In my second ever Ayahuasca ceremony almost 2 decades ago, I began the conscious process of unraveling what I now understand to be profound self-betrayal so fundamental in me, I wasn’t even aware of how abusive I was to myself. This came to light during a pivotal part of the ceremony ritual; during the process of the healings the shaman gave each participant (called “limpias” in the tradition). I was near the far end of the circle, and as I watched my Maestro clear dark energies from each of my tribe members, it would fly across the room and hit me in the chest, causing me to wretch and purge ..read more

There’s a hell of a lot that goes into putting together a successful Ayahuasca ceremony. The set and setting, the tribe assembled and their preparedness, the host + organizer + support team, the food + water, the various supplies and clean toilets, the altar and sacred items, the musical instruments and other plant friends, candles and votives and cleaning supplies – the list goes on. And on! But aside from the brew herself, by far the most important element to any Ayahuasca ceremony is the facilitator / practitioner / shaman. And I’m not just saying this because I’m one myself.   There ..read more

One the signature elements of the potent portal created in an Ayahuasca ceremony is anchored in the magic of music. Ayahuasca is highly responsive to the sound, vibration, and intention charged in every note uttered, so much so that the songs sung to her in ceremony have a special name: They are called Icaros. Icaros belong solely in homage and partnership with Mama Medicine. They are intimately linked to her unique multidimensional energies, and each one has its own meaning, intent, and power. Learning to sing the icaros is one of the core elements of the training required to safely and effe ..read more

Sitting with a potent psychotropic plant like Ayahuasca or Psilocybin is indeed a grand opportunity for life-changing transformation, but not everyone is called to a divine dose of psychedelic medicine. These intense cosmic adventures are not accessible to individuals dealing with a myriad of physical, emotional, or mental challenges either. There’s another way to connect with plant consciousness that is equally (if not more so) powerful, and yet accessible and available to everyone.  I give thee: Master Plant Diets.  If you’re new to the ancient concept of a Master Plant Diet or Di ..read more

We’ve all heard the sordid tales of Ayahuasca ceremonies gone horribly wrong. Yes, her reputation of a Mother who is unafraid of dishing out serious tough love is oh so real. But there are two ways the ceremonies go sideways. Sometimes the medicine just knows it’s our turn to get our passports stamped in hell, and so the internal journey can get immensely difficult and frightening. That actually manifests the opportunity for profound awakening and healing. But sometimes the people that lead the ceremonies – people that we trust with our spiritual and physical lives – act out in abusive and tr ..read more

There are no adequate words to describe what it feels like to be vibrating in the portal of a full-on dose of Grandfather Huachuma (also known as San Pedro). This divine cactus possesses the power to blast open our hearts, to heal profound trauma and pain, and to move us through the edges and shadows of our psyches, back into the place of safety and joy. While he is inner child medicine that invites the awestruck and curious kids inside us to play without apology, he also has the capacity to bring us through the darkest parts of our beingness. Always with love, but not always with gentleness ..read more

Art by Aldo Carhuancho Herrara Welcome to the Plant Medicine and psychedelic renaissance! People of all ages, ethnicities, and walks of life are feeling the call to alternate methods of healing, and an altered state of consciousness seems to be tops on the list of must-try fringe experiences these days. It’s easy to ascertain why; the internet is now bursting with thousands and thousands of stories on how magical and healing these experiences can be. It turns out we need to change our perspective when we are feeling stagnant, ill, confused, depressed, or anxious, and nothing stirs the pot mor ..read more

It’s official: Plant medicines have hit the mainstream. In my almost two decades of doing this work, never did I imagine everyone and their grandma would want to take a ride on the Ayahuasca magic carpet. Ok, not everyone has jumped on the psychotropic band wagon, but it sure feels bloody close. It’s mind-blowing and liberating and thrilling and terrifying and oh-so-brimming with responsibility, now that the masses have taken notice of psychedelics. Perhaps the area that is most alive with growth and potential right now is the oft-discussed but rarely understood world of microdosing. Thanks to ..read more

As an Ayahuasquera, I encounter folks on the regular that have a rabid love of journeying with DMT. Many come to ceremony with dozens of DMT journeys under their belts, expecting to have a similar experience with Ayahuasca. So let me be perfectly clear: If all you know is DMT, you do not know Ayahuasca. DMT is to Aya what Cocaine is to Coca. That is, they are not at all in the same ballpark. Here’s why. Extracting a single alkaloid from any complex plant structure does not honor the consciousness and wholeness of the plant. If you extracted just my personal proclivity for talking up a storm ..read more

This post was written by Richard Doyle PhD, aka Mobius - New AfterLife Coach and Champion of the Plants for Decades When you make the two one, and when you make the inside as the outside, and the outside as the inside, and the upper side as the lower; and when you make the male and the female into a single one, that the male be not male and the female female; when you make eyes in the place of an eye, and a hand in place of a hand, and a foot in place of a foot, an image in place of an image, then shall you enter the kingdom. -The Gospel of Thomas Until 1997, I had no inkling - or maybe on ..read more