This is the sixth in my new weekly (every Friday) series of blog posts ‘For Newbies’, in which I attempt to outline the basic practices and terminology of shamanism in as clear and easy to understand prose as I can.
This one is about the sacred plant medicine, Ayahuasca. I’ve split this article into two and conclude this week. Last week, I wrote about what it is and whom you should take it with. This week, I’d like to talk about what to expect in a typical ceremony and what might happen when you take it.
How do I prepare for an Ayahuasca ceremony physically?
You should avoid alcohol or street drugs for a few days beforehand (obviously, taking medical advice before discontinuing any prescriptions!).
Try and eat as healthily as possible the week beforehand. Avoid foods with MAOI inhibitors (e.g. any fermented foods, cheese, miso, soy, dried fruit). Some Ayahuascheros recommend avoiding meat or fish for a few days beforehand – you should certainly avoid any meat, which is not fresh.
Apologies for this one but they also recommend abstaining from sex for a couple of days beforehand.
And what about mentally?
Above all else, release any expectations you may have! This is plant medicine and it can work in mysterious ways. If you’re just looking to experience an altered state, then Ayahuasca really isn’t for you.
Any meditations, breathing practices or yoga that you do can assist, allowing your mind to calm and prepare itself.
What happens when I arrive?
Quite often you will start by taking a purgative. This isn’t an altogether pleasant experience, as it induces vomiting. The idea is twofold, to reduce your body’s toxins and to encourage you to feel less sick when you take Ayahuasca. It doesn’t guarantee that you won’t feel sick or vomit in the ceremony but some Ayahuascheros recommend it highly as a precursor.
Some Ayahuascheros like participants to be involved in the preparation of the brew. It can be fascinating to pick the chacruna leaves and cut down the Ayahuasca vine, as well as increasing your personal investment in the brew.
What happens in the ceremony?
Typically participants will gather in a circular, ceremonial hut, or ‘maloka’, and the hut is usually in semi-darkness. Each person goes up, in turn, to receive a small dose of the Ayahuasca brew. The Ayahuascheros ‘reads’ each person, acting upon the background information provided to him and his intuition at the time, to adjust the strength of the brew for each individual. You return to your place and the Ayahuacheros will typically begin to sing their special songs, which seem to aid you in your journey. You will likely be sat on a mat and be offered a blanket to wrap around you. You can choose to stay seated or to lie down, whichever you feel is most comfortable.
What does it taste like?
You knock it back in one go and for some reason I was surprised that it had ‘bits’ in it! It is a little bitter but not horribly so. It actually reminded me a little of raw cacao. Some Ayahuascheros offer an orange slice to disguise the taste.
What happens after you take it?
Firstly, if you’ve not done your preparation work, the medicine may start by ridding itself of the toxins you’ve ingested from things like salt, sugar and alcohol via the medium of a purge. Yes, I’m afraid that it’s not unusual to vomit. Do your preparation work and take a purgative, however, and the likelihood is reduced.
You might also experience an emotional purge and find that you cry a great deal. It’s worth having some tissues to hand, just in case.
How long is it before you notice something happening?
People usually notice something happening after about fifteen minutes. It might be subtle, it might be extreme. The first time I took the plant medicine, I reacted as if I were being poisoned, which was quite alarming at the time – my pulse raced, I was suddenly in an intense cold sweat, I started to see stars and my hearing started to recede. I remember panicking and, apparently, I cried out, although, I do not remember this. These symptoms passed momentarily and I settled back into the experience. My second time taking ayahuasca, I experienced the same symptoms but, this time, I was much calmer, knowing because of what happened the previous evening, that I was not going to come to any harm.
The other people in my group had varying initial reactions. Some were very sick, some did not vomit at all. No-one seemed to have had quite the extreme reaction I underwent. In truth, it varies person to person and, as I have indicated, your experience may mirror what you bring to the table. To be frank, I feared dying and the plant medicine played on those fears, teaching me that the experience could only be sweet if I ‘let go’ of those fears.
You feared dying?
Yes, from my subsequent research, I’ve realised that this is actually a really common phenomenon. I can reassure you, then, by stating that no-one has ever died from taking Ayahuasca itself. If you feel that you are dying, as I feared, take a deep breath and realise that it is really your ego that is dying. If you suffer these same feelings, it’s because there is some part of you holding on, afraid to go to that place where you are both egoless and divine. So, my advice? Let go of your need to be in control and enjoy the ride!
What happens next? Will I have visions?
It is possible that you will experience some startling and vivid hallucinations, indeed, it is not uncommon for participants to describe the experience as one of the deepest and most profound of their lives. Whether the plant medicine allows your eyes to perceive a new level of perception or your heart to open in a way you have not previously encountered, I cannot say, but it is certainly possible. If you are interested, I’ve recounted my own visions in a separate blog piece.
Some people, as I did, also experience a direct communication with the plant. Most frequently the voice is soothing and feminine. She may tell you exactly what you need to work on in your life. This can be quite alarming if you are not used to such encounters, you might fear madness or that it feels something like schizophrenia. It’s important, then, in these moments to feel that you are in the company of a caring shaman and, ideally, that you are safe and ‘held’ by your fellow participants.
How does the ceremony end?
You might be offered further cups of Ayahuasca, to deepen the process. I chose to journey, which was the deepest and most vivid I have ever experienced. You may rest in the ceremonial hut for several hours, allowing the medicine to work. Participants may just retire to bed in their own time, or there may be some closing prayers by the Ayahuascheros.
You might be a little unsteady on your feet, so take it slow and steady. Normal bodily functions are not affected and any giddiness or unsteadiness disappears in a few hours.
What can I expect to happen after the ceremony?
For my part, the death of the ego was really important. I had previously struggled with ‘letting go’ in the shamanic death rites but I was able to experience an amazing out of body experience during my Reiki 2 ‘attunement’ just the other week, which I do not believe would have been possible without first having had my Ayahuasca healing.
I mentioned Dr Rick Strassman’s book ‘DMT: The Spirit Molecule’ last week – in that book, Dr Strassman states that his subjects generally had less fear of death, a stronger sense of self, a greater appreciation of life and that some felt more able to relax. He also concluded that, ‘who we are and what we bring matters much more than the drug itself’. That’s really worth bearing in mind if you wish to work with this plant medicine.
