Working Together
Staff Members
Valerie Sami Porras
Her ancestral origins are Costa Rican and Egyptian, was born and raised in Canada but has for several years been residing in Costa Rica and works at home and abroad. She is a psychologist, medicine woman, Moon and Sun dancer. She has received guidance from medicine people working ancestral rituals and ceremonies from the north and south and has received their blessing in guiding certain ceremonies including the Temazcal (sweat lodge), work with the sacred feminine, women's circles, and sacred medicinal ceremonies. She also gives individual healing sessions which include body work and work with crystals, she does energetic as well as physical cleansing of persons and places, and gives counselling sessions as well. She is fluent in English, French, and Spanish.
Rurico Benitez Valencia
Ruico is a native of Mexico, artisan, drummer, singer, Aztec dancer, and sun dancer. Rurico works and travels back and forth from Mexico to Costa Rica. He works in construction, particularly specializing in natural building and building traditional mexican sweat lodges (temazcal). He has been leading a Mexica (Aztec) dance group for six years and also does work running sweat lodges. His artisanal work includes drum and rattle making, stone sculpting, and work with leather.