DOSE:
T+ 0:00
insufflated
Tobacco
T+ 0:00
1 cup
oral
Ayahuasca
(tea)
T+ 0:00
1 cup
oral
Ayahuasca
(tea)
T+ 24:00
insufflated
Tobacco
T+ 24:00
1 cup
oral
Ayahuasca
(tea)
T+ 0:00
ocular
Tabernaemontana undulata
(liquid)
T+ 0:00
transdermal
Phyllomedusa bicolor
(dried)
BODY WEIGHT:
80 kg
Experience With Kaxinawa Shamans
I recently had the very good fortune of partaking of two ayahuasca ceremonies with two indigenous master shamans, spiritual leaders of the Amazonian Kaxinawa tribe. They were hosted by my very good friend who has been working with ayahuasca under a number of Amazonian shamans for 14 years and who is a highly experienced shaman and healer herself. The shamans would also have two other Brazilian shaman apprentices who would act as their translators for the weekend.
The setting was on a beautiful rural estate outside London, in a large room with windows and glass sliding doors on all sides, looking out over beautiful rural surroundings, with a river in the garden with a bridge, and over this bridge a lake with a fire pit by the side. It was a stunning location to be in for the weekend, and it was nice and sunny for the most part which only added to the aesthetic spectacle, and it sure did make a nice change from where I am currently based. I was feeling good, excited to be there and connecting with friends new and old, and prior to this I had been paying more attention to lifestyle in terms of diet, and exercise and sexual abstinence than I had previously, in the hope of bringing a little more to the table than with my last encounter. Ayahuasca tended to be gentle with me so I felt it couldn�t hurt to follow some of the dieta guidelines in an attempt to increase my sensitivity to the brew.
This would be the largest group of people I had ever drank with before, at around 40 people, with slightly more the second night. It was an interesting mix of people, all walking their own paths, a number were healers, shamans and mystical people of one kind or another, and a few I recognised without having met them before.
I got a lift in with a lovely lady friend, an older, very friendly guy, and a great Colombian guy who was a drummer and ran ceremonies with cocao. We arrived when there were a few others already there with more arriving all the time. We found our places, made ourselves cosy and met and chatted with people. Everyone seemed very open and friendly, it was nice.
I took in a bit of nature outside for a bit and sat by the fire pit and lake, and spoke with a shaman I recognised who works with movement and dream work. I speak to another nice guy, it would be his first meeting with ayahuasca. Prior to the ceremony I had some rap� (mapacho) snuff�at this time it was quite gentle with me, more so than I had experienced previously, but I could feel energy buzzing in my head. Despite all the snuff in my nostrils it cleared up my airways and I felt grounded afterwards.
As darkness fell on the Friday eve we all gathered in the room, and the shamans welcomed us. They told us of some of the Amazonian ayahuasca legends, and then discussed the medicine itself and how their lives had entwined with the vine. After the talk, with the night encroaching, so began the first ceremony. Measures were poured, and interestingly to me it seemed that everyone got more or less the same quantity. This was some of the nastiest ayahuasca I�ve ever drunk, it was very viscous and thick and incredibly bitter and was hard for me to get it down. It was touch and go whether I�d purge immediately for the first minute but I managed to keep it down. The shamans held silence for 20 minutes before starting to sing amazing icaros, while playing guitar which was a very nice addition, and there was drumming alongside. I�ve never experienced icaros of this power and majesty before, it was an amazing spectacle.
After some time, I felt myself slip into a dreamy embrace. I felt content, at peace, it was a soothing feeling, pleasant and benign. I felt content, at peace, it was a soothing feeling, pleasant and benign.