A 6-Week Online Course with Dr. Heather Paulson, NMD (ret.)
Ceremony as Medicine
The science and soul of bringing sacred practice into everyday life.
The question nobody asks
You've optimized everything.
And something is still missing.
You know what to eat. You've tried the supplements, the protocol, the functional medicine workup. And yet there's a layer of healing that nutrition and supplements simply cannot reach. The research is clear: humans are not wired to heal alone. We are wired to heal in circle, in rhythm, in the presence of something larger than the next biomarker.
โCeremony is not a practice you add to your life. It is the operating system underneath healing.โ
โ Dr. Heather Paulson, NMD (ret.)
What this course covers
The science is real. So is the practice.
The neurobiology of belonging
Why loneliness raises inflammation, and why healing in community is measurable, not just metaphor.
The science of sound as medicine
HRV, vagal tone, and what live medicine music does to your nervous system.
Altars as
biological cues
Why dedicated space is an embodied cognition tool your brain already understands.
Cacao as ceremony
The pharmacology of theobromine and anandamide, and how a morning drink becomes a genuine practice.
Chronobiology and ritual timing
Moon cycles, solstices, and the circadian science of why when matters as much as what.
How to build a ceremonial life
Not a routine. A living practice that integrates into the life you already have.
THE 6-WEEK CURRICULUM
Science paired with lived practice.
Each week includes a live group session, a somatic or journaling integration practice, and a resource packet.
Sessions are recorded.
Week 1
Why Ceremony Heals
The biology of belonging, loneliness and inflammation, and building your ceremonial intention.
Week 2
Morning as Medicine
Morning drink ceremonies, cortisol awakening response, cacao pharmacology. Design your own morning ceremony.
Week 3
Sound, Silence, and the Nervous System
HRV, vagal tone, chanting and humming. Nico joins live for a medicine music session.
Week 4
Building Your Altar
Embodied cognition, environmental cueing, sacred space science. Live altar-building session.
Week 5
Cycles, Rhythms, and Timing
Chronobiology, moon cycles, circadian rhythm. Build your personal ceremonial calendar.
Week 6
Circle and Community
The healing power of being witnessed. How to create a circle container. Integration into ongoing ceremonial life.
What's included
Everything you need to go all the way in.
๐ฟ
6 Live Group Sessions
Weekly 75-minute sessions with Dr. Heather. All recorded for replay.
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Weekly Integration Practices
Somatic exercises and guided journaling between sessions.
๐ต
Live Medicine Music
Ceremonial guide Nico joins Week 3 for a live medicine music session.
๐ซ
Ceremonial Cacao Guide
Dr. Heather's cacao ceremony protocol and sourcing recommendations.
๐
Community Access
Private group for 6 weeks.
Healing happens in circle.
๐ฌ
Science Reference Packets
Each week's key research, beautifully presented.
Is this for you?
This may be your next step if...
This is for you if...
- You've optimized nutrition and supplements and feel something is still missing
- You want the science, not just the spirituality
- You're ready to bring something slower and more intentional into your daily rhythm
- You're curious about ceremony but not sure how it fits into ordinary life
- You're interested in plant medicine and want to understand the ceremonial context first
This probably isn't your next step if...
- You're looking for a quick fix or new protocol
- You're hoping ceremony will do the work without requiring anything of you
- You prefer individual sessions over group learning
This is a co-creative process.
Your guide
Dr. Heather Paulson, NMD (ret.)
Heather Paulson is a retired naturopathic oncologist who spent years watching patients do everything right and still not fully heal. What she observed in her clinical practice, and what she has come to understand through her training in Andean and Amazonian traditions, is that something was missing from the integrative medicine toolkit. That something was ceremony. Heather now lives in the Sacred Valley of Peru, where she co-directs Hampuy House, a plant medicine retreat center in Urubamba, Sacred Valley, Peru.
This course is the distillation of two careers, the clinical and the ceremonial, finally in the same room.
โ๏ธ Naturopathic Doctor (ret.) โ NMD
โ๏ธ ICEERS โ Ayahuasca Safety and Integration
โ๏ธ Somatic Plant Medicine Integration
โ๏ธ Trauma-Informed Care
โ๏ธ Escuela Medicina Andina โ Diploma (in progress)
โ๏ธ 15 yers learning with a Cherokee Medicine Man
โ๏ธ Co-Director, Hampuy House โ Urubamba, Peru
Enrollment
Join Ceremony as Medicine
Six weeks. Live community. The science and the practice, together.
Questions
Before you decide.
Do I need prior experience with ceremony or plant medicine?
No. This course is designed for all levels, from completely new to ceremony to those with plant medicine experience wanting to deepen everyday practice.
What if I can't attend the live sessions?
All sessions are recorded and available within 24 hours.
How much time per week?
Plan for the 75-minute session plus 20 to 30 minutes for the weekly integration practice.
Is this a plant medicine course? Will I work with psychedelics?
No. This course does not include plant medicine ceremonies. We work with cacao (non-psychoactive) and everyday ceremonial practices. If you're interested in plant medicine, Hampuy House offers in-person retreats in Peru.
What do I need on hand?
A journal, an intention, and a willingness to try small things. Cacao sourcing recommendations will be shared before Week 2.
What is your refund policy?
Refunds are not available once the course begins. If something unexpected comes up, contact [email protected].
Hampuy House ยท hampuy.com ยท Dr. Heather Paulson, NMD (ret.) ยท [email protected]