Ayahuasca with the Shipibo Tribe in Peru
Full Name:
dimethyllovebeam
The evening of ceremony you will not eat dinner. The ceremony begins around nightfall. We gather together in the ceremonial maloka, or hut, and sit in a circle along the perimeter. Each guest has their own mat, pillow and waste bucket. The shaman will begin in the center of the maloka and prepare for ceremony by praying and smoking mapacho, or jungle tobacco, to protect and cleanse the space. Once everyone is settled, you are called one by one to receive your portion of the brew. For the initial ceremony everyone will begin with the same small dose.
Ayahuasca dosing is very much based on the individual. Height and weight are not factors and having a larger dose does not necessarily mean you will have a more intense ceremony. Many people find that smaller doses are more effective. After the initial starter cup, you can ask for seconds if you require more medicine. The maestro will smoke and pray to give each participate there dose.
After everyone has drank and returned to their mat, the candles are blown out. The shaman begins singing when he feels it is time, usually after about 20-45 min and will go to everyone to give each person individual icaros. From there, the experience is unique to every individual.
We require all guests to remain in the maloka until ceremony is over. Your facilitators will be in the maloka if you need any assistance, as well as staff on hand to help those who need assistance in getting to the bathroom. Along with it being dark, being with the medicine can be disorienting. Space and time can become distorted so for your safety you are asked to stay in the maloka and only go to the designated bathrooms or ask for help from one of our helpers, ready to assist you should you need aid.
It is true that Ayahuasca ceremonies can be challenging at times. Vomiting can follow Ayahuasca ingestion; but this purging is considered by many shamans and experienced users of Ayahuasca to be an essential part of the experience, as it represents the release of negative energy and emotions built up over the course of one’s life.
In preparation for the Peru ceremonies, we are required to restrict the following from our diets for 19 days prior, and 19 days after the ceremonies: No refined sugars, sweets, caffeine, salt, spices, seasonings, oils, red meat, pork, dairy, vinegars, fermented foods and citrus fruits/ juices.
- $1,500 for 15 days. All food, lodging, and excursions included. Normally this cost involves 10 Ayahuasca ceremonies. We received 12 ceremonies. West coast Ayahuasca retreats want 5k to 6k for one week. $855 airfare - round trip. Dallas - Miami - Lima - Pucallpa, and back. Picked up at the Pucallpa airport by motorcycle taxi and taken by Gaspar and his family to the village. I saved for 8 months for this.
- Upon return, I experienced US Customs for the first time. They were very interested in us coming back from Lima, Peru. :( Military / Police State Assholes. Just legalize everything. The war was lost when it started over 50 years ago.
- 2 daily meals at the village which consisted of boiled white rice - plain, boiled eggs - plain, plantains, vegetables, and either chicken or fish for 14 days. No salt, no seasonings, no citrus. Our dietas are continuing upon our return until Sept. 8th. 33 days in total. No red meat, no oils, no sugary foods, no added sugars, no alcohol or cannabis or other psychedelics. Pork is permanently off limits.
- Normally, Gaspar performs 10 nighttime ceremonies in a 14 day span, but because our teacher is his top student, he gave us 12 ceremonies - no price change - coupled with daily dieting of the teas of what the Shipibo consider the master plants, as follows:
- Noya Rao
- Renaquilla
- Bobinsana
- Imanpiripiri ( Iman - pidi - pidi )
- Hierva Luisa Aquatica
- Huayanchei ( Why - ann - Chee )
******* The master plants, when ingested as a tea, are part of what is called a dieta The dieta is very specific and certain foods cannot be ingested while on the dieta, otherwise, the energies from these restricted foods / drinks will interfere with the energies of the master plants. So the dietas are usually quite strict. Water is he only drink, and it can't be cold, either. Meals at the village during the dieta consisted of boiled white rice - plain, boiled eggs - plain, plantains, vegetables, and either chicken or fish for 14 days. Fresh fruit, non-citrus, was also allowed. We each lost substantial weight in the heat and humidity of the environment. I lost 11 lbs in 15 days. ***********
**********Each master plant, as described by Gaspar, has its own spirit and dimension, and can be used to help locate and release negative energies from the person(s) seeking healing. Plants are either masculine or feminine in their prescribed energies. This method of physical, spiritual and emotional healing has been used by the Shipibo for millennia. Their life revolves around understanding the plants available to them from the Amazon rain forest. To them, specific plants are our guides into and through the multiple spirit realms and dimensions that exist when the Grandmother Ayahuasca mixture, is ingested. When the peak of the experience begins, that is when the shamans will call upon specific plants, through prayer, to guide them into the patients spirit realm, locate the negative energies and release them for the patient. This work can also be performed through the singing of the Icaros by the Shaman. They believe that 120 spirit dimensions exist. *********
***Required for the dieta also included:
- 24 hrs of complete silence. ........ No signing, talking, no writing to others, no smiling or laughing with others, no phone use. No texting. No cheating. ( except for smiling and laughing, being an introvert made this relatively easy)
- 3 - 24 hr dry fasts ......... we could do all three together, or as separate days. We each chose separate days. No food, No water, either. I can easily do a food fast for 24 hrs. If you haven't tried a dry fast, i recommend you don't. The last 4 hrs were torture in that hot environment. We each scheduled our dry fasts to start immediately after drinking water to wash down the Ayahuasca in ceremony. Not having water to wash down the Ayahuasca is something few can do. Gaspar is one of those few.
The purpose of the dietas, the silence and the dry fasts were for the same purpose as doing 12 high dose ayahuasca ceremonies within 15 days, mastering the mind. Pushing the limits of your mind, not so much your body, but specifically, the mind. And, out of respect to the plants we were dieting on, showing our ability to sacrifice.
Gaspar stated to us before the first ceremony that the jungle breaks people, often Westerners, but that he was there to help us get through the tough spots, day and night. We had 3 of the 10 people go home early. Each didn't make it past one week. No disrespect at all. It was a lot to handle. I was the oldest attendee there by 9 years.. Gaspar expects that when you come to the jungle to join the Shipibo that you are ready to walk, the training wheels have been off for a while, etc., and that you didn't come there expecting a joy ride.
This was a "dive in, head-first" experience for each of the 15 days we were there. He wants to see who is ready to be a "Maestro(a) in training", and these two weeks, under these conditions, will tell him just that.
- Log in to post comments
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
I started reading this a few
I started reading this a few days ago but took a break just before the plants. It's a lot. You went through a lot, and went without a lot. It sounds like you must have found a lot, too.
Thanks for telling us about your experiences.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
Yes on all, judit. Thanks for
Yes on all, judit. Thanks for reading. I hope you find it interesting.
i went with only one expectation and that was of further healing myself and further learning from Aya, and only one concern which was being able to sleep at night in a jungle with not so much as a fan. Unexpectedly, I got the trip of a lifetime, and slept decently. No other Aya retreat offers 12 ceremonies in the span of 14 days, or offers it this cheap with the actual Shipibo Tribe. Gaspar's goal is to train people to bring the medicine out to the world. Again, this wasn't really a retreat as much as it was a training facility.
I actually had 13 ceremonies, bc me and my teacher had a ceremony together the night before we left for the Miami airport. He told me after the ceremony that he had a vision of me serving medicine in the future. I took that in stride bc i just didn't expect that occurrence at all, much less after only 13 ceremonies. But in Peru, Gaspar's daughter, Suli, dropped by to meet us, and decided that she liked the energy of our small group and wanted to drink the medicine in ceremony for one night. She was accompanied by her husband, her 4 yr old daughter and her brother in law. At the end of the first ceremony, she decided that she wanted to sit and drink the medicine for two more ceremonies, being that the number 3 is significant in the Shipibo culture. I wasn't aware that there was more to her reasoning, though.
One of the things that stood out immediately for me after meeting Suli is that unlike some of the indigenous tribes of the Amazon, the Shipibo women are encouraged to train as Maestra Curanderas. It isn't a 'mens only' club. Suli is an accomplished and highly respected Maestra Curandera of Shipibo heritage. Her three ceremonies with us were not all in a row, but after each ceremony, she confided her visions to her father, but in Shipibo dialect so no one could understand what was being said. The morning after her third ceremony, me, Suli, Gaspar and my teacher sat together at the edge of the village and she related to me, through a translator that she had a vision of me each night. She saw Mother Ayahuasca sitting beside me with her vines wrapped around me on the first night. The second night she saw me pouring medicine to a long line of people. The third ceremony she saw me kneeling, facing the morning Sun as people walked in front of me. She said these were the people i will be bringing into the Light. I was told that the plants chose me, and this is the only other method that prospective Curanderas are brought into the fold, besides being of Shipibo heritage. Pretty sure my jaw was hanging open. I was almost speechless.
It's taken almost three weeks to come down from those experiences and all that happened in those14 days and nights, but in reality, I am in the process of starting an apprenticeship for eventually serving Ayahuasca as trained by the Shipibo tribe of Peru. When i gathered my words, I promised Gaspar, Suli and my teacher that I would learn all that I could, and I would not deviate at all from their teachings, honoring both my teachers and the Shipibo culture. Brings tears just writing this. It is a tremendous lifetime honor, and a very unexpected one. It is also a tremendous responsibility, both culturally and personally. This medicine is truly Ancient. Out of 80,000 plant species in the Amazon rain forest, no one alive can fully account for how indigenous people took a vine and some leaves, boiled them in a vessel and drank the resulting brew. No one.
It induces closed-eye visions like nothing ive ever experienced before, not even close, and Time completely disappears in those spaces. Words fail to describe its full inner knowledge of each of us, its beauty and intensity. Gaspar said that the Master plants, Mapacho and Noya Rao, conveyed their visions through dreams to ancient people to seek out these two plants with instructions of how to prepare them for consumption. This story was passed down to him from his father, and so on, and so on, and so on, for ?????? generations. Personally, I don't mind dealing with all of the vomit and the occasional soiled clothing. Raising a child helped with that, but I was told that I would be expected to show the same Love and Respect to all who come to the medicine including rapists,child molesters, murderers, etc., just like any other person in any field of healing. Lots to think about. A lot. But, i have decided to move forward on this path. One step at a time. :) Unbelievable.
Suli and her 4 yr old daughter, who will start her training as a Maestra Curandera next year when she turns 5.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: treat island
It sounds so good for you.
It sounds so good for you. Bliss on.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
On the morning of the last
On the morning of the last ceremony that Suli participated in, around 2am, she gifted each of us a beautiful hand made wrist bracelet, but also included this beautiful necklace for me, hand made by the Shipibo women, with cross sections of an Ayahuasca vine strung in, each section lacquered. She told me that my bracelet was made with violet beads bc violet is the highest frequency of the visible light spectrum. We all had tears in our eyes when she broke these out for each of us. I wear these with pride in every ceremony back here in the states. Prized possessions. Just wearing them keeps the energy of the village at heart.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
One of many tapestries that
One of many tapestries that were for sale directly from the Shipibo women. All tapestries, no matter the size, are completely hand stitched. Tapestries of this size, i was told, take a full 2 months to finish. The designs are seen in dreams or visions during ceremony. Once the tapestry is started, all the women in the village work on it, both day and night until completion. This tapestry was approx. 5' tall x 4' wide.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
One of many tapestries that
.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
Bird of Paradise in its
Bird of Paradise in its natural habitat...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
False Bird of Paradise in its
False Bird of Paradise in its natural habitat...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
Real bananas....not the ones
Real bananas....not the ones from the supermarket. Half the size and twice the flavor....
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
Fresh pineapples....
Fresh pineapples.....typically larger, pure gold in color when cut open and substantially less acidic. The fresh fruit was so cheap and so delicious. natural, not bred for storage qualities.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
dream home near the village..
dream home near the village.........simplicity, solitude and beauty
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
dream home near the village..
dream home near the village.........simplicity, solitude and beauty
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
Looking up from one of the
Looking up from one of the hammocks into this cocoa tree, the large dark masses to the right and above are Green Hornet nests. They were quite active, yet they never bothered anyone in the two weeks we co-habitated with them.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
Looking up from one of the
.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
for whatever reason, this
for whatever reason, this corner of the village became the morning toothbrushing spot...lol
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
for whatever reason, this
.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
a little one on a mission :)
a little one on a mission :)
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
Day 2, Gaspar is blessing the
Day 2, Gaspar is blessing the fresh pot of Vomitivo with mapacho smoke. Vomitivo is straight Ayahuasca vine, no Chacruna leaves. It is intensely bitter and makes you purge through either end of your body. It is highly "cleansing". We each drank a full pint and a half of this, and then followed it with at least a half gallon of water.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
This is the view a couple of
This is the view a couple of hours before each ceremony. We would face the setting sun and take a "plant bath". This was a mixture of 6 plants, finely chopped and soaked in water. We would each have our own tub and dump it over ourselves from head to toe, leaving the plant bits to air dry on our skin. It was actually pleasantly fragrant, and was the only real shower we had each day. We were allowed to soap up with very basic soap before drenching ourselves.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
This was the "plant steam
This was the "plant steam bath" that we were required to do 3 times within the 2 week period. Much like the 3 days of dry fasting and the 24 hrs of non-communication, this was about testing your will. No one chose to do this in conjunction with dry fasting, as this is basically a poor man's sauna. There are 4 people inside with a large pot of boiling water placed in the middle. Everyone is hunched over for a timed ten minutes. This was not enjoyable in a jungle atmosphere. Trust me. It was such a relief when the plastic came off. The reasons we did this was to breath in the plant vapors, and to show sacrifice for the gifts we received from the medicine. A medicinal purpose and a sign of respect.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
Suli in the morning with a
Suli in the morning with a fresh pot of Ayahuasca mix just made and ready to boil for the day...first layer in the pot is chopped aya vine, then a layer of chacruna leaves, then aya, etc., until full, always ending with a layer of chacruna leaves on top....
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
cross section of an Ayahuasca
cross section of an Ayahuasca vine...Vine of the Soul, Vine of the Dead
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
We each took turns hammering
We each took turns hammering the ayahuasca vine. This is necessary to expose as much inner material to the boiling water for extracting the Harmine and Harmaline maoi's. The other person would use the machete to chop the vine into sections that would fit in the pot.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
The only reason i'm including
The only reason i'm including this photo is to show the Shipibo's ingenuity in using what is available. These two large spots are where two large holes existed where a handle used to attach to the pot. These were two holes, each at least 2 inches in diameter. We watched the grandmother scrape green plantains into her palm, mash the plantain shavings around in her palms until it became solid, and used this to "patch" the large holes. Not only did this work, there was boiling water in contact with these patches for at least a couple of hours and they did not leak. This is a picture of the pot the following day after many hours of boiling.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
Here she is placing the
Here she is placing the patches on, just before placing more water in the pot...
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
a plant combination that is
a plant combination that is thousands of years old. Gaspar prepares each pot of magic the exact way he was taught by his father. This mixture of aya vine, chacruna leaves and water will boil away for around 8 hours.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
^I forgot to mention that the
^I forgot to mention that the boiling mixture is prayed over multiple times and mapacho smoke is used to cleanse the pot and the fire.
When the mixture is done boiling, the water with the plant extracts now in solution are filtered though cloths into a smaller collection pot. The boiled plant matter is given a prayer and discarded in the surrounding jungle.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
The smaller pot with the
The smaller pot with the finished solution is placed on a raised rack and allowed to simmer into the night until the desired reduction ( strength ) is achieved.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
The next morning as the sun
The next morning as the sun rises, Gaspar and his Family assist in bottling up the finished Ayahuasca, both in the pouring process and prayer.
This amount is enough for two nights of ceremonies.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
The next morning as the sun
.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: dimethyllovebeam
Formosa - Samart
Formosa - Samart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yedo6i6C0Kw