Ayahuasca
Ayahuasca is an Amazonian plant brew which has been used for millennia by the indigenous people of the Americas, for healing purposes and for spiritual exploration.
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The Ayahuasca effects and benefits vary greatly from each Ayahuasca experience to another. This is one thing you need to know: No two ceremonies are ever the same, and no two people ever have the same experience.
The Ayahuasca brew contains: Ayahuasca vine (Banisteriopsis caapi) and Chacruna (Psychotria viridis) or Chaliponga (Diplopterys cabrerana) leafs. The vine contains harmine and harmaline which are MAO-A inhibitors, and tetrahydroharmine which is a weak serotonin uptake inhibitor. The leaves contain dimethyltryptamine (DMT), the strongest entheogen known to man. Ingested, the combination of these plants lead to the uptake of DMT by your brain where it will open your perceptions with an awakened state of consciousness.
Effects, Experience And Benefits
Ayahuasca’s effect is a state of altered, amplified consciousness that is experienced after drinking the Ayahuasca brew. The process with Ayahuasca principally is that of a physical cleansing or detox and of a psycho-emotional release. The physical cleansing is accompanied by nausea and eventually other emetic effects or purging: throwing-up, diarrhea, sweating, shaking, etc.
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On a psychological level, the sacred medicine of Ayahuasca amplifies all feelings and perceptions making the experience of thinking, self-reflection, reaction and belief more vivid and intense. Not only does the inner experience of one’s mind gets more amplified, the part of us that is conscious and aware becomes able to draw clearer connections between the thoughts, emotions and behaviors.
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This results in an experience of seeing the full picture of parts of our life, our relationships, our difficulties or so called “problems,” leading to insights about oneself and deeper comprehension of one’s reality. Essentially in the Ayahuasca experience not only our inner world is lit up and illuminated, but the capacity of consciousness is also amplified and expanded.
The visions
Ayahuasca is part of the family of sacred medicines that give us the chance to reach higher states of consciousness. The visions associated with the Ayahuasca experience, whether chaotic, confused, or vivid and intense, serve to show us the totality of our life: the in-s and out-s of the conscious and subconscious mind, our emotional reactions and behaviors and how they affect our relationships. On the other hand, the visions often are just another factor of cleansing, allowing us to process visual imprints, the impact from the mass media, TV, Internet, and other psychosomatic and emotional blockages.
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In respect to a person’s spiritual aspirations, the Ayahuasca experience occupies a role of a spontaneous teaching. Without claims of a particular phenomenological status of what is the source of these teachings, an Ayahuasca practitioner can have very profound insights, revelations and even sense of being guided. Based on this, the Ayahuasca experience deserves to be approached with the utmost respect, so that one’s attitude or the intention is that of going to meet a spiritual master or teacher.
Kambo
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What is Kambo?
Name given to a frog that lives in the trees of the Amazon rainforest, specifically in Brazil. Scientific name Phyllomedusa Bicolor; from this animal, its body secretion is used as a remedy and medicine by the natives since ancient times, specifically by the Noke Kui (katukina) people of the state of Acre in Brazil.
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What do the natives use it for in the jungle?
They use it as a vaccine, as a way to prevent typical diseases of that geography such as malaria, yellow fever, snake bites and other epidemic diseases of the jungle; also to get rid of "panema" (tiredness, listlessness), as well as to have the will to go out hunting and bring food to their family.
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For which diseases can we use it?
We use it for the treatment of multiple pathologies, such as: Infectious diseases, due to its direct action in boosting the immune system, therefore also for the treatment of auto-immune diseases such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, allergies, psoriasis; for its anti-inflammatory action, tendinitis, carpal tunnel.
Depression, addictions to synthetic drugs (base paste, cocaine), alcohol and medicines, hepatitis, infertility in men and women, blood circulation problems.
It has excellent results in the treatment of acute pathologies such as cancer. contraindication even if the person is in palliative medical treatments of cancer (radio and chemotherapy). (radio and chemotherapy). On the contrary, by boosting its immunology, it recovers T and B lymphocytes that chemotherapy eliminates without discrimination.
In children it can be used as a vaccine.
Many more pathologies are treated with Kambo.
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How is the remedy collected?
In the rainy months in the jungle, Kambo begins to sing, as if calling the native to deliver his remedy. so he goes into the jungle, most of the time at night, and looks for her by imitating her singing; she is always in the trees, hence her nickname of "monkey frog", He finds it, takes it, and the frog calmly, begins to secrete the remedy, the native, often a Pajé (shaman, healer) with a wand, begins to take the medicine out of the body of the Kambo and stick it on a small wooden palette that will dry and the secretion can be preserved in crystallized form. The frog, Kambo, is returned to the place where it was without causing it any harm.
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How is it applied?
On the small palette, make small dots with the crystallized remedy to apply it on the skin.
A thin stick (cipo, liana), is lit with fire to form a small ember, then the first layer of the skin is burned, then remove the piece of skin to apply the remedy sub-cutaneously.
It seems somewhat aggressive, rather, there is no pain or blood in the application process.
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What are the effects in the application process?
After applying the remedy on the skin, the effect is immediate, as it runs in the body through the lymphatic system, a lot of heat occurs, the heart and the head begin to beat faster; prior to the application you should drink a minimum of 2 liters of pure water, and then expel it as a vomit, which we will call "relief", because it is the way to purify the body. This whole process of application-ritual lasts more or less 7 to 10 minutes, to then feel a relaxation of the nervous system and a balance of a lot of energy.
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Are there any contraindications?
For post-operative states of less than 3 months, pregnant women, elderly people, (we do not work with minors).
Rapé
Rapé is a powdered tobacco preparation that has its roots in the indigenous traditions of South America, especially in the Amazonian cultures. This tobacco dust is mixed with medicinal herbs and plant ashes, depending on the tradition and the region. The application of this powder is through the nose, using instruments such as the "tepi" or "kuripe". Rapé is known for its multiple benefits. Some of them are: physical and spiritual purification, relief of general pain such as migraines, allergies, sinusitis, connection with nature and emotional balance. It is important to note that Rapé is not a psychotropic. Used in rituals and ceremonies, it is considered a sacred tool to cleanse energy, harmonize emotions and connect with the healing power of medicinal plants. Its use should be approached with respect and understanding.
Temazcal
Temazcal is an ancestral shamanic ritual practiced by ancient civilizations throughout Central & North America.
The purpose is therapeutic healing to relieve stress, aches and injuries, cure skin or respiratory disease and also during childbirth. It is often compared to other sweat lodge activities such as the sauna and hot water baths. It is guided by a 'shaman' who accompanies you throughout the experience, called Temazcalero. In the indigenous Náhuatl language, Temazcalli means "house of steam".
In fact, the Temazcal is a traditional ceremony of well-being and purification of the soul, spirit and body.
It takes place inside a dome shaped space where hot volcanic stones are placed in the center then infused with water and herbs, generating steam that relaxes the muscles and opens the pores of the skin for an intensive body cleanse, releasing tension and toxins. The dome can reach up to 50 degrees Celsius.
A spiritual tradition
In addition to the physical benefits, the mind also relaxes, free from the thought patterns that usually occupy it, allowing for a kind of mental purification too. The role of the Temazcalero is not only to ensure the well-being of the participants and administer the herbal water, he or she also accompanies the ritual with chants, sacred prayers and music that represent the different stages of life, paying homage to nature, the elements, our ancestors and everything that makes life possible. This helps to remind ourselves of the necessity to free our minds from any burden to find our balance and freedom.
In this context, Temazcal is also a form of spiritual healing, a process of personal introspection that will help you to deal with anxiety, fear, worry and stress. It is a unique moment to take time out to focus on your environment, your roots and to reconnect with yourself. This is, in part, the purpose of Temazcal, to live again, to be reborn! Symbolized by its circular shape which represents the "Womb of Mother Earth", the maternal womb representing the source of life & return to the origins. The concept of rebirth is linked to that of connection with the "Madre Tierra'', who will absorb all the negative energies from the body and mind in our thoughts, breath and sweat. These emotions, thoughts and particles are then positively renewed and harnessed by the Earth to grow and nurture new forms of life.
During the Temazcal ceremony
Before entering the door of the Temazcal, the Temazcalero blesses and cleanses the body with an incense smoke from copal resin and each participant asks permission to enter and take her place around the "Madre Tierra". The Temazcal is then plunged into total darkness.
Why?
The total darkness allows us to increase our sensitivity via our breathing and to cut all links with the outside world and to focus essentially on our self, our feelings, our emotions without being influenced by anyone.
The ceremony lasts about 2 hours and takes place in several stages. Indeed, the participants pass through 4 symbolic doors of life represented by the 4 elements with different meanings. As they go along, the temperature gets hotter gradually with the arrival of new hot stones for a final extreme sweat. Prayers are pronounced by the Temazcalero accompanied by the sound of drums and incantations. Each participant is invited to participate in the chants to feel all the vibrations, to awaken their body and their organs. They are also invited to formulate an intention, a wish if they feel the need. This mindfulness ceremony allows some to reach deep meditation and serenity.
If you are interested in wellness, traditional Mexican medicine and pre-Hispanic worldview, spiritual development or simply curious about ancestral traditions, join us for a unique and enriching Temazcal experience that connects the mind and body to come out relaxed and purified.
