When entering the Amazonasgebiet, one cannot ignore the fact that knowing part of its culture allows “entering a new world.” This becomes part of their identity and worldview, which promotes an understanding of the ancestral knowledge that each community possesses and disseminates it in various ways. One of them is the use of ayahuasca (a medicinal plant) and its entheogenic (psychoactive) properties, resulting in a connection between the spiritual and the divine that has an effect on both the person who practices it and the person who receives it.
The Amazonian experience
Etymologically, ayahuasca comes from aya (dead) and huasca (rope). It is a liana that coils and forms a rope with the trees around it. This plant’s alkaloids change consciousness, according to studies. This plant’s effects can divide into neural, psychological, and emotional systems when ingested. The first is based on dizziness, nausea, and a slight, moderate increase in pressure. The second refers to visions or hallucinations. Finally, emotion is part of a state of introspection.
The use of this plant in the Amazon rainforest demands serious consideration. Several stipulations must be taken into account to prevent any risk.
- Healers: Chamannes are intermediaries with a strong, friendly, or humanitarian spirit toward those who seek it.
- Spiritual preparation: This process is carried out by shamans and people who attend the ritual. For this, the points to take into account are: fasting, diets, and abstinence.
- Dassignment: This part is specific for people seeking healing or a petition towards health or spiritual problems.
The role of ayahuasca in the community
Within the communities, ancestral practices enhance the sociocultural part of the people, where spaces for rituals play an important role in the search for the sacred or divine. Under this context, the role of this plant involves connection, producing a function of communication towards “the beyond.”
- Pachamama: The worldview indicates that the connections between the spiritual and Mother Earth strengthen the balance between each element forming a synergy.
- Ancestral wisdom: It is considered the messages that each healer has and can contribute within indigenous communities with the purpose of improving or changing their perspective on life.
- Comprehensive wisdom: The use of this medicinal plant enhances your understanding between the mind and the body.
Ayahuasca as a source of health
Although the stigma that has existed between “natural” and “medicinal” for using this plant. It has become a case study that, over time, has been the subject of multiple investigations. Therefore, it is essential to understand and identify the essence of traditional medicine that, supported by entheogens, pursues a holistic treatment of the individual. Likewise, it is essential that health experts maintain a receptive posture and avoid interpreting the experience with drugs as an erroneous posture or a risky posture.
- Risks and challenges
Being an ancestral use and given its spiritual importance, the use of this plant opens new debates about its role within our ecosystem:
- Physical and psychological risks: The aforementioned research shows that ayahuasca causes a significant transformation in individuals regarding their vision of life. However, its continued use can cause uncontrollable effects for the person, such as the healer.
- Tourism: After the 1970s, visits to the Amazon became more popular for foreigners. Communities created new experiences and activities. Where medicine is part of a dynamic axis for the growth and development of the people who inhabit a large part of the Amazon. However, it should be taken into account that not everyone does this practice because it is “dangerous.” Some of the lodges promote it within their programs with the purpose of learning about the culture and strengthening identity.
Wisdom of Ayahuasca
Ayahuasca goes beyond being a simple medicinal plant; it is an essential element in Amazonian spirituality, an instrument for reflection, and a path to ancestral knowledge. Its application, full of symbolism and respect for nature, makes us aware of the relevance of reconnecting with what is fundamental and appreciating the wisdom of indigenous communities.
