What is Ayahuasca? The mysterious plant of the Amazon

That you stumbled upon the name Ayahuasca is certainly no coincidence. When someone told me in summer 2018 that he wanted to visit an ayahuasca retreat, I had no idea what he was talking about. But immediately there was a great fascination and I had to know: “What is ayahuasca?”

You probably feel the same.

That’s why you get all important facts about ayahuasca in this article.

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First the facts: What is Ayahuasca?

Ayahuasca is the name for a drink that makes sure that you get hallucinations of all kinds and thus heals you.

Platt said. This is not always funny, but more about that later.

It is made from the liana Banisteriopsis caapi and the leaves of the bush Psychotria viridis.

The two plants are cooked for hours over the fire in a large pot to produce the special effect of the ayahuasca brew:

The liana contains MAO inhibitors, while the bush contains hallucinogens such as DMT.

Our body protects itself from toxic substances like DMT by releasing the enzyme MAO, among other things. MAO breaks down DMT before it can enter the central nervous system via the blood-brain barrier.

The ayahuasca brew contains an MAO inhibitor that prevents precisely this process. MAO is inhibited and DMT can enter via the blood-brain barrier. Therefore, it is possible that you will notice the special effects of ayahuasca.

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Where is Ayahuasca spread?

Originally, ayahuasca ceremonies took place mainly in South America in the Amazon region. Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia or Venezuela are some of these countries.

Well known places for ayahuasca in Peru are Iquitos, Lima, Cusco or the Sacred Valley.

But with the increasing awareness ayahuasca and herbal medicine is spreading more and more and you can now find suppliers in Portugal, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands and even Germany (not legal).

I had my first ceremonies in Costa Rica and the second in Peru.

The history of Ayahuasca

It is not known exactly how long ayahuasca has been used in the Amazon region to expand consciousness.

In the book The Sacred Vine of Spirit, Ayahuasca* the author describes that the Europeans who discovered America in the middle of the 19th century naturally found ayahuasca.

But why shouldn’t the Amazonas people have been experiencing healing through this brew for much, much longer?

There are archaeological finds, including certain cauldrons, so-called witchers’ pots, figures, pipes or tablets for snuff, which suggest that hallucinogenic substances were already being used 2,000 BC.

Ayahuasca is therefore nothing new.

It is only relatively new in our circles.

Ayahuasca: sacred medicine from the Amazon

In the South American Amazon, ayahuasca is still a sacred, shamanic medicine today. It’s not about having a cool trip, it’s about healing.

In the ayahuasca ceremony there is purification and healing, if done correctly. Rituals play an important role here, which the shaman performs with much love and devotion to the plant.

If you get involved in working with ayahuasca, it is as if your soul is holding up a mirror to you. In the ceremonies you are confronted with beliefs, fears, traumas and behavioral patterns.

No matter what you are shown and how sad, scary or confusing it may be at that moment, the ultimate goal is your healing.

Often this healing happens when you are aware of your blind spots for the first time in your life.

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Expand your consciousness with Ayahuasca

You will occasionally hear that an ayahuasca retreat does more than ten years of psychotherapy. I have not been in psychotherapy before, but ayahuasca has helped me change my life in a very short time.

This is possible because the healing plant shows you what is happening in your subconscious. Normally you don’t have access to your subconscious – but still it guides you through every day, every minute.

Every action is determined by your subconscious.

Ayahuasca shows you in the form of images, feelings, sounds and other hallucinations what is hidden there. You discover your shadow, from which you normally prefer to hide.

On the other hand, ayahuasca also lets you experience wonderful feelings that you have never experienced before.

Maybe you never experienced unlimited love from your parents as a child, but this has an impact on your life. Maybe you were not able to form a real and lasting relationship with a man. At a certain point, you have always fled. Then when it comes to deep trust and bonding.

Because you do not know this love. How should it be possible for you to live it with a man?

In an Ayahuasca ceremony it can happen that Ayahuasca shows you exactly that. That you feel unrestricted love for yourself and that you are allowed to bathe in this feeling. To enjoy how beautiful and good and perfect you are – exactly as you are.

The moment you realize this, everything can change. Because you have now discovered the love in you and can always remember it.

This changes your view of the world, your truth is now a different one, your consciousness is expanded.

This example is only a fictitious example. Don’t insist on experiencing something like this in an Ayahuasca ceremony. Often it comes differently than you think (applies to both directions).

Treat the cause instead of just symptoms

Unfortunately, western orthodox medicine still only treats the symptoms.

The symptoms of an illness or disease disappear, but the cause remains. Therefore, it is not surprising if diseases break out again, get worse or shift.

The treatment with ayahuasca is about a holistic healing.

Through the access to your subconscious this healing takes place. You are confronted with your dark sides, blockages and emotional pain.

With the things that you do not want to see in normal life and avoid. Because they are unpleasant and painful.

The moment you take care of them, the healing happens on a deep level. You let go of what you have held inside you for a long time.

In the ayahuasca ceremony, you may not even be aware that you have just taken a big step. The effects will show up in your daily life, sometimes months later. Often it is a process that you are allowed to go through.

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Ayahuasca is spreading in the world

In recent years, ayahuasca has been spreading more and more and has met with great interest.

The renowned John Hopkins University in the USA has now even opened its own research center. There the researchers dedicate themselves to psychedelic means as well as consciousness expansion and have already published many promising studies

Ayahuasca is spreading and becoming accessible to more and more people seeking healing. The development is valuable and good.

However, there are those in the crowd of providers who have not had the necessary experience with shamanic herbal medicine. They do not have the knowledge of a shaman who has been working with ayahuasca for many years or decades. In the indigenous Tribes this knowledge is passed on to the growing shamans over generations.

There are huge differences in the retreat providers today, keep that in mind. Not every so called shaman is entitled to this name.

In this article you will find important tips to find the right Ayahuasca Retreat Center for you.