SHIWAWAKU (Cumaru, Dipteryx micrantha) 1.2

Shiwawaku — Dipteryx micrantha 1:2 Alcohol Tincture

The Purple Medicine. The tallest tree in the jungle. One of the most highly evolved plant consciousnesses in the Shipibo tradition.

Shiwawaku — also known as Shihuahuaco — is the tallest and strongest tree in the Amazon rainforest. It towers above the canopy, its trunk enormous and ancient, its wood so dense and durable that it has been used for centuries for the most demanding structural applications. And yet the medicine it carries is anything but harsh. It is soft. It is purple. It is love.

In the Shipibo tradition, Shiwawaku is considered one of the most highly evolved plant consciousnesses available to those who seek to diet with the trees. Its spirit is said to appear as a large, dimensional man whose body shines with a polished, metallic sheen — a being of extraordinary strength and radiance. And in ceremony, what most people encounter is not this imposing figure but a quality of light — violet, warm and enveloping — that cradles rather than confronts.

It is known as the Purple Medicine. And those who have worked with it understand why.

The Spirit of Shiwawaku

Shiwawaku is fiercely purple in its medicine. Those who work with it in ceremony often see purple medicine around the crown and sense a tingling sensation there when Shiwawaku is present. It likes to open the crown like each petal of a lotus flower opening — exposing and reminding you of your connection to the universe and universal knowledge that has always been there and is always there for you to connect to.

Shiwawaku is often used for healing and protection in ceremony, lovingly covering and cradling you in its purple medicine while it brings into your awareness what it has to show you — reminding you that you are pure love and that you have everything you will ever need right inside your heart.

This is a tree that asks something of you before it gives. A participant normally needs to diet a few plants before dieting the more challenging Shihuahuaco tree, as the dieter is gently tested with their shadow aspects. This powerful spirit focuses more on the mind — cleansing undesirable habitual thoughts and calming mental activity.

It is also deeply protective. Shihuahuaco helps to protect against oppressive environments and strengthens the auric field to prevent dense energies from entering the body — great for sensitive people who are affected by other energies. It helps anyone with a strong character who may have experienced hardship, or who may carry heavy emotions like shame, guilt, remorse, anger or paranoia.

In the forest itself, Shiwawaku serves as the physical vehicle for the curving, feminine Ayahuasca vine to climb upward. It is seen as the structured masculine supporting the fluid feminine. This relationship in nature reflects its role in ceremony — a strong, stable, radiant container within which softer, more fluid medicines can do their deepest work.

Traditional Uses

Shiwawaku is worked with in the Shipibo tradition primarily for its spiritual and emotional properties — though its physical benefits are also well recognised.

Spiritually it is used for crown chakra activation, the clearing of habitual and self-critical thought patterns, protection from dense or oppressive energies, and the cultivation of compassion and a desire to be of service to others. It is an ally for those who work with energy — healers, therapists, yoga practitioners and anyone regularly exposed to the energies of others who needs strong auric protection and regular clearing.

On the physical level it is traditionally associated with joint health, blood purification and vitality, and has been used to help ease migraines and tension-related conditions.

Shiwawaku also acts as a bridge — this very high vibrational plant is used by shamans as part of dieta or as an admixture in other shamanic brews, helping the dieter access other master plants as a unified field of forest intelligence rather than isolated individual medicines.

A Note on Dieta

Shiwawaku is not generally recommended as a first plant dieta. It asks for some prior preparation and a degree of inner readiness. When approached with appropriate respect and maturity however, it is described by those who have worked with it as one of the most beautiful and transformative experiences available in the plant medicine world.

Working with the tincture is a gentler and more gradual pathway — a real and meaningful connection with the plant's energy, built over weeks of consistent and intentional use.

About This Tincture

Our Shiwawaku is prepared as a 1:2 alcohol tincture — one part sustainably wild-harvested bark to two parts organic alcohol. The bark carries the strongest concentration of the plant's active compounds and energetic properties. Most tinctures on the market are made at a 1:5 ratio. Ours are 1:2 as standard — significantly more plant per drop and noticeably stronger. Sourced directly from trusted indigenous partners in the Amazon, prepared in small batches by hand with care and deep respect for the plant and the Shipibo tradition it comes from.

How to Use

5 drops under the tongue twice daily, away from food and drink. Hold briefly before swallowing. Shiwawaku works cumulatively — its effects build over weeks of consistent use. Works particularly well for those in regular energy work, healing practice or meditation, and for anyone who feels the need for stronger energetic protection and mental clarity.

Important

Not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Consult your doctor before use if you are taking prescribed medication. Not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition. This product is offered for its ethnobotanical and traditional value.