Preparing a Proper Ayahuasca Brew

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The following on ayahuasca brews is excerpted from Rainforest Medicine: Preserving Indigenous Science and Biodiversity in the Upper Amazon, published by North Atlantic Books.

A good batch of yagé must unite the heavenly and earthly energies, and to realize this, subtle elements are necessary in the preparation. This is among the most refined essences of nature, fit to be drunk by the traditional elders. This article documents many of the guidelines for preparing yagé according to standards which the Secoya say come down to them from the Ñañë Siecopai, the Multicolored People of God. Note that methods as well as plant mixtures vary throughout the Amazon basin.


Sourcing and Harvesting Ayahuasca

“I have observed in using both yage and Peyote a strange, vegetable consciousness, an identification with the plant. . . . It is easy to understand how the Indians came to believe there is a spirit in these plants.” –William Burroughs, The Yage Letters.

The brew is carefully prepared from a mixture of yagé (Banisteriopsis caapi) and yagé ocó (Diplopterys cabrerana) vines. (Remember, this is the Secoya admixture of choice; people in other parts of the upper Amazon tend to use chacruna, Psychotria viridis.) These vines are usually cultivated in private gardens, which are reserved for this purpose and visited and cared for only by the yagé drinker. He is considered the father of the vines and stays in communion with the yagémopai (yagé people), the spirits of the yagé. Only with permission from their human father are the vines respectfully harvested, often after being softly sung to.

The thick central “mother vine” is usually not harvested. It is the abode of the plant spirit. The yagé vine is viewed as a house within which resides its owner, the spirit mother of the yagé. Many kinds of yagémopai or spiritual entities can live in this house, depending on the ability and grade of the yagé drinker or shaman who owns the vines and the depth of his/her wisdom. In visions, these can present themselves in multiple forms, such as a big complex insect with many eyes and many legs, or a large showy green grasshopper, or as many little people, or as a jaguar, a colorful snake, or a beautiful beaded goddess.

Usually new vines are planted regularly, and eventually, if need be, an entire vine can be harvested, including the thick central vine, but only if the shaman has not used this central vine to trap trickster spirits (something explained below). In the case of wild vines, the region where they grow will largely determine the quality of the spirits that have been attracted to live inside them.

In the Secoya and related traditions, the woody vines as well as leafy branches and offshoots of the mother vine are harvested for cooking down into a thick tea. The plants may be wild or cultivated, but it’s always good (if not essential) to know something about the source of the ayahuasca as well as the admixture plants. Traditionally, students on the path find a trusted master to provide guidance and an appropriate source of sacred plants. In healing ceremonies as well as ayahuasca churches, people trust their healers, shamans, and spiritual leaders to find and provide safe and appropriately handled materials. Urban ayahuasqueros do not have a forest nearby, so they must obtain plants on field trips or from vendors of medicinal plants. They might have a small garden but it’s not likely to support jungle-sized lianas.

In this regard I can offer the example of don Solon Tello, a great urban healer from Iquitos and master ayahuasquero, who owned no property in the bush and depended on friends and relatives to prepare medicine for him. On one occasion I met one of these friends, a humble elder of dignified stature. Don Solon had once healed this man’s daughter, and they became friends. One afternoon while I was there visiting, he brought don Solon a bottle of medicine as a gift. Don Solon uncorked the brew and knew instantly that it was good. He held it to the light and none could shine through; the liquid was deep dark brown and syrupy thick. It was well prepared, he said. Don Solon told me if it were not for this modest man’s virtuous solidarity with his healing practice, or his own son, who, at times, brought him medicine as well, he might not even be drinking. A master often relies on the inspired gifts and assistance of other people who believe in him and want him to continue his beneficial work. This was certainly true of don Solon, who did not rely on any fixed pattern or set deals to keep his practice going–only on the power of his skill and virtuous intent to attract what he needed to continue healing.

Often it will be the patient who provides the medicine. Among the Secoya as well as urban dwellers, frequently if a healer is requested to attend to a patient, those who call the healer must provide the brew. It is not always well prepared, but a worthy master can sometimes circumvent setbacks and call the spirits anyway in order to do his work.

In the case of curious Westerners seeking experiences, it’s pretty much a crapshoot as to what type and quality of brew they will be served, either in a city or a jungle hut–or on another continent where bottles of already-prepared brew are brought in. There are a few reputable retreat centers in the Amazon where people come to be healed from addictions, or to pursue dietas and spiritual experiences, and their stewards are known to provide quality rainforest plant medicines.

As the energy of a cook is passed to the food he or she makes, the energy and intent of the people preparing an ayahuasca brew are as important to the final product as the plant sources. As with many things in life, one’s experience often depends upon attitude (of both the maker and consumer of a commodity) and approach (mainly one’s own relationship to a substance, experience, being, etc.).

In all cases, regardless of tradition or lack thereof–and I mean even for the most clueless ayahuasca tourist–one must approach the plant or the drink with respect. This means not to touch it without permission of the owner, to handle it slowly and calmly when harvesting, and to avoid loud noises, disrespectful jokes, and excessive small talk, gossip, or jabber when working with the plant. As botanist and educator Kathleen Harrison notes, it’s wise to model our use of ayahuasca and all plants, particularly sacred plants, “on the indigenous traditions that have a long history of using these substances to build respectful, reciprocal relationships and to achieve healing on many levels.”

Harrison states the importance of a plant’s source in the medicine world so well that I will quote her directly here:

“[T]he source of a sacred medicine is very important. It certainly is among native people. Before using a plant, they want to know exactly who has grown it or collected it in the wild, and they want to be sure it’s someone they know very well and whose intentions are pure. But it goes further than that. Let’s say I’m a Mazatec shaman [of Oaxaca, Mexico] and my best friend was in the highlands and found the species he was looking for and collected some and brought them back, but along the way, a strange incident occurred. In that shaman’s worldview, the fact that something strange had happened was considered a bad omen and the mushrooms would be deemed tainted; no one would take them. Indigenous masters of this type of botanical wisdom consider this kind of medicine so vibratory in nature and so absorbent of human intention and events that they take the history of a plant’s origin very, very seriously. I recommend we follow their lead.”

In the case of ayahuasca, these are often not wild forest plants, but are grown in the shaman’s garden. Who grew these plants? How pure were the intentions of that shaman as he grew, harvested, and brewed the plants? Every single brewing is a different recipe on a different day in a different pot, under a different sky. All these factors combine in an incredibly intricate mix to affect our experience. This is not something you should just get out of a bottle from somebody and not know where it came from or what happened to it along the way. It’s not just a drug. It’s something else.

To further understand why the plant’s source is so important, let me impart a few details related to sourcing and cultivating ayahuasca vines that I was enlightened about over the years. It’s known that when a good master needs to accomplish an advanced spiritual healing, he might trap a harmful spirit in a place where it can do no more damage, and this might be within a yagé vine. In turn the master will lead the heavenly spirit to a new vine, one that he has cultivated in a more remote part of his garden. After this occurs, the old vine is never again used; it is left to overgrow and return to the wild, becoming the “jail” of the negative spirit. This is why the Secoya never drink from an old vine that is left in the overgrown garden of a deceased shaman. They are showing respect and also acknowledging the uncertain history of ceremonies related to each vine.

It is considered extremely dangerous to take a live cutting of an ayahuasca vine from an active shaman’s garden without having been granted permission. The Secoya say that if this happens, when the person prepares the drink he will see in his vision that he is attacked and strangled. Shortly afterward, he might become very ill or die, unless the vine he has stolen from is cut down and destroyed. The same can happen if one takes a wild vine without first asking permission from its spiritual owner, as wild vines from remote wilderness areas are homes to particularity powerful spirits who need to be appeased and recognized so that they willingly give of their energy to those interested in learning.

Traditionally, when a vine is passed along from its cultivator to someone else, it is given as if in a marriage ceremony, with several witnesses present, usually two couples on each side of the benefactor and beneficiary of the vine. The recipient humbly accepts the vine, which is given over fully charged with celestial energy. In all cases the recipient would need to be a disciple or relative of the shaman, as the vines are not passed on lightly.

These are some of the reasons why in the Amazon most new students who do not have a teacher and want to drink look for a wild vine in a remote wilderness area, even though these vines cannot be touched without precaution, either. The hopeful gatherers pray to the spiritual owner of the vine and they fast. Just because the vines are growing wild does not mean they do not have an owner–wild plants always have spiritual owners or guardians.

The aspirants may drink strong yoco (Paullinia yoco, a caffeinated jungle vine) or a beverage called mëto that is prepared by mashing strong native tobacco in water and letting it settle in the sun. These drinks help one concentrate energy and facilitate the necessary contact with the spiritual owner of the wild yagé vine. One must meditate on the question of harvesting the wild yagé and actually see the spiritual owner and request and receive authorization before harvesting these vines.

At this time the vine’s spiritual owner appreciates soft and harmonious music, especially singing or flute music. With proper intention, it won’t be long before the spiritual owner of the airo yagé, the wild or forest yagé vine, responds and authorizes the harvesting. The permission is received through a vision, dream, or other indication, such as colorful birds flying out of the vine, either in one’s inner sight or in actuality–for example, the jëesaipë, pisasá, or mapia, the blue-necked tanager, paradise tanager, and scarlet tanager, respectively.

A kind elder told me that once in his youth he went to a wild vine with the intention to gather some of it. He drank yoco and concentrated in order to encounter the spiritual owner of the vine. Suddenly a scarlet tanager flew down and landed on his right shoulder. It perched there for a moment, chirped some, then jumped off and flew back into the canopy of the vine. This was how the spiritual people of the yagé accepted his request and authorized him to proceed with his harvest.

Praying to the Vines

When harvesting the vines and branches of yagé, one first must blow on the vine. Soft chants of gratitude can be offered for the medicine that is complete and effective, and prayers of thanks to God the Creator who governs these vines; to the earlier masters of this tradition who taught and followed the sacred ways; and to the mother of the vine and the guardian spirits of yagé, asking that they be kind in releasing their wisdom, the deopai yagé toyá, “good-people’s yagé designs”– that it may follow the vines to the place where they will be cooked and permit the drinkers to benefit from this most sacred medicine. Here one can bring forth one’s intentions. The spirits of yagé are capable of sensing one’s innermost vibrations, so it is necessary to be sincere. With heartfelt prayers, the vines are spoken to, as if speaking to an old and trusted spiritual master, guide, and friend. The yagé is contented with sincere prayers, song, music, and aromatic smoke.

I am able to present three sample prayers, courtesy of the gracious elders who allowed me to record some of their rituals and stories.

In April 1993 I accompanied Taita (Father) Casimiro Mamallacta on a voyage to his purina tambu (literally, “a shelter that is walked to,” but meaning much more than that–this is a wilderness region where the ancient ways are upheld, a retreat area) at Napo-Galeras. We respectfully harvested the ingandu, the ayahuasca vine, after blowing tobacco smoke on it and leaving an offering of homegrown jungle tobacco at the vine’s base. Then Casimiro kneeled before the offered materials, raised his hands in the air, looked up to the sky and prayed:

“Spiritual masters of this land, beings of the trees, of the stars, spiritual owner of Galeras Mountain, please look upon this moment. I am your son, and here I am with my children, your children, to prepare this sacred medicine. Please make it so that it may be strong, so that we may see clearly, so the ancient knowledge of my ancestors will continue.”

Early one morning in July 1996, I accompanied Cesareo Piaguaje to harvest yagé. He blew on the vines, first with his own breath without tobacco. Then up into the branches he blew the smoke of a cigar containing homegrown natural tobacco rolled in a banana leaf. He shook the vine a little and offered up some prayer through softly spoken song. I asked him the essence of the prayer and he shared it with me in Spanish:

“I have come to learn, great elder teacher, with a humble heart and a willing hand. Please teach me, help me to see and better know the correct way of life. Help me to be a better healer so I may be of service to the people, so that I may follow the way of service, to be part of God’s highest plan, grant me strength to rise above my inertia, my lassitude, my weakness so I may be stronger with each passing day, so I may correctly follow the medicine way of life, so I may be wiser with each new day that comes, more upright, more sincere, better, more willing to serve. I come to you now, great medicine vine, I come to harvest of your branches, and ask of you, hear these words, read these thoughts, owner of these vines, may the pinta come with them, fill them with your life-giving energies, allow them to be effective so we may cook yagé.”

Don Esteban Lucitante shared this next prayer with me in August of 1997. We were sitting around one afternoon watching the river flow, and I asked him what kind of prayer he offers to the yagé when harvesting. He said his prayer goes something like this:

“Thank you, great medicine vine, from all my being, from the most sincere depths of my being, from my heart, from my body, from my willing feet and willing hands, from my mind and soul, from all aspects of my united being, from my spirit to your spirit, I thank you. Thank you for this medicine tradition that my grandfather taught me, thank you for helping me to see the celestial people of my origin, the doctor people, the medicine people of my ancestors. Thank you.”

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Ayahuasca Benefits: Clinical Improvements for Six Months
Ayahuasca benefits can last six months according to studies. Read here to learn about the clinical improvements from drinking the brew.

 

Ayahuasca Culture: Indigenous, Western, And The Future
Ayahuasca has been use for generations in the Amazon. With the rise of retreats and the brew leaving the rainforest how is ayahuasca culture changing?

 

Ayahuasca Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
The Amazonian brew, Ayahuasca has a long history and wide use. Read our guide to learn all about the tea from its beginnings up to modern-day interest.

 

Ayahuasca and the Godhead: An Interview with Wahid Azal of the Fatimiya Sufi Order
Wahid Azal, a Sufi mystic of The Fatimiya Sufi Order and an Islamic scholar, talks about entheogens, Sufism, mythology, and metaphysics.

 

Ayahuasca and the Feminine: Women’s Roles, Healing, Retreats, and More
Ayahuasca is lovingly called “grandmother” or “mother” by many. Just how feminine is the brew? Read to learn all about women and ayahuasca.

What Is the Standard of Care for Ketamine Treatments?
Ketamine therapy is on the rise in light of its powerful results for treatment-resistant depression. But, what is the current standard of care for ketamine? Read to find out.

What Is Dissociation and How Does Ketamine Create It?
Dissociation can take on multiple forms. So, what is dissociation like and how does ketamine create it? Read to find out.

Having Sex on Ketamine: Getting Physical on a Dissociative
Curious about what it could feel like to have sex on a dissociate? Find out all the answers in our guide to sex on ketamine.

Special K: The Party Drug
Special K refers to Ketamine when used recreationally. Learn the trends as well as safety information around this substance.

Kitty Flipping: When Ketamine and Molly Meet
What is it, what does it feel like, and how long does it last? Read to explore the mechanics of kitty flipping.

Ketamine vs. Esketamine: 3 Important Differences Explained
Ketamine and esketamine are used to treat depression. But what’s the difference between them? Read to learn which one is right for you: ketamine vs. esketamine.

Guide to Ketamine Treatments: Understanding the New Approach
Ketamine is becoming more popular as more people are seeing its benefits. Is ketamine a fit? Read our guide for all you need to know about ketamine treatments.

Ketamine Treatment for Eating Disorders
Ketamine is becoming a promising treatment for various mental health conditions. Read to learn how individuals can use ketamine treatment for eating disorders.

Ketamine Resources, Studies, and Trusted Information
Curious to learn more about ketamine? This guide includes comprehensive ketamine resources containing books, studies and more.

Ketamine Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
Our ultimate guide to ketamine has everything you need to know about this “dissociative anesthetic” and how it is being studied for depression treatment.

Ketamine for Depression: A Mental Health Breakthrough
While antidepressants work for some, many others find no relief. Read to learn about the therapeutic uses of ketamine for depression.

Ketamine for Addiction: Treatments Offering Hope
New treatments are offering hope to individuals suffering from addiction diseases. Read to learn how ketamine for addiction is providing breakthrough results.

Microdosing Ketamine & Common Dosages Explained
Microdosing, though imperceivable, is showing to have many health benefits–here is everything you want to know about microdosing ketamine.

How to Ease a Ketamine Comedown
Knowing what to expect when you come down from ketamine can help integrate the experience to gain as much value as possible.

How to Store Ketamine: Best Practices
Learn the best ways how to store ketamine, including the proper temperature and conditions to maximize how long ketamine lasts when stored.

How To Buy Ketamine: Is There Legal Ketamine Online?
Learn exactly where it’s legal to buy ketamine, and if it’s possible to purchase legal ketamine on the internet.

How Long Does Ketamine Stay in Your System?
How long does ketamine stay in your system? Are there lasting effects on your body? Read to discover the answers!

How Ketamine is Made: Everything You Need to Know
Ever wonder how to make Ketamine? Read our guide to learn everything you need to know about the procedures of how Ketamine is made.

Colorado on Ketamine: First Responders Waiver Programs
Fallout continues after Elijah McClain. Despite opposing recommendations from some city council, Colorado State Health panel recommends the continued use of ketamine by medics for those demonstrating “excited delirium” or “extreme agitation”.

Types of Ketamine: Learn the Differences & Uses for Each
Learn about the different types of ketamine and what they are used for—and what type might be right for you. Read now to find out!

Kitty Flipping: When Ketamine and Molly Meet
What is it, what does it feel like, and how long does it last? Read to explore the mechanics of kitty flipping.

MDMA & Ecstasy Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
Our ultimate guide to MDMA has everything you want to know about Ecstasy from how it was developed in 1912 to why it’s being studied today.

How To Get the Most out of Taking MDMA as a Couple
Taking MDMA as a couple can lead to exciting experiences. Read here to learn how to get the most of of this love drug in your relationship.

Common MDMA Dosage & Microdosing Explained
Microdosing, though imperceivable, is showing to have many health benefits–here is everything you want to know about microdosing MDMA.

Having Sex on MDMA: What You Need to Know
MDMA is known as the love drug… Read our guide to learn all about sex on MDMA and why it is beginning to makes its way into couple’s therapy.

How MDMA is Made: Common Procedures Explained
Ever wonder how to make MDMA? Read our guide to learn everything you need to know about the procedures of how MDMA is made.

Hippie Flipping: When Shrooms and Molly Meet
What is it, what does it feel like, and how long does it last? Explore the mechanics of hippie flipping and how to safely experiment.

How Cocaine is Made: Common Procedures Explained
Ever wonder how to make cocaine? Read our guide to learn everything you need to know about the procedures of how cocaine is made.

A Christmas Sweater with Santa and Cocaine
This week, Walmart came under fire for a “Let it Snow” Christmas sweater depicting Santa with lines of cocaine. Columbia is not merry about it.

Ultimate Cocaine Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
This guide covers what you need to know about Cocaine, including common effects and uses, legality, safety precautions and top trends today.

NEWS: An FDA-Approved Cocaine Nasal Spray
The FDA approved a cocaine nasal spray called Numbrino, which has raised suspicions that the pharmaceutical company, Lannett Company Inc., paid off the FDA..

The Ultimate Guide to Cannabis Bioavailability
What is bioavailability and how can it affect the overall efficacy of a psychedelic substance? Read to learn more.

Cannabis Research Explains Sociability Behaviors
New research by Dr. Giovanni Marsicano shows social behavioral changes occur as a result of less energy available to the neurons. Read here to learn more.

The Cannabis Shaman
If recreational and medical use of marijuana is becoming accepted, can the spiritual use as well? Experiential journalist Rak Razam interviews Hamilton Souther, founder of the 420 Cannabis Shamanism movement…

Cannabis Guide: Effects, Common Uses, Safety
Our ultimate guide to Cannabis has everything you want to know about this popular substances that has psychedelic properties.

Cannabis and Ayahuasca: Mixing Entheogenic Plants
Cannabis and Ayahuasca: most people believe they shouldn’t be mixed. Read this personal experience peppered with thoughts from a procannabis Peruvian Shaman.

CBD-Rich Cannabis Versus Single-Molecule CBD
A ground-breaking study has documented the superior therapeutic properties of whole plant Cannabis extract as compared to synthetic cannabidiol (CBD), challenging the medical-industrial complex’s notion that “crude” botanical preparations are less effective than single-molecule compounds.

Cannabis Has Always Been a Medicine
Modern science has already confirmed the efficacy of cannabis for most uses described in the ancient medical texts, but prohibitionists still claim that medical cannabis is “just a ruse.”

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