Ayahuasca!
How is that for a word?
From the jungles of the Amazon, the shamans bring us our first 'spiritual' subject in our (NOT) A to Z Challenge.
There is a consensus on most websites about the Ayahuasa vine, the Ayahuasca tea and the Ayahuasca trip. They say 'Ayahuasca takes you, you don't take it!"
The tea itself is a mixture of the vine and Chacruna, a shrub that contains a strong (to put it lightly) hallucinogenic. Ayahuasca is called the 'Wisdom' or 'Teacher' plant and surely, it is not consumed for a recreational high. The physical consequences are gut wrenching, if you know what I mean.
So why take it? Why participate in this shaman-led ritual?
Some declare it is a successful treatment for PTSD. Some say they have met with the great Jaguar spirit and gone on spiritually enriching journeys without leaving their mattress or the campfire. Others report sleeping, dreaming of wonderful memories of childhood, or finding lost parts of their soul.
The ability to understand the meaning and richness of those experiences is agreed by most to be a huge part of consuming the concoction.
Ayahuasca is also said to be the doorway to the Divine Feminine, often referred to as Mother Ayahuasca.
Researching, asking questions, diving into the shaman writings, I've discovered the profound truth is that partaking in Ayahuasca does not change you, does not cause you to be happy. The Wisdom tea gives you hints, shows you flashes of what you are and what you could be. It helps you to see, if you look close, to what is real about you and what is not.
As Always, it is up to us to make the choice to be authentic, to be true to our own values, to be honest. Ayahuasca just nudges our conscience and our consciousness with glimpses into our soul.
Would I try it? Could be! Truthfully though, the Amazon has never been even remotely close to my Bucket List. I really, really, really don't like bugs that bite or snakes that drop onto unsuspecting hikers from a canopy of trees. As for Ayahuasca, I'm truly opposed to projectile vomiting, but the Jaguar is my spirit animal...hmm!
Uh, no, unless, of course, a really enticing spiritual practice comes up in the next 25 letters,
I'll stick to my Sandalwood incense and meditation.
How is that for a word?
From the jungles of the Amazon, the shamans bring us our first 'spiritual' subject in our (NOT) A to Z Challenge.
There is a consensus on most websites about the Ayahuasa vine, the Ayahuasca tea and the Ayahuasca trip. They say 'Ayahuasca takes you, you don't take it!"
The tea itself is a mixture of the vine and Chacruna, a shrub that contains a strong (to put it lightly) hallucinogenic. Ayahuasca is called the 'Wisdom' or 'Teacher' plant and surely, it is not consumed for a recreational high. The physical consequences are gut wrenching, if you know what I mean.
So why take it? Why participate in this shaman-led ritual?
Some declare it is a successful treatment for PTSD. Some say they have met with the great Jaguar spirit and gone on spiritually enriching journeys without leaving their mattress or the campfire. Others report sleeping, dreaming of wonderful memories of childhood, or finding lost parts of their soul.
The ability to understand the meaning and richness of those experiences is agreed by most to be a huge part of consuming the concoction.
Ayahuasca is also said to be the doorway to the Divine Feminine, often referred to as Mother Ayahuasca.
Researching, asking questions, diving into the shaman writings, I've discovered the profound truth is that partaking in Ayahuasca does not change you, does not cause you to be happy. The Wisdom tea gives you hints, shows you flashes of what you are and what you could be. It helps you to see, if you look close, to what is real about you and what is not.
As Always, it is up to us to make the choice to be authentic, to be true to our own values, to be honest. Ayahuasca just nudges our conscience and our consciousness with glimpses into our soul.
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| Art Courtesy of http://www.thesacredvoyage.com |
Would I try it? Could be! Truthfully though, the Amazon has never been even remotely close to my Bucket List. I really, really, really don't like bugs that bite or snakes that drop onto unsuspecting hikers from a canopy of trees. As for Ayahuasca, I'm truly opposed to projectile vomiting, but the Jaguar is my spirit animal...hmm!
Uh, no, unless, of course, a really enticing spiritual practice comes up in the next 25 letters,
I'll stick to my Sandalwood incense and meditation.
I have a friend who travelled to South America a couple of years ago to partake in an Ayahuasca ritual. Alas, it did not bring her the answers she was hoping for. But she didn't projectile vomit either, which is a bonus!
ReplyDeleteSadly, many of us believe the answers to our biggest questions lie somewhere "out there" when we actually (IMO) have the answers withing (otherwise, how could we have come up with the questions!
DeleteThere is a part of my that would be tempted to partake in Ayahuasca but I would really need someone I trusted to stay and ground me, talk me down if I get too too. I'm just not that fond of the gut-wrenching part. I'm glad your friend got to pass on that part.
Hi Toni - they sound like rituals for those who like to explore and experiment ... not for me - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteI'm open for the adventure of it, I think, though I wouldn't want to use it in some jungle where there are insects as big as footballs. I might be tempted if I were on my couch, in my pajamas, relaxing music playing and the Guy standing by with Gatorade and coffee to help me out of the 'trip'!
DeleteProbably good that I stick with a glass of red wine now and then!
This is really fascinating. If there's vomiting involved, I'm out...haha
ReplyDeleteAnd like you, the Amazon is not on my list of places to visit, and since there's only so much traveling I will likely do in my life, I don't see it happening. Unless we win the lottery!
Even if we win the lottery, the Amazon would be way down on the list if it even ever made the list.
Delete