15: The Ayahuasca Journey: Part 1 The Prep
I’ve written and re-written this post twice. I deleted the first version because it felt totally disingenuous and not at all what I sound like or what I wanted to say. I don’t want to talk at you about what ayahuasca is, how it works or what I can expect next week. That’s what the internet is for. There’s a million articles, stories, videos and blogs on it. And frankly, I’ve never done ayahuasca and I expect like many plant medicine ceremonies, they are ineffable. Perhaps there’s also some hesitation in sharing this certain experience with everyone, but here goes!
LIMA, PERU. I call this “Instagram Alley” for obvious reasons. You betcha I’ll take a selfie here!
Starting Monday, I will be off the grid for a week in the Amazon Jungle in Peru doing ayahuasca.
I never really planned on doing ayahuasca, but then again I never said no to it either. I think the circumstances of the last 8 months just sort of dropped this on my plate. I’ve met a number of people who have done it and speak passionately about the experience.
People most frequently (in my experience) correlate ayahuasca with the purging that frequently happens while in ceremony. While it’s part of the process of taking this plant medicine, the reason I’m doing it goes far beyond the fear of throwing up (or yes, shitting my pants).
To prepare for this journey I’ve done very little. Or perhaps the last 6 years of emotional/spiritual work has lead me here. And in that case, I’ve done a shit ton of work. Either way you look at it, it doesn’t worry me much. I believe I’m in the right place and right time to be doing this.
What is Ayahuasca (definition stolen from the internet)
Ayahuasca is an Amazonian plant mixture that is capable of inducing altered states of consciousness, usually lasting between 4 to 8 hours after ingestion. Ranging from mildly stimulating to extremely visionary, ayahuasca is used primarily as a medicine and as a shamanic means of communication, typically in a ceremonial session under the guidance of an experienced drinker.
I’d be lying if I didn’t believe that part of this trip is my midlife crisis or whatever you want to call it. Although I’d like to think of it less as a crisis, which inherently means chaos, abandon, fear, death and more of a mid life awakening. And if I’m in the process of an awakening than I’m also ready for what happens during ayahuasca. Turning off the rational and thinking part of the brain and letting go of the over analysis that follows my daily life. Surrendering to whatever shows up. There’s some fear in there too of what I’ll see or feel. This will be hard. But I know I’m prepared for it.
Lima has 2 seasons, hot and cold. Guess which season I showed up in? It’s C O L D here!
Ultimately I have no idea what to expect and I have no idea what I’ll be able to or want to share on the other side. I’m as ready for this next week as I’ll ever be. I’ve read just enough to know what the general gist is without having to know the minute play-by-play. I have blind faith that this experience will be an intense spiritual, emotional and physical experience and I’m eager to see what happens.
- M
Side note: please know that I trust this retreat center, the research I have done, a friend who has gone there before and the countless positive reviews of this place online. It’s not blind ignorance, it’s a bit of blind trust.
