Ayahuasca

Table of Contents:

• How can Ayahuasca be useful?
• What is Ayahuasca and how does it work?
• Ayahuasca preparation Courses and Communities
• Effects
• Is Ayahuasca a Science or a Spiritual experience?
  • A Neurological perspective
  • Spiritual View of Ayahuasca
• Dieta: Avoiding danger associated with Ayahuasca
• Legality of Ayahuasca
• Pharmacology
• History of Ayahuasca
• What can I expect in an Ayahuasca Ceremony?

How can Ayahuasca be useful?

Ayahuasca has and is used for various reasons by Amazonian people including healing but from a western perspective I think Ayahuasca is most useful therapeutically for dealing with severe PTSD, trauma, anxiety, depression, removal of addiction like alcoholism and is also fantastic for spiritual development.

Spiritual development comes from the Ego Dissolution experiences as Ayahuasca allows us to lower the activity in The Default Mode Network where our Ego is thought to ‘live’. It’s the Ego which is filtering out ‘spiritual information’ from the environment around us which is otherwise able to be sensed.

In relation to trauma, as I have described above, Ayahuasca allows us to create new Neurology in the brain which bypasses out previous, trauma filled, Neurological structures.

What is Ayahuasca and how does it work?

Simply put Ayahuasca is a psychedelic tea made from 2-3 (usually) plants boiled for several hours and reduced to a thick green, very bitter tasting beverage. It’s ingredients are usually (but not always) The Ayahuasca Vine (MAOI), Chacruna Bush leaves (DMT), a little tobacco, water and is often prepared alongside magical ritual by a Shaman(a).

The Ayahuasca Tea is psychedelic because The Chacruna Bush contains Dimethyltriptamine (DMT) which is a known psychoactive compound commonly found in many plants as well as produced naturally our bodies under some circumstances. Normally DMT, when ingested by humans, is not able to pass into the bloodstream because our stomach has an enzyme which neutralizes it before it can do so.

The Shaman of the Amazon somehow understood that if you combined The Ayahuasca Vine with The Chacruna Bush leaves then this combination would be capable of passing through your stomachs normal “defenses” allowing the DMT to pass from your stomach, into your bloodstream and across the Blood-Brain Barrier where it is able to give psychedelic experiences via your brains Serotonin Receptors.

Evidently, your body is very familiar with these compounds it seems and knows exactly what to do with them. I don’t think this is a coincidence.

The Ayahuasca Vine has a Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI) in it which neutralizes your stomachs default mechanism which stops DMT from passing into your bloodstream.

According to the Shipibo (a native tribe of the Amazon) traditions I am familiar with Ayahuasca is drunk in a ceremonial fashion for various reasons but often to heal physically and psychologically. Psychedelics in general have a long history of use for many reasons in various cultures who have roots in pre-christian history.

The aim of this site is to understand and teach people how to use Ayahuasca safely and effectively to help them achieve various goals around spiritual development, psychological healing like from that of trauma, anxiety and depression, PTSD and so on.

Psychedelics like Ayahuasca allow you to build new Neurology which bypasses or circumnavigates your existing trauma filled ‘Old Neurology’ and and create new structures free of trauma that you will use in the course of your day to day life – effectively bypassing, curing or significantly reducing trauma.

Ayahuasca preparation Courses and Communities:

Courses

If you have an Ayahuasca Ceremony coming up this week this guide can help you get sorted quickly. It covers

• 3 days prep before your ceremony and 3 days pre afterwards (integration)
• Recipes to help achieve a PH balance suitable with most retreats, eating plans etc
• Creating intentions
• Mental Dieta
• How to prepare the day of.
• How to integrate.
• Access to the online Discord Community to ask advice and chat with other Ayahuasca users.

Communities:

I have 2 groups where we can talk online.

Effects:

General Physiological Effects:

Physiological:

• Cardiovascular Changes: Ayahuasca can cause an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, which are common responses to the β-carboline alkaloids like harmine and harmaline present in the brew. These compounds act as reversible inhibitors of monoamine oxidase (MAO), which can lead to increased levels of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. This increase in monoamines can result in a temporary elevation of vital signs.
• Gastrointestinal Effects: One of the most immediate effects of ayahuasca is gastrointestinal distress, including nausea, vomiting, and sometimes diarrhea. These effects are often considered part of the “purge,” which some users and traditional practitioners view as a cleansing process. The activation of the vagus nerve by the alkaloids can stimulate these responses, leading to what is known as “la purga.”
• Neurological Impacts: Ayahuasca’s main psychoactive ingredient, DMT, when combined with MAO inhibitors, leads to vivid hallucinations and altered states of consciousness. There is increased activity in the frontal and paralimbic brain regions, with changes noted in the default mode network (DMN), which is associated with self-referential thought and introspection. This can result in enhanced emotional processing, introspection, and sometimes ego dissolution, where one’s sense of self can temporarily diminish.
• Endocrine System: There are suggestions that ayahuasca might influence the release of hormones like cortisol and prolactin due to stress responses or changes in neurotransmitter levels, though this area requires further research.

Differences Between Men and Women:

• Hormonal Responses: While not extensively studied, there could be differences in how ayahuasca affects hormone levels between men and women due to baseline differences in hormone profiles. However, no definitive studies have clearly delineated these effects.
• Perceptual and Emotional Responses: Some anecdotal reports suggest that women might have different emotional responses to ayahuasca, potentially due to biological differences in emotional processing or societal roles influencing expectations and experiences. However, these observations are not backed by comprehensive research.
• Physical Reactions: There might be slight variations in physical reactions like purging, with some anecdotal evidence suggesting that women might purge more frequently, but this is not conclusively supported by scientific literature.

The effects of ayahuasca can vary widely depending on individual physiology, the setting, the psychological state (‘set’) of the user, and the context (‘setting’) in which it’s consumed. While the physiological responses are generally similar across genders, the personal experience of these effects can differ based on numerous factors, including cultural background, previous experience with psychedelics, and the specific composition of the ayahuasca brew used.

Energetic Effects:

General Energetic Effects of Ayahuasca:

• Spiritual and Mystical Experiences: Ayahuasca is renowned for inducing profound spiritual experiences where individuals often feel connected to a larger cosmic or spiritual reality. Users frequently report encounters with entities or spirits, visions of past lives, or deep insights into the nature of existence. These experiences can lead to a sense of spiritual awakening or transformation.
• Ego Dissolution: One of the most discussed energetic effects is the dissolution or weakening of the ego, allowing individuals to see themselves and their lives from a new, often less self-centered perspective. This can lead to insights into personal behavior, relationships, and one’s place in the universe.
• Emotional Catharsis: Ayahuasca often facilitates intense emotional processing, where suppressed or traumatic emotions are brought to the surface, leading to cathartic release. This can manifest as crying, laughter, or even physical expressions like dancing or vocalizing.
• Increased Introspection and Self-Reflection: The brew promotes deep introspection, where individuals confront inner conflicts, fears, or unresolved issues, often leading to personal growth, healing, or a shift in life priorities.
• Enhancement of Empathy and Compassion: Many report an increase in empathy and a deeper connection with others, nature, or the divine, which can be seen as an energetic shift in one’s relational dynamics.

Potential Gender-Specific Energetic Effects:

• Men:
  • Masculine Archetypes: Some men describe encountering or embodying archetypal masculine energies or figures like warriors, fathers, or shamans during their experience, which can lead to a reevaluation of their role as men in society or within their families.
  • Emotional Expression: Men, who might traditionally be less encouraged to express emotions, often find ayahuasca experiences liberating, allowing them to explore and release emotions like grief or vulnerability in a safe setting.
• Women:
  • Feminine Archetypes: Women might encounter or feel connected to archetypes like the mother, the healer, or the goddess, which can lead to empowerment, healing of maternal wounds, or a deeper understanding of their feminine identity.
  • Intuitive Insights: There’s anecdotal evidence suggesting women might experience heightened intuition or a stronger connection to their inner wisdom, possibly due to cultural or societal roles that emphasize emotional and intuitive intelligence.

La Purga:

Psychologically speaking, La Purga is basically vomiting and diarrhea. The most visible form of “la purga” during an ayahuasca ceremony involves vomiting and sometimes diarrhea. These are direct physical responses to the brew, which contains psychoactive and purgative elements. The β-carboline alkaloids in the Banisteriopsis caapi vine, like harmine and harmaline, inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzymes, which can lead to nausea and the subsequent purging.

Energetically speaking La Purga has significance also like,

• Cleansing and Healing: In traditional and many modern contexts, “la purga” is viewed as a necessary step for cleansing. It’s believed to not only cleanse the body of physical toxins but also to release emotional and spiritual blockages. This purging is seen as a way to remove negative energies, past traumas, or emotional baggage that no longer serves the individual.
• Transformation: The act of purging is often interpreted as a transformative process. After the discomfort, many report a sense of lightness, relief, and clarity, symbolizing the shedding of old patterns or energies to make way for new insights and healing.
• Integration of the Experience: The physical act of purging is thought to facilitate a deeper connection with the medicine’s teachings or visions. It’s considered part of the journey where one must confront and release before receiving deeper wisdom or healing.

Is Ayahuasca a Science or a Spiritual experience?

You could look at Ayahuasca from either lens and in fact they are related in my understanding. The scientific view leads me to understand how the spiritual aspects are possible from a scientific framing of the world.

A Neurological perspective on how Ayahuasca leads to spiritual experiences:

I described briefly the mechanism with which allows Ayahuasca to cross your blood-brain barrier above so here I’d like to talk more from a Neurological perspective as I understand it based on my 6 or so years (at time of writing in Nov 2024) of experience and reading on the topic.

It turns out that your Ego (aka sense of self), thought by modern Neuroscientists to be housed in ‘The Default Mode Network’ (DMN) of your brain, is an obstacle stopping you from perceiving ALL (both material and immaterial) of the information around you at any one time. This is because an adults Ego filters out certain information that isn’t immediately required for survival. Communing with Deity is slightly down the list of priorities in terms of survival. The Ego is more concerned about food, shelter, sex, status, children, providing or caring for family etc etc.

Under the use of Psychedelics like Ayahuasca The DMN is temporarily, ie for 4-6 hours let’s say, reduced in activity allowing other areas of the brain to be active. These newly activated areas of the brain do not filter out immaterial reality and you can experience many things such as telepathy, communion with La Madre and being able to talk to immaterial beings of various kinds who may be around.

Note: Experienced and high quality Shaman take unique precautions to ‘clean and protect’ ceremonial spaces prior to you being there and as such you are protected from the negative immaterial energies which could be around. One example of this is that Shipibo Shaman I have had ceremonies with will get you to take a ‘garlic water’ bath prior to ceremony as garlic has powerful energetic protection abilities.

Spiritual View of Ayahuasca:

Western modern (ie the material and measurable world view exclusively without the immaterial) people might prefer the scientific lens however, any experienced Ayahuasca user or Shaman will tell you that in ceremony you are communing with a Deity or higher being known as,

• ‘La Madre’ or
• ‘Abuela’ or
• ‘Rhea’ as the Greeks called her.

Ancient and traditional cultures call her different names but I suspect she is one and the same entity The Greeks, Romans, Vedics, Shipibo and many other cultures knew of and are still able to contact today.

In addition to the DMN being temporarily dialed down, allowing for you to perceive the immaterial world, The Greeks have a notion in some of their Theogonies (stories of creation of the universe and hierarchies of Deity) that Psychedelics play an integral role is being an avenue for humans to escape the material world as they slowly evolve spiritually. In Vedic terminology this would be something akin to ‘Moksha’.

It is said in Greek Theogonies that Zeus, taking pity on his creation (ie Humans), gave to them a way to leave the endless cycles of birth and re-birth (ie Samsara in Vedic parlance) and that way was psychedelics. In the Theogonies Dionysos is representative of psychedelics and plays a key role in ‘The Mysteries’ of Ancient Greece which were more or less Shamanic rituals of a kind specific to The Ancient Greeks.

In this way we can see that psychedelic experiences can allow for us to progress spiritually by beginning the process of waking up to a fuller spectrum of reality where we may progress, over many lifetimes, to a point where we do not reincarnate anymore. This is unlikely to happen in any one or even many ceremonies of Ayahuasca but it starts a very gradual process in that direction.

Ayahuasca Dieta: avoiding danger associated with Ayahuasca

Under some circumstances yes Ayahuasca can be dangerous but we with proper guidance we can either safely prepare for or learn who should not take Ayahuasca to avoid danger. The main dangers that proper vetting and Dieta look to avoid are,

• Those with hallucinatory mental conditions: like Schizophrenia for example, are not recommended to take Psychedelic drugs. Even those who have it in their immediate family are at risk of a mental break from Psychedelics and these people are also not recommended to try. For these people more mild and similar DMN lowering activities like Yoga, Meditation and Mantra are more suitable in my opinion.
• Those with too much Tyramine in your the system: Tyramine can be removed via undergoing a Dieta in preparation for Ayahuasca. Tyramine is contained in certain foods (like red meat and animal products) and cause higher blood pressure. One of the main ingredients of Ayahuasca (usually the Ayahuasca Vine but can be another like Syrian Rue depending on the brew) contains an MAOI (Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor) which also raises blood pressure. In combination Tyramine and an MAOI can be dangerous especially if you have heart issues already as they both raise blood pressure. As such Tyramine is reduced in your system by following a specific Diet (known as a Dieta) which removes foods and drinks which contain tyramine form your body.
• Pharmaceuticals for depression or anxiety: Many people these days take these pharmaceuticals and these act upon the Serotonin Receptors of your brain cells. The thing is that the DMT (N,N -Dimethyltryptamine), the psychoactive agent in Ayahuasca, also acts upon the same Serotonin receptors, and as such when both are in your system this leads to an overload of these Receptors. This is known as ‘Serotonin Syndrome’ and can be deadly in worst case or in ‘better cases’ debilitate you for weeks or months making daily life like work, relationships etc very difficult. A proper Dieta also avoids these issues. More info below.

Dieta:

A Dieta refers to a ‘diet’ of both physical (food and drink) and psychological influences of the person preparing to drink Ayahuasca. In terms of safely the physical aspect is of primary concern but in terms of thorough preparation both should be adhered to as closely as possible.

Physical Dieta:

The physical aspect of a Dieta removes various dietary inputs from your body like certain pharmaceuticals or foods and drinks is necessary to allow drinking Ayahuasca to be safe. I have taken the below information from Gaia Sagrada website which helped me prepare for my own Ayahuasca Dieta.

There are levels to a Dieta in terms of strictness but generally the aim is to reduce Tyramine and avoid certain pharmaceuticals.

First let’s start with things YOU MUST remove in preparation for Ayahuasca:

• Garlic
• Hot spices
• Fat from meat
• No pork, red meat, chicken, ONLY fish is ok
• Fermented foods
• Wine, beer or hard alcohol
• Processed foods (Nothing in a box, bag, or can with ingredients you can’t pronounce)
• Pharmaceuticals EXCEPT for heart issues, high blood pressure, diabetes and life threatening illnesses
• Absolutely NO pharmaceuticals for depression, psychosis or mental illnesses (Dangerous in combination with Ayahuasca) Antihistamines and sleeping pills are also prohibited. If you must use Ibuprofen for pain or inflammation, that is ok.

Very strict Ayahuasca Dieta:

ONLY eat and consume,

• Yucca aka ‘Cassava’ (organic is possible)
• Unripe green bananas (organic is possible)
• Boiled Plantains (NO oil, organic is possible)
• Fish (white, heavy metal free is possible)
• Rice (brown or less processed)
• Mineral water (non mineral water has no nutrients)

Less Strict Ayahuasca Dieta:

The light version is more or less similar to ‘Alkaline Dieta’. Here are the things you can eat also according to Gaia Sagrada who I used to help me prepare for my ceremonies. As usual go for organic and fresh ingredients.

• Olive oil
• Coconut oil
• Honey
• Stevia
• Salt & Pepper
• A little dairy but not a lot of dairy: yogurt, small amount of milk
• Rice, quinoa, amaranth
• Fish
• Fruits (no overripe)
• Vegetables (no overripe)
• Nuts
• Eggs

Mental Dieta:

Ayahuasca Dieta, properly executed, also seeks to remove and replace ‘psychological influences’ on you in preparation for drinking Ayahuasca. This means, as much as is possible, removing or reducing things ‘negaative influences’ like pop music, social media, television, streaming, spending time gossiping etc etc.

Instead replace these things with ‘positive influences’ like meditation, mantra, listening to classical music, admiring beautiful art or a scenic view, spending time in and around nature like swimming in the ocean or walking in the forest, reducing screen time in general, spending quality time with loved ones.

The reduction of negative influences and the promotion of positive ones generally speaking is the aim here. i haven’t provided a full list of these things but I will endeavor to in future.

Legality of Ayahuasca:

Ayahuasca’s legal status varies significantly across countries, often depending on whether its use is recognized in religious, traditional, or ceremonial contexts. Here are some countries where ayahuasca is legally recognized for consumption:

• Peru: Ayahuasca is fully legal and considered part of the national cultural heritage, particularly for traditional use among indigenous communities.
• Brazil: The use of ayahuasca in religious contexts has been legal since the 1980s. Churches like Santo Daime and União do Vegetal (UDV) are permitted to use it as a sacrament.
• Bolivia: Ayahuasca is recognized as part of indigenous culture, and its ingredients can be freely purchased in markets.
• Ecuador: Similar to Peru, ayahuasca is considered part of traditional indigenous practices and is legal for use in this context.
• Colombia: There are no specific laws prohibiting ayahuasca, allowing for ceremonies and retreats to operate, though the legal status can be somewhat ambiguous.
• Costa Rica: Ayahuasca is not specifically regulated, creating a legal grey area where retreats and ceremonies have proliferated.
• Netherlands: While not explicitly legal, there have been no significant prohibitions against possession and use of ayahuasca, making it a place where ayahuasca experiences are available.
• Spain: Ayahuasca exists in a legal vacuum; it’s not explicitly prohibited or authorized, and while there have been arrests, ceremonies continue.
• Portugal: Has decriminalized all drugs for personal use, which indirectly applies to ayahuasca, although it’s not specifically mentioned in law.
• Uruguay: There’s ambiguity, but personal use is not criminalized, and ayahuasca ceremonies occur informally without much interference from authorities.

In many of these countries, the legality is nuanced, often tied to the context of its use (traditional, religious, or ceremonial) rather than outright legalization for general consumption. Regulations in other countries might allow for religious exemptions, like in the United States and Canada for certain groups, but these are not blanket permissions for all citizens.

It’s crucial for anyone considering ayahuasca consumption to understand the specific legal landscape of the country they are in, as laws can change, and interpretations can vary.

Pharmacology:

Pharmacokinetics:

• Absorption: After ingestion, the components of ayahuasca are absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract.
  • DMT: Needs the MAO inhibitors to remain active; otherwise, it would be metabolized before exerting effects.
  • β-Carbolines: Are absorbed more steadily, with harmine and harmaline having a slower onset compared to DMT.
• Distribution: Both DMT and β-carbolines distribute to the brain, where they interact with neurotransmitter systems.
• Metabolism:
  • DMT: Once MAO is inhibited, DMT is metabolized by other enzymes or excreted unchanged.
  • β-Carbolines: Metabolized primarily by the liver into various compounds.
• Excretion: Metabolites and residual compounds are excreted via urine.

Physiological and Psychological Effects:

• Neurotransmitter Changes: Increased levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine due to MAO inhibition.
• Psychological: Intense visionary experiences, altered perception of time and space, profound introspection, emotional catharsis, and sometimes ego dissolution.
• Physiological: Increased heart rate, blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes diarrhea (part of “la purga”).

History of Ayahuasca:

The history of ayahuasca is deeply interwoven with the cultural, spiritual, and medicinal practices of indigenous peoples in the Amazon basin. Here’s an overview of this history, with particular attention to contributions from Jeremy Narby:

Pre-Columbian Use:

• Ancient Roots: Evidence from archaeological finds, like the analysis of hair from mummified remains in southern Peru, suggests that psychoactive plants used in ayahuasca have been consumed for at least 1,000 years, with some sources indicating use might stretch back much further. Posts on X also highlight the ancient use of related plants like San Pedro cactus, which shares some cultural significance with ayahuasca.
• Indigenous Cultures: Numerous indigenous groups, including the Asháninka, Shipibo, and Tukano, have used ayahuasca for centuries. It was integral in shamanic practices for healing, divination, and connecting with the spirit world.

Colonial and Post-Colonial Period:

• Cultural Suppression: The arrival of European colonizers brought attempts to suppress indigenous practices, including the use of ayahuasca. However, these traditions persisted in secrecy or through syncretism with Catholicism.
• Integration and Spread: Over time, especially in the 20th century, ayahuasca use expanded beyond indigenous communities. Religious movements like Santo Daime and União do Vegetal (UDV) emerged in Brazil, blending Christian elements with indigenous plant medicine practices.

Modern Era:

• Global Interest: From the mid-20th century, interest in ayahuasca grew in the West, largely driven by anthropologists, explorers, and later, tourists seeking spiritual experiences or healing.
• Scientific Research: The psychedelic renaissance brought scientific scrutiny to ayahuasca, exploring its pharmacology, therapeutic potential, and cultural significance.

Jeremy Narby’s Contributions:

• Fieldwork and Personal Experience: Jeremy Narby, an anthropologist, conducted extensive fieldwork with the Asháninka in Peru, documented in his book “The Cosmic Serpent: DNA and the Origins of Knowledge” (1995). His personal use of ayahuasca under the guidance of local shamans provided him with insights into the plant’s effects and the knowledge systems of these indigenous communities. Narby describes his experiences as involving visions of serpents, which he later linked to the molecular structure of DNA, proposing a controversial theory that shamans could access information at a molecular level through ayahuasca.
• Books and Hypotheses: Narby’s work has been pivotal in bringing academic attention to ayahuasca:
  • “The Cosmic Serpent” explores the connection between shamanic knowledge and modern science, particularly molecular biology. Here, Narby suggests that the ancient, symbolic representations of serpents in shamanic traditions could be linked to the double helix structure of DNA.
  • “Intelligence in Nature: An Inquiry into Knowledge” (2005) further investigates how different species communicate, including at the molecular level, influenced by his ayahuasca experiences.
  • “Plant Teachers: Ayahuasca, Tobacco, and the Pursuit of Knowledge” (2021), co-authored with Rafael Chanchari Pizuri, delves into the role of these plants in indigenous cultures, juxtaposing traditional and scientific knowledge systems.
• Cultural and Scientific Dialogue: Narby has been instrumental in fostering dialogue between indigenous knowledge and Western science. His work challenges the Western scientific paradigm by suggesting that there might be value in the knowledge of indigenous peoples, particularly regarding plant medicines like ayahuasca.

Current Status:

• Legal and Cultural Recognition: Ayahuasca has gained legal recognition in some countries for religious use, notably in Brazil, and has become a subject of cultural tourism in places like Peru and Ecuador.
• Ongoing Research: There’s continuous research into ayahuasca’s therapeutic potential, its impact on consciousness, and ethical considerations surrounding its use outside indigenous contexts.

Jeremy Narby’s contributions have significantly shaped the narrative around ayahuasca, promoting a more nuanced understanding of its historical use, cultural importance, and the potential intersections between indigenous wisdom and modern science. However, his work also invites scrutiny and debate over the interpretations and implications of his hypotheses.

What can I expect in an Ayahuasca Ceremony?

If youd prefer to read this description of an Ayahuasca Ceremony on X here is a thread on it.

• An Ayahuasca Ceremony (in Amazonian Shipibo style) starts usually in the evening and takes place in a ‘communal house’ called a Maloca where everyone can sit in a large circle and do a ceremony of lets say 4-6 hours depending on how many people there are.
• The ceremony starts prior to you arriving. The Shaman(a) arrived an hour or so earlier and prepared by cleaning the energies of the Maloca and doing whatever Shaman do to prepare.
• Once you arrive the shaman will call you up, in a clock wise direction (if I remember correctly) to drink a small cup (maybe 200 mls) of a very bitter, dark green Tea that is known as Ayahuasca.
• The Ayahuasca was ideally brewed (various leaves and water is boiled for around 8 hours – Ill explain in another thread in detail) a few days before hand and is fresh.
• Once you drink the Shaman may perform some other rituals on you and give you a Mapacho (wild tobacco) Cigarette which as I understand has spiritual and medicinal properties. You don’t have to smoke it.
• You then take your place back in your position on the floor of the Maloca and the next person does the same til everyone has drunk some Ayahuasca.
• At this point it can take time for the Ayahuasca to hit and also the effect of the Ayahuasca is influenced greatly by the Shaman’s “Icaros” (songs) which may not have started yet.
• As such you may have to wait some minutes (20-40 wouldn’t be uncommon) for the healing, introspective, hallucinatory, divine experiences to happen. They also may not – they aren’t necessary to heal in Ayahuasca but are common.
• Dosage: If you are having a hard time feeling the effects of the Ayahuasca after 20-40 minutes then it’s OK to ask for another cup. Sometimes, if we are first timers it may take a larger dose to get us into the meat of the experience. This was the case for me.
• Hallucinations: At a certain point you start to feel the effects of the Ayahuasca and the Shaman is probably by now singing Icaros (songs they have developed in the course of practicing as a Shaman) to build the power of the ceremony and La Madre – the spirit of Ayahuasca and the one dishing out the healing predominantly. The Shaman is a go between or middle man facilitating you to have a connection with La Madre and receive healing. In my experience the presence of La Madre can be felt in ceremony. Its a sort of feeling in your nervous system. It’s similar to waking up in the morning and slowly having your senses atune to the sounds and sights of the waking world. You notice a subtle presence somewhere below you – very subtle, your hearing sharpens, you start to become aware of a more subtle realm around you as the DMT in the Ayahuasca lowers the filtration process of what Neuroscientists say is your Default Mode Network which normally filters out the immaterial subtle presence of deity and immaterial beings.
• Intentions: It’s at this point or any time now (even if you did not feel a presence) that you can start to mentally and more importanly emotionally focus on your intention for this ceremony as a way to guide La Madre to a topic or area of your life you’d like to work on like… 1. Curing alcoholism 2. Experiencing love 3. Receive emotional or physical healing 4. Heal trauma 5. or when we don’t know what to ask for simply asking “Show me what I need to know”. We’ll come back to this later. (I’m going to take some time to talk in depth about ‘Intentions’) It’s hard to overstate how important forming an intention is to getting what you want/need out of an Ayahuasca experience. Ayahuasca is not meant to be some idle tourism type experience where one comes to ‘check it out’. This is something that should be worked on weeks before a ceremony to really get at the heart of your issue (although there are some shortcuts I’ll give you if this isn’t your case). The commitment will be appreciated by La Madre and she is more inclined to help you effectively. For eg, in my first ceremony I made many mistakes even though I thought I had prepared well at the time… I asked for help with too many intentions (just do one per ceremony) and also I didn’t know how to form/articulate an intention that actually got to the heart of what I was trying to achieve… In hindsight I actually needed to focus on healing emotionally from anxiety, depression and trauma but instead I asked ‘how do I focus my attention more on specific tasks I tried to do’ like I was some sort of Silicon Valley coder looking for a competitive edge lol. I got an answer as La Madre can do this also but this is under utilizing Ayahuasca imo if you also have trauma to deal with. Instead an intention is ideally worked on prior with a therapist, in a group like mine (see my Neural Programing community on X above – no charge just come chat) or contemplated in meditation weeks or months before the ceremony. In saying that in this thread I will give you some surefire easy shortcuts to developing these… hint: the focus is on emotions not words and articulation based on your understanding of your needs. Here is the kicker which was not explained to me in my preparations for Ayahuasca. This is my own gnosis from experience with Divine Beings… La Madre doesn’t have a mind and body with linguistic capabilities to the extent that we do. She doesn’t use words so much and because we are somtimes incapable of understanding our own predicament precisely enough to know what to ask for instead you can just focus on the “emotions that you have” and the “emotions that you’d like to cultivate”… I’ll tell you a secret. La Madre doesn’t communicate with words – she understand emotions predominantly. That’s why Ayahuasca experiences are often dream like. This is the world she lives in and it translates poorly to the average western modern person who is disconnected from their emotions and instead wants to use verbal language, logic and reason to talk to an immaterial deity. OK so if you don’t know what to ask for in an intention here is my suggestion: 1. The Shortcut: You could ask to be shown what you need to know and let Ayahuasca take the lead in ceremony. She’ll certainly be able to work with this and I suggest this should be the intention for your first Ayahuasca Ceremony (or first few). 2. If you are at a point where you want/need to craft your own then I suggest you ask yourself what feeling or emotion are you currently having which you want to alter and then also what feeling or emotion you want to cultivate. for eg, “I’m lonely and I want to feel loved and cared for” or “I’m angry all the time and I want to feel happy” etc etc you get the picture. As you are saying these things in your head at this point in ceremony I want you to actually put yourself into the initial feeling and transition to the new one. For eg, Feel the anger and then feel it transition (alchemy!) to happiness or feel the loneliness and feel it transition (alchemy!) to love. Use whatever experiences of these emotions you have had from your life to feel the appropriate emotions at the appropriate time and then ask La Madre to help you make the transition.
• OK back to the process of describing a ceremoney – by now in the ceremony La Madre has heard your intention and will go about healing. This can come in the form of hallucinations, feelings, emotions, memories. It can be difficult emotionally and mentally and you may not want to feel those things but its all part of the journey. Try to let go as much as you are able. Whatever your feeling just say ‘I accept this’ and let the experience go where it needs to. The secret of receiving healing is to let the experience take you where it will – there is neurology beneath this I will try to explain in a diff thread.
• Purging is an important part of the ceremony as it is literal cleansing physically and emotionally. La Madre is healing you by purging the things from you with which you needed to purge.
• By the time this is all over a few hours or 4-6 could have passed and the Shaman will eventually bring the ceremony to an end which usually ends the hallucinations and such.
• After ceremony I sometimes eat something light like fruit and have a tea, smoke a Mapacho cigarette, make sure everyone else is good and then hit that hay and sleep.
• Don’t look to do much after a ceremony or the next day(s) even. Just relax, keep The Dieta and do light activities like reading, Yin Yoga, walking etc. Avoid stressful scenarios.