On April 1, 2026, the earthly journey of one of the most famous shamans of our time, our great friend and partner, the renowned Dr. Jorge Arturo Gonzalez Ramirez, came to an end. As the Maestro himself said, on that day he «dissolved into the Energy of the Cosmos.»
This man had a long and challenging life filled with discoveries, trials, research, and travels around the world.
Jorge Gonzales was born on December 12, 1944, in the old neighborhood of San Sebastian in the city of Cajamarca. Later, as the Maestro himself said, he was «adopted by the Amazon» and initiated into the tradition in the region of Jaén, where he spent his youth and years of study. It was there, amidst the jungles and their fascinating flora, that he first felt his calling. He gained his first experience with Ayahuasca at the age of 12, while living among the Aguaruna people.
After graduating from high school in 1960, the Maestro moved to Trujillo, where he completed his studies in Educational Sciences at the National University.
In 1969, Jorge González flew to Iquitos to begin working at the Department of Scientific Research at the University of the Peruvian Amazon (UNAP). On his first night in the city, he participated in his first Ayahuasca ceremony with Maestro Solón Tello Lozano and Maestro Alicia Ríos.
In this Amazonian city, he combined his university lectures with the practice of being a disciple of Maestro Solon. Soon, the young Jorge decided to travel to El Estrecho, the territory of the Vitoto people on the Putumayo River, to undergo a long-term shamanic diet and period of solitude away from civilization.
During this three-month period of solitude, living in the pristine jungle on a special platform in the canopy of a tall tree, Maestro Jorge underwent a profound transformation in his life.
It was then that he decided to devote himself to preserving the ancient sacred tradition of natural therapy, as well as studying it from the perspective of modern science and popularizing this knowledge.
On September 3, 1976, Jorge González defended his doctoral thesis on «The study of prostitution in the City of Iquitos and its relationship to education» at the National Pedagogical University named after Enrique Guzmán y Valle in Lima, known today as la Cantuta, and received a degree in Education.
On September 2, 1981, Dr. Jorge moved to Tarapoto and participated in the creation of the new National University of San Martin, eventually becoming its first rector.
A few years later, he acquired a plot of land in the Morales district and began building his own center, Soncco Wasi International. This location became a hub for many of the Maestro’s students and has been an important space for exploring the Ayahuasca tradition for over four decades.
On June 10, 1999, Jorge González received a Doctor of Natural Sciences degree from the University of Natural Medicine in Santa Fe, USA. It was there that he conducted one of his most famous ceremonies, in a university classroom for professors, demonstrating the effects of Amazonian medicine for the first time.
Throughout his life, Jorge has conducted Ayahuasca ceremonies on five continents and in twenty-three countries around the world. One of his books is titled «I Am Ayahuasca.» The Maestro himself often joked that he had taken Ayahuasca so many times that he was already made of it.
During the Maestro’s lifetime, our Ayahuasca Museum featured a special display dedicated to Dr. Gonzalez, showcasing his life, research, and contributions to preserving Amazonian traditions.
Dr. Jorge González Ramírez was one of the leading researchers of Ayahuasca culture and medicinal plants in the Amazon. He dedicated his life to studying the power of nature and authentic Amazonian traditions, consistently opposing the transformation of ancient ceremonies into superficial tourist shows.
A phrase that encapsulates the Maestro’s life journey was written by him in one of his recent books:
«I will always be proud of becoming the first shamanic rector, although many people will call me a ’sorcerer’ – some out of jealousy, and some out of love.»
At one time, Dr. Jorge kindly donated his shamanic drum, books, a collection of poems, and several rare ceramic vessels to our museum.
In our Ayahuasca Museum, you can see these items, get acquainted with his books, and listen to the original recordings of this unique curandero’s ikaros.
We will always remember this bright and passionate person for his openness, kindness, and the light and hope he sought to bring to others.