Spiritual Leader and Medicine Man

My Background

My name is José, though most people know me as Pepe. My ordained name is Kuri Ziri, meaning Fire Corn in the Purépecha language, a name gifted to me by one of my elders. I was born in Tenochtitlan (Mexico City) and carry Otomí-Tolteca ancestry.

While honoring my mestizo blood, I recognize myself as an Indigenous son of this land, heir to its culture, spirit, and sacred traditions. From a young age, my roots awakened a deep connection to the ancient wisdom of Mesoamerica. At nine, I began my spiritual path under the guidance of various teachers, receiving initiations in pendulum work, biomagnetism, reiki, and acupuncture, marking the beginning of a lifelong journey in healing and consciousness. I was fortunate, at very young age, to meet traditional curanderos and witness their ancestral ways of medicine and spritual healing, an experience that deeply shaped my path. 

In my search for knowledge and inner growth, I have participated in many ceremonies from different Indigenous traditions. Each one has been a source of inspiration, healing, and remembrance. It was through this journey that I came to know the path and design of the Sacred Fire of Itzachilatlan.

Over the past 30 years, I have been trained in seven sacred plant medicines, including Peyote (Hikuri), Ayahuasca, Niños Santos (Psilocybin mushrooms), and Wachuma (San Pedro). These medicines have been powerful teachers, opening doors to transformation, consciousness, and connection to the sacred.

For more than 20 years, I have been an active member of the Sacred Fire of Itzachilatlan and the Fundación Cultural Camino Rojo A.C. It was during this time that I began my formal training to guide spiritual ceremonies and Temazcales within this lineage.

My journey began with the Vision Quest; a ritual of initiation in which one ascends the mountain alone to fast and pray without food or water for four days. Each year, the commitment deepens: from 4 to 7, then 9, and finally 13 days, completing a four-year cycle that honors the Four Directions and the sacred bond between spirit, nature, and tradition.

In total, the time spent on the sacred mountain in Vision Quest adds up to 33 days of deep silence, prayer, and spiritual awakening.

I have also participated in the Sun Dance ceremony for the last 20 years. This is a commitment for life. The ritual consists of 4 days of dancing in the sun's rays while fasting. I have also supported and helped people in their process of evolution and personal growth in these ceremonies, acting as their “godfather.”

I received the blessing from my elders to lead the Sacred Temazcal Ceremony. Since then I have had a permanent Temazcal, which we prepare when it is required to help and assist our people. I am involved in its construction, planning, and conduction.

I have received direct instruction from my teachers, mentors, and friends, Aurelio Diaz Tekpankalli and Yaci Orquera, heads of the Sacred Fire of Itzachilatlan. I am the guardian and custodian of the Sacred Pipe (Chanupa). I organize collections and activities to help the people who need it most.

I was ordained Spiritual Leader and Medicine Man by the Sacred Fire of Itzachilatlan. Our practices and sacraments are protected by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.

In addition to my spiritual training, I continuously study psychology, focusing on the interconnection between the mind, body, spirit, and human emotions.

By merging current scientific studies with ancestral spirituality, my holistic approach aims to understand and harmonize these elements to promote overall well-being and personal growth. 

My Belief

I firmly believe in the potential of human beings as energetic and luminous entities, capable of achieving great things. I believe that everyone is born with a unique talent and mission in life. Through my own evolution and growth, failures and achievements, my greatest desire is to help people to discover their purpose and iner power. This is our grain of sand, our small contribution in these pivotal times for humanity´s destiny.

Our ancestors knew that the well-being of one is the well-being of all.

"In Lak'ech Hala K'en." I am you and you are me, it means that we are oneself.

We are all related, we are all relatives, we are all family.

Aho Metakiaze.

For all my relations.