medicine woman dieta peru

Protection, Power & the Truth of What Hurts

July 30, 20254 min read

Dear Sacred Traveler,

This season has been… well… A Lot.

In May, I had the honor of sitting in dieta with my teacher and twelve other luminous souls. The guidance I received was clear: I was to align with a plant for protection.

The medicine I was prescribed was Bolaquiero. A name I had never heard before. Neither had any of the seasoned practitioners I asked here in Peru. The only thing I could find was its common name: “Axe Breaker.”

It grows only in select regions of the Amazon and is reserved for those who work behind the altar. The tree itself cannot be cut with an axe or chainsaw. Only fire, burning at the base, for weeks, can bring it down. To prepare this as medicine, no harm is done. Just a strip of the cortex is respectfully taken.

My teacher Fernando drove 14 hours each way into the jungle to retrieve this sacred gift. I will never forget his devotion or the moment the spirit of this tree met mine.

Here’s what Bolaquiero taught me:

1. When we rely only on our own defenses, protection becomes venom.

A tarantula showed me this. Not through attack but through presence. She defended her space with pure instinct, not malice. In her I saw the ways I’ve armored myself in reaction to threat.

2. When we invite Spirit to protect us, we can finally put the venom down.

This is where the real shift began.

3. Archangel Michael (Mikáel) appeared.

I was shown how to honor his presence. How to call him into my home and heart. Protection from above.

4. Sachamama came next.

She is fierce, vast, and real. Her body composts the old. She is the snake who moves earth and swallows what is no longer meant to be. I was shown how to feed her with reverence. Protection from below.

5. And then… I was shown my daughter.


If you know my story, you know she was taken from my life and that loss shattered me open to this path. This dieta revealed something deeper, a part of her chose to go. Because she didn’t feel safe. And the truth is, neither did I. I didn’t know how to protect her, except with reactive anger.

So I was invited to feel it all…
Grief. Betrayal. Rage. Instinct. Compassion. Forgiveness. Grace.


And in that flood,
my heart cracked open. I cried for over two hours, cleansing grief I didn’t know I was still carrying. I’m still integrating, deciding what my actional steps are.

Integration, as you know, isn’t real unless it leads to action.

When I returned to the Sacred Valley, I remembered something…
Every dieta I’ve done has initiated a drastic life change.

  • Year 1: A painful split from my first teacher and medicine brother.

  • Year 2: Legal issues.

  • Year 3: A brutal rupture with family.

  • This year: I thought I might be spared.

But no. This time brought house moves, friendship dissolutions, and a deep reckoning in my relationship. 

It has all hurt. 

And I’m letting it move through me, FULLY. That’s my path. That’s the work. That’s how we bring heaven to earth. And I would be a hypocrite to deny any of it.

The 10 Principles have been my anchor, once again.
And I’m so grateful, for the plants, the spirits, and my teachers.

What’s Unfolding at Art & Alchemy

I’ve created a free online experience called…

Radiant. Rebellious. Ready!
This 90-minute event is both a gift and a gateway.

  • A gift because I’ll be sharing 3 rebellious acts that can shift your life from numbness to knowing, through desire, celebration, and choice.

  • A gateway because it also introduces my ongoing offerings for those ready to go deeper.

The next one is happening August 5th from 12–1:30 PM CST.
It’s free.
Click here to register and save your seat.

Ways to Work With Me

Based on your feedback...
The next LIVE cohort of the
10 Principles begins:
September 2nd
Live Weekly Call Tuesdays 12–2 PM CST
Now a 3-month journey with updated pricing.

Early bird discount if you register by August 15th!

Empowerment Coaching
Ongoing, flexible scheduling, and always deeply transformative. Private 90-minute sessions, voice messaging support, and custom guidance. Learn more.

And One More Thing...

I’m also in the final stages of preparing my first book for release! It’s a poetic memoir of spiritual awakening, grief, and remembering. It will be available soon in digital and audiobook formats. I cannot wait to share it with you. Stay tuned.

Thank you for walking this path with me.
For choosing integrity. For choosing
you.

With reverence and fire,
Jessa

Jessa Frymire is a spiritual mentor, ceremonial guide, and founder of Art & Alchemy Mystery School. She helps soul-led women awaken their intuitive gifts, embody feminine leadership, and walk the path of sacred service.

Jessa Frymire

Jessa Frymire is a spiritual mentor, ceremonial guide, and founder of Art & Alchemy Mystery School. She helps soul-led women awaken their intuitive gifts, embody feminine leadership, and walk the path of sacred service.

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