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CHUCK.HNTR
feral urbanite



Registered: 09/30/19
Posts: 2,254
Loc: SF, CA, USA
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The majority of people on shroomery are independent seekers, and courageous critical thinkers so I totally get the above response. I felt the exact same way and still do in many ways but sitting in ceremony has changed my life.
No doubt there are many charlatans and money grabbers it took me 2 years to find the right group to sit with. A good vegetalista or curandero or, “shaman” (not the word they usually call themselves) know the “medicine” (what aya is referred to) really well but also know it’s the medicine that does the work not them. They are there to hold space in a profound way by nature of the ceremony. They are not trip sitters that is usually someone else 2-3 other people.
The curandero also knows the ikaros (songs) and can read the room as a whole. As many who trip know, music can be very profound on psychedelics. The ikaros many of which have been passed down like old folk songs and many that were born through the medicine itself act as vibrational portals to help heal.
This way of course is not for everyone but I have deep respect for the ceremony and the people that have dedicated their lives to keeping it alive. If you decide to find a group absolutely do your due diligence and not be taken by a charlatan.
•look for a traditional group I sit with the Mestizo tradition, Shipebo or Ashaninca and a few other tribes have unique ceremony styles as well. Santo Dieme is very common in the USA but I decided early on this was not group I wanted to sit with although I have friends that love it, for me it felt too cultish. And because I was raised catholic its origin threw me off.
•the leader should know aya well and also know the aya does the work
• there should be a very strict no sexual contact policy
•Costs to expect the in the USA $200-400 a night this covers the meeting place, all facilitators, food at the end of the night, the 4-6hr ceremony and medicine. There is usually a free option for sleeping as well either camping or in the ceremony room.
-------------------- "What is the practical application of a million universes?" -Alan Watts
   
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Bloomer



Registered: 05/15/14
Posts: 2,866
Last seen: 6 hours, 52 minutes
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Re: Ayahuasca in peru [Re: longbus] 2
#28629945 - 01/21/24 02:40 PM (6 days, 17 hours ago) |
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Quote:
longbus said: Hello friends.
I am planning on taking a trip to Peru for an ayahuasca retreat. I need to work out some shit in my head and I think this is the way to go. I'm wondering if anyone has any insight or recommendations about what's good and what's not good about going there for this. I am afraid of bullshit shamans. I want the real deal. I want to go deep. I've smoked a lot of dmt but I think that I could benefit from an authentic experience. Any thoughts?
Do you speak spanish? If you don't know the local language I would not expect to find a truly traditional ceremony. Its been translated for tourism, my guess you'd have to spend weeks deep in there talking to locals and sussing out where the true shamans are and if you're welcome.
I've never been there but my friend toured Mexico, Columbia and I think some of Peru for a couple years, living off his guitar and staying with friends he'd make. He took part in all kinds of ceremonies, even went out to collect lophophora and prepare it with the shaman. He had some bad stories though too. Described a shaman that tried to rape him, while tripping in a sweat lodge. And idk what went down on his last trip but he came back seeming a little different and had a fatal relapse shortly after returning to the states.
You can have really awesome experiences in your own setting too. I think I spent 200-300$ to prepare about 8 doses of it and I shared it with a bunch of friends on a Valentine's full moon. Was a night I'll never forget and very therapeutic. Wasn't a structured, formal ceremony, but is all that really necessary? I think the key thing was us all being on Ayahuasca together, it was like shining a light into a faceted crystal and having it reflect everywhere. Each person was the face of this collective crystal, reflecting Aya's empathetic, compassionate energy back at each other. I've had good solo trips too but I think getting to share the experience with other people is something special.
Another thing about paid ceremonies is you're with strangers from all over the world. I think some of those trips are multiple weeks where you'd get a chance to know the other people and build up to the experience together, but still I've seen rules where you stay separated on your own mat and sit quietly the entire time. You can do it alone in your room if you want the quiet introspective experience. But if you do it in a group you might as well do it with people you're comfortable with, like friends, so you have that tribalism built in and aren't anxious to be yourself with each other.
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