The Price of Healing: Parallels Between Supplements in Guatemala and "Ancestral" Rituals Abroad
Healing is both a personal and collective process deeply rooted in cultural practices and natural wisdom. Yet today, two startlingly parallel phenomena reveal how the commodification of healing distorts its essence.
Imagine a small, rural community in Guatemala where families are drawn into a multilevel marketing (MLM) model to sell vitamin supplements. Promised the opportunity for a better life, sales representatives borrow money, even going into debt, to buy into these schemes. Their products are marketed as “miracle” physical cures, but many fall short of these claims.
Meanwhile, across the globe, in North America and Europe, we see a wave of people spending hundreds of dollars for “ancestral” healing ceremonies. From cacao ceremonies to Maya chart readings, these practices, often separated from the cultural context they originated in, are portrayed as powerful spiritual solutions for seekers from tourist hotspots. Together, these examples show how commercialization and cultural disconnection drive exploitation in profoundly similar ways.
The Cost of Ignorance
Both trends feed on ignorance, though they manifest differently. For communities in Guatemala, marketing materials often imply that vitamin supplements are the only path to achieving good health. By manipulating a lack of access to nutrition and natural resources education, these schemes often discourage reliance on the rich, plant-based remedies that have been part of the local culture for centuries. Ironically, many supplements contain ingredients already abundant in the local ecosystem. Yet, the narrative dictated by distributors positions these products as superior and necessary, creating dependence.
On the other hand, North Americans and Europeans who flock to these “ancestral” healing practices rarely question their authenticity or deeper purpose. They see a "spiritual performance" and pay for it, assuming meaning where there is little. Tourists eagerly seek connection with Indigenous practices but often consume these rituals without regard for their communal or ethical dimensions. These transactions strip sacred traditions of their soul, turning them into performances.
Healing is Not for Sale
The parallels reveal a deeper issue at play. Both scenarios commodify what is fundamentally collective and rooted in connection. Traditionally, Mayan healing practices focus on community well-being rather than individual gain. They address not just physical ailments but relationships, behavior, and the balance between humans and nature. These practices were meant to be shared freely, with costs covered within the reciprocity of the community. Healing wasn’t seen as a product but as a responsibility—to oneself, to others, and to the earth.
Similarly, the widespread use of plants for medicinal purposes has long been a practice of learning from, being guided by, and respecting the land. It is not magic or mystical convenience; it’s education, discipline, and collective care. Instead, through MLM schemes or overpriced “ceremonies,” something profound is being sold as a commodity.
Authenticity and Education as Antidotes
If healing is to remain meaningful, it must return to its roots. Education is one of the critical pathways forward. Teaching communities about their own natural resources and traditional practices empowers them to care for themselves without falling prey to manipulative marketing schemes. Strengthening access to community health guides and wellness educators rooted in authentic knowledge fosters independence and resilience.
For spiritual seekers abroad, the path forward is more reflective. How can one honor the cultures they wish to learn from? Genuine engagement with Indigenous practices doesn’t happen through monetary exchange but through respect, patience, and a willingness to listen. It might mean attending a free ceremony run by an elder or community-recognized guide rather than paying for something flashy and marketed to tourists.
When we pay attention to where our money goes and what it supports, we can begin to see the systems of exploitation for what they are. Both the MLM model of vitamin supplements and the commodification of ancestral healing rituals exploit not just ignorance but the human desire for quick fixes—for health and for meaning. True healing is neither fast nor individualistic. It requires time, connection, and participation.
A Call to Action
We can avoid these harmful dynamics by advocating for authenticity in healing. We can choose to honor the labor, knowledge, and traditions of those who pave the way for wellness. This might look like supporting community-based health initiatives in Guatemala or ensuring cultural practices aren't exploited for profit. It might mean challenging the systems that capitalize on ignorance while we educate ourselves about the roots of healing.
Healing was never meant to be a transaction. It’s a shared process woven into the fabric of cultures, relationships, and the environment. When we commodify it, we take something sacred away. The question remains—with this awareness, what will we do differently?
By reflecting deeply, staying curious, and prioritizing education, we can begin to shift the narrative from consumption to connection and from exploitation to empowerment. Healing isn’t for sale—it never was.
