The seed.
This became a symbol for me throughout the process and came to me in my 4th ceremony. The seed. How we are the seed and the ancient tree at the same time, they co-exist always, we are our own child and parent. Each person we meet we can hold as our child and also teacher, parent, grandparent and ancestor.
This became a symbol for me throughout the process and came to me in my 4th ceremony. The seed. How we are the seed and the ancient tree at the same time, they co-exist always, we are our own child and parent. Each person we meet we can hold as our child and also teacher, parent, grandparent and ancestor.
Both the seed, the tree and every process in between are here within us and around us always.
The medicine itself, humbly awaiting our participation, as it has always done for thousands of years.
The shakedown materials. Looks like leaves… but in the hands of a Curandero, has the powers to bring about death and life.
A ceremony setup.
The Shakedown.
This process is called a Soplar which directly translates to ‘blow’ - it’s like a direct healing on a person, done in the middle of the ceremony circle and most likely ends in a big release of some kind; vomit, tears, sighs or whatever takes you!
This process is called a Soplar which directly translates to ‘blow’ - it’s like a direct healing on a person, done in the middle of the ceremony circle and most likely ends in a big release of some kind; vomit, tears, sighs or whatever takes you!
My Soplar Experience.
I had an overwhelming realisation that everything is collaboration, that a healer cannot heal without your participation, your energy being present. You cannot heal without the transferring of energy…which comes from somewhere. I felt this dance of energies happening within and around me, and that even this personal healing does not end in my own healing, that my maestro was also healing parts of himself and the others in the circle that were present. This is the nature of energy, there is no ‘my energy’ and ‘your energy’ - it’s all energy and physical boundaries such as skin and walls do not matter in this dimension.
The Garms.
These traditional Shipibo robes are made up of the squiggly lines you see on the sleeves, these are actually represent the Icaros, the melodies and sounds that they sing in ceremony, the medicine songs to connect with the plant spirit.
Windows to the soul.
There is something about the eyes of a human that does this kind of healing work. Even before I experienced Ayahuasca myself I was captivated by the eyes of some people, the brightness, the intensity.
The Afterparty.
Being on your own mat throughout the whole process gives space for your own journey but it’s also damn good when you get a good hug once the ceremony has closed. Yum.
Being on your own mat throughout the whole process gives space for your own journey but it’s also damn good when you get a good hug once the ceremony has closed. Yum.
After the party it’s the…
Throughout the whole process you eat no salt, spices, sugars, basically anything that interferes with the process and the specific plants that you are dieting with aka consuming. This also includes soaps, toothpaste etc… we were as pure as can be.
So after 10 days of rice, lentils, corn, oats and white potato with no added…anything, it was a fucking delight to see this plate after our final ceremony. There were lots of orgasmic noises at the table, and a new found appreciation for food all round.
Here I am, feeling like a baby and a grandma all at the same time.
Healing hands.
During the second ceremony my hands instinctively began working on my body. It was like the loving presence of my touch could delve into the areas of wounds, tension and emotional storage and provide heat, fresh energy and movement, I could feel muscles moving and twinging, my fingers intuitively found pressure points on my body. My hands came to my womb and stomach, I felt gas build and release in my body, the releases felt and smelt ancient! I entered a dialogue with the eggs in my womb that they were safe and loved, and that I was safe and loved as an incubator, feeling this fear release and my stomach soften into the love, feeling the healing of this in my own body but also my ancestral line, my mum, my grandmother, her grandmother, and all that had felt unsafe in their femininity. We are safe now.
The power of touch is always with us, we are our own greatest healers.
Bright eyes, light heart.
Ceremony starter pack?
No, this is an experienced pack.
The journal of a warrior.
This incredible man was in the space next to me and allowed me to capture this insight into his experience. Death can be a common theme I hear people sharing about their Ayahuasca experiences, and this can terrify some people, fearing from the outside that this medicine will lead to their physical death, and with the western narrative around death, I can understand this being an ugly prospect. What can be missed in these conversations is that sometimes this kind of death is necessary, in order to allow us to live…
"It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live."
- Marcus Aurelius
- Marcus Aurelius
Death is nothing else but going home to God, the bond of love will be unbroken for all eternity.
- Mother Teresa
- Mother Teresa
Feathers.
Traditionally Eagle and Turkey feathers are used to ‘smudge’ which involves moving the feather around the physical body in order to clear and move the energy around you. We are not only made up of physical matter, we are also vibrational, energetic beings, and so just like we wash our physical bodies, it is necessary to also clean our energies, clearing out any stagnant vibes.
Traditionally Eagle and Turkey feathers are used to ‘smudge’ which involves moving the feather around the physical body in order to clear and move the energy around you. We are not only made up of physical matter, we are also vibrational, energetic beings, and so just like we wash our physical bodies, it is necessary to also clean our energies, clearing out any stagnant vibes.
Butterfly.
The symbol of rebirth...and reborn we are.