Ayahuasca: The Tea, The Vine, The Purge

 

 

 

Ayahuasca ('eye-ah-WAH-ska') is the “old=new thing” that people are experimenting with, in hopes for healing, for wisdom, for guidance, etc.  I have never taken ayahuasca, but I know, personally, three people who have.  Each of the three spoke of the visions, the opening of the mind, the opening of heart and the affect of the drug on their soul, in some way.  The medicines of the Amazon are extremely important to medicines we take now.  Taking ayahuasca is a returning to roots, of sorts. 

Ayahuasca is a drink made from brewed leaves of a certain Amazonian plant and the tea is made of the vine, the leaves and sometimes other things.  It causes hallucinations that are psychedelic and that alter body, mind, heart and soul.  It was used by Amazonian Shamans for spiritual and religious connections to the spirit world in order to heal and lead and guide their people.  It was usually a night ceremony and the participants will drink the liquid several times during the night. 

When the plant is prepared, by mashing and boiling, the water is drained, it is brewed again and again until there is nothing but concentrate and then it is cooled and strained.  The shaman, then, offers it to seekers and supervises them when they take it.  It’s affects, once taken, last for many hours and the Shaman is there to comfort and to help the journeyers through the experience.  I know I could not ever take ayahuasca because I have a fear of not being in control of myself.  For these reasons I dop not do drugs or alcohol.  I am not sorry for this fear.  I had every reason to do any and all of it.  I simply chose not to because of my need to control myself.  Two – six hours of loss of control is something I feel I could not handle and I fear the hallucinations.  I have had that happen when I was reacting to medication once and I will never forget the images and they are as real today as they were then… and horrible.  As well, vomiting and diarrhea are part of the cleanings of the experience so I am pretty sure I could not handle it all.  I have enough fear in my life, too. 

Most participants say that they have had mind-blowing visions and experiences while under the influence of ayahuasca and some of the changes made are permanent psychological and thought experiences.    

People who go in search of this experience typically are going for some kind of healing.  I took lessons from a Cherokee Medicine Man for six weeks, in New Hampshire.  He went to heal his body from a 14 story fall off steel girders in New York city.  He was already a miracle but needed further healing.  He walked without even a limp after two sessions in two years.  His body healed.  He had deep intuition.  His teachings were about using traditional methods with modern therapies for healing others.  I was amazed at his depth of knowledge and my students definitely gained through his teachings to me.  He went to the healer, John of God, who is renowned for his healing capabilities and his use of ayahuasca.   

Another, younger family friend, went down to heal his body from a motorcycle accident.  His poor body was so wounded and I saw him suffer all the way through his healing.  He needed more and, somewhere, he heard of ayahuasca, and flew down to experience it in hopes it would heal.  When he spoke of it all, he told me it was indescribable but his whole being lit up as he tried.  His body healed more quickly after the session. 

I have another young family friend who has gone to sessions, here, in the Okanagan.  Listening to her tell of her experiences was, also, mind-blowing.  I will ask her if she could relate a sort of summary of what affects it had.  I know she can not tell it all, but perhaps she could help us know more about this new resurgence of use of ayahuasca. 

I am not suggesting any of us should use a session of ayahuasca therapy.  I have a real interest in it, although I do not have the willpower to try it.  I am hearing more and more people going to sessions and there is some buzz around its use.  I have to say that I have experienced similar experiences in healing lodges and am more comfortable in that setting where there is someone I trust, explicitly, that is running the sweat lodge.    I am not sure I could bring myself to trust a stranger to conduct, guide, comfort me if I ever tried it.  As well, I have taken traditional medicine and had healing from such, but I trust the Medicine Men and Women to make the medicine the way it should be.  One of my most trusted Medicine people told me that it was not the medicine, (that he could give me a piece of straw and have it work) because the belief in the medicine makes it work. 

As the global people turn, again, to traditional medicines, ayahuasca being one, we find places and means to access old medicines, natural medicines, that are now being used and modified in pharmaceutical medicines, in its purest form.   I find it alluring, truly, and am grateful for the knowledge that has been assed down to me and for those who share their experiences with traditional medicines.  I hope you find this interesting and will seek your own information of such things, such as essential oils we might use; the use of crystals, which I am a proponent of; and old means and ways of healings.   

©Carol Desjarlais 25.8.22

The double-page spread I did, accentuates the positive of a traditional experience I had   The challenged theme was Rain, Cool Colors, Insert, Texture, Stamp.  I figured out how to add a piece of craft foam as the insert.