We are profoundly grateful to our teachers, and their teachers before them. They defy categorization, because Belize is truly a melting pot of peoples from various nations and cultures. We also recognize much of this shared wisdom came from dream visions, intuition and Spirit.

We acknowledge that many of our clients’ successes are due directly to the wisdom of people who are rarely honored by society for their contributions. We have all learned from many teachers from many places and cultures. However, one teacher binds us as a group: Dr. Rosita Arvigo.

Dr. Arvigo’s teachings are founded upon many years and the knowledge of multiple healers, cultures, and lands. She, and we, recognize these most influential Belizean teachers – Don Elijio Panti, Miss Hortense Robinson, Miss Juana Xix and Mexican midwife Dona Maria Torres.

We promise to continue making efforts of reparation and restoration to the Central American people from whom our good work has sprung.

We recognize that, as a group, we have the ability and duty to speak out against injustice,

We make time to listen and reflect on how we, as practitioners of techniques that are blended from Europe, North America, Central America, and South America, have contributed unwittingly to cultural appropriation, and distancing from the Maya people who are the root of our beloved work.

It is our intention that this serves as more than a finite statement, but the start for a plan for the way forward.

In order to acknowledge the roots of our work, we tithe to the Ix Chel Tropical Research Foundation in Belize, Central America. By doing so, we honor the pledge Rosita made to Don Elijio to take care of his people.

The Ix Chel Tropical Research Foundation is a non profit organization that sponsors the Belizean Bush Medicine Camp for children, school garden projects at local Belize primary schools, Ethnobotany in The Classroom programs, Useful Plants of Belize Exhibits, as well as community outreach programs to teach herbalism and bodywork to disenfranchised people around the world.