Possible Negative Effects of Ayahuasca that nobody talks about
Introduction Discovering Ayahuasca: A Journey of Transformation and Discovery Ayahuasca, the sacred plant medicine of the Amazon rainforest, has gained widespread attention for its profound potential to heal and transform individuals. The Ayahuasca experience is often depicted as a life-altering journey, filled with profound insights and personal growth. However, it is crucial to recognize that there is another side to this intriguing story – one that sheds light on the potential negative aspects and risks associated with Ayahuasca. Key takeaways: Ayahuasca is safe for people who do not have medical contraindications towards Ayahuasca like a psychiatric condidtion, heart disease, epilepsy or take anti depressnat medications. If a person with these conditions decides to drink Ayahuasca it can lead to negative consequences, with even possible death. It is important that people do not drink Ayahuasca for the wrong reasons (like wanting to make an experience to brag to friends about, doing it because somebody else is urging them to drink Ayahuasca etc.). In those cases people might encounter things that they are not ready for. Difficult experiences with Ayahuasca turn out to be valuable learning lesson when Ayahuasca is done with the intention of healing and for people who are ready to go within and are not just looking for a magic pill. Using your cell phone in an Ayahuasca ceremony can cause you to send messages, that you regret the next day. Table of Contents What are the side effects of Ayahuasca: The physical side effects of Ayahuasca include vomiting and diarrhea. This is totally normal. As a result, you will likely be dehydrated to a degree after the ceremony and it is important to replenish the lost energy after a long and possibly challenging ceremony. Another very common physical effect is nausea you feel during the ceremony, especially before vomiting. These physical sensations are what most people would consider something negative, but honestly, it is just a part of the process. The purging is part of cleaning the body, mind, and emotions. I actually had a participant who shared that the vomiting was her favorite part of the ceremony because she felt like she could liberate herself of a lot of things that were holding her down in her life. There is a certain level of physical price that you pay and have to endure when drinking Ayahuasca. Ayahuasca’s effect on your brain and psyche Ayahuasca connects you with your subconscious and you will experience (maybe for the first time in your life) what is really going on underneath the chatter of the mind. This can help resolve a lot of deeper routed topics in your life. At the same time, it can also be extremely challenging to encounter the parts of ourselves that we have suppressed for such a long time. This is where some people start to become afraid in the ceremony or maybe even start to scream. Obviously, not a pleasant experience, but maybe just what you needed. Later down in the blog you find a section about “Ayahuasca does not give you what you want, it gives you what you need.” In these intense situations, it is important that the facilitators know what they are doing to harmonize the situation. For the person going through the experience but also to ensure the safety and well-being of the other people in the ceremony. Must Read: Ayahuasca and Depression: Can this really be the solution? Hallucinating on Ayahuasca: In a lot of western explanations about Ayahuasca, you will hear about how Ayahuasca induces hallucinations. In the shamanic world people refer to the effect of Ayahuasca as “extraordinary states of consciousness”. Also, at the beginning of a retreat, we always talk about the difference between drugs and medicine. How there are natural medicines for a high variety of physical illnesses, but nature also gives us medicine for our emotions and our spirit, with Ayahuasca being one of them. If I think I am taking a drug and believe that I am hallucinating it is easy to dismiss a lesson from a ceremony and categorize it into a hallucination on a drug-induced DMT trip. What are the risks of Ayahuasca – negative effects of Ayahuasca: There are several risks around Ayahuasca which can even lead to death or long – lasting physiological problems. This applies to people who are not medically cleared to drink Ayahuasca, and who have heart disease, epilepsy or psychiatric conditions. Also, certain medications like Antidepressants and drugs are dangerous when taken leading up to the ceremony. This leads us to the next question: Who should not be drinking Ayahuasca: People with medical conditions that contradict Ayahuasca should not be drinking Ayahuasca. These include: Heart disease epilepsy Recent surgeries Episodes of fainting or dizziness Schizophrenia Bipolar disorder Psychosis Apart from the medical conditions, there are also substances that contradict Ayahuasca as well. When these substances or medications are taken, the person should also not drink Ayahuasca. Alcohol hallucignetic drugs other hard drugs Antidepressants Please consult with a doctor if other medications are taken There are other factors that should be considered if a person is ready to drink Ayahuasca. Ayahuasca is not for everybody, especially not for people who are not willing to look within, for people who do not want to change, who do not take responsibility, or who are wanting to drink Ayahuasca because they want to experience some type of high or want to hallucinate. When should you not take Ayahuasca? You should not take Ayahuasca if this is something you do not want to miss out on. When you want to prove to others (or maybe yourself) that you are courageous and have the strength to drink Ayahuasca. Basically, reasons resonating with the ego. Also, if there are medical contraindications you should obviously also refrain from drinking Ayahuasca. There is a common belief (from people who have not drunk Ayahuasca) that you need to be in a good place mentally and emotionally to drink Ayahuasca. That if
Ayahuasca Ceremony What to expect in your Ayahuasca ceremony
Ayahuasca is not what you expect So you probably read multiple stories on the Internet about Ayahuasca, watched countless videos on it and you are really excited, nervous, afraid, hopeful and much more for your Ayahuasca ceremony. You are starting to develop a lot of expectations toward your ceremony. Starting to have a preconceived idea on how it will be like. And then, it is completely different. Maybe to a degree that you are even asking yourself, did it actually work for me…? The answer is yes, the Ayahuasca just works in a lot of different ways. So this Blog will help answer a lot of questions you have around your Ayahuasca ceremony, the timeline of the ceremony, what happens on the outside, and how your perceived experience might be like. Also, you will learn about the mental attitudes for your Ayahuasca ceremony and how those will assist you in your journey. At the same times there are certain rules and recommendations in an Ayahuasca ceremony and you will also learn about certain tips on how to go deeper in your journey. Key takeaways – what to expect in an Ayahuasca ceremony: An Ayahuasca ceremony has different elements like silence, music, smokes, incenses etc. Your Ayahuasca ceremony will be an introspective journey. In a way it is a mirror to your soul and you will receive the message that is necessary for you at this moment of your life. You might encounter repressed emotions. Also your Ayahuasca vision is not just what you see with your eyes (open or closed) but also about the understandings that come to you and what you feel in your heart. Table of Contents Timeline for the ceremony: What happens on the outside Every tribe has their own way of doing the ceremony. The cofan tribe is generally known for a very strict way of conducint ceremony. Whereas the ceremonies of Yawanawa tribe from Brazil are filled with a lot of dancing and singing. It does not mean one way is better than the other, just that their tradition of working with the medicine is different. In the upcoming paragraphs I want to share the way we do our ceremonies which comes from the Kamsa Biya tribe. Before the ceremony the shaman blesses the Ayahuasca, he says his prayers. This prayers are the shamans way of connect with the great spirit. However, it is not about Dogma that this belief system is better than the other and is inclusive towards all religion. The smoke of copal is blown on each participant to neutralize and harmonize the energy before the ceremony as well. Each person drinks the Ayahuasca, also the shaman and his helpers. After that we sit down and meditate. You do want to keep in the Ayahuasca for at least 15 – 20 minutes. In case you do lose a track of time, withstand the first (and maybe second) urge to vomit. Usually the first effects of the medicine are noticeable after 45 minutes, however at times it can happen sooner or later. In the beginning of the ceremony we work a lot with silence but do start to accompany the ceremony with different instruments to also maintain a certain level of rhythm in the ceremony as well. In the tradition of the Kamsa Biya it is recommended to sit as much as possible. But especially before you have vomited. When you lay down, your body is accustomed to going to sleep and then the effects of the medicine will go down as well. Then after about 2 – 3 hours the time comes for a possible second cup, and even later some feel the calling for a third cup and they can do that as well. During the ceremony we move the energy with different smokes, incenses, tobacco, the Waira, music, various instruments as well as other tools in our repetoire. Generally you can say the ceremonies varies between silence and rhythms of the musics. What happens on the inside So, once you drink the Ayahuasca you sit down and basically wait for the medicine to take effect. The Ayahausca might be heavy on your body, some parts of you might also want to vomit it out right away. Breathe slowly and ask the Ayahuasca to stay in. Ideally you meditate on your intention. However, what I noticed in me (especially when I started drinking) that my thoughts used to be very loud and scattered. It’s basically the last resistance of the mind, ego to stay in control. It knows that something is coming that will challenge the mind / ego. Knowing this helps, do not put too much attention to it. We prepared a separate blog specifically about vomiting and the significance of purging in an Ayahuasca ceremony: Must read: Ayahuasca vomit explained: Why you vomit on Ayahuasca The effect of the Ayahuasca can start very subtle and build up, maybe it will be triggered by the music or other things happening throughout the ceremony. Or it just takes full effect right away. This is really individual. Mind chatter During the ceremony you might be thinking, how will I explain this to my friends and family, you might be thinking about what to share in the integration circle the next day. All of that is not important right now. You are distracting yourself with thoughts instead of feeling. Whenever you are encountering something, you really do want to stay as present with the feeling as possible. What you feel you can heal. You might also notice how you are even escaping from yourself in ceremony. That you put your attention on random things instead of really going to the core of things. It is ok, it is a process to be as fully present as possible. I just want to bring awareness to you that this might happen. Do not beat yourself about it, when this happens, just return to your breath and focus on yourself. What to do when things
Ayahuasca Integration – How to maintain the magic of Ayahuasca
Your first week after Ayahuasca You had a life-changing Ayahuasca experience and you feel amazing and now you ask yourself, “how do I maintain this magic for as long as possible in my life?” Or maybe you dealt with some deep emotional pain and you are asking yourself, “what is next, how do I handle this?” Where do you start when returning back to you day-to-day life? This blog will help you with your Ayahuasca Integration. The first part of the blog is how you should handle the time immediately after the ceremony (the next 3 -7 days), what you should and shouldn’t do. Then we move over to the best practices for Ayahuasca integration and in the last part you will find in depth ways on how you to deal with the more complex topics of life that will come up. Key takeaways: Decompress after an Ayahuasca ceremony. Rest and eat well and journal on your experience, plus the homework you received on Ayahuasca. Do not share your Ayahuasca experience on Social Media. After an Ayahuasca ceremony it is great to revisit your habitual ways. What places, people, thought patterns etc give you energy and what takes energy from you. Cut the things which are not beneficial for you and start doing more the things that make your life better. Implement a spiritual practice to stay grounded. Trust yourself and take one step at a time and allow for things to develop. Many times deep fundamental changes take time to actually come to fruition. This is the time that actually determines how valuable the Ayahuasca is to your ceremony of your life. Do your best and forget the rest :). Table of Contents What not to do after an Ayahuasca Retreat Do not share your Ayahuasca ceremony on Social media or friends or family Before you do anything after your Ayahuasca ceremony, it is important that you do not to certain things that you will regret later on. And that is to start sharing about how your life has changed after Ayahuasca. Of course not on Social Media, but the best also not with friends and family. I understand it is a very natural impulse to want to share after you experienced a strong emotional impact and you want to let other people in on that. But it is better not to.. Why? Because you might have changed, but the people in your world have not. You have gone through a transformational experience, but they have not.. For you all of this makes perfect sense, but for them it does not… And it is ok. There are other things you can focus on. Things have shifted inside of you, but honestly you have not changed yet. To what degree you will be able to integrate your experience in your day-to-day life is yet to be determined. The best thing to do is to start making changes in your life, letting go of what you know you need to let go of and once people start noticing that change in you, then it is a good time to share. But do not become the ambassador for Ayahuasca, telling everybody that all of there problems can be solved if they too have the courage to drink Ayahuasca. (I used to be like that…) but it is not the way. Do not be in intense environments Other than not sharing your experience right after your ceremony it is also important that you do not go into high energy / pressure situations. Don’t go to a party, do not have a difficult conversation right away (this should happen, but give it a moment). Do not go back to autopilot Also after coming home from the ceremony you will find your life how you left it. You will be tempted to go back to certain habits and routines. These are normally running on autopilot. Now that you did take a step outside of your day-to-day life you do get a change to revisit that autopilot. Does this habit serve me? You will generally feel a deeper connection with your body. Listen to it and let it guide you. Do you actually want to drink coffee or is this just a habit that you usually fall back into? Smoking a joint in the evening to relax? Do you really need it or is this just your old auto-pilot self? You will notice yourself opening the same apps and websites? Do you actually want to spend time on them or is it best to significantly reduce or possibly even cut them out of your life? Your friends will have the same conversations… Do they resonate with you? Do you want to engage in gossip, mindless chatter or do you notice that this does not serve you any more? In this case it is important that you listen and really follow it. You can fall back a lot faster to old (deeply ingrained patterns) than you anticipate. I recommend you do not tell yourself, oh I just did so much work, I can allow myself to do some unhealthy things. (sure you can do that, but does it really serve you?) It might seam like I am over exaggerating here… I just want you to be really aware that you are in a special state right now, a moment in your life when change can happen. Use it wisely. Must read Blog: Ayahuasca mistake – Avoid these common 6 errors after drinking Ayahuasca What to do: rest, eat well, decompress and journal The best thing you can do is rest, hydrate and eat! You might not notice, but you have not eaten for more than 16 hours, you are dehydrated, Ayahuasca is a challenge to the body, so make sure you replenish (high protein recommended)! This is very important, if you do not do this, it is likely that you will get sick. As you probably know by now it is easy
