Ayahuasca in the jungle vs urban settings – what really changes?

[juan putumayo]

Hi everyone,


I wanted to open a discussion based on something I’ve been reflecting on for a while.


After spending time both in urban ceremonies and now living in the Colombian Amazon (Putumayo), working closely around traditional yagé ceremonies, I’ve noticed that the setting seems to influence the experience in ways that go far beyond just “set and setting”.


In urban environments, ceremonies often feel more contained — psychologically oriented, sometimes faster-paced, and shaped by the expectations people bring from their daily lives. There’s often a sense of trying to “work through something” or “achieve insight”.


In the jungle, at least in my experience, the process feels different. Slower, less directed, and more… relational.


The presence of the forest, the sounds at night, the river, and the overall isolation seem to shift something. It’s not just internal — it can feel like the experience is happening with the environment, not just inside the mind.


Another aspect I’ve noticed is the role of the taita in traditional settings. There is often less verbal guidance, but a stronger sense of structure through icaros, tobacco, and energetic work. It can feel less like “facilitation” and more like being held within a lineage or a system that has its own logic.


Also, group size and rhythm seem to matter. Smaller groups and multiple ceremonies over several days create a kind of continuity that’s harder to replicate in one-off urban sessions.


At the same time, I don’t think one is “better” than the other. Urban spaces can be more accessible, and sometimes safer or more integrated into people’s lives.


I’m curious about how others here have experienced this:


– Have you noticed qualitative differences between jungle/traditional settings and urban ceremonies?
– Do you feel the environment actively shapes the content of the experience?
– What role does the facilitator/traditional guide play in each context?


Would love to hear different perspectives

 

[strtman]

I think you’re right. There is a difference in experience depending on place, group size, people, climate, etc.

Having done ceremonies and making trips only in urban settings, I do not speak from experience, but sure the energy in a jungle or a dessert is not the same as in a living room.

But even if I take only urban settings into account, there are so many circumstances. The atmosphere in the room, the mixture of people, the person in charge, the music, etc. Sometimes you align with some or all, sometimes not. You never can tell.

Every participation is a good one. Just go in with the right mindset, the rest, although important, is secondary.

 

[Pemulis]

Thanks for this @juan putumayo. A thought provoking topic that I'm sure will be of interest to many here.

My only experience of Ayahuasca so far has been solo, at home (which was uneventful, as I have written about here). The gulf in context between that, and being in the jungle with a shaman, feels like it would be vast; "set and setting" almost doesn't seem an adequate description.

I would actually love to attend such a ceremony, but have ruled out doing so, for now at least, on account of a combination of practical (I am in the UK) and ethical reasons. On the latter point, whilst I am sure there are great sustainable and ethical retreats that one can attend in South America, I would not want to patronise a facility responsible for clearing native people off their land or other exploitative practices. I don't think I would currently be able to distinguish the good from the bad from such a distance, although perhaps that will change.

I do, however, recognise the power of ritual and ceremony. I suspect that the role of the facilitator would be a major influence on the experience, for me at least.

As someone who has not (yet) experienced this, I would love to hear others' perspectives on this topic.