DOSE:
1 cup
oral
Ayahuasca
(tea)
BODY WEIGHT:
170 lb
Ayahuasca in the Jungles of Peru
After the ceremony, we all walked back to the community. With no sleep, I got my journal and spent the whole day into the night writing my experience. I will do my best to make sense of it all, but it was written in no linear timeline. I wrote it just to dump everything out before I would forget it. Enjoy.
Walking to the ceremony I got a feeling in my stomach. I don�t know if it was bad, but my stomach did say something to me. I acknowledged it and moved on. When we were walking it was very beautiful out. It was beginning to get dark. Walking through thick jungles of Peru, we came upon a big open field full of vivid colors in the sky. The grass was bright green, and the sky flourescent. The sun was setting and lit the sky with vivd shades, and colors.We all stopped to admire what was around us. About 10 of us were walking across the field, silent, and anxious. We came upon a dirt road and walked that for about 30 more minutes, until we reached a shack that was the shaman's house.
He looked a lot different then when we first met him. First time we met him he didn�t look like what most may think what a shaman should look like. He wasn�t wearing tribal clothing, or anything special like that. This shaman, had silver all over him. Rings, necklace, and even his 2 front teeth. Wore well fitted, bleached jeans, with rips on the knee caps, and a shirt with design work like affliction shirts. Now, though he had on all white linen.
We all lined up against the wall and sat down silent. He sat across from us on a bench. No one was saying anything at all. Kids were in their pajamas, running around playing, and his girlfriend � pregnant � was lying on the bed.
After some time sitting around, he got up and he guided us to the back where we will be doing the ceremony. I was a bit apprehensive. The place looked like an unfinished barn. There was a huge hole in the roof, and only one side had a wall, and that wall was made up of palm trees. The ground was covered in straw. There was log in the middle where he lit the candle, and a table in the back where the ayahuasca was. Something about it seemed so unrehearsed. I come to find out, it�s his first time doing a ceremony here. In fact it was his first time doing one at all. He grew up around his family doing ceremonies, but never done one himself. If I even remember that correctly. I actually don�t really remember. Things get left out, and misunderstood when someone usually translates for me. It happened all the time when traveling in SA. It becomes a pain in the ass, but eventually I got used to it.
We waited a while before he did anything. I sat around wondering what was going on. He offered everyone a cigarette. With these ceremonies they believe in the masculine energy of tobacco. They believe that tobacco has a calming energy. Then he took the plastic bottle the ayahuasca was in and took a big pull of his cigarette and started loudly whispering into the bottle blowing the smoke into it, his uncle (his spiritual guide) did the same thing. They did this for a few minutes passing it back and forth to each other. Then he went to each person with a small chalice, and gave it to us to drink. He told us that we should think of what we want to be healed, and ask yag� to heal us. I saw many people just drink it as soon as they got it. I wondered why they weren�t listening to him. When he came to me, I took the cup, closed my eyes, and in my head I said,
�PLEASE WORK.�
When everyone drank it the 2 shamans drank it lastly. Then the candles were blown out. The younger one sang first, playing a simple rhythm with the chakapa he had in his hand. When he was done the uncle was next. They were speaking in a way I�ve never heard before. They were chanting. After 10 � 15 minutes they stopped. We were sitting there in silence. I wondered what was going on.The shaman puffed on his cigarette. After about 10 minutes of silence, I heard someone throw up. I started wondering when I was going to, but my stomach felt fine. It was pretty easy to take down, but then again I have a weirdly strong stomach. I can eat practically anything and be fine. My stomach was beginning to growl though. I asked Ricardo if he is feeling anything. He says, no. I ask, if maybe we should ask for another dose. He says, �idk but I�m thinking the same thing.�
They started the chanting again, and this time it seemed a bit louder. They both were making a rhythm with the chakapas. I heard more people threw up. It was starting. I heard more people threw up. It was starting.