Our Mission
At Awake Healer, our mission is to provide authentic, high-quality plant medicines made directly by the tribes of the Amazon. We believe in the power of these sacred medicines to support self-healing—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—empowering individuals to reconnect with their natural ability to heal and grow.
Every purchase is more than medicine; it is an act of support. By choosing Awake Healer, you contribute directly to indigenous communities, helping improve their quality of life while preserving their ancestral wisdom and traditions for future generations.
We are here to bridge the gap between ancient knowledge and modern seekers, offering ethically sourced medicines, guidance, and a community dedicated to healing and transformation.
Matt and Laura Stoker, Founders of Awake Healer
Our Story
Nearly ten years ago, my wife, Laura, and I experienced what we can only describe as miraculous healing through Ayahuasca in Peru. That experience profoundly changed our lives and ultimately became the inspiration for Awake Healer.
Our purpose has always been about more than simply selling products. It is about honoring these traditions, supporting the people who have preserved them for generations, and helping create a bridge between their communities and people around the world.
Since our first experience in the jungle in 2017, Laura and I have traveled extensively throughout the Amazon regions of Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Brazil. Along the way, we have had the privilege of learning directly from Indigenous people about their traditions, their medicines, and the very real challenges their communities face.
One of the things we discovered was how difficult it can be for these communities to bring their traditional products to the outside world. We also learned how frequently Indigenous medicines are counterfeited or purchased through middlemen and then marketed as though they came directly from a particular tribe.
I have personally walked through facilities in Iquitos, Peru, where hapé was being produced and subsequently labeled as though it had originated with different tribes in Brazil. Experiences like that changed the way we decided Awake Healer would operate.
The hapé we offer is different.
I travel personally to Brazil and have spent significant time developing genuine relationships with the Indigenous communities from whom we receive it. Reaching some of these communities is extraordinarily difficult. Their territories are protected, the journey can be dangerous, and some of the rivers and tributaries leading into their villages are used by criminal organizations trafficking drugs through the region. Tribal leaders themselves have sometimes faced violence and intimidation.
I was fortunate to receive special permission from the Brazilian government to make these journeys, and the relationships that have developed from them mean a tremendous amount to me.
We don't rename the hapé with exotic marketing names or invent stories about what each variety is supposed to do. We preserve the names given to us by the people who make it. Just as with Ayahuasca, I believe these experiences are deeply individual. We provide guidance where we can, but we also want to respect the medicine and the traditions surrounding it.
Your Purchase Makes a Difference
Money from these purchases has helped Indigenous families improve their homes, obtain solar panels and electricity, repair essential equipment, and address needs that most of us rarely have to think about.
One experience that has stayed with me involves the Apurinã people. Their community is located on top of a hill, making a functioning water pump essential. When their pump was damaged, I removed it and traveled with one of their leaders to have it repaired.
When we reached the city, police officers were waiting to escort us because his life had been threatened and he had reportedly been shot at on multiple occasions.
I remember thinking, I love this guy—but I'm still walking about 50 yards behind him!
Those experiences make these relationships very real to me.
These aren't anonymous suppliers on the other side of the world. They are people I know, communities I have visited, and friends whose homes I have been welcomed into.
That is also why we are so particular about what we offer through Awake Healer. Our hapé is not purchased through middlemen, nor are the other products on our site. We work hard to know where our products come from and to maintain relationships with the people behind them.
Our Pure Vine of Ayahuasca is professionally bottled and is not a tincture. We believe it is an extraordinary representation of the Ayahuasca vine, and it is one of the products we are most proud to offer.
Our cacao comes from the Kichwa people of Ecuador and is Criollo Arriba Nacional cacao, an exceptional heirloom cacao. We also created Chocaya, combining this cacao with our Pure Vine of Ayahuasca. It is something truly unique to Awake Healer and something Laura and I are especially excited to share.
From Our Family to Yours
Most of all, we hope that when you receive something from Awake Healer, you understand that there are real people, real communities, and real relationships behind it.
We hope that in some small way, you can feel the care and love of the people who prepared what you receive.
Please feel free to reach out to us anytime with questions, concerns, or simply to share your experience. We genuinely enjoy hearing from the people who support Awake Healer.
Much love and gratitude,
Matt & Laura Stoker
Founders of Awake Healer