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The Essential Seeker's Guide To
Ayahuasca
Aya, Yagé, Daime, Hoasca, La Medicina, Uní, Nixi Pãe, Natem, Tea
More and more people are drinking ayahuasca, seeking ayahuasca ceremonies and retreats, and receiving life-changing benefits from working with this ancestral plant medicine in an intentional way.
This guide is intended for seekers who are intrigued by ayahuasca and wish to participate in the culture of ayahuasca safely and responsibly.
In this guide you'll learn:
- A basic overview of ayahuasca - what it is, where it comes from, as well as the risks
- How to do ayahuasca - from researching your ideal provider, to preparing for ceremony, and integrating your experience
- An orientation of ayahuasca culture
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Table of Contents
1.1 Overview |1.1 What it Is | 1.2 How It's Made | 1.3 Effects | 1.4 Pharmacology | 1.5 Risks
02. Healing | 2.1 Amazonian Medicine | 2.2 Scientific Research | 2.3 Therapeutic Use
03. Culture |3.1 History | 3.2 Revival | 3.3 Arts | 3.4 Music
04. Spirituality | 4.1 Mestizo | 4.2 Indigenous Lineages | 4.3 Syncretic Churches | 4.4 New Age Circles
05. Practical | 5.1 Research | 5.2 Preparation | 5.3 Integration
06. Ethics | 6.1 Commercialization | 6.2 Cultural Appropriation | 6.3 Spiritual Extractivism
Chapter 1:
Overview
This first chapter covers basic information about ayahuasca and its use, so that you, the seeker, have fundamental information about this ancient plant medicine that is being consumed by a growing number of people around the world, in old, new and exciting ways.
You’ll discover what it is, where it’s from, how it's made, and why it’s important to so many cultures. We’ll cover the effects of drinking ayahuasca, and some of the pharmacology behind it.
Lastly, we’ll go into some of the risks of ayahuasca consumption, including the risks that can arise in the process of participating in ayahuasca ceremonies.
This essential information will help you navigate a thriving medicine culture that is diverse, complex, and ever changing, especially as ayahuasca use expands around the world.
What is Ayahuasca?
Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew and ancestral plant medicine made from the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and the leaves of the Psychotria viridis shrub. Psychotria viridis (also known as chacruna) naturally contains N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), which is a powerful psychedelic substance.
However, with oral ingestion, DMT, by itself, gets rapidly broken down by enzymes called monoamine oxidases (MAOs) in your liver and gastrointestinal tract. This is where the ayahuasca vine plays an important role in preventing the rapid breakdown of the DMT. Banisteriopsis caapi contains β-carbolines, which are MAOI inhibitors. The combination of these two plants creates a hallucinogenic tea, that, when consumed, results in a psychedelic journey of several hours.
The name "ayahuasca" comes from the Quechuan language and means “Vine of the Spirits"; it is used interchangeably to refer to the vine itself, as well as the brew.
However, ayahuasca holds an important place in many South American cultures and may be referred to by different names depending on who is using it, including yagé, daime, hoasca and uní.
While ayahuasca has been used for medicinal and spiritual purposes in the Upper Amazon for at least a millennia, ayahuasca ceremonies have become increasingly popular in the West.
How It's Made
Ayahuasca is made by boiling macerated sections of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine together with the leaves from any of a number of other plants, primarily the DMT-containing shrub Psychotria viridis (chacruna), as well as Diplopterys cabrerana (also known as chaliponga and chacropanga).
Ayahuasca is made by pounding sections of the caapi vine in order to remove the outer bark and break apart the rope-like fibers of the vine into softer pieces. A large amount of pounded caapi vine is placed into a large cooking pot, followed by a layer of chacruna or chaliponga leaves, in an alternating manner until the pot is full.
Water is then added, and the plant mixture is then cooked over a fire for several hours. Over time, the water in the mixture begins to evaporate and the remaining fluid begins to condense. After approximately eight hours, the medicine is complete. The concoction is filtered through a strainer in order to remove the plant matter, so that what's left is a brown fluid, whose viscosity and strength will depend on the amount of time it was cooked. The thicker the medicine, the stronger it is.
While the standard-issue ayahuasca is prepared from caapi and chacruna, admixtures with other plants are not uncommon. Depending on the intention of the shaman, a wide variety of ally plants, such as Mimosa hostilis, Brugmansia, and mapacho tobacco may also be added to the brew.
Many people assume that ayahuasca is all about the DMT, but this is at best an oversimplification. The traditional ayahuasca brew very much revolves around the B. caapi vine, which itself contains psychoactive molecules such as tetrahydroharmine.
While a standalone caapi tea would still be called ayahuasca, a standalone DMT-containing chacruna tea would not. Although its symbiosis with DMT-containing plants is very unique, the diversity of ayahuasca brews makes it so much more than liquid DMT.
Experience
Describe in very general terms what an ayahuasca ceremony might be like, with a caveat that the ceremonial format can vary depending on the culture and spiritual lineage.
Effects
A description of the effects of ayahuasca goes here
Pharmacology
Pharmacological study of ayahuasca has mostly focused on the form of the brew that contains B. caapi and P. viridis. This is the most commonly encountered version of the brew outside of traditional contexts, and its unique pharmacology is related to its profound psychedelic effects. This brew contains a number of psychoactive substances including N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine (THH).
The B. caapi vine contains harmine, harmaline, and THH, while the DMT comes from the leaves of the P. viridis plant. Harmine and harmaline are monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), which prevent the DMT from being destroyed by your stomach enzymes. This allows the DMT to reach the brain and start influencing your brain chemistry (Domínguez-Clavé et al, 2016). Both DMT and THH have psychoactive effects.
In the brain, DMT acts similarly to the important neurotransmitter serotonin, and primarily activates the 5-HT2A receptor. This is the same receptor that other classic psychedelics (such as LSD and psilocybin) activate. The stimulation of this receptor significantly alters the serotonin system in the brain, and is related to some of the perceptual effects you might experience during an ayahuasca trip: including audio-visual hallucinations, distortions in time perception, revisiting past memories, and losing your sense of self (Domínguez-Clavé et al, 2016).
THH also affects serotonin, in a slightly less potent way than DMT. It contributes to an increase in serotonin levels in the brain, which we know can have a psychedelic effect (Callaway et al, 1999). It’s likely that THH is an important part of the psychoactivity of ayahuasca, especially considering many traditional brews are made without the inclusion of DMT-containing plants.
The MAOIs in the brew also play a significant role in the effects of ayahuasca. Harmine and harmaline block the activity of the monoamine oxidase enzyme that would normally break down DMT in the stomach. However, because monoamine oxidase enzymes break down more than just DMT, harmine and harmaline will affect many bodily functions. As well as not being able to break down DMT, you will struggle to digest other substances in your food that can lead to nausea. It’s therefore recommended to avoid foods containing tyramine (such as cheese, meats, caffeine and beans) before drinking ayahuasca. You should also avoid certain serotonergic medications or drugs, such as amphetamines and MDMA (Savinelli & Halpern, 1995). It’s theoretically possible to overload your serotonergic system by mixing substances with ayahuasca.
MAOIs can also directly affect the mind and body, alongside their inhibition of normal enzyme activity. They have been shown to affect the dopaminergic system in the brain, perhaps contributing to the anti-addictive properties of ayahuasca, as well as also having their own effects on the serotonin system (Brierley & Davidson, 2012). In laboratory studies, MAOIs have been shown to stimulate the growth of brain cells (Morales-García et al, 2017), and even have antibacterial effects (Ahmad et al, 1992). They are also known to have antiparasitic effects due to their purgative properties (Andritzky, 1989). Clearly, the science backs up the traditional practices that set B. caapi at the heart of ayahuasca.
Benefits
The MAOIs in the brew also play a significant role in the effects of ayahuasca. Harmine and harmaline block the activity of the monoamine oxidase enzyme that would normally break down DMT in the stomach. However, because monoamine oxidase enzymes break down more than just DMT, harmine and harmaline will affect many bodily functions. As well as not being able to break down DMT, you will struggle to digest other substances in your food that can lead to nausea. It’s therefore recommended to avoid foods containing tyramine (such as cheese, meats, caffeine and beans) before drinking ayahuasca. You should also avoid certain serotonergic medications or drugs, such as amphetamines and MDMA (Savinelli & Halpern, 1995). It’s theoretically possible to overload your serotonergic system by mixing substances with ayahuasca.
MAOIs can also directly affect the mind and body, alongside their inhibition of normal enzyme activity. They have been shown to affect the dopaminergic system in the brain, perhaps contributing to the anti-addictive properties of ayahuasca, as well as also having their own effects on the serotonin system (Brierley & Davidson, 2012). In laboratory studies, MAOIs have been shown to stimulate the growth of brain cells (Morales-García et al, 2017), and even have antibacterial effects (Ahmad et al, 1992). They are also known to have antiparasitic effects due to their purgative properties (Andritzky, 1989). Clearly, the science backs up the traditional practices that set B. caapi at the heart of ayahuasca.
Risks
Risks and harm reduction best practices go here.
Chapter 2:
Healing
Whether you are from the Amazon or Los Angeles, tea drinkers from all walks of life, cultures, and nationalities often find the ayahuasca experience to be profoundly healing, often in unexpected ways.
But why is ayahuasca so healing, and how exactly does the plant medicine heal?
In this chapter we'll take a look at the Amazonian paradigm of illness and healing, as well as recent scientific research into the therapeutic benefits of ayahuasca.
Amazonian Medicine
In Amazonian cultures, plant medicine healers have a different view of illness and disease, as well as a different view of Nature. Nature is perceived to be sacred, a divine teacher Herself, who is home to many more divine teachers. Ayahuasca is considered to be a Master Plant Teacher, one of many. To take ayahuasca is to enter into a spiritual school, that will shine a light on that which you cannot see or will not see, to show you what you need to heal in order to become the best human you were meant to be. In the Amazon, the power of the plant medicine comes from the consciousness of the Teacher plant Herself.
While ayahuasca by itself can be considered to be deeply healing, the skill of the shaman administering the ayahuasca can also profoundly impact the depth of healing experienced by a ceremony participant. This includes the shaman’s ability to extract illness, move energy, invoke the assistance of the plant allies they have cultivated through dieta, and call in helping spirits; as well as prescribe supporting plant remedies, herbal baths, and other shamanic practices outside of ceremony.
To be a knowledgeable and skilled shaman, one must have clocked serious solitary dieta time with a range of plants. Potential shamans must spend months fasting and communing with the brew, and must resist the urge to use the spirit of ayahuasca for sorcery. If completed successfully, the shaman will emerge from their training with an understanding of how to use the spiritual power of ayahuasca for healing.
In addition to knowing how to identify these plants in the forest and prepare plant remedies, the shaman would have also needed to receive the song or icaro of that plant. The number of songs the shaman has received is also an indicator of mastery, the more “power” they have. Learning the songs of another doesn’t carry the same power as having “received your own songs from the vine.”
The shaman would need to know how to raise and lower the energetic frequency of a ceremony, through song or prayer. They would need to be able to successfully invoke the assistance of plant allies, helping spirits, divine beings, elemental forces and animal guides.
To understand more about how Amazonian healing works, check out this article What Are Ayahuasca Icaros & How Do They Work?
Scientific Research
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Sed sit amet iaculis nisi. Quisque interdum, tortor id semper faucibus, felis risus tincidunt nunc, at suscipit lorem diam aliquam eros. Duis aliquet condimentum maximus. Aenean hendrerit mi eget nisi porttitor, ut ullamcorper metus luctus. Vestibulum semper mauris ligula, quis semper risus maximus eget. Nam vitae velit malesuada, fermentum magna non, laoreet urna. Cras vehicula nibh id urna venenatis, vel mollis sem finibus. Nullam eleifend auctor leo, eget auctor urna facilisis eget. Morbi egestas sapien enim, nec gravida eros pulvinar ac. Aliquam sagittis fringilla tellus, sit amet dapibus ex vestibulum.
Want to Learn More About Ayahuasca Healing?
The Fellowship of the River: A Medical Doctor's Exploration into Traditional Amazonian Plant Medicine
Western medicine has not been particularly successful at getting people relief from conditions like depression, chronic pain, migraine headaches, addiction, and PTSD. Dr. Tafur helps us to understand why.
Dr. Joe Tafur is a Colombian-American family physician and a shaman, who, over a period of six years, lived and worked in the Peruvian Amazon at the traditional healing center Nihue Rao Centro Espiritual. There he worked closely with master Shipibo shaman Ricardo Amaringo and trained in Traditional Amazonian Plant Medicine, where he completed a traditional apprenticeship in ayahuasca shamanism.
Follow Dr. Tafur through the Amazon jungle as he develops a breakthrough understanding of how psychoactive plants interact with the complex network that connects our minds and hearts to our physical anatomy. What Dr. Tafur presents here is nothing short of a paradigm shift for modern medicine, where sacred plants, used properly in ceremony, take their place as important tools in the doctor’s medicine chest, offering the missing elements of emotional and spiritual healing that have eluded us for so long.
Therapeutic Uses
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Vivamus libero eros, bibendum sit amet mi vitae, ornare dictum ipsum. Pellentesque sit amet nibh orci. Nam eu lacinia lorem, eu cursus ligula. Quisque maximus, ligula at iaculis molestie, nulla tortor pellentesque risus, vel commodo massa turpis eu elit. Cras sed risus mollis, euismod urna pharetra, venenatis nunc. Suspendisse ornare dictum ex eget imperdiet. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Aliquam sed egestas massa, in maximus risus. Phasellus id erat lectus.
You might be interested in learning more about whether Ayahuasca Can Heal Depression.
Chapter 3:
Culture
Ayahuasca culture is rich and diverse. If you wish to experience ayahuasca, it's beneficial to understand a little bit about the history and how it has influenced both Amazonian and New Age culture.
From inspiring an emerging genre of visionary art, to influencing folk music and electronic trance, the creative legacy of ayahuasca carries its own healing powers.
Unsurprisingly, ayahuasca is increasingly being embraced by personal development aficionados and entrepreneurs seeking creative inspiration.
What was once an obscure, psychoactive and highly purgative herbal remedy drunk by indigenous tribes and mestizo communities in the Amazon, ayahuasca is now the “Drug of Choice for the Age of Kale.”
History
Ayahuasca has been used for ceremonial, medicinal and spiritual purposes by the indigenous tribes in the Upper Amazon for at least a millennia.
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Revival
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Nullam faucibus neque sed porttitor venenatis. Proin cursus facilisis risus in condimentum. Cras in turpis eu diam cursus dictum ut ac erat. Aenean et ante quis est hendrerit mollis sit amet eu enim. Cras imperdiet ante vitae quam pulvinar suscipit. Nunc nec metus venenatis, commodo mauris vel, ornare orci. Morbi sit amet interdum ante, at luctus elit. Nam porta mauris id arcu sollicitudin, in congue elit fringilla.
Arts
Visionary Art
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Music
Medicine Circle Music
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Electronic Music
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Chapter 4:
Spirituality
Ayahuasca culture is rich and diverse. If you wish to experience ayahuasca, it's beneficial to understand a little bit about the history, and familiarize yourself with the spectrum of cultures, churches and spiritual lineages that work with ayahuasca.
That way, you can make the best choices for yourself and decide which ceremonial container feels right for you.
Bear in mind that ayahuasca culture is continuously changing and adapting to meet the needs of the communities that consume it.
Many lineages are living and evolving wisdom traditions, so that what is practiced now may be very different from how ceremonies were conducted in the last decade.
Mestizo Curanderismo
Curanderismo.
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Indigenous Lineages
Brazil
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Colombia
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Ecuador
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Peru
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Syncretic Churches
Barquinha
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Santo Daime
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UDV
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New Age Circles
Sed sit amet iaculis nisi. Quisque interdum, tortor id semper faucibus, felis risus tincidunt nunc, at suscipit lorem diam aliquam eros. Duis aliquet condimentum maximus. Aenean hendrerit mi eget nisi porttitor, ut ullamcorper metus luctus. Vestibulum semper mauris ligula, quis semper risus maximus eget. Nam vitae velit malesuada, fermentum magna non, laoreet urna. Cras vehicula nibh id urna venenatis, vel mollis sem finibus. Nullam eleifend auctor leo, eget auctor urna facilisis eget. Morbi egestas sapien enim, nec gravida eros pulvinar ac. Aliquam sagittis fringilla tellus, sit amet dapibus ex vestibulum.
Chapter 5:
Practical
Now that you know a little about the risks and benefits of ayahuasca, how do you go about finding an ayahuasca ceremony?
Here are some tips to help you understand the different kinds of ayahuasca experiences you can have, and how to go about researching the ideal ayahuasca shaman, facilitator, or retreat for you.
Once you've found an ayahuasca provider that feels safe, qualified and good, the next step is preparation for this powerful, transformative experience.
When your ceremony is over, the real transformational work begins with the integration process, so that you can heal, reclaim your wholeness, and create lasting, positive change in your life.
Research
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent commodo orci eu ex posuere ultricies id lacinia metus. Vivamus vel tristique odio, sit amet ornare purus. Pellentesque dapibus nec purus eu ullamcorper. In eget efficitur lorem, ac porttitor ligula. Curabitur molestie sit amet mauris quis ultrices. Ut auctor aliquam est, vel laoreet tortor bibendum ac. Vestibulum blandit dui id turpis aliquam dapibus. In venenatis ut elit nec consectetur. Sed molestie tellus est, a tempus nulla laoreet at. Nulla sagittis, lectus sed congue luctus, odio velit ullamcorper nisi, dictum egestas eros diam at lectus. Curabitur odio purus, blandit in rutrum a, egestas id turpis.
Nullam faucibus neque sed porttitor venenatis. Proin cursus facilisis risus in condimentum. Cras in turpis eu diam cursus dictum ut ac erat. Aenean et ante quis est hendrerit mollis sit amet eu enim. Cras imperdiet ante vitae quam pulvinar suscipit. Nunc nec metus venenatis, commodo mauris vel, ornare orci. Morbi sit amet interdum ante, at luctus elit. Nam porta mauris id arcu sollicitudin, in congue elit fringilla.
For help deciding whether an indigenous shaman or Western facilitator is best for you, check out our article on
Headline Here
Subtitle Goes Here
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Preparation
Basic information on how to prepare for ayahuasca goes here
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Sed sit amet iaculis nisi. Quisque interdum, tortor id semper faucibus, felis risus tincidunt nunc, at suscipit lorem diam aliquam eros. Duis aliquet condimentum maximus. Aenean hendrerit mi eget nisi porttitor, ut ullamcorper metus luctus. Vestibulum semper mauris ligula, quis semper risus maximus eget. Nam vitae velit malesuada, fermentum magna non, laoreet urna. Cras vehicula nibh id urna venenatis, vel mollis sem finibus. Nullam eleifend auctor leo, eget auctor urna facilisis eget. Morbi egestas sapien enim, nec gravida eros pulvinar ac. Aliquam sagittis fringilla tellus, sit amet dapibus ex vestibulum.
Curabitur placerat arcu aliquet convallis dignissim. Vivamus quis dictum felis, et mattis lectus. Fusce malesuada turpis tortor, vel dapibus lorem pharetra in. Nunc justo quam, scelerisque vel est ac, pretium congue dui. Sed finibus, lacus sit amet consequat semper, quam nibh posuere dolor, non pretium ante lorem vitae tortor.
For detailed information on ceremony preparation, check out The Uncensored Guide to Preparing for Ayahuasca Ceremony, which also covers FAQs about sex, drugs, alcohol, restricted foods, and weed
Integration
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Vivamus libero eros, bibendum sit amet mi vitae, ornare dictum ipsum. Pellentesque sit amet nibh orci. Nam eu lacinia lorem, eu cursus ligula. Quisque maximus, ligula at iaculis molestie, nulla tortor pellentesque risus, vel commodo massa turpis eu elit. Cras sed risus mollis, euismod urna pharetra, venenatis nunc. Suspendisse ornare dictum ex eget imperdiet. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Aliquam sed egestas massa, in maximus risus. Phasellus id erat lectus.
Chapter 6:
Ethics
The globalization of ayahuasca has yielded many benefits to humanity, but it has not been without its challenges and tragedies.
From the impact of commercialization and commodification of ayahuasca on Amazonian communities, to cultural appropriation and spiritual extractivism of indigenous practices by the West, ayahuasca consumption comes with its share of cultural baggage.
Here's an overview of some of the key ethical issues around the consumption of ayahuasca, and how we can support the global expansion of ayahuasca with responsibility, respect and reciprocity.
Commercialization
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent commodo orci eu ex posuere ultricies id lacinia metus. Vivamus vel tristique odio, sit amet ornare purus. Pellentesque dapibus nec purus eu ullamcorper. In eget efficitur lorem, ac porttitor ligula. Curabitur molestie sit amet mauris quis ultrices. Ut auctor aliquam est, vel laoreet tortor bibendum ac. Vestibulum blandit dui id turpis aliquam dapibus. In venenatis ut elit nec consectetur. Sed molestie tellus est, a tempus nulla laoreet at. Nulla sagittis, lectus sed congue luctus, odio velit ullamcorper nisi, dictum egestas eros diam at lectus. Curabitur odio purus, blandit in rutrum a, egestas id turpis.
Nullam faucibus neque sed porttitor venenatis. Proin cursus facilisis risus in condimentum. Cras in turpis eu diam cursus dictum ut ac erat. Aenean et ante quis est hendrerit mollis sit amet eu enim. Cras imperdiet ante vitae quam pulvinar suscipit. Nunc nec metus venenatis, commodo mauris vel, ornare orci. Morbi sit amet interdum ante, at luctus elit. Nam porta mauris id arcu sollicitudin, in congue elit fringilla.
Learn more about Neocolonialism in Amazonian Ayahuasca Communities
Safety
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent commodo orci eu ex posuere ultricies id lacinia metus. Vivamus vel tristique odio, sit amet ornare purus. Pellentesque dapibus nec purus eu ullamcorper. In eget efficitur lorem, ac porttitor ligula. Curabitur molestie sit amet mauris quis ultrices. Ut auctor aliquam est, vel laoreet tortor bibendum ac. Vestibulum blandit dui id turpis aliquam dapibus. In venenatis ut elit nec consectetur. Sed molestie tellus est, a tempus nulla laoreet at. Nulla sagittis, lectus sed congue luctus, odio velit ullamcorper nisi, dictum egestas eros diam at lectus. Curabitur odio purus, blandit in rutrum a, egestas id turpis.
Nullam faucibus neque sed porttitor venenatis. Proin cursus facilisis risus in condimentum. Cras in turpis eu diam cursus dictum ut ac erat. Aenean et ante quis est hendrerit mollis sit amet eu enim. Cras imperdiet ante vitae quam pulvinar suscipit. Nunc nec metus venenatis, commodo mauris vel, ornare orci. Morbi sit amet interdum ante, at luctus elit. Nam porta mauris id arcu sollicitudin, in congue elit fringilla.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent commodo orci eu ex posuere ultricies id lacinia metus. Vivamus vel tristique odio, sit amet ornare purus. Pellentesque dapibus nec purus eu ullamcorper. In eget efficitur lorem, ac porttitor ligula. Curabitur molestie sit amet mauris quis ultrices. Ut auctor aliquam est, vel laoreet tortor bibendum ac. Vestibulum blandit dui id turpis aliquam dapibus. In venenatis ut elit nec consectetur. Sed molestie tellus est, a tempus nulla laoreet at. Nulla sagittis, lectus sed congue luctus, odio velit ullamcorper nisi, dictum egestas eros diam at lectus. Curabitur odio purus, blandit in rutrum a, egestas id turpis.
Nullam faucibus neque sed porttitor venenatis. Proin cursus facilisis risus in condimentum. Cras in turpis eu diam cursus dictum ut ac erat. Aenean et ante quis est hendrerit mollis sit amet eu enim. Cras imperdiet ante vitae quam pulvinar suscipit. Nunc nec metus venenatis, commodo mauris vel, ornare orci. Morbi sit amet interdum ante, at luctus elit. Nam porta mauris id arcu sollicitudin, in congue elit fringilla.
Want to Learn More About Ayahuasca Healing?
The Fellowship of the River: A Medical Doctor's Exploration into Traditional Amazonian Plant Medicine
Western medicine has not been particularly successful at getting people relief from conditions like depression, chronic pain, migraine headaches, addiction, and PTSD. Dr. Tafur helps us to understand why.
Dr. Joe Tafur is a Colombian-American family physician and a shaman, who, over a period of six years, lived and worked in the Peruvian Amazon at the traditional healing center Nihue Rao Centro Espiritual. There he worked closely with master Shipibo shaman Ricardo Amaringo and trained in Traditional Amazonian Plant Medicine, where he completed a traditional apprenticeship in ayahuasca shamanism.
Follow Dr. Tafur through the Amazon jungle as he develops a breakthrough understanding of how psychoactive plants interact with the complex network that connects our minds and hearts to our physical anatomy. What Dr. Tafur presents here is nothing short of a paradigm shift for modern medicine, where sacred plants, used properly in ceremony, take their place as important tools in the doctor’s medicine chest, offering the missing elements of emotional and spiritual healing that have eluded us for so long.
Cultural Appropriation
Indigenous Cultural Renaissance
Suspendisse suscipit, orci eget suscipit finibus, lorem nisl dapibus erat, in elementum erat ante sollicitudin justo. Pellentesque cursus vehicula nisl. Integer non enim nunc. Integer rhoncus ullamcorper est, at pretium magna ultricies eu. Ut viverra mi eget nibh efficitur fringilla. Cras ante metus, efficitur eu pulvinar et, gravida nec justo. Vestibulum tincidunt felis in nulla euismod vehicula. Mauris egestas lorem quis tristique elementum. Sed elit ligula, tincidunt vel venenatis in, maximus quis nisl. Ut felis libero, congue quis odio sagittis, dictum pulvinar nibh. Quisque et vulputate justo.
Sed sit amet iaculis nisi. Quisque interdum, tortor id semper faucibus, felis risus tincidunt nunc, at suscipit lorem diam aliquam eros. Duis aliquet condimentum maximus. Aenean hendrerit mi eget nisi porttitor, ut ullamcorper metus luctus. Vestibulum semper mauris ligula, quis semper risus maximus eget. Nam vitae velit malesuada, fermentum magna non, laoreet urna. Cras vehicula nibh id urna venenatis, vel mollis sem finibus. Nullam eleifend auctor leo, eget auctor urna facilisis eget. Morbi egestas sapien enim, nec gravida eros pulvinar ac. Aliquam sagittis fringilla tellus, sit amet dapibus ex vestibulum.
Is My Gringo Ayahuasca Shaman / Ceremony Facilitator Any Good?
Spiritual Extractivism
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Vivamus libero eros, bibendum sit amet mi vitae, ornare dictum ipsum. Pellentesque sit amet nibh orci. Nam eu lacinia lorem, eu cursus ligula. Quisque maximus, ligula at iaculis molestie, nulla tortor pellentesque risus, vel commodo massa turpis eu elit. Cras sed risus mollis, euismod urna pharetra, venenatis nunc. Suspendisse ornare dictum ex eget imperdiet. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Aliquam sed egestas massa, in maximus risus. Phasellus id erat lectus.
Want to Learn More About Ayahuasca Healing?
Ayahuasca Medicine: The Shamanic World of Amazonian Sacred Plant Healing
An insider’s account of the journey to become an ayahuasquero, a shaman who heals with the visionary vine ayahuasca
For more than 20 years American-born Alan Shoemaker has apprenticed and worked with shamans in Ecuador and Peru, learning the traditional methods of ayahuasca preparation, the ceremonial rituals for its use, and how to commune with the healing spirit of this sacred plant as well as the spirit of the San Pedro cactus and other sacred plant allies. Now a recognized and practicing ayahuasquero, or ayahuasca shaman, in Peru, he offers an insider’s account of the ayahuasca tradition and of its use for expanding consciousness and achieving healing through access to other dimensions of being.
Chapter 7:
Legality
Therefore, if you are seeking ayahuasca, it's important to understand the legal status of ayahuasca in the country you are in. Here's a list of countries where ayahuasca is legal, decriminalized, and illegal.
While we do not advocate breaking the law, we do believe that cognitive liberty is a fundamental human right, and that everyone deserves to have safe and legal access to healing plant medicines.
If you feel that drug prohibition is unjust, we suggest you support the movement to Decriminalize Nature.
Where Ayahuasca Is Legal
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Understand The Fragile Legality of Ayahuasca
Where Ayahuasca is Decriminalized
Suspendisse suscipit, orci eget suscipit finibus, lorem nisl dapibus erat, in elementum erat ante sollicitudin justo. Pellentesque cursus vehicula nisl. Integer non enim nunc. Integer rhoncus ullamcorper est, at pretium magna ultricies eu. Ut viverra mi eget nibh efficitur fringilla. Cras ante metus, efficitur eu pulvinar et, gravida nec justo. Vestibulum tincidunt felis in nulla euismod vehicula. Mauris egestas lorem quis tristique elementum. Sed elit ligula, tincidunt vel venenatis in, maximus quis nisl. Ut felis libero, congue quis odio sagittis, dictum pulvinar nibh. Quisque et vulputate justo.
Sed sit amet iaculis nisi. Quisque interdum, tortor id semper faucibus, felis risus tincidunt nunc, at suscipit lorem diam aliquam eros. Duis aliquet condimentum maximus. Aenean hendrerit mi eget nisi porttitor, ut ullamcorper metus luctus. Vestibulum semper mauris ligula, quis semper risus maximus eget. Nam vitae velit malesuada, fermentum magna non, laoreet urna. Cras vehicula nibh id urna venenatis, vel mollis sem finibus. Nullam eleifend auctor leo, eget auctor urna facilisis eget. Morbi egestas sapien enim, nec gravida eros pulvinar ac. Aliquam sagittis fringilla tellus, sit amet dapibus ex vestibulum.
Curabitur placerat arcu aliquet convallis dignissim. Vivamus quis dictum felis, et mattis lectus. Fusce malesuada turpis tortor, vel dapibus lorem pharetra in. Nunc justo quam, scelerisque vel est ac, pretium congue dui. Sed finibus, lacus sit amet consequat semper, quam nibh posuere dolor, non pretium ante lorem vitae tortor.
Where Ayahuasca is Illegal
Sed sit amet iaculis nisi. Quisque interdum, tortor id semper faucibus, felis risus tincidunt nunc, at suscipit lorem diam aliquam eros. Duis aliquet condimentum maximus. Aenean hendrerit mi eget nisi porttitor, ut ullamcorper metus luctus. Vestibulum semper mauris ligula, quis semper risus maximus eget. Nam vitae velit malesuada, fermentum magna non, laoreet urna. Cras vehicula nibh id urna venenatis, vel mollis sem finibus. Nullam eleifend auctor leo, eget auctor urna facilisis eget. Morbi egestas sapien enim, nec gravida eros pulvinar ac. Aliquam sagittis fringilla tellus, sit amet dapibus ex vestibulum nec.
Vivamus libero eros, bibendum sit amet mi vitae, ornare dictum ipsum. Pellentesque sit amet nibh orci. Nam eu lacinia lorem, eu cursus ligula. Quisque maximus, ligula at iaculis molestie, nulla tortor pellentesque risus, vel commodo massa turpis eu elit. Cras sed risus mollis, euismod urna pharetra, venenatis nunc. Suspendisse ornare dictum ex eget imperdiet. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Aliquam sed egestas massa, in maximus risus. Phasellus id erat lectus.
Go here for an in-depth list of Ayahuasca Legal Status By Country
FAQ
Question
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Question
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent commodo orci eu ex posuere ultricies id lacinia metus. Vivamus vel tristique odio, sit amet ornare purus. Pellentesque dapibus nec purus eu ullamcorper. In eget efficitur lorem, ac porttitor ligula. Curabitur molestie sit amet mauris quis ultrices. Ut auctor aliquam est, vel laoreet tortor bibendum ac. Vestibulum blandit dui id turpis aliquam dapibus. In venenatis ut elit nec consectetur. Sed molestie tellus est, a tempus nulla laoreet at. Nulla sagittis, lectus sed congue luctus, odio velit ullamcorper nisi, dictum egestas eros diam at lectus. Curabitur odio purus, blandit in rutrum a, egestas id turpis.
Question
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent commodo orci eu ex posuere ultricies id lacinia metus. Vivamus vel tristique odio, sit amet ornare purus. Pellentesque dapibus nec purus eu ullamcorper. In eget efficitur lorem, ac porttitor ligula. Curabitur molestie sit amet mauris quis ultrices. Ut auctor aliquam est, vel laoreet tortor bibendum ac. Vestibulum blandit dui id turpis aliquam dapibus. In venenatis ut elit nec consectetur. Sed molestie tellus est, a tempus nulla laoreet at. Nulla sagittis, lectus sed congue luctus, odio velit ullamcorper nisi, dictum egestas eros diam at lectus. Curabitur odio purus, blandit in rutrum a, egestas id turpis.
References
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Artist Credits
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