Ayahuasca's Global Concern
During a talk given at the 4th International Amazonian Shamanism Conference: Myths, Magic and Miracles in Iquitos, Peru this summer, Dennis McKenna left his PowerPoint presentations and advance preparations behind and riffed & rolled for two hours "from the heart".
Dennis can certainly hold his own and need not be compared to his brother, Terence. Yet, one gets the sense that Terence was lurking behind the curtain, or simply in direct contact with Dennis during this engaging, colorful talk.
While Dennis often speaks in regards to the scientific aspects of ayahuasca, here he explores, in a profound and timely manner, the reasons and implications of Ayahuasca going global.
"Ayahuasca is coming to more and more people all the time ... (it is) capable of presenting itself to everyone in the world in the way it needs to be presented ... coming through filters it chooses ... it wants to spread ... it wants to form symbiosis (with humans) ... the plants have their way."
In the talk he discusses the role of ayahuasca in relation to "the death culture vs the life culture" as well as suggesting ways to handle the knowledge and experiences invoked by ayahuasca without succumbing to a sense of righteousness.
Other talks from the conference, including presentations by Peter Gorman, Pablo Amaringo and Jimmy Weiskopf are available at the Internet Archive.
Ayahuasca vine photo by Morgan Maher
- 10-21-08
- Morgan Maher's blog
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Comments
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Could you explain why you feel this way. Why do you feel it is not suitable as a medicine for the masses? Used with disrespect, and I might agree, but engaged with respect and as medicine, then it is a different ballgame.
Who are "the right people"?
Also, as with food and other things, people should grow it if they can.
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As Dennis notes, "Ayahuasca is ...capable of presenting itself to everyone in the world in the way it needs to be presented ... coming through filters it chooses "
I think an important thing to consider is the way in which the ayahuasca is going to people, reaching out to people, not the other way around. To think that ayahuasca itself isn't playing a major role or that it remains as some sort of silent "victim" in whats going on these days misses out on the kinds of sentience and reach the vine has and the kinds of things it is capable of.
Forest for the Trees
quote ecolocal:"I suggest giving the masses the inspiration to see the moon , as you received it, communicating the vision"
Sounds like you would rather have ayahuasca all to yourself and have people just sit in a circle around you so they can listen to your viewpoint and hope they get it and hope they follow what you have learned and hope all goes well after that????
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Yes, the moon is a good analogy for ayahuasca. It is there for everyone. It watches over. You can try to reach out and touch it, even go there if you can, but the moon reaches down to us and affects and effects us all through it's energies, patterns, orbit and relationship.
You can try to grasp at it, but gravity holds you back. Yet, when the moon is full, it will reach out and touch you, provide you with some lunacy, reasons to celebrate. When the moon is new, it reaches out and provides you with a new beginning, insight and healing.
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In case you haven't noticed the world and planet is in crisis here and now. If we don't heal ourselves, our bodies and our souls and our relationship with the planet. There will be nothing. There will be no ayahuasca. And that is one reason why it is reaching out and creating symbiosis. It has its "selfish" reasons too, it wants to survive. It looks at humans and sees how we are destroying its habitat, its home, so it is offerring help in various ways and forms so that it too can survive. Because if we do destroy the planet how will this vine grow?
Ayahuasca Math
As Dennis points out, it is important to avoid succumbing to a sense of righteousness, that any particular way is the right way. We need to throw many different ideas and paths into this pot and brew it up. I honestly don't think hundreds of millions of status-quo citizens will or are flocking to ayahuasca, I am more of the feeling that ayahuasca is making itself known to what you describe as the "right people" and this now happens to be many people, simply because there are so many people on the planet. It's simple math.
Also, I don't think it's a matter of compassion to understand that "most people are like children" insecure or irresponsible. In fact, I wish people were more like children, playful and openhearted. But for those people who are insecure or irresponsible; these medicines can help.
And while I do think ayahuasca is a miracle. It is certainly not instant, nor is it easy, nor is it always fun. But it is capable of things, amazing things, totally magical things and we are all learning what real magic is, whether you're 10 years old or 100 000 000 years old.
Anyway, there are many ways. Very likely, there is no overall right way, with ayahuasca. Perhaps the only way is what's healthiest for one, for you, for the individual in relation to the many, your family , community and planet.
And that is up to you to decide and act upon.
Tripping is Work Too
Out with Trip
I seriously and sincerely feel that "tripping" is an outmoded, outdated and by now detrimental term when used in relation to these plants, especially ayahuasca. For one, it carries with it the notion that one is "tripping" over their shoelaces, approaching and engaging these plants in a clumsy manner. Two, yes, these plants are work, hard work. But they are not like taking a trip to Cancun or a trip to the grocery store. They are far more of a committment than a leisurely trip. I wanted to point this out, because as these plants become more widespread and better known, it feels best to build and encourage healthier means of speaking about them, communicating with them and describing the sorts of things and places they are capable of showing us
4th International Amazonian Shamanism Conference: Myths, Magic
Facing yourself.
ummmmm
it sure is.
judaism and christianity and the current world
Consciously Creating
Its a strange dichotomy of such a beautiful teacher that it seems to create such division in communities, as ecolocal points out. I have observed that a big part of this is generated by the sometimes overly-evangelical propounding of the merits of the brew, which seems to create a counter reaction in those who then see partakers as part of a clique - again, something ecolocal refers to regarding Visionary Art. To me this is a real shame, but is also part of our journey and a symbol of our current state of consciousness as a people.
It brings me great strength, hope and courage to know that a being like Ayahuasca exists in this world, and is there to support us. It reminds me, when I connect with that divinity, that despite all the perceived perils we face as regards our extinction, there are greater forces at work, easing us through this time of transition.
Because of this deep personal connection I feel with Her, I am occasionally perplexed by stories I hear from elsewhere about Her perceived effects, much as I am disturbed by the rifts I see in the communities where She is present. But again, I am reminded that this is part of our journey. I have recently heard a number of fascinating negative stories about the effects of the brew. Much of what I have previously heard can easily be understood as individuals resisting the effects or else refusing to listen to teachings or their own rememberings - no different than the things that bring about any bad trip. Others I have heard seem to occur when the plant has been used without due respect.
One thing I would like to hear more about though is whether people, on their journeys, feel they meet the spirit of the plant, or whether they encounter a range of beings. Or else both. If the latter, how do they account for these in light of the singularity of the Ayahuasca Spirit. Are there many people out there who do not encounter Her at all on their journeys? And if they do encounter Her, is it directly, or subtly? Through words, or through images/synethesia? Does she appear in form or forms or can you just feel Her?
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I don't know if the Medicine is meant to be consumed by everybody, for sure I don't believe it can be a fix-all for everybody, though I see merit in both sides raised by Morgan and ecolocal above. But to deny it to anybody on the grounds of not being the 'right people' seems no better than denying other medicines to the poor because they cannot afford them. She will go where she needs to. Any which way, for me, she is a beautiful ally and I give thanks for Her presence in our world.
speaking to the spirit