Ayahuasca healing retreat center in Peru.
With LSD and psilocybin mushrooms at the forefront of the microdosing movement, the prospect of microdosing with ayahuasca as well is slowly beginning to enter the public eye. This powerful preparation, brewed by the indigenous tribes of the Amazon region in South America, has been drawing interest from seekers of spiritual evolution and personal healing worldwide.
THE CHANGING USE OF AYAHUASCA
To accommodate the growing needs of the West, some shamans are welcoming ordinary humans into their spirit world and giving them a chance to peer into the fabric of existence itself. It is also worth noting here that, as it often goes in the world, many indigenous people are also entering the market of exploiting the naïveté of the unsuspecting, as evidenced in the trend known as “ayahuasca tourism.”The exploitation goes both ways though, as the fetishization of these sacred ancient customs is trivializing their otherworldly and ineffable nature.
THE BENEFITS OF AYAHUASCA RITUALS
The experience of drinking ayahuasca within a proper ceremonial context, under the caution and guidance of an experienced maestro is often described as life-changing. Coming into the ritual with humility, respect, and an honest desire to learn and grow can yield unfathomable benefits in the sacred setting of the vine’s natural home.
Ayahuasca takes you on a deep inner journey of self-investigation and gives you opportunities to confront your ego and let go of it. This process, often referred to as ego death,is highly challenging; it requires one to fully surrender to the power of the plants and understand the illusory nature of lifelong fortified concepts of “the self,” which we identify with. This is the goal of many, but it still comes as a surprise to find oneself on the other side. The death of the self can actually feel like physical death and takes time and comfort to process and integrate. This is one of the main advantages of drinking ayahuasca in a ceremonial retreat context.
Ego death seems like quite a daunting prospect, but it forever cracks open the doors to a healthier outlook on life and may close the doors to counterproductive habits and addictions.
In addition to opening the door for deeper immersion, placing oneself in an intentional and sacred space purified and guarded by a spiritual healer has the additional benefit of allowing one to commune with the guide and fellow travelers. This can be crucial for integrating the experience. The shaman also serves to invoke the spirits, enrich the ceremony with blessings and sacred melodies, and stabilize it with their vast knowledge of the spiritual realms, while also offering important instruction and care for participants they sense are having troubles. If nothing else, the presence of others can instill a sense of comfort, reassuring us that we’re not alone in seeking growth. And the exchange of accounts afterward can be valuable for understanding what it is that ayahuasca actually does.
This is probably why ayahuasca retreats, in their now standardized three, seven, or twelve-day forms, have become so sought after. They provide a secure and comfortable framework for westerners to relax while they take time to process the experience, often with medical staff on hand, fully vetted shamans, and well-outfitted accommodation. Diet programs are weaved into the retreat structure, as well as a host of activities such as flower baths, sauna time, hot tubs, hiking, yoga, art, and dance workshops.
SOLITARY AYAHUASCA USE
The convenience of ayahuasca retreats comes at a (literal) price. All inclusive getaways are valued at hundreds or thousands of US dollars, which does not fit into everyone’s budget. The alternative is seeking out indigenous communities and engaging with unaffiliated or less “popular” shamans. However, this comes with its own challenges and perils among which, are: the communication barrier (even knowledge of Spanish will hardly suffice as most authentic shamans safety in uncharted territory and time needed to navigate it; safety from “plastic shamans”trying to make a quick buck off of unsuspecting gringos and their brews of questionable, at times dangerous,quality. For these reasons, taking (verified) ayahuasca in a more familiar setting seems like a viable option for people who don’t have the time or money for a retreat, and don’t want to deal with the potential risks – which is not to say that using ayahuasca in any form comes without risk.
An interesting concept to consider when thinking about the western adoption of the ritualization of ayahuasca, is John Welwood’s notion of spiritual bypassing.This term refers to the identification of spiritual seekers with certain practices and creeds neatly packed up for mass consumption. Specifically, it is the mainstream spirituality popularized by self-help books and widely accepted traditions and teachings that often have their roots in Eastern philosophy. Whether we like it or not, ayahuasca has become a trend, and going to the Amazon for ceremonies is becoming far too accessible – thereby trivializing its significance. By serving the experience up in a standardized format, the ritualistic aspect is also liable to inhibit some of the deep introspection needed.
Another related critique to drinking under the guidance of a teacher might be the potential disposition of the locus of power and responsibility to the shaman. As prudently noted by Julian Palmer – the inventor of changa (an easily smokeable DMT herbal mix), and advocate of consuming ayahuasca in solitude; it may be difficult to find our own inner guidance if we go into the ceremony with the belief that our shaman is the only powerful entity there. Conversely, Palmer notes that the first few experiences, until the person feels comfortable enough with the effects, should definitely be supervised.
IS MICRODOSING AYAHUASCA THE WAY TO GO?
This brings us to an important point in this discussion: is microdosing one of the most powerful entheogens known to man really the way ayahuasca should be used? The answer is, of course, complex, with many pros and cons.
The most important question to ask yourself when considering microdosing with ayahuasca is what your intention is and whether this brew is the optimal way to actualize it. Even though personal accounts do suggest that ayahuasca may alleviate anxiety and depression, if you’re suffering from these or similar afflictions, it’s often more useful to look into their possible cause. If it’s stress, where does it come from? Is it lack of purpose, unsatisfying work or social environment, unfulfilling relationships?
There are numerous options you might want to consider before turning to a daily ayahuasca regimen. Psychotherapy, alpha-stim, heart rate variability training, holotropic breathwork, meditation, yoga, exercise, changing your job, traveling or starting more purposeful and fulfilling relationships are just some examples of how you could introduce more mindfulness into your life and alleviate stress. In the end, ayahuasca doesn’t really give you a cure – it just illuminates all the homework you still need to do yourself.
The Science Of Ayahuasca Microdosing
Given that researchers are only just beginning to scratch the surface of the science of microdosing in general, even with LSD and psilocybin mushrooms, we’ll likely have to wait a while for ayahuasca-specific microdosing studies.
However, preliminary findings by Gerald Thomas et al., who worked with ayahuasca retreat participants, show lasting positive changes to measures of hopefulness, empowerment, mindfulness, and quality of life, as well as an enhanced sense of purpose.The study also recorded self-reported decreases in tobacco, alcohol and cocaine use. Profound results like these are evidently attainable over one or more full-dosage sessions, but is it possible that microdosing can yield some of the same effects?
While we don’t know for certain, anecdotal reports certainly appear to suggest so.
How Do You Microdose
With Ayahuasca?
After experiencing ayahuasca in a safe and nurturing environment, you may want to consider drinking the brew alone and/or integrating it into your daily life to harvest the sub-threshold benefits it may offer. As with microdosing LSD, microdosing psilocybin mushrooms, and even microdosing DMT, microdosing with ayahuasca is entirely possible. However, taking into account the large variety of ways to prepare the brew and highly individual responses to consumption, determining the specifics of dosage and content becomes a matter of experimentation.
Benefits And Risks
Microdosing ayahuasca in the morning or evening should yield different yet similar experiences. Among the effects reported by evening takers are: alleviation of depression and anxiety; vivid dreams; insights into aspects of daily life; shifts in stress; higher awareness; greater presence, compassion, satisfaction, and peace; a sense of acknowledgement; and emotional discharge. Negative effects cited include laziness and difficulty getting up, some fogginess in perception during the day, and potential diarrhea.
Morning takers report: enhanced perception; deeper meditative states; vivid dreams; gentleness, lovingness and lightness; and positive effects on anxiety. There are differing accounts as to the effects on creativity, focus, social ability and sexual energy. Negatives include a lack of motivation for strenuous activities, tiredness, and a slight buzzy feeling.
RISKS
Even though microdosing shouldn’t warrant a full ayahuasca diet, some dietary precautions are advised, as there are foods that can be dangerous in combination with MAOIs. Specifically avoid aged cheeses, cured meats, soy sauce, fermented foods (like tofu), pickled vegetables, spicy foods, alcohol in general (especially red wine), aspartame, and large amounts of dark chocolate.
Medications and drugs that conflict with MAOIs, such as other MAOIs, SSRIs, hypertension medicine, and recreational drugs, should be avoided.
If you are interested in participating in an authentic Ayahuasca shamanic journey in the Amazon jungle here at Flower of life Ayahuasca Peru healing retreat center
We would be delighted to welcome you! To suit the desires of our guests here at Flower of life Ayahuasca healing center.We work with both male and female authentic shipibo maestros healers.
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