The Church of the Eagle and the Condor was birthed into existence in 2018. The creation of the Church and its continued evolution are the result of ceremonial work and Divine guidance, in alignment with the Prophecy of the Eagle and the Condor.

The Prophecy of the Eagle and the Condor has been told among many communities of North, Central, and South America and there are several versions. In a version rooted in the Incan tradition, the prophecy first speaks of a diaspora of Indigenous peoples who, in the distant past, separated into two paths: that of the Eagle and that of the Condor. The Way of the Eagle is often understood as the path of the mind, materialism, science, and technology. The Eagle Path is embodied in “Western” culture and the European colonization of the Americas and many parts of the world. The Path of the Condor is often understood as the path of emotion, spirit, nature, community, and intuition. The Condor Path is embodied in Indigenous culture and people who continue to resist colonialism by protecting their land and preserving their traditions, languages, and ceremonies. 

According to the Prophecy told between the years 1492 to 1522 C.E., after the 4th “Pachakuti” (“the turning of the land/soil” in the Andean Quechua language), there would be a period of 500 years during which the world would fall into discord due to an excessive emphasis on mind, intellect, industry, and a neglect of heart, intuition, and compassion.

In that following era, approximately from 1522 – 1992 C.E., the descendants of the Way of the Eagle caused great wounds of injustice to the descendants of the Path of the Condor, through colonization and resultant genocide, forced assimilation, war, displacement, disease, and slavery. This separation from the heart and quest for domination brought great destruction to the Earth and its people. 

The 5th Pachakuti occurred from 1992-2022. During this period according to the Prophecy, the Way of the Eagle (the path of the mind) would be humbled by the discord and would seek help from the Way of the Condor (the path of the heart). Those of the Way of the Condor, still grieving their losses and in many cases still resentful, would be asked again to commune with those of the Eagle Path for the sake of the world. The Prophecy states that in this current era, the opportunity would arise for the peoples of that ancient diaspora to reunite in service of humanity and usher in an era of harmony, compassion and peace.

We are happy to introduce our team of spiritual leaders and teachers.
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Joe Tafur

President, Co-Treasurer, Co-Founder

Joe Tafur, M.D., is a Colombian-American integrative physician originally from Phoenix, Arizona. After completing his family medicine training at UCLA in 2006, Joe spent two years in academic research at the UCSD Department of Psychiatry in a lab focused on mind-body medicine.

Dr. Tafur’s medical practice currently involves integrative medicine and psychedelic therapy. In addition to his medical work in the United States, Joe co-founded and co-managed the spiritual retreat center Nihue Rao Centro Espiritual in Peru from 2010-2017. 

Joe is also an international author, educator, and is co-founder of the nonprofit Modern Spirit, Inc. dedicated to demonstrating the value of spiritual healing in modern healthcare. He is Ayahuasquero for the Church of the Eagle and the Condor, and founding member of the Church. 

Rodney Garcia

Vice President, Co-Founder

Rodney Garcia is the son of a Cuban refugee family, raised in Southern Florida.  He is co-founder of The Church of the Eagle and the Condor.  In 2015, guided by his vision birthed through sacred ceremony, he founded The Eagle and Condor Church in New Mexico, anchored in the Ancestral Prophecy that foretold of the reunification of the peoples of The Americas.

He is a sanctioned ceremonial practitioner of the Pachakuti Mesa Tradition,  and Plant Spirit Medicine practitioner. Rodney is also a licensed and Board Certified Anesthesiologist practicing at the Veterans Administration in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  

His private clinic is located in Nob Hill in Albuquerque where he works with clients, merging his knowledge of conventional and shamanic medicine practices.

Rodney and his partner’s homestead is a regenerative, permaculture farm in New Mexico called Curandero Garden.  They participate in the local community with sustainable food production, herbal medicines and education.  In Mexico they are developing Casa San Pedro, a ceremonial and wellness center, south of Puerto Vallarta. Casa San Pedro is a shamanic and plant medicine educational center, integrating Mexican Curanderismo.

Belinda Eriacho

Co-Secretary, Co-Treasurer, Co-Founder

Belinda is of Dine’ (Navajo) and A:shiwi (Pueblo of Zuni) descent. Her clans are One-Who-Walks-Around and she was born for the Zuni Pueblo people. Her maternal grandparents are from the Black Sheep and her paternal grandparents are from the Zuni Pueble people.  

Belinda was born and raised on the Navajo reservation, located in Arizona. She is the educator, healer, writer, and founder of Kaalogii LLC, focused on cultural and traditional teaching, inner healing, and an international speaker on various topics impacting Native American communities in the United States. 

As a retired professional she has more than 26 years of professional experience in the fields of community health, environmental, health, safety, occupational health, and risk management.  In addition, she has a wealth of experience with non-profit boards in the areas of family health, education, spirituality, and utilities. Belinda holds degrees in Health Sciences, Public Health, and Technology. She is a Diné Wisdom Carrier and a founding member of the Church of the Eagle and the Condor.

Maritza Tafur

Treasurer

Maritza Montiel Tafur is a 5th generation, Mexican-American, Arizona native. She is a  board certified pediatric occupational therapist who works with disabled and neurodiverse children to support play, social, and educational participation.

​Maritza obtained a B.A. in religious studies from Northern Arizona University (1999) and specialized in Mesoamerican pictorial manuscripts (codices). She has studied curanderismo and the tonalpohualli with artists, healers, and scholars throughout Mexico and the United States. 

Maritza published: A review of curanderismo and healing practices among Mexicans and Mexican Americans (2009) and Intergenerational Mexican American research: The Transformative Model of Occupational Therapy (2024). She applies decolonized healthcare practices informed by Xican@ and Indigenous perspectives. Maritza received a master’s in occupational therapy (MOT) from the University of New Mexico (2006) and an occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) from the University of Utah (2023). Maritza is an iconographic painter who taught and danced flamenco professionally throughout the Southwest. She currently resides in Phoenix with her husband and 2 children.​

Josie Begay-James

Advisor

Josie Begay-James is a Diné (Navajo) elder who retired after 34 years of service as a High School Counselor and K-12 Teacher. She is fluent in Navajo language and knowledgeable about Diné cultural customs and teachings. She helped develop cultural school curriculums for K-12 school districts in Arizona, taught Diné Language, and Diné History and Government.

​Josie comes from a traditional background and is married to a traditional Diné Medicine man. She has three children and four grandchildren. She was raised on and off the Navajo Reservation and attended Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Schools, State Public Schools, and Northern Arizona University. She earned a BS Degree in Education and a master’s degree in Counseling.

Sandra Nogueira-Lopez 

Advisor

Sandra was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, in a family of 13 brothers and sisters.  Her family migrated to the United States in 1984 where she met the love of her life, her husband Carlos. They had 3 beautiful children.

​After her mother passed away in 2005, Sandra’s life changed, reconnecting to the spiritual realm that was always within her but not manifested so clearly. In 2007 she became a Reiki Master and Minister. She then met an Apache Grandpa who guided her on this spiritual journey and began teaching her the walk of the Red Path. Sandra is a Moon Dancer and a Peace Dancer, always praying to the Great Spirit for guidance to help others and heal. ​

She has been working with Mother Ayahuasca for over 14 years and she has sat in diets in the Amazon.  Sandra is a Certified Kambo Practitioner. Aside from her spiritual life, Sandra is a Vice-President of an Engineering-Construction Company.  She has also worked with hospice patients giving spiritual support and then with Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) for Palm Beach County. Her path is to continue learning to love and enjoy everything that is in this life without holding past baggage.

Martha Hartney

Advisor

Martha J. Hartney is a private practice attorney in Colorado and has advised the Church of the Eagle and the Condor since 2019. She has a J.D. from the University of Denver College of Law. Her firm, Hartney Law, is a Boulder favorite, receiving the “Best of the West/Law Firm” award six times. She was named a SuperLawyers Rising Star in 2020 and has published and presented on the art and science of death and dying for more than a decade. Martha is a certified death doula and the first attorney to be admitted to and graduate from the CIIS Certificate in Psychedelic Therapies and Research program. 
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Martha is also a mediator and has served as a guardian ad litem. 

She found plant medicines later in life—becoming a drug policy reform advocate after experiencing profound spiritual healing through our plant teachers. She champions the religious use of ayahuasca; and advocates for excellent standards of care, best practices, integration work, and weaving of modern trauma science with the powerful indigenous practices being stewarded into the western world. Martha lives with her partner and has two grown sons. She is a member of Chacruna’s Council for the Protection of Sacred Plants and the first steward of the Religious Use Subcommittee of the Psychedelic Bar Association. Her email is [email protected].

Naomi Tsosie
Wisdom Carrier - Diné

Naomi is Diné (Navajo) from Arizona.  Her maternal clan is Dibe łizhni (Black Sheep) and her paternal clan is Ta’neeszahnii (Tangle People).  Her maternal grandparents are Táchiínii (Red Running Into The Water Clan) and her paternal grandparents are Bit’ahnii (Folded Arms People).  She carries the wisdom of her ancestors and knows the importance of sacredness in our lives.  She has a close connection to all beings, as Crystal Grid Weaver she is deeply interwoven with the earth and its energy.  As a Storyteller and Song Keeper, she brings in the essence of life. She is a mother of three daughters and a grandmother of 10.  The focus of her work is for the next seven generations.