We caught up with the brilliant and insightful DeeIsaac ‘detour’ Davis a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
DeeIsaac ‘detour’, we are so happy that our community is going to have a chance to learn more about you, your story and hopefully even take in some of the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Let’s start with self-care – what do you do for self-care and has it had any impact on your effectiveness?
As I write this, it is midnight in the Sacred Valley of the former Inca Empire of the Sun and Moon. I did not want to write this. I wanted to remain an anonymous fragment of Los Angeles’ long lost groovy soul steppers of the past. But things have changed and so have I, comrades. I left the glorious city of angels last April. I had to leave. I blew up the spot. Hot-fuzz! I was living on Hollywood boulevard with a little gal in a Hollywood bungalow. I had reached a phase of my life where it seemed as though things were coming together. I had a woman who loved me, I was working in television and modeling, bartending at the one and only Gold-diggers and Club TeeGee and stage managing music festivals. Life tasted sweeter than a sugar cane in Hell’s Kitchen. I was doing what I wanted and making a living. BUT! And I’m talking Miss new booty. I was bored and felt a deep yearning to ramble-on and to search and destroy — similar to a child building a sandcastle. I wanted to see what would happen if I toppled the m******f*****. I was simply restless, unhappy, and needed a little spice in my life. I needed a sudden change, a grand adventure, and thus I chose self-sabotage and grave exploration as my antidote. There was little sense of adventure in my opus of America, fore most everything is developed, packaged and norm. There were less uncharted experiences. By this point I had scorched the open roads and wanted to understand on a deeper level the feeling of journey my heroes endured during the beat generation. So what did I do? I began a tour de France of all my favorite watering holes, hopped up and down the coast, indulging in good drink and inhaling and digesting My Chemical Romance. This began to feel like sport after a few months. I was looking for fights, flights, and danger (which I found friends) and any excuse to get laid by a smorgasbord of the beautiful women I encountered (cha-cha real smooth). Well after a valiant effort of a year of this nightmare of the bottom, I began to experience loss. I lost my wingwoman (girlfriend), I lost my sense of direction and fundamentally lost my cool. I woke up one day and realized it was time for my grand finale, a spiritual adventure. I packed up my apartment and my dog (he was side-eyeing me with disappointment the whole time y’all) and got out of dodge before it was too late (or while the getting was good, however you wanna look at it).
Well a few days before departing my beloved city of *ark angels, I had reached out to a friend of mine and he recommended another co-patriot, whom had an understanding of the kind of adventure I was seeking. She, groovy as a Sunflower cat, recommended a retreat in the jungles of Peru. And at this point y’all, I wanted to walk into any jungle never to be seen again, besides the random spotting by the swashbuckling American, who likes to rough it like I. So I looked into this “jungle retreat”, and found the website for Ojo de Luna. I booked it! Call it a leap of faith, I don’t know, nor care. I caught the flight and embarked, knowing I do not speak a lick of Spanish nor know what I was getting myself into.
I finally landed in Pucallpa, Peru. I met with the scheduled driver, who drove me a few hours into the heart of the Amazon. We shared friendly glances and non-verbal confirmations. After a long drive, we arrived at the small town of Santa Rosa and began a beautiful passage by boat to Ojo de Luna. I had no idea what to expect, but I was ready to risk it all for the journey. I was greeted by the directors of the retreat, the husband and wife, dynamic duo, Wagner and Raquel. Raquel welcomed me with a delicious homegrown meal and we began to do paperwork. I had told her my story and willingly asked to participate in a month-long diet at the retreat. I was taken to my jungle cabin and unpacked and got acquainted with my surroundings. It was out of a scene from the Jungle Book. It was a very beautiful, tailored property hosting many cabins, trees, flourishing plant-life and a vast array of creatures. And let me tell you about all these critters y’all. Every bug you’ve ever seen in the USA, evolved and eating good. I mean butterflies of the rainbow, spiders from jurassic park, caterpillars of colossus and every size, shape and aerodynamic fly gracing God’s green earth. There were monkeys swinging in the trees, tropical birds speaking in tongues and noises of unseen forces permeating from the dense bush.
After further observation, I realized I wasn’t in Kansas anymore (my home-state, RockChalk!).
The next day, the process began. Wagner is the teacher of the facility — you might as well call him Doctor green thumb because here they are administering plant medicine. I had to start the journey by detoxifying my body of the rock ‘n roll I had survived. This my friends was not a pretty sight, nor a comfortable feat. But after the day-long endeavor, I felt a clarity I have not had in years. As my body thanked me, I began to evaluate past endeavors. I’m talking the good, the bad and the ugly. But it felt good to reminisce. Every day I was blessed with a Michelin star breakfast, lunch and dinner, conversation and also intellectual discussion (when the time was right). But as the days rolled on the real work began. I started my treatment with plant medicine, mainly ceremonial ayahuasca. I had tampered with hallucinogens often back in America, so I thought I was all knowing (like a millionaire Santa Monica guru). But like other times in this life, I was wrong as hell. After a couple ceremonies sharing in medicine, song and God’s gift of nature, I began to feel a shift deriving from the depths of my very being. I was isolating during my diet, I spent hours alone, without any technology, which means phone, music and books. I had to sit there and face myself and at first I did not like what the rock was cooking. But in silence, writing, tears, dreams and the very much alive sounds and creatures of the jungle, I began to forgive myself. I truly started to fill in that void. After a few weeks of this routine, I shed my old skin. It was not a walk in the park though folks.
Wagner, being the plant doctor and teacher who he is, led each ceremony and guided me along with his veteran knowledge of the medicine. He inspired me in his discipline and loving compassion for what he does and his reverence for nature. He helped me decipher my dreams and develop an overall grounding during my process. Native to the land, he sang songs of his forefathers, who had also administered and cultivated medicine. He was a very good teacher. Raquel made the place a home, along with assisting with the ceremonies and overall process. She motivated me along the whole journey. During the ceremonies, she played an intricate role singing beautiful hymns and reassuring me in my gradual climb out of the sunken place. And ya’ll can she cook! Every meal was finger-licking good. Upon completion of the process, she helped me with my transportation and suggestions for hotels, etc.
Overall, there is a lot to gain from taking a look outside of modern society and remedies to find solutions for internal/external ailments/behaviors. I called to nature and she provided me with great mentors and medicine at Ojo de Luna. While I was there, I found self-love and appreciation of nature’s bliss and nurturing thyself. I encountered people from all over the place, coming to take part in this rich tradition. They receive guests from all walks of life and it feels like a family atmosphere. Let me tell you this, I shed tears upon leaving this sacred land because I was thankful and whole. I felt heard and I learned something I couldn’t find in the whiskey mountains no pun intended. Prior to my trip to Peru, I was in Atlanta Georgia for a spell, that’s a story for another day. But there is something truly special happening at Ojo de Luna and if you are curious enough to pack up and take a gander, you might just find what you are looking for. Do your research, book a flight and enter the wild. The groovy conquistador has said his peace. Art is forever, bye-bye birdies. See you back in LA¡
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Since embarking on this destiny across the pond, I have given away most of my artwork and dissolved all arrangements concerning my flickering candlelight future of an artistic career. It is on the shelf, collecting dust and dreaming through the day. I have abandoned ship. I shall begin anew upon my return. I am more concerned with analyzing humanity and being able to regurgitate this on a later date. Let’s just say I am taking a sabbatical. I have no intention on returning stateside anytime soon. I am visiting different tribes over yonder, tasting incredible foods, observing archeological sites, sharing in the wondrous pallets of indigenous art and traditions. I plan on visiting four or five different countries in my wake. I’m going around the world, I gotta find my girl. But in the meantime, I am going to actively participate (more so as an onlooker) in the art scenes of these different countries. These are my people! An though we don’t speak the same language. We share in the same creative spirit and by God, shiver-me-timbers, I am stoked to experience it. The truth is, I am wonderer from a foreign land, that by all appearances aside, wants to learn and respect the culture and share in it. LET THE EAGLE AND THE CONDOR FLY TOGETHER!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Number one: Listen. I’ve been listening to my inner voice. My mind is running like a hamster on a wheel (for better or for worse). Observe it and if you want to change those thought patterns, disconnect from the circus.
Listen to your body. The flesh wrapped shish-kebab has needs. And if you’re not servicing those needs through modern medicine and whatever alternatives you’ve cultivated, look for natural remedies.
Number two: Nature.
We have been systematically disconnected and discouraged from our bond with nature. The convenience of our cozy society, has deemed this connection obsolete. Do your research and get out into the thickets of her hair. You’ll thank Dee, later. Google it (or actually take a gander yourself home-slice).
Number three: Bravery.
Take a chance on yourself. Take an adventure. Break on through!
I do not have children, yet. So I must go where the wind blows me. Because, that is a wind I can trust.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
ON THE ROAD BY JACK KEROUAC
“[…]the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes “Awww!”
“The best teacher is experience and not through someone’s distorted point of view”
“I like too many things and get all confused and hung-up running from one falling star to another till I drop. This is the night, what it does to you.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ojodeluna.org/
- Instagram: ta_town_heavyweight
Image Credits
Pictures of: Ojo de Luna, The sacred valley
