Who Are We?

Samantha

Samantha fell in love with Guatemala in 2012 when she arrived at Lake Atitlan for an Akashic records training at Villa Sumaya in Santa Cruz.  She knew from the first day of the training that she would live here one day and share the magic of transformation that she experienced with others. After over a decade of visiting the lake for personal retreats and bringing several groups here for retreats, she actualised her dream. She is now living on Lake Atitlan full-time, and a part of the team of healers at Villa Sumaya. Samantha shares her passion for helping others awaken to their full potential through several healing modalities including Reiki, Mediumship, channelling, Theta Healing, Yoga, Ceremony, and Women’s Circles, she is a Reiki Master Teacher, intuitive coach, and an Emotional Intelligence/mindfulness teacher for kids.  She has also become a “Spiritual mama” to many women in her community, offering mentorship and guidance.  Samantha is fascinated with The Mayan Culture and continues to learn more about her connection to the land and the people here every day. Being from Spain, and now residing in Guatemala creates endless opportunities for ancestral healing and cycle-breaking. Combining her love for travel and transformation, she has been creating and hosting retreats for over 7 years now and is always moved beyond words by the alchemy that is created every single time on a personal and collective level.

Mark

Originally from the UK, Mark developed an interest in the Maya calendars and culture in 1998. By 1999 he had quit his job, sold his house and bought a flight to Mexico! He travelled to Mexico and Central America for 6 months, including his first visit to San Marcos la Laguna. In 2008 he decided that if he really wanted to expand his understanding of the Maya calendar, he would need to do it in the highlands of Guatemala. He returned to Lake Atitlan, and San Marcos la Laguna, and found his home. He has been living there ever since. He has studied with elders of various Maya ethnolinguistic groups and was initiated as an Aj Q’ij (day keeper) in 2015. Mark is keen to share his knowledge on the archaeological, astronomical and anthropological aspects of the places we visit, as well as leading us all through a fire ceremony. He publishes his interpretation of the energy of the day within the Maya sacred calendar every day on his site www.thefourpillars.net