Shaman In Ecuadorian Amazonia during a real Ayahuasca ceremony
Imagine yourself in the Amazon rainforest. Lush tropical surroundings. A wise old shaman. An open fire. A kettle of tea. You take a sip. Finish it off. And experience a mind-blowing kaleidoscopic trip not unlike LSD.
The psychoactive brew is made primarily from ayahuasca, a plant known among shaman as the “vine of the soul” or “vine of the dead,” and its adherents swear by its antidepressant, mind-expanding qualities.
Also known as yagé, ayahuasca is used among the indigenous people of the Amazon for religious ceremonies and is now attracting tourists from across the globe who want to experience its trippy, supposedly eye-opening properties. Side effects include vomiting and diarrhea.
The tea, available for purchase online, is also coming back into vogue within the boundaries of the U.S. In fact, the substance is quite popular among celebrities of a certain stripe, resonating with Paul Simon, Sting, Oliver Stone, and Tori Amos, in addition to more current artists such as Father John Misty and Devendra Banhart.
Avant-garde experimenter and legendary “Howl” poet Allen Ginsberg wrote about his ayahuasca use in a compendium of correspondence between himself and beat poet William S. Burroughs, published as The Yage Letters. He described his experience with the drug in Panama in 1953, writing, “I experienced first a feeling of serene wisdom so that I was content to sit there indefinitely.”
While ayahuasca in its drug form, along with heroin and ecstasy, is a Category I substance according to the Drug Enforcement Agency, it is not illegal to possess the plant for ornamental purposes. Therefore, theoretically, an individual could buy a plant as decoration and cultivate the hallucinogenic.
People who drink ayahuasca report feelings of euphoria and spiritual awakenings. Their brains may feel as if they have been rebooted. They experience optic and auditory hallucinations. They may also believe they understand the meaning of life or their purpose on this planet, or they might connect with fictional spiritual guides who can act as healers.
A recent study by Cambridge University examined the use of ayahuasca in patients with treatment-resistant depression. Scientists discovered that the ayahuasca significantly suppressed treatment-resistant depression when compared with a placebo. The study concluded that, in small doses, ayahuasca may be effective for treatment of depression.
However, the ayahuasca brew is not compatible with certain antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which most of us who are bipolar take, so even if it does help some with their depression, it won’t, alas, be a remedy for us.
