What is Ayahuasca?
Ayahuasca is a traditional brew created by the bringing together of a vine and a shrub, Banisteriopsis Caapi and Psychotria Viridis. It has been around for thousands of years in the indigenous cultures of South America. There have been similar forms of such brews in North America, also. There are a variety of reasons one would choose to participate in an Ayahuasca ceremony: connection to Mother Earth, to oneself, and now for mental health purposes.
Once ingested the experience is hallucinatory and can last anywhere from one to four hours. Through such an experience many great changes come about (granted if all this is done appropriately): an increase in self-awareness, the ability to process life events, a deeper connection to our surroundings, and a kind of de-conditioning.
Those that already have an idea of what Ayahuasca is and what it does, please be sure to research ceremonies and what they consist of, who is involved etc. Note that one must prepare for a ceremony with respect to diet, intentions (spiritually), and abstinence; this will provide an enhanced experience. I had a GP assess me, a session with a psychologist before and after the ceremonies, a nurse present, and a coordinator who had done Ayahuasca over 25 times, and two shamans. So, you see, I was in good hands.
Lastly talk therapy is imperative after ceremonies. Not all of us come from cultures where this makes sense. Through such an experience we bring to surface all that we may be required to process/comprehend and cope with but we must know how. Do not leave yourself open and vulnerable if you are unable to process on your own. A therapist will assist in processing that which was brought forth during the ceremony.
Below is a short video that will further summarize the Ayahuasca experience, but please further your knowledge on the research available and come to your own inferences.
Here is a recent article on Ayahuasca and its effects on depression:
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