Though it’s only recently become popular in Western cultures, ayahuasca has been used by indigenous communities for over 5,000 years, with direct evidence dating back at least 1,000 years.
To many who participate in ayahuasca ceremonies, the plant medicine is considered to be an entheogenic and inspirited plant being with animacy and agency, seen as a being with its own spirit and ability to create and connect with others.
In the same vein, many cultures consider the world to be inhabited by anthropomorphic spirits, and these cultures believe ayahuasca facilitates communication with these spirits.
For those just learning of the medicine, they’re mostly familiar with the fact that people have extreme bowel movements when taking the substance and they don’t know anything else about it.
But, ayahuasca has remained a central part of indigenous culture and has been used in medicine, religious ceremonies, and rites of passage for centuries for good reason. Today, it is a traditional medicine used by approximately one hundred indigenous groups across the Amazon Basin, including those dispersed in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, and Venezuela.
Read on to learn more about why people choose to take ayahuasca and what can be gained from the experience.
Why Would Someone Decide to Take Ayahuasca?
Deep down, the reasoning for taking part in an ayahuasca ceremony will be extremely personal and unique to each individual.
Generally speaking however, the principal motivations for taking ayahuasca include seeking improved insight, personal growth, emotional healing, physical healing and contact/connection with nature, deities, spirits and natural energies produced by the ayahuasca.
Some people are struggling with a long, chronic, possibly terminal illness, and they need help coping with that fact. Some people find themselves at a crossroads in their life and need spiritual guidance in finding their next step. Others may be looking for a deeper connection to the universe than they’ve ever felt.
Whatever the reasons for taking ayahuasca, it is not a decision to be made lightly, and it’s not a journey embarked upon on a whim. There is lots of preparation and planning involved in the process, and when it’s done, that’s when the real work begins.
Physical Health Benefits of Taking Ayahuasca
Again, almost everyone knows one thing about ayahuasca. It makes you purge.
This is a vital part of the process however and should not be dismissed. This full body cleanse is the medicine ridding your body of any toxins that are in the way of optimal health and spiritual well-being.
Because people usually carry deep emotional pain, unconscious blockages or strong ego identification into their journey which creates heavy “baggage”, the physical and mental purifications facilitate the transmutation into a less dense state.
A cleansing or purifying effect can manifest as nausea, which can lead to purging or vomiting. The sensation of nausea that some people experience is usually linked to blockages or resistance, and once the body has purged, the mind and emotional blocks may clear, and deeper spiritual realities can then be revealed.
Most importantly because ayahuasca has anti-inflammatory benefits which could improve gut health and overall bodily function.
Studies have also shown that ayahuasca can stimulate the growth of new brain cells and even reset certain networks in the brain. This helps to improve your well-being and state of mind, which is where the majority of plant medicine and ayahuasca benefits lie.
Mental and Emotional Benefits of Taking Ayahuasca
Plant medicine is typically used to treat emotional ailments, and ayahuasca is no different.
Improved mood, mental clarity, and stress relief are some of the most common after effects people note after taking ayahuasca. People struggling with depression and anxiety have also noted less harsh symptoms after their journey.
It has also been used to treat those struggling with PTSD and addiction.
During the ayahuasca ceremony, it’s normal to have grand visions and revisit old, buried traumas. Working through and confronting these instances is what helps people heal from them
No one is sure how DMT produces these results, but experts guess that the substance interacts with chemicals in the brain, like dopamine, to change your brain chemistry. They also suspect that the resolution of past trauma with the drug can help you better understand yourself.
This improved understanding is why some believe ayahuasca can enhance psychotherapy.
Spiritual Benefits of Taking Ayahuasca
Ayahuasca ceremonies are incredibly spiritual ceremonies. The medicine is treated as a sacrament, a link to the spiritual realm, with a focus on creating a safe space and allowing people to surrender to their processes with deep compassion, love, and care.
Besides an opening and closing prayer, there is no strict structure to the ceremonies.
“Ayahuasca is the quantum transfer between micro and macro, the whole and the part – what we could also call a legitimate mystical experience. This sacred experience we get from ayahuasca is not limited to a certain religious creed or ritual,” Alex Polari, Mapia Spiritual Father
According to Polari, in order to recognize the mystery, it’s not enough to expand only our consciousness; we also need to expand our hearts. We need to push the limits of our psyche, going beyond the purely psychological level of so-called spirituality.
The intended use of the hallucinogenic brew is for it to be taken to increase a person’s spiritual feeling of connection with life and the universe.
Learn More About Ayahuasca With Psychedelic Social Club
Just as everyone has different reasons for taking ayahuasca, everyone also has a different experience taking ayahuasca. Some will experience extreme euphoria and others anxiety.
That’s why it’s important to work with experienced healers and shamans before, during, and after your ceremony so you can combat the difficult moments and truly reap the rewards of the medicine.
Here at Psychedelic Social Club, we’re committed to proving people with the information and help they need in their plant medicine journey. Join our community and grow with us today.
