Certainly in this Covid 19 period when uncertainty is increasing and people are being put to the test, the curiosity, demand and supply for plant medicine ceremonies is increasing strongly. One Instagram account after another recommends an Ayahuasca ceremony as a tool for psychological healing, personal growth or consciousness expansion.
But what is an ayahuasca ceremony and what do you have to pay attention to to undergo it in a safe way?
The origin of ayahuasca
Ayahuasca is an ancient medicinal plant brew originating in the Amazon, namely Peru. The thick brown tea is made from Caapi, a climbing vine that only grows in the rainforest, and leaves of plants that contain hallucinogenic properties.
Unlike any other sacred plant medicine, Ayahuasca consists of two separate plants: the chacruna leaf (Psychotria viridis) and the Ayahuasca vine (Banisteriopsis caapi). However, none of these plants have medicinal or entheogenic properties. However, when they are combined, they work together and become a very powerful and sacred medicine.
Both plants are found in the Amazon rainforest in South America. Amazingly, there are over 80,000 cataloged leafy plant species in this particular rainforest. Yet somehow the Amazonian shamanic healers knew exactly which two unsuspecting plant species combined would create such a magical and psychoactive drug.
The history of Ayahuasca use goes so far back that anthropologists and researchers have not yet been able to trace its origins; However, the shamans claim that the plants told it themselves during a shamanic journey in the Middle World.
The plants are taken from the jungle and brewed into holy tea. When the tea is taken ceremonially, the gates to the spirit realm are opened and mystical, unusual worlds are revealed that are imperceptible in ordinary consciousness.
In shamanic culture, these plants, although entheogenic, are not considered a medicine; rather they are considered highly revered and sacred medicines. Shamans believe that these plant medicines are deeply connected to Spirit, or Source, and can easily lead us to other worlds where great knowledge can be gained, growth accelerated, and true healing can take place.
Mother Ayahuasca, as the plant spirit is often called (because of its feminine and mother-like qualities), will always teach the participant exactly what they need to learn the most in order to fully and truly heal themselves.
Ayahuasca as a drug remains a marginal psychological drug, but it is slowly reaching the mainstream. Until recently you had to travel to South America if you wanted to experiment with the plant, but now ayahuasca ceremonies are popping up in the United States, Europe and therefore also in the Netherlands.
The scientific evidence on ayahuasca is limited, but it is known to activate repressed memories in a way that allows people to come to a new understanding of their past. In some cases, it helps people process memories of traumatic events, which is why neuroscientists are starting to study ayahuasca as a treatment for depression and PTSD.
Ayahyasca is the most powerful ego-dissolving drug
Buddhists, cognitive scientists, and philosophers have all made compelling arguments that there is no “I”, nothing like a “fixed self,” no thinker behind our thoughts, no doer behind our actions. There is only awareness and immediate experience; everything else is the result of the mind, or the Ego projecting to us the past or the future.
But this concept is very difficult to understand in everyday life. Because you are aware, it is very easy to believe that there is a wall between your mind and the world. When you experience something, there must be a 'you' experiencing it. But the "you" in this case is just an abstraction; it's in your head, not out there in the world.
There are many ways to experience that there is no “I” and to reach the truth of non-self. Think of it as a mountain peak, with meditators and certain spiritual traditions going in different directions. Psychedelic drugs provide a kind of shortcut; you get a glimpse of this higher truth without all those years of serious, disciplined practice like meditation.
The overall feeling is that at some point you have lost yourself, that your soul as a child was pure, open and not corrupted by culture. When you enter society, you lose that childlike love for the world. You begin to judge yourself by external standards. You compare yourself to friends, neighbors and peers. You develop an ego, an identity, and your well-being becomes associated with these constructs.
People say a single ayahuasca trip is like a decade of therapy packed into one night.
It is during these ceremonies that participants are able to face the root causes of their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual illnesses and dive deep into the healing process by allowing the spirit of Ayahuasca to take them on a journey to this not ordinary consciousness. Within this realm, deep-seated issues are revealed to those that have long been hidden in the subconscious mind.
Preparing for an Ayahuasca ceremony
An Ayahuasca ceremony involves drinking the hallucinatory plant / tea blend accompanied by a respected shaman or a trained ceremony supervisor, during which those involved spend a long night in deep connection with one's true self. A typical Ayahuasca ceremony is a full night - the journey can take up to five hours.
Preparation - Ayahuasca Diet
Ayahuasca is a total cleansing of mind, spirit and body; a special diet is strongly recommended for this.
Usually there is a fair amount of purging during the first half of a ceremony, which may involve vomiting or diarrhea. This is because Ayahuasca cleanses the physical body of toxins before moving on to mental, emotional and spiritual body cleansing.
A great way to avoid the purification process completely is to begin the purification process the week before the ceremony. Specific diets vary but usually require abstention from drugs, alcohol and processed foods.
If you don't follow the recommended diet for the ceremony, the plants will help your body rid itself of the chemicals - salt, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, etc.
If the diet is followed properly, you will certainly benefit from it shortly after the tea is taken.
The ceremony
Each shaman or ceremony attendant has their own personal way of organizing the ceremonial space. However, ceremonies are usually held just after sunset in a safe, relaxing, and comfortable environment, especially within the very energetic confines of the Amazon rainforest.
Usually there are about 7 participants and one shaman or ceremony attendant present at a ceremony, all of whom receive the brew. The shamans create a very open and safe space by lighting incense and candles, setting up altars and playing soothing music.
Next, the shaman suggests that each person establish an intention for their journey, be it to unearth wounds from the past or to learn self-love. The group then prays together and thanks Mother Ayahuasca.
Finally, each participant drinks the brew one by one and embarks on the journey.
As soon as the medicine starts, the shaman will start singing shaman songs, which help to intensify the medicine and further protect the energy of the room.
The return
Ayahuasca usually takes about 5 hours. As everyone in the ceremony begins to return to waking, conscious reality.
What it's like to do ayahuasca and what to expect during a ceremony.
If you are considering taking part in such a journey, prepare to encounter the divine, the infinite, the mystery - whatever you call it - that which is beyond the limited perspective of your mind. You must also be willing to accept that the divine / infinite / mystery cannot be experienced in a way that makes sense to your brain. The infinite is infinite, while your brain is still finite.
The songs, sung by the ceremony director, are an integral part of the ceremony. It is through these songs that the visionary effects of Ayahuasca are enhanced.
Be wary that you don't necessarily like the information that the divine / infinite / mystery chooses to share with you.
Ayahuasca has always been referred to as feminine because users have said that the voice of the higher intelligence that they will hear during the ceremony is feminine. She (meaning the plant) speaks directly to you and tells you what to work on in your life.
The experience will be unspeakable and you will likely find it impossible to put it into words after the ceremony is over. "Ten years of therapy downloaded in a night," seems to be a fairly universal analogy to convey the possible take-away of a ceremony. Another possible outcome of an Ayahuasca ceremony is that you realize that everything you perceive through your five senses and assimilated by your mind is invented or incorrect.
Returning ceremonial participants should also be aware that each time you experience the divine / infinite / mystery it will be different. Every experience is like just a tiny drop in the ocean.
It is possible that herbal medicine temporarily allows the subjective self to decay and merge with the infinite 'other'. After a ceremonial night of purification, you may find yourself getting a fresh new perspective on what was once a seemingly mundane reality.
What to pay attention to when choosing a ceremony.
You should be fairly certain that your ceremony attendant is bona fide, as you entrust him or her with your psychological and emotional well-being. Be prepared to experience firsthand how your mind deconstructs and then rebuilds itself. Once your mind has been "broken open", you may experience what feels like schizophrenia, which can be scary.
There are also physical and psychological risks associated with its use - it can interfere with medication and worsen existing psychiatric conditions.
Ayahuasca is native to the Amazon and is legal there, where retreats and ceremonies are held and authorized, but not in the Netherlands or the US, where the use and trade of Ayahuasca is illegal.
