that's why it also breaks some of the concepts you know because when we throw this word you know Sheman.

06:27.84
karagoodwin
Um, right.

06:38.77
Borja
I've noticed you know in in my journey and with this film you know and my personal journey to traveling to Peru that people start thinking and and having an idea in their head and that has an impact in the relationship and what you. Who you're going to meet or what you? What do you expect from that encounter. You know so this film is also about about a bit of this. You know that we're all humans here and we're all trying our best and we all have contradictions and it's all good. They solve.

06:58.50
karagoodwin
And.

07:13.42
karagoodwin
Yes.

07:16.48
Borja
I Would like to add what you are saying hello. But for me, it's not only a job and because I I feel that this is one pose for why I'm living here in this planet and.

07:18.23
karagoodwin
Hello.

07:24.25
karagoodwin
A.

07:35.50
Borja
Yes, is a role more than a job for me is a so sociative role that was lost it for many years and now is returning this this place of somebody that work helping and sustaining us.

07:37.38
karagoodwin
Is.

07:53.95
Borja
During our process but this don means that we are more ah, a bullet or more and ah we are in a high vibration than the rest of the people. No, we are only humans beings making what we love to do in this case I can speak only.

08:11.25
karagoodwin
You.

08:13.23
Borja
For me, you know I Love what I do because I have one depopose in this path that I am walking and is something that is more that a job for me involves many many more things and is really connected with my soul and why I wake up and I stand up.

08:21.73
karagoodwin
Yeah.

08:32.58
karagoodwin
Yeah.

08:33.60
Borja
Every day and also what you said about your son you know and this is very nice for me to have this talking with you because we are moms and and even if if they have this.

08:40.44
karagoodwin
Yeah, no, yes.

08:51.71
Borja
Kind of fight with this spiritual partner. You know like this crazy Mom Singing Mar you know dance into the fire and you know they can see also that many people come to ask help to to us.

09:06.55
karagoodwin
A.

09:10.68
Borja
And that people is feeling better when they go and also if they don't sing with us or they are feeling. You know when when we are praying that we are praying and even if they don't do.

09:24.91
karagoodwin
Empty.

09:28.55
Borja
This will keep in their minds and they will have these tools always in their life because they are seeing how works in our life is.

09:35.39
karagoodwin
Yes, thank you for that and thank you for clarifying. You know the shamanic role in your life that is all pervasive. You know it flows through everything and and that is evident in the film. Um, that spirituality is at the the front of your it's in the driver's seat of your life. Um, one thing I I wondered about when I was watching is particularly before you leave on the trip. You are doing a lot of it. Looks like you're doing a lot of arrangements of business type of things being on the phone making calls and kind of focused on your business side and that's part of the drive of this film I or. Part of the the um tones underneath it is this this pilgrimage that many many western seekers are making to Peru to have these kinds of experiences ayahuasca's experiences and. Um, wanting to interact with shamans for their own soul searching. But then there's this you as an individual carmen with your own spiritual path and your own wanting to keep igniting that and stay connected.

11:10.71
karagoodwin
How does how does that flow naturally for you to be able to balance both the the business side and.

11:17.32
Borja
Um, well I need to yeah I need to explain a little bit. Um I have two sides you know one one part of me is this connecting woman with plants with Medicine Plantts and share it with people but also I am. Ah, social worker. You know, not not like ah ah um, I didn't study this because I know that it's a career but a part of my work is also to make another kind of things.

11:37.35
karagoodwin
Um, oh okay.

11:42.99
karagoodwin
Is.

11:53.51
Borja
I had in their moment a project that was a house of art and medicine and when you saw me with the phone and making meetings and conversations because I am organizing all the events that we was doing like.

12:00.27
karagoodwin
A moment.

12:11.96
Borja
Yoga Workshops Meditations circular womans healthy parties and different kinds of people that from different social levels coming together offerings for mother earth I did 3 years of very very a. Hard work because then I I have these two sides you know this and ah hogs play the the side of the of the hero for for say that it's in the sociity making changes.

12:37.20
karagoodwin
Again.

12:48.97
Borja
And the side of the and monk we will say who is comingming inside their self and looking answerings for you know for Chan and who says I was working with with both this part of medicine is not.

12:58.57
karagoodwin
And.

13:07.45
Borja
Include in the project that I was working this this part is my part and who come to work with me come directly to me and but I also have had this project where the door was open for more people that I could to call you know it's not the same.

13:08.85
karagoodwin
Okay.

13:26.62
Borja
To offer a ceremony to offer a healthy party where much more people can come people that maybe never will drink Ayaska on people that really is not in a ready for make this a ceremony but I can come and understand that we can have a.

13:28.63
karagoodwin
Okay.

13:44.77
Borja
Real party with music with dance with our alcohol you know and that we can make up a party with our children being part of the party and this is yes yes yes, and then this is.

13:53.78
karagoodwin
And that was they you showed featured one of those at the beginning of the film. Okay, yes.

14:03.30
Borja
This is why you said but no was really a business because this project didn't give me any money was was a so social organization that I did for expand this consciousness of healthy life.

14:08.39
karagoodwin
My.

14:18.15
karagoodwin
Okay, beautiful. What an amazing initiative I love that so how how did you become inspired to make this film in the first place. How are you 2 connected.

14:20.92
Borja
I think.

14:35.28
Borja
Um, well I met um this family without a camera. No no as a filmmaker but um, as ah, someone who went to Peru to do some. You know, development work you know and to explore you know tools on on master plans they have in Peru unlearn and which Braley it was a great way to start you know and because it's snow about making a film is's about connecting with someone.

15:01.22
karagoodwin
The.

15:09.23
Borja
But with this family in particular and I love a lot their families. This is the very first moment I saw them you know like um lua very small and well all of them. You know like six years ago they've changed a lot you know and and that's how we met.

15:16.83
karagoodwin
Finance.

15:24.86
Borja
So I had an experience ah and started that process with ah in that case with Serchio because Carmine was not present at that time and then I had to come back to meet Karamine because I I did have I failed after that first week um and first encounter I wanted to do something with with this family I wasn't sure of the format or what it would be it would become but um Carmine wasn't there so a last year six months after that I came back to meet carmen and there would be some. And travels together and went to East Elo and italyca didtika ga lake and other places in in Peru and through that connection finally with carbonmenur myself we felt that we could share and create something together. Um, still wasn'tur why it was going to be and it's been changing throughout the the years because because we've been all changing you know and that's why it's so documentary to there is not that can be a fixed thing. It's about adapting it's about believing. It's about trusting you know the process and even many times I was lost in this process. You know I thought.

16:19.25
karagoodwin
Here.

16:29.28
karagoodwin
Brave.

16:39.00
Borja
I was already learning something by doing it next to them and then it's become this which is obviously to me like a beautiful and ah project you know and on an art piece to share with many other people you know and they can they can interpret her or feel in different ways. But.

16:40.14
karagoodwin
In.

16:58.83
Borja
You know this is what we what we make together.

16:59.99
karagoodwin
Beautiful I love that. So and and we've talked about this a little bit but I want to touch on particularly the the seekers who are coming to Peru and how that might be changing Peru. And maybe some of the dangers of of the practice becoming overcommercialized.

17:29.61
Borja
Um, coming and well um I think so this ah some something that is very good to talk about and because many people is coming more and more to Peru to Southern America and to look in no answer is in the medicine plants. But what I need to say is that it's very important to know where you are going. It's very important to understand what means to do a ceremony.

17:56.44
karagoodwin
A.

18:03.37
Borja
Is very important. Don't look who is making more cheaper. You know E who is if somebody is offering you in the streets come to you was case tonight that that doesn't please don't go. Yeah, it's important to be conscious about.

18:06.21
karagoodwin
And right.

18:23.16
Borja
What means a ceremony one said a ceremony is something very deep that involves your life and when you come for first time you are like a baby in the ceremony very vulnerable and you need to be sure that the person that is guiding the ceremony.

18:32.33
karagoodwin
E.

18:41.80
karagoodwin
E.

18:41.56
Borja
Will take care you and this is responsibility of who is going to drink because the offers that you have is are many but be careful. Be careful, try to. Met the person before and go with somebody that have recommendations and be at 10 careful with your energy and yeah and I think so is some 1 reality maybeware.

19:05.43
karagoodwin
8

19:18.11
Borja
That are good things good are not so good and good and things that are bad. You know, but it depends of us to be careful to go with responsibility and if you go you know to 1 tour and you will say okay I will do a ahuasca tonight and tomorrow and go in to make my.

19:22.61
karagoodwin
A.

19:38.40
Borja
Shops in in pisa and then we went to mahu picchu Anda I you really conscious about what you are doing because it's not really something that you will learn. You know. Yes, can be. You know you can come and make ceremony and tomorrow morning go to the to make your shop. They're shopping but it's really hard to be in a ceremony our hours working and opening different kinds of of doors and.

20:08.75
karagoodwin
You.

20:17.72
Borja
The best that and you can do is really keep the time for really be present and the next day after a ceremony is also very important because it's the day when all this this information that you received your body will integrate some. Informations are not possible to understand because our more big that our comppression and it's not possible to understand with our mind but this information we can assimulate in our world.

20:55.20
karagoodwin
And.

20:55.78
Borja
Body in our molecular system and there this is there is some why next day It's very important to rest to be calm to be with ourselves and yeah, we can go and make one ceremony and have the trip.

21:13.32
karagoodwin
And.

21:15.39
Borja
But this is not the reason why we drink a ahuasca if you want a trip make another thing.

21:24.45
karagoodwin
Right? Yeah, it's not an easy. It's not ah, a walk in the park we might say to do ayahuasca. It's a it's a journey and it can be a tough one too. Yeah.

21:29.30
Borja
You can enter.

21:36.87
Borja
Um, and all the medicine plants. It's not only a wasca the same with a tuma the same with masterrooms the same with peote. There are sacred plants as not for is not a name is only a name.

21:41.30
karagoodwin
Right.

21:47.57
karagoodwin
Um, right right? right? That's beautiful. Thank you.

21:53.66
Borja
A deepest true.

22:00.20
karagoodwin
Well how can people see this film for themselves is it available.

22:03.75
Borja
No, it's not but not yet, not yet and so the the laaclala familia secret family have premiered and last night in the seventy fifth edition of the.

22:07.71
karagoodwin
Um.

22:22.97
karagoodwin
Me.

22:23.60
Borja
E mira film festival in Scotland and um and we're going to have a second cleaning tomorrow also in Edinburgh and from now and we will be going. We're hoping to go to many other festivals you know and here and. Europe and North america south american other places and to keep growing in this family basically connecting to other people. So only it to many other people and ah and then our team and of ah the sales agent and there will be. Basically doing their work to spread you know, um, you know the firm and so to go reach many places you know, but at the moment we don't know we were hoping it will be seen and.

23:15.31
Borja
All over the world. We were hoping eventually will also be in a platform that can be watch you know for you know by many people at the moment we're doing the theatrical and the the festival circuit which which personally for me was a big part of them. Ah.

23:25.99
karagoodwin
And.

23:33.86
Borja
Of the process in on unlike 2 it's been five years till now it's been really hard to do both the role director and producer and now I want to enjoy a little bit to the reward which is travel that carmin is here now in evinburgra you know like my home and next to me. Premier and so that's a really big price and ultimately there so I want to continue and and and and taste all these moments. You know that are still to come through going you know places and meeting them. You know and first of us in South America where we can have.

23:52.90
karagoodwin
And wave.

24:08.55
Borja
All of you know the kids that I want to see I Want to be a festival with with with ah with all her kids to you know? For example, thats ah for me. That's another prize. That's another beautiful experience. You know that I'd be making this project. You know, eventually of course you know like broadcasters and platforms and as ok, but.

24:18.27
karagoodwin
Yeah.

24:27.68
Borja
Personally this is why it makes me happy.

24:28.60
karagoodwin
Yeah, that's beautiful. Is there anything that a listener can do to sort of stay in touch with the release or or what you're doing next.

24:38.32
Borja
Well I guess we have a website which is called lasagralafamiliadot film in there will be updating you know news, we'll be telling people you know. And when they can learn more about the project as it is right now but we'll be updating. You know about our journey and we were going and then we have another and Instagram which is la.sadafamiliadot film and again there will be kind of telling everyone. Where is the our nexus nexus steps you know so hopefully people in different places that hear about a circle of familia they can watch it in a cinema because it's a different experience. This film was made for the bigger screen.

25:22.60
karagoodwin
Who.

25:28.29
karagoodwin
Now.

25:30.70
Borja
It's called an incredible soundtrack. You know, scored by Juana Moina and incredible vol you know Argentinean you know artist and it's an experience. You know as as traveling says the journey noises is in many ways. So. I used to go to the cinema with my mom every single Friday you know like we have our own rituals and we have every Friday go to the cinema and then talk about the film and learn something somethings all the time but and I wanted to to. Entertain people for 90 minutes not by creating an experience and that's why I'm saying like it's for the biggest experience. So hopefully people can enjoy these in different cities when they come to a festival and nothing was not the best place and I need to say that I was it before the movie because he sent me when.

26:08.13
karagoodwin
Um.

26:16.67
karagoodwin
Yeah.

26:25.27
Borja
Was in the end of the production and it's completely not the same yesterday when I was in the Cinema I really could to enjoy the photography The the music everything was completely different. It's really really one. Beautiful experience.

26:46.88
karagoodwin
Yeah, the the um, the scenery that that you've got the the pan shots. You know the panorama of the the mountains and the water I mean you captured the light in a very special way. On the water. The the codes were coming through.

27:04.55
Borja
Um, yes I A really important moment for me I knew when I filmed that that that was gonna be and in the film.

27:15.10
karagoodwin
Yeah.

27:16.77
Borja
And I kind of felt you know like the such beauty in there. You know those yeah coats through water. Yeah, you're right.

27:20.35
karagoodwin
Yes, well I can vouch for that too because I really really enjoyed that. So thank you? Well Wow What a joy to be with both of you today. Thank you so much.

27:26.76
Borja
Um, on excellent.

27:38.54
karagoodwin
Um, and I wish you many many blessings as you continue to release this and um, share it across the world.

27:45.30
Borja
Thanks so much. It's been a total pleasure talking to you setting our project with you and thanks so much for really having us and not giving us to know this a space. It's great meeting you here. Hopefully one day in person but has been beautiful. Thanks so much.

28:02.28
karagoodwin
Yeah, thank you, Thank you.

28:04.40
Borja
Thank you, Thank you so much.

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