Ayahuasca ingredients and brew. Shamanic entheogen psychoactive plant material.
We were born too late to navigate uncharted waters and too early to fly the vast space.
But, the greatest journey is the one that lies inwards. Ayahuasca is our vessel for exploring planes of consciousness.
Amazon Indians have used the plant in their traditional rituals and rites of passage for centuries. In recent years, the interest has surged among Westerns.
Many avid psychonauts use it as launching pad for reaching altered states of mind. Even some celebrities endorsed the Ayahuasca experience as a tool for inner growth.
It’s come out of the fringes and broken into a mainstream all right.
But, this powerful medicine is not everyone’s cup of tea. It demands personal investment and the right approach (mindset) on your part. You need to know what you’re getting yourself into.
So, let’s take a deep breath and dive in.
A Match Made in Psychedelic Heaven
Ayahuasca is a plan concoction that contains MAOIs and DMT.
The latter is a strong psychedelic that naturally exists in our bodies (brain). In combination with MAOI inhibitors, it produces a long-lasting, potent psychedelic experience.
Ayahuasca is most often ingested in the form of tea. This is a foul-tasting, thick, and bitter brew. One has to possess ample knowledge on how to prepare and administer it.
Micro-dosing on your own is possible. Alas, making a mistake can bring you sickness without any hallucinogenic effects. Higher dosages increase the likelihood of undergoing a cathartic experience.
Make no mistake, Ayahuasca can change everything—your perception, sensation, emotions, and conscious.
It’s a journey inwards, through the deep and mysterious corridors of our mind. Namely, the plant sheds light on the elusive contents of the subconscious. There, you might find things you hid from yourself, such as repressed traumatic memories.
That’s why some people describe it as a spiritual mirror that always tells the truth, however unsettling it might be.
Peaks and Valleys of Transcendental Landscape
This is to say there’re some rough patches on the path to transcendental healing.
Ingesting Ayahuasca doesn’t set you up for a gradual and linear ascend. Its effects come and go in waves. Each new wave tends to be more intense and mindboggling.
The plant also causes severe nausea, tingling sensations, and dream-like visions. Your body temperature can oscillate. Sweating in one second and shivering in the next is nothing unusual.
Furthermore, throwing up is an integral part of the process. It has a therapeutic and purgative effect, which is the whole purpose of the ceremony for many indigenous tribes. You flush out the toxins together with negative energy.
Due to its potency, consuming the brew in a responsible manner is paramount. Being in good physical shape helps a lot. And in general, you’re better off going through a guided trip with trained shamans.
They can explain everything in detail, including pre-ceremony steps. For instance, one rule is to avoid combining Ayahuasca with certain types of foods and other psychoactive substances. Sometimes, participants feast for at least twelve hours before having a trip.
So, consider going to an Ayahuasca retreat and pick your shaman well. South America attracts most people and there is no shortage of seasoned and legitimate shamans there. But, places for ceremonies are sprouting up in the US and Europe too.
Doors of Perception
Once you drink the brew, there’s no going back.
You’re about to feel something you never quite felt before.
The first thing you notice is a flurry of visual hallucinations. Over the course of one or two hours, your perception is gradually transitioning to another level. A vivid alien landscape comes alive before your eyes.
Colors become more dazzling and shapes get more complex. Intricate geometrical patterns emerge all around you. Spatial recognition seizes to work in a way you’re familiar with.
Fractal shapes and colors eventually morph into resounding, complete visions. Many people report having wandered enthralling worlds. There, they encounter mighty entities such as spirits of animals and demons.
You’re not in control of what unfolds, but a witness of the fascinating cosmic spectacle.
In a way, you have to surrender yourself and embrace the outcome. If you do that, you may come in contact with the metaphysical underpinnings of our reality. Some describe this as taking a peek inside the well of creativity.
Stairway to Divinity
Every experience is unique and can hardly be put into words.
There’s no telling what exactly will you see in the hyperdimensional realm. So, don’t build up too many expectations beforehand. Assume that the plant knows much more about you than you know yourself.
Approach it with respect and an open mind.
At the same time, feel free to set your own intent and goals. In other words, it helps to know what you’re looking for.
The intent is your mental anchor, which can keep you away from dark places. It wards off side effects of over-stimulation and irritation.
One of the most common divine gifts people seek is ego death. This is the feeling of your sense of self fading away and vanishing.
Once you experience it, the boundaries between yourself and the vast universe collapse. Everything is interconnected and steeped in meaningfulness. You plug yourself into something immensely bigger than yourself.
In the process, you have a chance to heal internal wounds and reconnect with your true self. These benefits are similar to those of meditation; they just kick in much, much faster.
There’s not anything wrong with taking a shortcut from time to time.
Ayahuasca Experience at Its Purest
Ayahuasca has been an integral part of religious and spiritual practices for centuries.
Nowadays, its popularity spans the globe and captures the imagination of modern generations. It’s recognized as a vehicle for navigating the divine cosmos inside our heads.
Indeed, it can help you make peace with yourself, as well as people and the world around you. This is a way to achieve incredible spiritual growth and rejuvenation. But, don’t want to embark on an adventure unprepared and misguided.
Both the brew and the Ayahuasca experience can be hard to digest.
It’s important not to impose your expectations on the medicine. Instead, arm yourself with knowledge and the right mindset. Consume under competent supervision. It would be a good idea to check out our fitness section and get in shape first.
That’s the way to unveil the eternal secrets of the human mind and stay on the safe side too.