Although they go by the formal name Agua de Estrellas, insiders call themselves Tribe. The group is led by a man named Roberto, and they host spiritual retreats labeled Medical Ceremonial Meditation, the latest scheduled for November 11. Sandra Bermejo joined the group when she arrived in Gijón to build a new life. Police are examining the group’s potential links to the disappearance of a young psychologist on November 8, as reported by Prensa Ibérica’s Caso Abierto program.
Early inquiries indicate Sandra was in contact with this circle for most of 2021 and part of 2022. Police found that she celebrated her most recent birthday on September 3 at a farm owned by the Agua de Estrellas guru. He attended a recent event described as a vision seeking session, described as a six-day retreat in the Picos de Europa that involved food abstinence and limited communication with two other members. The retreat was framed as a path to a cleaner body and a clearer mind compared with life inside the group.
bad experiences
Sandra Bermejo, 32, a psychologist, previously endured a troubling experience with another esoteric group in Colmenar de Oreja, Madrid. People familiar with the investigation indicate she moved away from the decision-making circle after the incident. Ayahuasca, a traditional hallucinogenic brew used by Amazonian shamans for generations, played a role in her life. After the event, she left Madrid for Gijón, renting a flat and starting a professional consultancy. Her family remains in Madrid, and she maintains a cordial relationship with an ex-boyfriend who remains in contact with her.
A family spokesperson described the New Spain perspective from the Prensa Ibérica consortium, noting that the experience with ayahuasca was not satisfactory for Sandra and led her to exit the group in September 2021.
Ayahuasca and miraculous mushrooms
Sandra was active and restless in Asturias, involved in a theater group, and connected with Agua de Estrellas. Her photo still circulates within that circle led by Roberto, who has not responded to invitations to share his side of the story. On his social media, some posts were removed after inquiries were made. He sometimes described ayahuasca as a means to a better daily life, and he spoke of using it in a controlled, therapeutic context instead of as recreation.
The leader has described this psychoactive plant as aiding in the treatment of physical ailments such as muscle fatigue, tumors, and even cancer, as well as emotional and psychiatric conditions. He claimed that ayahuasca clarifies life’s vision. He also mentioned possible use of psilocybin mushrooms, referred to as the miracle mushroom, claiming they can boost creativity, sociability, and empathy among other traits.
The discussion extended to psilocybe mushrooms, described as amplifying mood and social engagement, with the implication that they contribute to a heightened sense of well-being and personal growth.
parked and went for a walk
On the afternoon of November 8, Sandra disappeared near Cabo Peñas, the northern tip of Asturias, a locale featuring an old lighthouse, coastal cliffs, and several hiking trails. Investigators believe she arrived by car shortly after three in the afternoon. Two clients had recently cancelled as many video consultations as the day unfolded. She parked her vehicle and stepped out for a stroll, wearing sports leggings and carrying her keys. A bag containing personal belongings remained in the car. The BTS signal placed her phone in the area for the first time at 3:15 PM, and by 5:40 PM the phone signal was gone from the region. Authorities are still pursuing the signal data to determine what happened next, with the judge awaiting further results.
September had seen Sandra celebrate her birthday at a farm owned by the Asturian shaman connected with Agua de Estrellas, a place she frequented. Cabo Peñas was a favorite spot for Sandra to hike and unwind, even drawing her mother there once to share the scenery. A young man with whom she briefly connected in Asturias kept a framed photograph of Cabo Peñas in his apartment, preserving a memory of the place she loved.
The investigators’ data portray Sandra as a normal, pleasant person, a bright student and capable professional. Yet there are notes of mood fluctuations and a professional period that lacked clients. She counted a circle of friends from theater among her social life, and several regular meetups stopped the very afternoon she vanished.
“Voluntary Disappearance”
A police commissioner explained that the leading line of inquiry considers a voluntary disappearance because Sandra found herself near the Cantabrian Sea, where search efforts for her body did not yield results. Authorities were alerted again recently. A body found in Guecho, Vizcaya, turned out not to be Sandra. In the Cabo de Peñas cliff area, a white shirt discovered on November 30 is being tested for potential ties to her case. Two other possibilities are examined: an accidental death or involvement by a third party. The family’s lawyer, Juan Manuel Medina, defends the view that Sandra was not alone at Cabo Peñas that night and that the police are aware of others present. SOS Desaparecidos spokesperson Joaquín Amills notes a second person was present that afternoon but emphasizes Sandra’s disappearance is not necessarily connected to the esoteric group. The weekend before her disappearance, Sandra had been in Madrid and planned to return the following weekend. Her last social media post carried a line from the Argentine poet Alejandra Pizarnik that spoke of mortality and wind, reflecting a moment of introspection before she vanished.