Indigenous Culture
What’s a “Traditional” Ayahuasca Ceremony? Hint: It’s Not What You Think
Is there such a thing as a traditional ayahuasca ceremony? What do ayahuasca retreats mean when they call their ceremonies “traditional”?
Read MoreWhat Are Ayahuasca Icaros & How Do They Work?
Icaros are shamanic songs that come from spiritual realms, and possess unparalleled power. Here we describe the different types, and where icaros come from.
Read MoreDeclaration by the Indigenous Peoples of the World Ayahuasca Conference 2019
A summary of the statement made by Indigenous Amazonian Peoples at the World Ayahuasca Conference 2019.
Read MoreRichard Evans Schultes: The Father of Modern Ethnobotany
Richard Evans Schultes was an Amazonian explorer, and some consider him the father of ethnobotany thanks to the discoveries he made.
Read MoreAyahuasca vs Yage vs Daime – What’s the Difference?
Ayahuasca, Yagé, Daime – three different names for a powerfully visionary tea consumed primarily in the northwestern region of the Amazon Basin, where Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Brazil come together. But are they three different names for the same plant medicine recipe? Or are they different? If so, how? Depending on who you ask, answers tend…
Read MoreAyahuasca Governance & The One Thing We Need to Do To Improve Society
With the global expansion of ayahuasca, it is still considered to be an illegal drug in many countries – some communities are in danger of prosecution; would it be possible for ayahuasca to be recognized as a global cultural heritage under UN? Would this be a good thing, and how might we be able to arrive at…
Read MoreSex, Sacred Medicine & the Psychedelic Patriarchy
Sexual assault and misconduct among shamans has long plagued the plant medicine shamanism community, resulting in prolonged physical and emotional trauma for ceremony participants, rather than healing. But is it “wrong” for a shaman to sleep with a ceremony participant? When do accepted cultural behaviors transgress into sexual addiction and predation? And is it all…
Read MoreShamanism, Racism & Cultural Appropriation in a Multicultural World
The worldwide expansion of sacred plant medicine ceremonies beyond their cultural boundaries has been coined a “global shamanic revival”. Increasing the numbers of Westerners traveling to the Amazon, Central America, and Africa to participate in tribal ceremonies, initiations, and festivals. This heightened interest in indigenous culture has fueled an indigenous cultural renaissance in the Amazon…
Read MoreWhat Ayahuasca Means to the Ashaninka
Ayahuasca is an Amazonian brew of two plants Banisteriopsis Caapi and Psychotria Viridis and has been around for more than a thousand years. A drink that has gained the global interest especially since the mid-2000s, peaking in April of 2016. Westerners have different intentions as to why they seek ayahuasca. Others maybe thrill seekers or just curious backpackers,…
Read MoreThe Challenges of Becoming a Woman Pajé (Shaman)
The indigenous community has long been a male-dominated society. With the title of pajé or shamans only for the males, and the housework and child-bearing for the females. But unlike the world we live in, where we can now vote for the next president and be elected president without much complain from our male counterparts. For…
Read More