Ayahuasca

[Marsila]

Sorry if this was posted before but i did not see it.
To say this is just about Ecuadorian shamans does not do it justice. It sheds more light about the 'war on drugs', just how deep the damage the oil companies operating in the Amazon are causing, and how we really lost touch with nature. But mostly about the Ayahuasca plant which helps the pineal release DMT...a substance that in our times now, it only releases at birth and death of a person.

Just under an hour but well worth the watch, and such a simple statement near the end from a frustrated young indigenous man, with all the truth.

"materialism is finishing our world"

http://youtu.be/_4RkOsLxoT4

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=_4RkOsLxoT4

[WhiteFeather]

Wanishi....,Watching it Now. Mckenna was a trip to say the least. Would be great if you could purchase Auyasca in a health food store.

[Marsila]

Posted by WhiteFeather (here)
Wanishi....,Watching it Now. Mckenna was a trip to say the least. Would be great if you could purchase Auyasca in a health food store.

LOL well that will be the day, when tools to be 'free' are more available.. Interesting though how all these types of plants were not only banned...but even research on them was banned.

Better than them being available in health stores, wouldn't it be greater if the knowledge of these natives, could be found everywhere...instead of the petrol companies being found everywhere.

It's amazing though how he accurately knew what kind of sickness the guy has, and what gender his baby is going to be, without even asking the woman to drink that stuff, and without any 'technology'.

[Karunai]

Thank you for sharing this video. I remember I've read a while ago an Ayahuasca Manifesto, your vid reminded me of it. It was originally written in Spanish, now I've found they've translated it to English and Portuguese as well. Here it is in case someone would like to read it http://ayahuasqueros.com/awp/manifesto/ (hover the mouse over the Manifesto Tab)

Here's a nice quote from that site by the way:

"Enlightenment is not a goal to achieve or an idea to grasp. It is the timeless presence that you already are..."

[Camilo]

http://youtu.be/nWPUNUYTyKM


Filmed and Directed by Gavin Searle

ForbiddenKnowledgeTV
Alexandra Bruce
October 10, 2012

When I was in High School in Brazil, one of my aunts was a member of the religious group called Uniao do Vegetal. My grandmother described what their meetings were like. There were children everywhere and everyone there helped to chop and boil the tough jungle vines and roots to make ayahuasca tea.

The members of this group were largely conservative, including members of the military. They would gather together with their families and other church members on a regular basis to mash up and boil down the tough jungle vines and roots to make ayahuasca tea.

They imbibe the tea in order to experience increased concentration and spiritual communion. It is a group experience that is had within the bosom of their tight-knit families and communities.

This is an unusual scenario, in which modern, Western people adhere to a Native American approach to this sacrament. Members of Uniao do Vegetal do not imbibe the tea for purposes of intoxication but instead to achieve spiritual clarity and mental focus.

===

Uploaded by IAMHOSSERHEMP420
July 14, 2011

Lost in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, there is a vine that is said to talk to humans, giving an understanding to the secrets of life. The custodians of this plant are the medicine men, or shamans. The divine does not give up its secrets easily.

It appears the botany of the plant is only half the story. To know it fully, you must experience its effects. Ever since he discovered the talking plants, studying human sciences at University, he has experienced with the hallucinogenic flora. British plants are one thing, but in the Amazon they use Banisteriopsis caapi, or Ayahuasca, for their therapy and it's a strong medicine. The bitter Ayahuasca brew first makes its drinker violently sick, but it's in the fierce and often terrifying hallucinations that follow that the healing is said to lie. But Ayahuasca doesn't work on its own, rather it acts as a key to unlock the psychotropic qualities of another plant, and it's this plant that Piers is after. (Excerpt from film)

Please visit the official website for more information:
http://www.keofilms.com

[Fred Ryan]

I've wanted to travel to South America to try Ayahusca for quite some time. There are numerious resorts in Columbia, Peru, Ecuador and Brazil that provide Ayahuasca rituals; however, it appears that not all are equal. Recently, here in the San Francisco area, an 18-year old boy traveled to Peru to drink Ayahuasca then never returned home. The family spent quite a bit of time and money trying to find out what happened and it turns out that he had died during a ritual and the resort owners tried to cover up the death by burying his body in the jungle. The owner then told both authorities and family that he had left the resort and he didn't know what happened to him (full story linked below).

I still plan on drinking Ayahuasca some day; however, I'm going to do my research carefully.

http://sebastopol.towns.pressdemocra...open-his-mind/

[Dawn]

I posted a thread earlier this year about my exorcism in Peru using ayahuasca here: https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...ealing-in-Peru

I agree with you that the purpose of this is spiritual clarity. In Peru they are very definite in calling it a medicine.. NOT a drug! This is important information for those seeking clarity or seeking to be free of trapped mental and emotional patterns. I also am of the opinion that this should be taken when in the jungle where the plants grow naturally. This is an important point because when you take these plants into your body, the actual living plants in the jungle seem to combine their consciousness with yours. I know of many people in the United States who illegally have taken this, however I do not believe their link to the plants can possibly be as strong and clear as it would be if they were in the jungle.

Fred C: I still plan on drinking Ayahuasca some day; however, I'm going to do my research carefully.

I agree, Fred... I did a lot of research. I was very happy with my experience since the retreat center I chose in Peru is run by Scott, a University of Berkely trained psychologist. Many other wise psychologists and psychiatrists send their most deeply troubled patients to this center. Here is the link; www.refugioaltiplano.com

[mosquito]

Posted by Fred Ryan (here)
...I still plan on drinking Ayahuasca some day; however, I'm going to do my research carefully....

Peru, in particular abounds with places but unfortunately, in the last 10 years or so, as ayahuasca tourism has increased, the number of charlatans has also increased. The centre which Dawn went to I can personally vouch for, and I'd also recomend you consider visiting centres run by indigenous people, although you still aren't certain of a genuine experience.

My first experience with this powerful medicine was with the Santo Daime community in Brazil. They don't (at least they didn't) accept "tourists" or adventurers, so there is less chance of being conned or dosed with impurities. The only down-side is that they've basically incorporated ayahuasca into a christian belief system. That said, they remain the only "spiritual" community I've personally encountered which comes close to walking their talk; my all too brief time with them was beautiful.

[Orobo]

It is not so much ayahuasca in a christian belief system, but an incorporation of christian elements in ayahuasca rituals.

Ayahuasca is not a drug, it is a sacrament and medicine working on many levels. Physical and non physical. The cool thing about it is that it can work in many different settings and rituals.

Uniao do Vegetal is like sitting down on comfy chairs and listening to someone talking (roughly said of course).

Santo Daime is standing in circles (strictly organised) and dancing three different simple styles while singing hinarios ( hymnes).

The indians have Padjelanta, drinking the Uní. While walking in circles they sing about every day things and address all those that are there. Sometimes connected to treatments with frog medicine (not the hallucinogenic ( Buffo) one, but Kambó, the one that cleans out the system big time on both ends. But sure, gives faint visions of non physical helpers to some sometimes)

With the shamans you sit in the dark, while the shaman leads the people through the ceremony summoning his personal connections in the spirit realm. Often he/she has helpers from the astral plane connected to him/her.

There is probably many more ways of setting up a ceremony that I have not tried. It shows different ways of usage to different people. The plants themselves show the way. That´s how styles get born. It seems that all rituals/ceremonies deal with the astral plane and helpers (maybe not all of them, but the sacred space that is created/the shaman repels the not so kind ones mostly).

Mostly ayahuasca is a tea with the standard liana ( B.Caapi) mixed with the bush (chakruna, different types of Psychotria) cooked for hours. Many different other plants can be mixed in to tweak the function. This is mostly the shamans who do that. Most adhere to the two-plant brew.

Ayahuasca can clean out the physical system also, as many vomit while going through latent troubles from this, or other lives.

The cool thing is that it seems not to "allow" for recreational use. It stops working and people lose interest. Kinda fun I think. Buzz off, you´re a tourist...hahaha.

I have never come across episodes where people have died, since it has no toxicity as for example Ibogaine has.
Maybe it was a mix with one of the plants that have poisonous effects like Datura... who knows. Can be whatever, since the jungle holds many a thing not-so-friendly-to the-body for us northern whiteys, as I found out.

Anyways, My system got cleaned out big time and I don´t care for alcohol anymore, the wish for intoxication just disappeared. I think also on a bodily level. Typical ayahuasca. Got to love the stuff.
They were treating addicts there in the jungle where I was at the time. Cocaine, alcohol...whatever.

Just make sure you hook up with some bonafide people and you´ll be allright. Nothing to be scared of. You will be more scared of you´re own fright you infuse yourself with on a daily level, because you will be confronted with that. And that is the whole point of it. Peeling layers.

Anyways, have fun.

Love, O.

Edit;
Yeah sure, the vomiting and heavy hallucinations get often portrayed with big words, but it is just a small percentage of the people I have seen that showed any sing of freaking out.
It is about letting go, giving yourself wholly to the experience.
Yeah, like life should be.But, now there´s a teacher with you/in you who won´t let your A.R.-control system run the show.

[andrewgreen]

I wouldn't worry whether its a labelled drug or medicine as both have become media stereo types and its debatable which one is actually better anyway. Various authors have argued the psychedelic experience (of which make mistake is part of the Ayahuasca experience) is direct religious experience where we can reconnect with nature. As we moved away from the sybiotic relationships we have with nature to the current dominator societies religions have developed on the dogma of those past direct experiences.

The indigenous tribes of the Amazon have kept the sacred knowledge so that its now becoming available to everyone. Ayahuasca is not the only gateway to a higher conciousness/knowledge and healing in the plant world though. Nature has provided us with almost infinite ways to do this thats its almost inevitable would would find our way back on to this path.

[The One]

Depression, anxiety, and addiction are among the most common illnesses that plague the western world today. It seems that every second person is either taking some form of anti-depressant or self-medicating themselves with alcohol or recreational drugs. This occurrence can be viewed in all age groups; the idea of escaping problems using the common vices previously mentioned. It seems as though our overall health and well-being are no longer in the interests of the health care system, when a person of any age can walk into a doctor’s office and attain a prescription to antidepressants. It’s time to take a step back to look inside ourselves to find out where these issues are coming from. Are any of these substances or so called medications serving us, or allowing us to find peace within ourselves? For centuries ancient cultures from around the world have taken the naturopathic approach to healing their ailments, and it’s this concept of utilizing nature that western society has moved away from that might be one of our biggest downfalls. Deep within the Amazonian jungles, a traditional plant based medicine called ayahuasca has been used throughout their culture’s history to cure any known illnesses. In recent years, this form of medicine has found its way to North American culture, and is gaining widespread attention from many medical professionals.



So what is ayahuasca? Traditionally, it is a tea or brew made from the combination of the vines and leaves of certain plants from the Amazonian jungle. This tea is brewed by what is described as a “shaman”. Shamans are considered the medicinal doctors of the native cultures in South America. These people are said to have the ability to communicate with the spirit world, and during an ayahuasca ceremony the shaman uses these abilities to help the participants through their journey with the plant medicine. It is unknown how long these ancient cultures have been using this alternative form of medicine. The first recorded usage of ayahuasca in western society was made in 1851 by a famous European scientist named Richard Spruce. Archaeological evidence suggests that native plant use dates back thousands of years.

Ayahuasca is considered a sacred practice by the natives of South America, and the tea is usually ingested in a group setting using a ceremonial approach. The ceremony is led by the Shaman, and the participants usually include people from all walks of life. Academic researchers have taken interest in this sacred practice in recent years, exploring the idea of using ayahuasca to treat depression, anxiety, or even drug addiction. These scientists are finding their way to the amazon to take part in these ceremonies to expand their own awareness of foreign medicine in hopes to take what they have learned back to America. National Geographic has written articles on the plant based medicine; even David Suzuki has explored the idea in his CBC program “The Nature of Things”. It is clear that the North American science community is beginning to realize that our current approach to therapy is no longer serving the masses.



So you may be wondering what an ayahuasca experience entails? Usually a participant agrees to take part in an ayahuasca ceremony because there are either physical or emotional issues that need to be dealt with, or sometimes the intent behind participating can simply be to attain knowledge of self. These mental issues can vary from traumas such as abuse, depression in the teenage or adult years, drug and alcohol addictions, and so on and so forth. The participant is required to go on a strict diet, called a “dieta”, the week before their experience. This cleanse allows for the body to rid itself of dangerous toxins that may interfere with the effects of ayahuasca, and it also allows for the mind to be clear and ready for what the medicine will teach its user. Traditionally, the ceremony will take place within the amazon, although it is becoming common for trained shamans to travel to Canada or the United States, bringing the medicine to local communities for people who are not able to commute. The brew is usually taken after the Sun has set, and so the group of participants meet beforehand to introduce themselves to the rest of the party and to the shaman leading the ceremony. Once settled in, the ceremony commences as one by one each person drinks the amount of ayahuasca decided by the shaman that will be necessary for their healing journey. After the participant has drunk the ayahuasca, they return to their bed and begin their solitary meditation for the rest of the evening. Ayahuasca brings its user into an altered state of consciousness, which can seem frightening at first, however the shaman and other helpers are there to guide and aid people if they are going through a difficult experience. It’s through this altered state of consciousness that the ayahuasca users become aware of mental or emotional traumas that have been affecting them at a subconscious level, whether it is abuse, substance addiction or so on. It is said that when someone takes ayahuasca, the spirit of the plant manifests through the guide of the shaman, and it is this spirit who helps teach and heal the participants throughout the ceremony. The ayahuasca ceremony can bring up difficult experiences, and it is common that when someone is dealing with a difficult memory that in order to heal they will expel bad energies in the form of purging, crying, yawning, or even defecating. The more difficult experience a person goes through, the more they are healing and shedding themselves of the ghosts of their past. During the ceremony, the shaman may feel that someone needs personal attention, and can do one-on-one healing work with that person. In the tradition of the ayahuasca culture, the shamans will chant sacred hymns throughout the ceremony to guide the participants through their journey, which can last anywhere from 2-6 hours. After the effects of the plant medicine have worn off, the patient is usually exhausted and will need to sleep; it is in the following day and days to come that they will feel like a new person, having shed any unnecessary emotional and physical weight that they have been carrying. The participant carries with them a new level of awareness that has ultimately changed their life forever. It is said that the amount of healing one can gain through only a few nights of drinking ayahuasca is equivalent to the amount of healing one would receive from years of psychotherapy.

What has happened to North American culture that has made us think that we are separate from nature? What has caused us to think that synthetically created drugs or alcohol can solve our problems? These are important questions which must begin to be addressed during this time. Stats Canada states that 8 % of Canadian adults suffer from depression. The pharmaceutical industry brings in billions of dollars a year, and the alcohol industry is not far behind that number. Perhaps the indigenous cultures that recognize that we are a part of nature, and who understand that nature has the ability to restore our health and well-being, are more ahead of the game than we know. Western society is now beginning to explore the concept of alternative medicine and is starting to accept that the way in which we are dealing with illnesses are no longer serving the masses. With these new alternatives such as ayahuasca being utilized, perhaps we are on the brink of a new era of health empowerment and a new era of self-awareness like never seen before.

Link here

[virtusvelox]

Thank you for the great piece on aya, one question that haunts me is, the sense of wellness an warmth that I get from my sessions with psilopsybin in the past, is it the same form with aya?
For whatever reason, my efforts to come to aya prepared, have caused me to see that the teacher, if you will, are not the same. They aren't at odds either, it seems to me, just different tools, perhaps is a better term for me to use.

If I'm understanding the huge amount of info out there, don't brew aya alone. Is this correct?
I had no such cautions concerning psilopsybin, hahaa probably the temerity of youth. A bit of Aldous Huxley thrown in for good measure and a grand time was had by all, for months!

My friend and I will be traveling to Ashland Or and other hotspots in the universe, gathering our mental strength to ask of Gaia that which she'd have us know.
Sounds pretty damned presumptuous to me to think I have anything that Gaia may want me to know, but the sense just will not leave me alone. She gently asks, add? Add what? Now comes the presumptuous part, that her letting me understand more will add to the overall good of our biosphere. I just know better than to approach sources of knowledge with my version of ego.
Hell, the cleaning up of my eating habits was a journey in itself!

Again, thank you for the great article.

[Octavusprime]

Just a little more info on the active ingredient DMT:

DMT is the common name for the hallucinogenic drug N,N-dimethyltryptamine, otherwise known by its scientific name 3-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]indole. It is also the root chemical structure for a number of other natural and synthetic hallucinogenic tryptamines, including psilocin, psilocybin, and 5-MeO-DMT, as well as the root structure for other drugs and important chemicals, such as the anti-migraine drug sumatriptan.

DMT is found naturally in the mammalian brain and is theorized to play an important role in thought processing, dreaming and near-death experiences, as well as meditation and out-of-body experiences such as astral-projection. When smoked or ingested in combination with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI), DMT induces an intense hallucinogenic and psychedelic state.

Source: http://drugs-forum.com/forum/showwiki.php?title=DMT

[Bill Ryan]

Posted by virtusvelox (here)
A bit of Aldous Huxley thrown in for good measure and a grand time was had by all, for months!

Aldous Huxley's classic book was called The Doors of Perception.

But be careful. The problem is that when the doors are open, you may not have a guard at the door, and all kinds of stuff can get in (including tricksters, who assure you that they are not).

It's a little like throwing a party in your apartment which is right on Main Street, and opening the doors hoping that you'll have some wonderful strangers show up. (After all, you might even meet the love of your life.)

But others, not so well-intentioned, may come in as well, or instead. I have had personal experience of someone who was totally taken over after an Ayahuasca experience. Someone else was in there. Not him any more.

This is why one absolutely has to know what one is doing (and already be in very solid spiritual shape) before embarking on an adventure like that. Or else, you just may not come back.

[donk]

I love this interview on it....careful those with virgin ears: lots of f-bombs and bad language:

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=5HCoY4NF4yA

[Youniverse]

Perhaps one could try clearing the chakras before deciding to try ayahuasca? Just a thought. We've actually discussed this topic several times here on Avalon and I'm always interested. I found the book DMT - The Spirit Molecule by Rick Strassman to be very fascinating and provocative. So far, I've found that the most natural way for me to 'progress spiritually,' is to meditate, contemplate spiritual teachings, and other less drastic spiritual practices. Of course, the kind of spiritual practices one engages in depends a great deal on the culture one is brought up in. If I grew up in a Amazonian village I might see Ayahuasca as the most natural thing to use for spiritual insights, healing, and so on. From what I have gathered so far, regarding DMT and any psychedelics for that matter, I would echo Bill's advice on knowing what one is doing with it. Do your research and find someone you can trust. Also find a Shaman or someone with a great deal of experience with DMT. I feel that there may be many potentially powerful and transforming applications for DMT use.

[bel]

I'm so happy there is a thread about this!!

I was in the jungles of Colombia and ended up stumbling across the most incredible shaman, Lucho Florez. It was all by coinsidences that I ended up at his maloca in the middle of July last year. I stayed with him for over a week and had 4 Ayahuasca ceremonies. It was a LIFE CHANGING experience for me, something that just cannot be described in words. I was singing, and dancing, and I even began drawing. If your interested in seeing how it effected me, here is my website with my artwork, inspired completely by the beautiful, pure spirit of Ayahuasca: http://www.magentamood.com/

However, I don't believe it is for everyone.. and only should be done by a true, genuine shaman. It is a reality crushing, truth defining, eternal and everlasting experience.

[Bill Ryan]

-------

Hi, Bel!

I have a great respect for the value you hold for your personal experience.

I've never taken drugs in my life, but I'd venture to say that my mind is fairly wide open. There are other techniques which work extremely well, but none of them are shortcuts.

Read the brilliant and classic THE MASTER GAME, by Robert S. de Ropp.

The book describes (among much else) how for many first-time users of mind-expanding drugs, they find themselves propelled into an astonishing and unique experience.

The trap, de Ropp explains, is to continue taking the drug thinking that this is the path to follow. It rarely is. The internal biochemical responses become gradually more limited until one is [at least] emotionally addicted to trying to re-experience the initial breakthrough.

Here's a quote from one Amazon reviewer:

Don't let the subtitle "Transcending the drug experience" alienate those who are too young to remember psychedelia.

The Master Game is not about using drugs; it's about going beyond them to personal enlightenment.

It details the games people play [much like Eric Berne] then it defines the Master Game: one in which the person is not so involved with their life that their view is blinded by personal situations, much like Dyer's observer.

If you got beyond the drugs in Castaneda, you can discover the genius of The Master Game. It is truly a book to base your attitude on.

Re ayahusaca in particular, I know someone personally here in Ecuador who has over-used ayahuasca and as a summary it can be said that he is "no longer himself." It seems that there is another being in his body now, and he is no longer at home.

Be very careful... you can open the door to anything, and anything may come in and make itself very much at home. After that, it can be difficult or even almost impossible to get it to go back where it came from.

[norman]

Divisive/devisive enlightenment is the path already taken by those we recognise as those of the darkness.

[Olam]

Posted by Bill Ryan (here)
-------

Hi, Bel!

I have a great respect for the value you hold for your personal experience.

I've never taken drugs in my life, but I'd venture to say that my mind is fairly wide open. There are other techniques which work extremely well, but none of them are shortcuts.

Read the brilliant and classic THE MASTER GAME, by Robert S. de Ropp.

The book describes (among much else) how for many first-time users of mind-expanding drugs, they find themselves propelled into an astonishing and unique experience.

The trap, de Ropp explains, is to continue taking the drug thinking that this is the path to follow. It rarely is. The internal biochemical responses become gradually more limited until one is [at least] emotionally addicted to trying to re-experience the initial breakthrough.

Here's a quote from one Amazon reviewer:

Don't let the subtitle "Transcending the drug experience" alienate those who are too young to remember psychedelia.

The Master Game is not about using drugs; it's about going beyond them to personal enlightenment.

It details the games people play [much like Eric Berne] then it defines the Master Game: one in which the person is not so involved with their life that their view is blinded by personal situations, much like Dyer's observer.

If you got beyond the drugs in Castaneda, you can discover the genius of The Master Game. It is truly a book to base your attitude on.

Re ayahusaca in particular, I know someone personally here in Ecuador who has over-used ayahuasca and as a summary it can be said that he is "no longer himself." It seems that there is another being in his body now, and he is no longer at home.

Be very careful... you can open the door to anything, and anything may come in and make itself very much at home. After that, it can be difficult or even almost impossible to get it to go back where it came from.

Just like every other mind expanding drug, if its not used in the proper way, it can have devastating effects.
I will comment a bit more as I myself have done 5 ayahuasca sessions and it cured me from a life long "problem" I had..
I really don't think you can become an addict to ayahuasca as its just so difficult to do, but yes, if you are not well accompanied by an acomplished ayascuero(forgive my spelling), you can end up inhabited or "followed around" by malevolent entities.
So here is my small story to help explain the above...

You can do the aya in many places around the world these days, even if its only legal in Peru.
The problem with that is not really the quality of the drink, but rather the lack of devotion and understanding from everyone concerned at what they are actually doing.
When I went to Peru , I chose to be in the sacred valley in the village of Pisac.
The amazon jungle was too stuffy and dense for me, I prefered to do my thing up high surrounded by the mountains and fresh air.....
This for me was a major detail.
Then I was lucky to be directed from trusted friends to a great shaman, who only did small groups and was very well prepared as well as very respecting of the sacredness of the ceremony. His 3rd eye fully open, was there when you needed him during the wee hours of the night.
We all go thru moments of sheer terror, where you think you will die, or feel like evil is close at hand.
The good shaman will be there to sing icaros to help you pass this terrible moment.
Then its total bliss, having put aside the ego that was scared of dying, you go back to source, pure love, you are no longer an individual, just all that is, which is pure love.
Difficult to explain otherwise.
Now one night, I met this man, he had done 1 sessions in the jungle a few days passed.
His shaman was not really a shaman,
SO anyway, this man was setup for the night in a small jungle hut, alone, all night.
He was harrased no end by very bad entities, they drained his soul energy out of him.
The shaman never showed up and this poor man suffered pure hell all night.
Technically, he was not able to transend the extreme fear we all get when the ego thinks its dying.
So this man showed up and joined our group as he had heard this was the place to be for the best healing possible.
When I met him, he was like a very young child, broken, completely cut in pieces, could hardly speak without sobbing.
We as a group took care of him in the 2 sessions he had with us.
When I say we took care of him, it was basically us connecting with him before the ceremony and then just our presence in the room with him during the night was all the support he needed.
The shaman took good care of him too and so he was able to get back some soul pieces that had been stolen, ripped of of him.
The work he did was just to get back together, that was his intention for the night, nothing else.
I have to say, he was not the same man I met, but he was more of himself, more of his essence was there
great,great soul, lots of love to give, so gentle, I was happy to see the light back in his eyes.

Now I say all this just to mention that yes ayahuasca can be detrimental to you, but only if you don't do it right.
If your intention is good and honest, if the intention of the shaman is good and honest, if the respect is there for the plant and its powers
all is of the gretest help.
Things go bad if you mess with this power and don't understand what you will go thru.
One last detail, some nights in that circular room, it would get hot,
I asked my shaman if we could open some windows.
He absolutley refused that, he mentioned that his environment is controlled, that he sings the icaros that bring light to all that is shed by the participants.
If the windows were open, that was too much to control as some entities, spirits would come in by the open windows and it would be difficult for him to keep total control of the sacred space.