​Preface

I used to believe that enduring chronic pain was a normal part of life. In 2007, I graduated with degrees in Cosmetics & Fragrance Marketing and Fashion Photography from The Fashion Institute Of Technology. By 2015, I had worked for several Fortune 500 beauty and fashion companies in New York City. Despite following a plant-based diet, engaging in regular workouts, exploring alternative treatments, incorporating supplements, and trying natural remedies, my chronic health issues persisted and worsened.

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Journeying Through Chronic Pain

By age 30, I was experiencing frequent stomach aches, constipation, severe menstrual cramps, debilitating sciatica pain, chronic fatigue, hair loss, and unexplained weight gain. After exhausting all alternative medicine options, I underwent invasive testing and received diagnoses of ovarian cysts, hypothyroidism, sciatica, alopecia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and anemia. Lacking answers for the root causes of these symptoms, and with Western medicine offering only surgical and pharmaceutical options, I initiated a personal journey to uncover answers I believed existed.

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Answers With An Ancient Women's Medicine System

In 2016, I had the privilege of meeting Don Jorge Pichazaca, a fifth-generation traditional healer (Doctor, Curandero, Priest-Physician) from Cañar, Ecuador. He carries forward a rare heritage as one of the last remaining practitioners of a medicine tradition spanning thousands of years. Inheriting knowledge from both the women's and men's medicine systems, he learned from his father and grandmother. One of his specialized techniques is non-invasive abdominal organ realignment. At the time, the concept that abdominal organs could shift out of place was unfamiliar to me as it was scarcely recognized in American culture. Little did I know or understand the devastating effects it could have on one's health once it occurs.

 

The first time I met Jorge, I watched many people leave his treatment room with smiles, laughter, and deep appreciation for his work. After Jorge assessed my symptoms, he shared that he had an overwhelming number of people asking for his time and was uncertain if he could help me. Determined to receive treatment, I patiently waited outside his house in the evenings when patients arrived, hoping for an opportunity. After a few weeks, Jorge started calling me Tamya Sisa, which means "rainflower" in Kichwa. Jorge noted that whenever he looked out the window, I was frequently standing in the rain. He saw this as a test of my resilience and determination to seek help.

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Indigenous Friendship 

Jorge's youngest daughter, Atzintly, at the age of 5, would watch me curiously and wave from the window while I waited outside. She became my first teacher. When Jorge was occupied with patients, Atzintly would pay me visits, sharing her dolls and asking me about my American clothing and makeup. She initiated me into speaking Spanish and Kichwa (the native language), and in return, I taught her English. Gradually earning Jorge's trust, I was granted permission to care for Atzintly and watch over the other children during their parents' treatments. I also contributed by chopping medicinal plants, preparing botanical remedies, and handling the cooking and cleaning.

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From Patient To Apprentice

After 6 months of patiently waiting, Jorge agreed to treat me with the understanding that I would live with his family, a necessity given the extensive time needed to reverse my symptoms and learn proper health care. Unknown to me at the time, this was the beginning of my apprenticeship in an ancient medicine system, passed down from Jorge's Cañari elders, knowledge I would later use to help others. Following 9 months of treatment, most of my symptoms had reversed, marking the beginning of my journey as a medicine woman. To manage any remaining symptoms, I adopted lifestyle changes and daily rituals to maintain my well-being and keep them "turned off".