Guest Profile: Luca of BARAI EcoEscuela, Temazcal Keeper in Colombia

Luca is a temazcalero, a keeper of the sacred sweat lodge, from Pereira, Colombia. With his wife he runs BARAI EcoEscuela, an eco school offering ceremony, nature connection and work with horses. This interview is part of the Quantum Collective Podcast, Episode 3, hosted by Jonah Bolt (@iamjonahbolt).

This profile shares a ceremonial tradition as Luca describes it. Sweat lodges involve intense heat, so speak with your doctor first if you have any health concerns.

Who Is Luca?

Twenty five years ago Luca left city life to live beside a river in the Colombian countryside. A Mexica grandfather named Mario arrived looking for land to hold vision quests, and Luca agreed to go up the mountain with him. His first sweat lodge, the preparation for that quest, was the hardest thing he had ever done. Then came four days and nights alone with no food, water or speaking.

For the last eight years he and his wife have opened a Temazcal to the public on the last Sunday of every month. Follow them on Instagram at @barai.ecoescuela.

What Is BARAI EcoEscuela?

BARAI EcoEscuela is the eco school Luca runs with his wife near Pereira in Colombia's coffee region. Beyond the Temazcal they share other ceremonies and therapies, including time with a small herd of horses that live free in the mountains. It is a place for nature based healing and conscious ecotourism.

“When you breathe that vapor, you breathe ancient memory.” Luca

How Does the Temazcal Honor the Ancestors?

In the first door of the lodge, each person presents themselves by saying the names of their father and mother, their own name and the names of their children. Past, present and future sit together in the circle, and the whole line of ancestors is honored. The hot stones themselves are called grandmothers because they hold ancient memory.

“All of our hearts are facing the same point.” Luca

What Do the Free Horses Teach?

Luca hopes the horses help people remember that we are not owners of life. Relating to animals that live free, with respect rather than control, opens a new understanding of how we relate to all beings, to the land and to ourselves. For him it is the same lesson the lodge teaches, in another form.

How Can You Find a Trustworthy Lodge?

Luca suggests looking for the established families of the tradition in your country and looking the leader in the eye. Ask where they come from and where they received their tradition. True lodge keepers walk years of vision quests and need permission from elders, who judge readiness by actions, not words.

What Happens Inside the Lodge?

The dome shaped Temazcal represents the womb of Mother Earth, and the sacred fire outside represents Father Sun. Before the fire is lit, Luca asks permission of the Great Spirit, the guardians of the land and the seven directions. Prayers are carried on tobacco and blown like an arrow to spirit. He and his wife enter first, honoring the balance of masculine and feminine, and the purpose of the lodge is spoken aloud.

The ceremony moves through four doors. With each door the heat rises, medicine songs help quiet the mind, and the chance to go deeper grows. When fear or claustrophobia comes up, Luca invites people to close their eyes, return to their heart and ask whether it is their purpose or their mind that wants to leave. Many stay and break through.

Key Takeaways

The lodge is meant to help, never to harm, and the most vulnerable people in the circle set the pace. Purpose comes first. Ancestors are named and honored. Surrender often opens the door that fear tries to close. And respect for all beings, from grandmother stones to free horses, is the heart of the teaching.

Topics Covered in This Interview

Temazcal, sacred sweat lodge, vision quests, Mexica tradition, grandmother stones, the four doors, ancestors, Mother Earth and Father Sun, fire keeping, copal, BARAI EcoEscuela, Pereira and the Colombian coffee region, ecotourism and working with free horses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Luca?

Luca is a Colombian temazcalero with twenty five years in the sacred sweat lodge tradition who runs BARAI EcoEscuela with his wife near Pereira.

Can visitors attend a Temazcal with Luca?

He and his wife open a public Temazcal on the last Sunday of every month. Reach out through @barai.ecoescuela for details.

Is a Temazcal the same as a sauna?

No. Luca explains that a Temazcal is a prayer ceremony led by someone with lineage and permission from elders, moving through four doors with songs and purpose.

What is a vision quest?

In Luca's lineage, it is four days and nights alone on a mountain without food, water or speaking, seeking one's vision and purpose.

Where can I watch the full interview?

The Sacred Sweat Lodge with Luca streams on Rumble and on the Quantum Collective Podcast page.

Keep exploring: read Plant Medicine Traditions: A Respectful Guide and What Are Spirit Guides?, which draw on Luca's teachings about lineage and the ancestors.

Planning a visit? Read our guide to spiritual ecotourism in Colombia, which covers the coffee region around Pereira, choosing a host and what to check first.

Watch the Full Episode

Watch the full interview with Luca on Rumble, read our detailed article Luca on the Temazcal: Inside the Sacred Sweat Lodge, and find more episodes on the Quantum Collective Podcast page. You may also enjoy our profile of fellow Colombian guest Anthar and our piece on small, local communities.

Open the episode player to watch right here, or share this page with someone who would enjoy it.

Keep exploring: read Temazcal vs Sauna: What Makes a Sweat Lodge Sacred for history, safety tips and how to find an authentic lodge.

Watch the full episode on Rumble