Ayahuasca Medicine
What is Ayahuasca?
Ayahuasca is a Sacred Plant Medicine, medicinal tea, with the main ingredient being the ayahuasca vine. The ayahuasca vine is brewed with admixture plants to create the Ayahuasca Medicine. The admixture plant most commonly used in the Shipibo tradition are the leaves of the Chacruna plant.
Scientifically speaking, the effects of Ayahuasca are created due to the ayahuasca vine containing monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), and the leaves from the Chacruna plant containing the psychoactive molecule Dimethyltryptamine (DMT). DMT is the psychoactive compound that produces the visionary effects of the Ayahuasca experience but if consumed orally without an MAOI, DMT is broken down by digestive enzymes and will have no noticeable effects on the body. The MAOIs contained in the Ayahuasca vine stop the body from breaking down the DMT and allow the Ayahuasca experience to occur.
Ayahuasca is believed to have been used by Amazonian tribes for millennia, and although the modern scientific explanation of Ayahuasca suggests the experience is merely an orally active DMT experience , the truth is much more complex and mostly unexplainable through the human mind. It is believed that the Ayahuasca vine was originally made into a tea by itself and when consumed by Amazonian healers was a source of great wisdom. It is also believed that through the use of this Ayahuasca vine tea, the healers were told which plants to add to the tea to enhance its effects. It is the wisdom of the Ayahuasca vine mixed with the mind-opening properties of DMT that give this brew its unexplainable healing and awakening ability.
Brewing Ayahuasca
The Ayahuasca consumed at Jochipapanete is brewed onsite by our Maestros and staff and only contains the two ingredients of Ayahuasca vine and Chacruna leaves, we do not use any other admixture plants. Firstly the Ayahuasca vine is chopped into segments, cleaned and pounded with a wooden mallet, this process breaks the Ayahuasca vine down to produce a larger surface area where the vines medicinal properties can be extracted through the brewing process. Once the Ayahuasca vine is prepared, it is placed into a large pot along with the Chukruna leaves and water and is brewed for about 12 hours over a hot fire in our Brewing Hut. The process and intention of the people brewing ayahuasca is very important to the quality of the medicine, which is why all Ayahuasca at Jochipapanete is brewed onsite under the supervision of our maestros. Brewing is done during retreat times so guests have the opportunity to watch and participate in the process.
Ayahuasca Ceremony
The Ayahuasca ceremony is an opportunity for participants to receive healing and spiritual guidance from the wisdom of both Ayahuasca medicine and our Shipibo Maestros. Participants arrive at the Maloka at least half an hour before the ceremony to pay respect to the Shaman and to collectively begin to make space for the ceremony.
The ceremony begins in silence with each participant and shaman drinking the ayahuasca medicine, after everyone has drunk, the lighting is reduced to mostly darkness and everyone waits in silence for the ayahuasca medicine to start working. Once the medicine begins the shaman will start to sing their Icaros. After the shamans commence singing, they will begin to work their way around the room and spend time with each participant using their tools of icaro, breathe, hands, Mapacho smoke and Agua Florida to provide individual healing to each participant. The Shamans decide when the ceremony should close based on the energy of the Maloka and will signify this by ceasing their icaros. The shaman, facilitators, and guests then sleep together in the maloka (you can return to your tambo, but we recommend sleeping in the Maloka space).
During the ceremony participants go through a diverse range of experiences, that will induce all kinds of positive and/or negative emotions and more than likely physical purging. The physical purging may include vomiting, diarrhea, urination, sweating, crying, and screaming and the sound of these purges mixed with the icaros builds the energy and intensity of the ceremony. A major part of the healing process of ayahuasca is both physical and emotional purging and as you begin your relationship with this medicine you will grow your understanding and respect for the necessity of purging in the healing process.The Medicine is here to cleanse you of all that does not serve your highest good, one step and one ceremony at a time.
