Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic and medical brew that is made of vines from the Malpighiaceae family, Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis, Mimosa hostilis or Diploptery Cabrera. Elixir is prepared mainly from the vine and depending on the region, it is being brewed with up to a hundred of other components. Although the drink varies from region to region, the main addition is always a vine of Banisteriopsis Caapi.



It is known that the Indians living by the river of Marañon often add coca leaves to the brew and in the valleys of the Andes they add psychoactive cactus called Wachuma (San Pedro). This brew has probably been used for thousands of years by the indigenous people of the Amazon. The ritual consumption of ayahuasca is deeply rooted in the history of Indian lineage. It is believed that initially a vine was chewed, only later the brew started to be made.

The name ayahuasca is a combination of syllables that arise from the language of Kechua Indian population. "Aya" (death) "Huasca" (vine). Translated, the name means "vine of death."

In some tribal groups Ayahuasca is also known as "yage". The shaman, who pours and drinks it is called "Yage unkuki" (man drinking ayahuasca). In other tribes, the names are different, so the shamans dealing with this ritual in Indian Cashinahua, is called Moca-ya (a man who has ayahuasca) and with Shipibo Indian "Nishi sheamis" (ayahuasca drinking). In the local, Spanish dialect of South America, there is a word "ayahuasquero" (ayahuasca shaman).


In the Peruvian town of Pucallpa, there is a group of ayahuasqueros that offer Ayahuasca therapies changing worldview of people. Those Ayahuasqueros see the plant as teachers (Plantas maestras)

The vine looks like a thick cord, for indigenous peoples is the umbilical cord of the jungle. The vine resembles a DNA strand for people from western civilization.


In the west, the popularity of ayahuasca as a potent psychedelic and consciousness changing remedy, gained thanks to a world-famous singer - Sting. He describes his experience with ayahuasca, as a turning point in his life.

The drink works on the level of mental and physical, and is used to achieve a higher level of consciousness. A level where you can see your life from a much different perspective.

Ceremony

Ayahuasca ceremony takes place in a solemn environment, usually in a wider circle. The way the ceremony is held can be seen in Shipibo rituals:

Members of the tribe gather in a circle on a clearing or in Maloka (rituals hut), rarely at home. A place where you consume the ayahuasca should be "clean" and free of negative energy. Shaman, "sheamis Nishi", gives each participant an individual dose. He also drinks a small amount, which is previously cleaned with tobacco smoke and ordain a prayer. After dosing, the shaman goes to each participant and blows a strong tobacco smoke (mapacho) on their head. As a result, the separation between the spiritual and the physical dissolves, and the participants are cleansed of their negative energy.


Depending on the additives in the brew, there is vomiting and diarrhea shortly after drinking. That is part of the purification (catharsis), which is initiated by ayahuasca. This process is often accompanied by visions of an older woman, a young girl or a boa constrictor.

This is when connecting with the essence of the spiritual (spirit) plants occur, and shamans call it "mother." It begins with spiritual healing of individual problems of participants.

The visions that follow, teach the person who drank the brew to recognize their own way of life, to know the cause of the problems, and detect existing disease. During this process, the shaman sings traditional songs that lead the participants in this psychedelic trip.




Song categories while Shipibo-Conibo ceremony
Icaro – a song to recognise an issue
Huehna – a therapy and vision song
Masha – songs that help to support a journey
Manchari – a songs that help to come back a “lost soul”
Muchay – songs that are sand during a moon eclipse

Tracks are divided into 3 parts, which have a stimulating effect on 3 different stages of ayahuasca ceremony.

1. stage - the journey into the world of visions

These songs are used to unlock the gate between the spirit world and the physical world and help in entering the world of vision.

2. stage - catharsis

These songs contain high tones, which are composed to force vomiting and sometimes diarrhea to bring catharsis (purification). This song is important because it cleanses both body and mind.

3. stage - back to the physical world

These songs accompany participants in returning to physical world. Sometimes special scents and other type of songs are used in case if there are difficulties for participant to “return”

Next morning a sharing circle normally takes place when the experiences of previous night are discussed between the participants and shaman.

Due to the growing popularity of ayahuasca in the West, more and more people from our civilisation take part in the ceremonies. During the ceremony we integrate with the "tribe", so it is important to be properly prepared for it and approach the spirit of the plants with the right respect.

Spiritual effect

The effect of ayahuasca can be noticed after 15-60 minutes of drinking and would last from 2 to 6 hours. In this time the connection with plant spirit is being made. As it was mentioned before, the shaman also drinks the brew. He also connects with Ayahuasca spirit to be able to assist in visions of the participants. It is important as this way he could be able to interpret the visions of the participants who may have problems with recognising what they saw.


It is difficult to describe entering the realm of spirits and contact with spirit plant to somebody who nevertried it. Each person would experience it’s own visions and these would be shaped to meet the individual’s problem or current challanges of life.


The ayahuasca visions serv us as teachers which reflect back on us our own stubbornness, which can be really onerous for the unprepared mind. Visions also help us to understand that we are responsible for ourselves and what burdens us in our everyday life. It also helps to understand illnesses that we suffer from. This self responsibility can be equally stressful as liberating, depending on person and kind of lessons the person has for this lifetime.



In visions, you can experience your own divinity, you can experience the joining of heaven, but it also can be hell. You can even experience your own death. Shamans sometimes call ayahuasca ceremonies "death to the test." This confrontation can certainly cause anxiety, but it also must be identified in order for the existence to be understood in all of it’s complexity. It also happens sometimes that the participant does not experience any visions because ayahuasca decided that it is not a right time

During ceremony Ayahuasca is the only healer and shaman is primarily a companion on the road "to yourself". He leaves us to recognize the things that are important to our spiritual growth and if there are difficulties with interpretation of visions, he would help with that a next day. In the world of Shipibo there are countless good and evil spirits that give the shaman's appropriate solutions and guiding tips.



In ideal case, an unblocking of energy occurs during a ceremony, then Ayahuasca brings one’s soul to "heaven", a place where soul experiences the connection of all with everything. This state is absolute happiness. There is no good or bad, there is no "punishment". Everything is fine as is. It is a realisation that you are loved, no matter what you did. We recognize ourselves as part of the great love and great wholeness.

This knowledge and understanding can awaken the power to self healing. Any potential disease can be alleviated or even cured, because we suddenly realise that we do not need to be sick. There may also be other capabilities, such as lucid dreaming, or aura seeing. Some people after ayahuasca ceremony, abandon their professions and begin a completely new life. Almost everyone who took part in the ceremony of ayahuasca, describes this experience as unique and giving impulse to change something in their life - for better.

In conclusion it can be said that Ayahuasca is quick, but at the same time not easiest way to initiate a deep transformation in one's life.

Chemical composition

Banisteropsis Caapi vine contains harmine and harmaline - a MAO inhibitor, which in addition contains Tetra Armin (Tetrahydroarmin), that has a telepathic effect, as it was discovered by scientists in the research undertaken.





The leaves of a Psychotria viridis bush contain dimethyltryptamine, DMT (dimethyltryptamine), which leads to the visual experience. MAO present in the component opens the blood-brain barrier and passes DMT so that this process expands the mind-altering effects. It's worth mentioning that DMT is a natural chemical and we humans produce DMT at the moment of our birth, when we sleep or at moment of our death.

Ayahuasca diet

• Discontinue antidepressant medication and the type of MAO (consult your doctor if those can be discontinued).
• Do not take an SSRI preparations
• Do not take pethidine
• Do not take drugs for cough, nasal sprays, medicines for hay fever, weight loss tablets, etc.
• Do not take amphetamine (speed), MDMA (ecstasy), MDE, MDA and MD cocaine etc.

• Give up: alcohol, caffeine, cocoa, sugar, salt, spices, mature cheese, yeast, legumes and fermented foods (eg. Pickled cabbage)
• Practice a vegetarian or vegan diet - only good ecological quality food

It is very important to follow consciously this path of recognition. Ayahuasca is not a drug, it gives an opportunity to look at the aspects of our lives from an entirely new perspective in order to understand it. As already described, it is not for entertainment. Therefore, ayahuasca ceremony should be accompanied by experienced people who have experience with shamanism. Also, it is important with what kind of people the ceremony is carried out with. Experienced host is able to recognize when the group does not harmonize, and if necessary can split the group so everyone would have a chance for intimate, personal journey. Any interference must be kept to a minimum.