Ayahuasca – A discussion

[Minyatur]

During a magic mushroom trip it came to me that one does not need to intake anything. One can simply through meditation connect with the spirit of the plant and gradually harmonize toward the state it can provide. Ingesting the plant simply forcefully creates this result, which is what can bring dangers to the self.

So I wonder if the most respectful way to connect with the spirit is not to simply connect in spirit and not through the matrix.

[Jade]

While I get your point, do you believe the spirit of the molecule would truly find itself to be "plundered" because of this?

While I do think a ritual can be made of a laboratory extraction, I think if one themselves isn't involved in the "ritual of extraction", they are partaking in fruits that they have "plundered" and not "courted", in this case. The spirit of the molecule has concealed itself heavily for a reason, I would attempt to respect its wishes in this regard.

I do think you could still go through the process of "courting" the molecule by obtaining its already extracted form, but I think this is like what Ra talks about using the blunt instrument when we have the scalpel.

74.15 Questioner: If we had constructed a ritual of our own with words used for the first time in the sequence of protection what would have been the relative merit of this with respect to the ritual that we chose?

Ra: I am Ra. It would be less. In constructing ritual it is well to study the body of written work which is available for names of positive or service-to-others power are available.

74.16 Questioner: I will make an analogy to the loudness of ringing of the telephone in using the ritual as the efficiency of the practitioners using the ritual. Now, I see several things affecting the efficiency of the ritual: first, the desire of the practitioners to serve, their ability to invoke the magical personality, their ability to visualize while performing the ritual, and let me ask you as to the relative importance of those items and how each may be intensified?

Ra: I am Ra. This query borders upon over-specificity. It is most important for the adept to feel its own growth as teach/learner.

We may only say that you correctly surmise the paramount import of the magical personality. This is a study in itself. With the appropriate emotional will, polarity, and purity, work may be done with or without proper sound vibration complexes. However, there is no need for the blunt instrument when the scalpel is available.

In other words: why complicate/innovate an already time-tested ritual?

[Minyatur]

In other words: why complicate/innovate an already time-tested ritual?

Well I would say in my case, it is the probably is easiest way to acquire it. I also believe all things are for a reason, none so much greater or lesser but only through a limited perspective of them.

As such, one is drawn to what one needs.

[YinYang]

I think it's a good analogy, and I feel the same way about it.

[Jade]

I get it totally - you want it, and it's the easiest way to get it. No big deal. You can use the Transformation of the Mind as you please! And all things do happen for a reason. I'm just saying, if you take the "easy" (plunder) route your results won't be as great as if you were to take the more difficult route of courting, which is probably obvious in this case. You'll still get valuable material. But IMO it has the semblance of plunder, if only for the fact that it is the quick/easy way.

Ra: Many use the trunk and roots of mind as if that portion of mind were a badly used, prostituted entity. Then this entity gains from this great storehouse that which is rough, prostituted, and without great virtue. Those who turn to the deep mind, seeing it in the guise of the maiden, go forth to court it. The courtship has nothing of plunder in its semblance and may be protracted, yet the treasure gained by such careful courtship is great. The right-hand and left-hand transformations of the mind may be seen to differ by the attitude of the conscious mind towards its own resources as well as the resources of other-selves.

That's my only point. I do think there is a (subtle) difference.

[Minyatur]

I do believe there is more to this. In my case, I do plan both ways for different results.

If truly the spirit which offers itself in these planes can make such distinctions about how it is harvested by humans, then I would not recognize it as being of a pure positive intent. (I do not think this is the case and that what you speak of is more about a relationship of one with itself)

In regards to the relationship of the conscious mind and it's unconscious ressources, I believe there is an harmony of relationship that is unique to each.

[Jade]

The end of the quote says "The right-hand and left-hand transformations of the mind may be seen to differ by the attitude of the conscious mind towards its own resources as well as the resources of other selves." the DMT molecule being and "other self", all other things we act with being an other-self. The molecule is of positive intent (or neutral) because it comes when called, whether by means of ritual extraction or instant intake. It's the fruits of this interaction that are less-than when you plunder it, as Ra says. Similar fruits, just "rough, prostituted, and without great virtue". You have an orgasm with a prostitute, but not the kind of orgasm you have with a mated partner.

I only bring this up because Ra says that it is the purity of the use of the Transformation of the Mind that is important. You're supposed to let go of one of the maiden's hands to follow the other maiden down her path, which diverges from the other. I think when it comes to using entheogens, it is one of the places where we should be extra careful and pure with our intentions, because many things can go wrong.

Pharmahuasca caused my schizophrenia, so I'm not so quick to try it again.

[Minyatur]

I believe this is more notable based upon the mindset than the physical acts. As such I believe one could possibly go through a ceremony with a shaman with less pure intents than one who takes the synthetic form. Everything you said would apply but in the opposite of how you stated it.

I can insult most of my friends and it will be seen as friendship by them, just as another can insult a friend for it to be seen as a lack of respect which shakes their friendship. Relationships between other-selves truly are something very abstract.

[AnthroHeart]

I actually think that smoking DMT the 6 or so times had more a bearing on my mental illness.

[anagogy]

I see this as the same, in a way, for natural vs. synthetic. If we take a look at the earth and nature, absolutely everything we could possibly need is provided by her - for instance, we can get DMT from the ayahuasca. But that's not enough. We want a quicker fix. So we try to contort nature to do things for our benefit, instead of cultivating patience to wait for her to provide for us what we need. It's a subtle thing but I think it's important to take into consideration. There's a reason why the ritual to extract the DMT is so intense and profound, to synthesize that step in a lab cheapens it IMO. This is the case with most things.

Okay, but someone could have just as much reverence with a substance synthesized in a laboratory as a with a substance synthesized or extracted by a shaman in the forest. Reverence comes in many forms. I've met people that have done nearly exactly what IGW did and had great reverence for the chemicals even though they were pharmaceuticals and not derived manually from some plant out in the jungle. And they had fantastic and positive spiritual experiences. I don't think one can really judge what is a "plundering and prostituted" act from the outside. The charge of any action can't be known from that angle.

At the end of the day, what is nature? It is simply the natural behavior of the organisms that comprise it: mineral, fauna, and flora, and the weather. And nature naturally gave rise to animals, of which all do that which is natural to themselves. The human animal is simply doing what is natural to them, and thus everything that "seems" synthetic is actually part of nature to. The portion of your argument I agree with is the idea to have respect and reverence for the substances of nature, but everything in this world is produced by nature. Afterall, humans are a part of nature, so anything they produce is an extension of that nature.

The stuff that most of population confuses as "natural" is just as likely to harm your mind and body as things produced by humans (which as I said, is really also part of nature). There are tons of cases of people accidentally eating the wrong plant and either dying or ending up in a hospital. Point being: anything can be a detriment or a benefit, depending on its relativity to the experiencer.

The thing of importance is balance, and any substance can play a role in that balance whether it was combined in a laboratory, or combined in a plant out in the forest.

[YinYang]

One other little thing that is missing in this conversation, is that with ayahuasca specifically, the role and experience of the shaman is a key component in the ritual. While I haven't participated in a ceremony yet, this is something you frequently encounter in the ayahuasca literature and articles and testimonials online. The "who" is just as important as the "how" and "why".

Ayahuasca is the opening of a channel. You can quite easily compare this to the Ra contact, it had to be Don, Carla and Jim specifically, to be able to receive Ra. They have prepared for this over lifetimes, in order to serve in such a capacity and give this gift to others.

Ayahuasca is no different to me. It is an advanced skill to navigate those worlds, and be able to truly serve those in the group (and keep them safe). It is the work of an adept. There is no such thing as something for nothing.

I once worked with someone who told me that a friend of his is in a vegetative state today because of ayahuasca. It was a bunch of kids getting their hands on ayahuasca at AfrikaBurn (our version of Burning Man), and "something went wrong" - his words.

It is not in my nature to be alarmist or anything like that, but I think people don't approach ayahuasca with the caution, sincerity and homework necessary. Ayahuasca is a tool of the adept, and I think ignorance can cost you dearly. There are of course innumerable variables, but I think due diligence and caution is advisable.

[YinYang]

On a less serious and cautionary note, the things I wonder about sometimes is why serpents are so ubiquitous in ayahuasca journeys. One day when I was contemplating these things, I wondered if the garden of Eden story isn't about entheogens. Just thinking aloud here, but the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" sounds very much like entheogens to me, and the serpent talking to Eve. Poor Adam couldn't resist when he saw how much fun Eve was having, and since then we've all been doomed because of a little innocent fun in the jungle one day  

[Minyatur]

In regards to a shaman, I have a tendency to prefer being mostly self-taught in the discovery of myself and would not entrust this experience to another because it is an adept. I plan on doing a ceremony with a shaman when it will be something I won't truly need to pierce my veil and instead use the exerience to connect with a group.

About the serpent.

93.21 Questioner: I’m at a loss to know the significance of the serpents that adorn the head of the entity on this drawing. Are they of Ra and, if so, what do they signify?
Ra: I am Ra. They are cultural in nature. In the culture to which these images were given the serpent was the symbol of wisdom. Indeed, to the general user of these images perhaps the most accurate connotation of this portion of the concept complexes might be the realization that the serpent is that which is powerful magically. In the positive sense this means that the serpent will appear at the indigo-ray site upon the body of the image figures. When a negative connotation is intended one may find the serpent at the solar plexus center.

93.22 Questioner: Is there any significance to the serpent? Is there any polarity to the serpent as we experience it in this illusion?
Ra: I am Ra. We assume that you question the serpent as used in these images rather than the second-density life form which is a portion of your experience. There is a significance to the serpent form in a culture which coexists with your own but which is not your own; that is, the serpent as symbol of that which some call the kundalini and which we have discussed in previous material

[YinYang]

In regards to a shaman, I have a tendency to prefer being mostly self-taught in the discovery of myself and would not entrust this experience to another because it is an adept. I plan on doing a ceremony with a shaman when it will be somethimg I wom't truly need to pierce my veil and instead use the exerience to connect with a group.

Everybody should be their own authority when it comes to spiritual evolution. Free will is the greatest gift we've been given. Then I will wish you well on your psychedelic travels and hope you return to this thread to tell us "where you've been"!  

And thanks for the bit about the serpent!

[anagogy]

Interesting fact about psychedelic induced states -- there are many Yogis who look down on people who use psychedelics (including those in Ayahuasca ceremonies) to achieve transcendental states because from their perspective, it is the "lazy way" and thus it is an attempt to gain something for nothing. They would argue if one truly had reverence for such energies they would achieve it solely through the discipline of meditation. This isn't my perspective, as to me tools are tools, but I read about this and I found it to be an interesting spiritual lesson on nature of perspective.

In a way it is similar to looking down on the those who took the synthetic hallucinogen route versus the forest brewed concoction. Perspective is interesting. Because if one person is valid in their judgments and is right about the synthetic vs. naturals, the Yogis are right too in their judgments.

And to me, "Shaman" is just a word for someone who is experienced in such matters, regardless of the framework or modality. A good doctor, or an experienced psychonaut, could be a shaman of sorts. I think we get this image in our heads that a shaman has to be some guy living out in the forest. I don't think it necessarily is always that way. Anything anyone spends a considerable amount of their time and energy learning about starts to gain intuitive insights about whatever it is they are studying. And this is akin to the shaman gaining his subtle understanding also. I've met a few people in my life I consider "modern day" shamans. Of course, you would never guess such a thing by their outer appearance.

[Jade]

I see this as the same, in a way, for natural vs. synthetic. If we take a look at the earth and nature, absolutely everything we could possibly need is provided by her - for instance, we can get DMT from the ayahuasca. But that's not enough. We want a quicker fix. So we try to contort nature to do things for our benefit, instead of cultivating patience to wait for her to provide for us what we need. It's a subtle thing but I think it's important to take into consideration. There's a reason why the ritual to extract the DMT is so intense and profound, to synthesize that step in a lab cheapens it IMO. This is the case with most things.

Okay, but someone could have just as much reverence with a substance synthesized in a laboratory as a with a substance synthesized or extracted by a shaman in the forest. Reverence comes in many forms. I've met people that have done nearly exactly what IGW did and had great reverence for the chemicals even though they were pharmaceuticals and not derived manually from some plant out in the jungle. And they had fantastic and positive spiritual experiences. I don't think one can really judge what is a "plundering and prostituted" act from the outside. The charge of any action can't be known from that angle.

At the end of the day, what is nature? It is simply the natural behavior of the organisms that comprise it: mineral, fauna, and flora, and the weather. And nature naturally gave rise to animals, of which all do that which is natural to themselves. The human animal is simply doing what is natural to them, and thus everything that "seems" synthetic is actually part of nature to. The portion of your argument I agree with is the idea to have respect and reverence for the substances of nature, but everything in this world is produced by nature. Afterall, humans are a part of nature, so anything they produce is an extension of that nature.

The stuff that most of population confuses as "natural" is just as likely to harm your mind and body as things produced by humans (which as I said, is really also part of nature). There are tons of cases of people accidentally eating the wrong plant and either dying or ending up in a hospital. Point being: anything can be a detriment or a benefit, depending on its relativity to the experiencer.

The thing of importance is balance, and any substance can play a role in that balance whether it was combined in a laboratory, or combined in a plant out in the forest.

I don't disagree with you, I was just attempting to frame nature vs. "unnatural" in an archetypical discussion. Of course it's ultimately mind over matter, but I guess I believe with this philosophy, that when you are trying to "mind over matter" you are using the negative transformation of the mind. The STO path is about acceptance of things as they are, and changing them passively through that acceptance.

Anyway, my point again: I believe there is a reason that DMT has hidden itself so thoroughly and traditionally is extracted from a very intense ritual. Those who have been able to isolate the molecule in a laboratory have likely not done this with service to others intentions, or with the highest intent for the molecule, as "laboratory pharmaceuticals" are one of the biggest cash cows available, at least in America. Again, if we use the prostitute/maiden metaphor, it's like taking your maiden and having someone strip off all of her clothes for you, and then you find her already "primed". Where as an ayahuasca ceremony is more about patiently waiting for the maiden to take off her clothes for you, and reveal herself.

My many apologies, I'm sort of obsessed with this analogy now, but I think it's universally applicable. Yes, I think it's possible to "court" the DMT molecule in its extracted form (as I've said before), but I shared the quote where Ra said that time honored rituals are much more useful/powerful than ones we would create on our own, using the scalpel instead of the blunt instrument. The blunt instrument can still be useful, of course.

Either way, I don't think either you anagogy or Minya would ever have a negatively polarizing experience while doing entheogens. But, the way we look at the resources of other selves is highly important, and very especially in this case when we're talking about a highly elusive substance. I think Gem's tale is cautionary enough for all of us, for when we think about using the drugs in their more "recreational" form.

I also think YY is on to something with the shaman being a highly tuned channel for the spirit of DMT. Shaman have spent decades in their forests and dedicated their lives to cultivating the relationship they have with these plants with true service to others intent. I do think it's possible for a lab scientist to have the same experience, yes, I'm not saying it's impossible. But I'm saying that one path is -typically- one transformation of the mind and the other path is -typically- of the other transformation of the mind.

Again, we wrap back around to "purity of intention". I'm sorry if you think I'm being judgemental, but this is the Transformation of the Mind. It's very important to be honest with ourselves with how we view the resources of others.

I just posted this in the Facebook group too, but I also just got done watching through all of Harry Potter. There is a point where Dumbledore tells Harry, "The time will come when you must choose between what is right and what is easy" - this is the Transformation of the Mind. Yes, obtaining the extracted form of DMT is easier, but is it the "right" way? I mean of course there is no "wrong" way, but there is a divergence of the paths. I also agree that they are tools and I am not opposed to them (though I also feel no need for them). But it's how we see these tools for our use that is important, that's my only point, I'm just advocating caution for taking the "quick fix" route of action for something so serious.

[anagogy]

Anyway, my point again: I believe there is a reason that DMT has hidden itself so thoroughly and traditionally is extracted from a very intense ritual. Those who have been able to isolate the molecule in a laboratory have likely not done this with service to others intentions, or with the highest intent for the molecule, as "laboratory pharmaceuticals" are one of the biggest cash cows available, at least in America. Again, if we use the prostitute/maiden metaphor, it's like taking your maiden and having someone strip off all of her clothes for you, and then you find her already "primed". Where as an ayahuasca ceremony is more about patiently waiting for the maiden to take off her clothes for you, and reveal herself.

Are Ayahuasca retreats free?

If not they are vulnerable to the exact same exploitation for money. And the the profit could be comparable relative to the amount of individuals involved. I'm sure there are just as many people cashing in on that market in a bastardized and prostituted way as the pharmaceutical companies, but perhaps I'm just a pessimist.

And back to my point: compared to the Yogi, the ayahuasca ceremony is the prostitution of naturally taking time and discipline by getting there with only the careful discipline of mental efforts. It's a "quick fix".

As for DMT being hidden thoroughly, it's really not from my perspective. It's in every living thing, and we release it every night when we sleep at night. And I would disagree with your assertion about the people in laboratory settings. Oftentimes the scientists themselves have actual service to others intent in the medicines they distill. It's the CEO's and other executives in the corporation that are usually the money hungry STS ones.

[Jade]

Hey, fair enough, that's why I said they are -typically- of one transformation and not the other. I don't think most real shamans go into the forest to learn about the plants for money - they do it to heal people. Mostly. Traditionally. Of course now that it's more popular it's becoming more monetized, hence the subsequent laboratory extraction. The biggest cost to the ayahuasca retreat is actually just getting to Peru, where the plants are indigenous, but yeah I think that's a hurdle - why are these plants only in Peru?? Anyway, I've heard more and more of "local" shamans obtaining the plants and creating situations for ceremonies - my friend is attending a "genuine" ayahuasca ceremony in Seattle soon. All I'm saying is that I think this is the more traditionally useful route, in a group setting with an experienced teacher, vs. smoking crystallized DMT on your couch. One high lasts for 15 minutes, the other lasts for 6+ hours. All I'm saying is that there is a difference and I'm attempting to explore archetypically why. Of course there will always be outliers to traditional rituals. I'm only even talking to encourage your guys' safety if you do attempt to obtain crystallized DMT, because I only know one other person who has.

[anagogy]

To be honest, I don't think I would want it to last longer than 15 minutes, especially from many reports I've read that often those 15 minutes feel like HOURS. Massive time distortion. But I digress.

[GentleWanderer]

_______

[YinYang]

Again, we wrap back around to "purity of intention". I'm sorry if you think I'm being judgemental, but this is the Transformation of the Mind. It's very important to be honest with ourselves with how we view the resources of others.

Purity of intention for me is at the heart of all of this, and the harvesting and preparation is indeed considered an important part of the ritual. And just to touch on all the opportunists in this field, just like channeling has produced many opportunists, so has auahuasca tourism. Do all the frauds out there discredit the Ra contact? No. Do all the frauds in Peru discredit the authentic, STO ayhuasceros? No.

The signal to noise ratio we have now, just makes it a bit more of a challenge to find an authentic ayahuascero.

[native]

To reiterate what YinYang said, ayahuasca should only be taken with a shaman. It's unknown territory that requires someone who knows how to navigate it, because it isn't just a "trip". You're really opening yourself up to something and a shaman needs to be able to help you along the way. It's meant entirely for healing. Icaro's are an essential part of the experience as well, as they're healing songs which the shaman knows how to sing.


I'm sure some people with their retreats are cashing in, but it's said that ayahuasca told shamans that it needs a place in our culture, as seems to be the case with many shamans in other cultures and the knowledge they wish to impart. I was big on wanting to have the experience in the past, but no longer have the drive to do so. But you never know. Here are a bunch of podcasts on ayahuasca. There are some good ones in there, rather than just listening to McKenna.

[native]

I just listened to this podcast. It's probably the most clear, thorough description of ayahuasca I've heard.

[YinYang]

Yeah, this is a great podcast! I listened to it when it came out, it's the one where he talks about the physical thought-form manifestations during ceremonies. Glad you found it, was looking for it lately!

[native]

How about that. McKenna tells a story of where his wife inadvertently sent arrows out towards an obnoxious native that was singing against the icaros, which knocked him on his butt and everyone in the circle saw it.

[YinYang]

To get back to whether the curandero is a necessary component or not, this is from Ayahuasca in My Blood: 25 Years of Medicine Dreaming:

Another point I think needs making - as it frequently comes up in conversations related to the use of ayahuasca, San Pedro, peyote, and probably with all of the master plant teachers - is the question of the value of a curandero. The question that arises is whether or not a curandero (in the case of auahuasca and San Pedro) or a "Roadman" (in the case of peyote) is necessary. The answer, I think, is that they're not necessary - the plants will teach you something whether there is a curandero or not. But I think that the work of a good curandero can add whole dimensions to the experience.

On a physical level, the curandero is the master preparer of the auhuasca. He must be compared to a chef, rather than a cook. More than that, his interactions with the spirits of the plants he's working with are what's of great value. The plants must give up their chemicals to whomever puts them in a pot and boils them.

But the curandero, through his relationship with the sentient side of the plant, can encourage those plants to give up more than their chemical components, to give up their spirit. This is not to be dismissed.

Curanderos have generally spent years becoming intimate with the spirits of the plants. Moreover, the curandero might have several plant allies, and depending on the needs of those drinking on a given day might have a variety of admixture plants he can add to the basic recipe. And each of those plants bring their individual spirits and personalities to the ceremony the curandero is running.

And running the ceremony is really what the curandero does. It might look to an outsider as if he or she is just sitting on a stool, chanting and shaking a leaf-rattle, but he is doing much more than that. He is seeing what each person is dreaming, his icaros, songs, sending some further out into their dreams and pulling others back down to earth at the same time. The curandero is healing everyone simultaneously as well, even those who don't know they need it. He is asking his plant spirit allies to work with everyone, and his allies respond.

Until you've experienced it, that is a difficult thing to believe. One former guest explained it this way, just hours after his first ayahuasca experience. The guest was named Lynn, and he was one of two males among my six guests. He said he was sitting on the hut floor and not having much of a reaction to the medicine. "And at one point in the ceremony, I mentally called out to Julio to show me something," he said. "Anything that would indicate that I hadn't taken a very expensive trip for nothing."

"I had my eyes open while I was thinking that." he said. "And as soon as I did, Julio suddenly stood and grew about 14 feet tall and his chakras began spinning with the most fantastic lights, shooting colours all over the space and me. And then he very clearly said "Now can I get back to the work I was doing on the women?"

"In that moment," Lynn said, "I understood something fantastic happens out in that realm - a realm that I wasn't certain existed until that point in time."

[AnthroHeart]

This has a curendero, but he blew smoke in the guys face. Not sure what that sign meant.

[YinYang]

Today I had a picnic with the group who I will be drinking ayahuasca with! They are quite a bohemian bunch, it was wonderful. If this is what people are like who regularly drink ayahuasca, I'm in! I chatted to many people about their experiences. One lady told me her life story, she was just radiating. She told me that she was a drug addict before, and a friend said to her "the only thing that will save you now is ayahuasca". One ceremony and the job was done. Said her whole life changed. She was very into computers, and never touched a computer after that. Now she makes herbal remedies for a living. She also recommended magic mushrooms.

One guy looked like Jesus, walking round in a white robe, just smiling and hugging everyone. I had to keep myself from staring sometimes, it was quite an experience. I think these people all experienced ego death by the looks of it. They regularly get curanderos in from Peru, to lead ceremonies.

[MichaelD]

You can do all the research in world, but in the end you wont understand plant medicine until you use it. Additionally, ayahuasca (yage) differs from other plant medicines in key ways that, again, defy explanation until you can experience it yourself. However, some useful things can be said about it. 

The most important thing to understand is that yage is a medicine, not a drug. The indiginous cultures that use yage only ever refer to it as medicine. This isnt simply due to its chemical makeup either. The ceremony is integral to turning this synergy of plants into a medicine, as is the integrity and experience of the shaman leading the ceremony.

It is a medicine in such a deep way, that you will finally understand what the word medicine truly means. It heals us on such a profound and deep level, in ways you didnt know you needed to be healed. And im not talking about real life traumas, which those will be healed as well. But what im talking about is the healing that is taking place on the soul level. The pain deep in our hearts that we have such difficulty communing with our great mother earth. The yage teaches us how to be human again. 

This isnt some joy ride, though you will experience immense joy. This is deep inner work. The intention that you bring to it will help you to get the most out of it. The questions you take into the ceremony will be answered, and i mean answered directly. Drinking ayahuasca is your right as a human being. i personally see the pyschedelic experience as integral to the human experience as sex is, perhaps even more. 

You will feel the calling when its time. I felt the calling once, and the stars aligned and the most loving human ive ever met came into my life and gave me medicine. Use your intuition though. While the ayahuasca itself is healing, the intentions, integrity and the experience (years working with the medicine) of the shaman is vitally important to a good experience. I was lucky enough to be blessed with an amazing shaman coming into my life, and immediately upon meeting him knew him to be true. So do your homework. Not online homework, but personal references if you can manage it. Online can work, but try to contact participants and ask about lineage, years working with the medicine, etc.

Personally, drinking medicine is the single best thing i do in my life. The thought of it now brings tears to my eyes. And its not just during the ceremony either. Its the people i meet, the smiles i see. The medicine brings the best people together to meet. It is creating a better world. This is one of the most ancient traditions that we know of today. The healing is real. The help is real. You could spend 10 years working with a psychiatrist, or one night with yage. It really is that powerful. I wont lie to you, its hard sometimes. But a good path MUST be hard. But, paradoxically, its also the easiest thing i do. 

Blessings

PS: a good book on this topic is called Rainforest Medicine. Check it out

[YinYang]

Thanks Michael, great post!