This was the story that was prepared for publication in one of the UK top newspapers. The editor decided not to print. I have edited a couple of sentences where the location of the retreats could be guessed and which currently might not be too smart for the individuals involved.
"For years I’ve had a secret fantasy. I want to be Bruce Parry, that bloke of the telly who seems to have the most incredible adventures in such exotic locations with remote tribes across the world. I guess we all want a little adventure in our lives.
Whilst engaging in some armchair travel, watching his Amazon series, my interest peaked when I heard of a “mystical tea” called Ayahuasca.
Sure I’d much rather be travelling deep into the Amazon Rainforest to try Ayahuasca but I couldn’t afford that, either financially or in terms of my carbon footprint. So my journey took me to the xxxxx valley in deepest, darkest xxxxx, just west of xxxxx. The only thing I know about xxxxx is that the football team is owned by xxxxx. I was a little worried about the authenticity of the experience.
Arriving at the retreat centre, I was introduced to the other participants, a statistician from Scotland, a yoga teacher from London and an arts administrator from the Midlands amongst them. About half had experienced the tea before but thankfully I wasn’t the only virgin. There were to be a total of 12 “drinkers”. Most people came alone, however there were a few friends taking the experience together. Everyone was very friendly although some a little anxious about the upcoming ceremony, including myself. I was surprised that there were only two women taking part.
The history of Ayahuasca (also called Yage), is traceable to 1851, when the Victorian explorer and botanist Richard Spruce encountered the use of this intoxicating drink among the Tukano Indians in Brasil. Author and Drugs Historian, Mike Jay is curator of an exhibition at The Welcome Foundation (London) called “High Society” exploring Ayahuasca and drug use across cultures and history. He’s been working through much of the work of Spruce and noted that the only recorded effect was “the strong inclination to vomit”. There is archaeological evidence in the form of the earliest pipe ever found, a carved Jaguar bone which contained a residue of DMT. This chillum has been carbon dated to 2000 BC.
In the garden, a white canopy provided shelter from the elements and a splendid view across the xxxxx. xxxxx is a stunningly beautiful place particularly when well away from the thousands of tourists crowding the waterways. Under the open sided marquee, were 12 beds (all pointing to the altar in the centre), each complete with a sick bucket. Ayahuasca is known for its purging properties. This purge is also proven to remove intestinal parasites and is one of the things it’s used for in a tribal setting but its main use is as a spiritual sacrament to induce visions and communicate with the gods.
Feeling faintly foolish, wrapped in a cotton wool-like duvet and dressed entirely in white, like I was a twelve year old about to receive ‘first holy communion’, (which on reflection I guess I was), my fellow ‘huasca-nauts and I sat in a circle and were asked to meditate on our intentions. Mine was not to lose control of my bowels whilst wearing white trousers!
At sundown, the ceremony started with some chanting and a prayer for a safe and enlightening journey. Unlike any other psychedelics, Ayahuasca is the only one that relies on two separate plants to be combined to deliver the desired effect. I marvel at how our ancestors hit upon this magical formula as I take the first drink, made from Peganum Harmala (commonly known as Syrian Rue). It tastes very bitter and I have to resist the urge to vomit immediately. Boris Thorpee rue enables the body to absorb the second, equally foul tasting infusion of Mimosa Hostilis (Jurema); a powerful alternative to the traditional tea which is normally made with Banisteriopsis Caapi (a jungle vine, found in South America).
People with mental health issues or those taking certain prescription drugs like Prozac are prohibited from using this medicine, as are women who are menstruating, or anyone with a history of high blood pressure.
The ingredients for Ayahuasca can be purchased from online ‘head shops’ offering legal highs for about £15 per dose, but many users import the liquid from South America. It’s non addictive and has been used to treat heroin addicts as well as people suffering with depression.
Recent UK Government directives, blanket banning all legal highs has caused a fear within those communities that use Ayahuasca for religious purposes. In 1997 the US Supreme Court protected its use under the 1993 Religious Freedoms Act but this didn’t stop the US authorities seizing a shipment of herbs in 1999. It appears that no-one is really clear the legal status. As of March 18, 2009, it is still presumptively illegal in the United States to use Ayahuasca, unless one is a member of the two churches that have successfully sued the U.S. government.
A fax from the United Nations Drug Control Program states that “presently in Europe, no plants containing the active ingredient of Ayahuasca, dimethyltryptamine (DMT) are controlled under the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances. Consequently, decoctions made of these plants are not under international control and therefore, not subject to any of the articles of the convention.”
Courts have ruled that Ayahuasca is not illegal when used as part of a religious practice, thanks to the work of institutions like the catholic based Santo Daime Church or the União do Vegetal (UDV) and the test cases they have brought. It is only when active compounds are isolated that they become illegal. It would be illegal to refine the tea to make a pure powdered form of DMT (a Class A substance) but not just to make a tea, as this in no way increases the naturally occurring compounds.
During the two day brewing process, the shaman sings special songs (known as Icaro) to the tea. These melodious incantations are repeated throughout the drinking ceremony and may be whistled or simply hummed and are used to encourage the spirits to come forth and induce the visions.
There was a special diet to follow for a whole week before the ceremony, excluding some food substances such as coffee, yeast and soy sauce, as well as cheese and the amino acid Tyramine, which has been shown to have dangerous interactions with the Ayahuasca and hence the need to have an experienced guide to ensure a safe experience. Full instructions were provided when booking this particular experience.
Thankfully, I wasn’t the first person to throw up but when I did, I didn’t feel ill. It felt cleansing, exhilarating. Now I know what it feels like to be Bruce Parry. Considering that I’d fasted for 36 hours previously (by choice as I was terrified of the purge when wearing white trousers, 5hrs being the minimum recommendation). I was surprised at how much came out the other end… and how frequently! This isn’t a substance to be played with and is certainly not a ‘party drug’ given the effects on the bowels.
The noise of people puking punctuated the soundscape, which seamlessly blended traditional Icaros with Goan trance music and real gongs, flutes and rattles. Amazonian birdcalls interwoven with the native owls of xxxxx created a stunning effect, enhanced by a good sound system and no neighbours. Music seems a key factor in the experience which probably explains its popularity with musicians such as Sting, Paul Simon, Tori Amos and The Klaxons. There are many creative visual artists who are also fans.
The visions I experienced were so intense and started with a rainbow starburst reminiscent the beginning of an episode of StarTrek as I prepared to boldly go… there was a sense of travelling through a tunnel (like the Dr Who opening titles); astounding colours and geometric patterns unlike any TV show I’ve ever seen. I could imagine them being the inspiration for designs woven into rugs.
Syrian Rue and Mimosa Hostilis are both dyes used in carpet making. Their effect on weavers led to legends of flying carpets. Exotic incenses burned throughout our eight hour ritual, sending white clouds of smoke billowing across the lawns which added to the flying effect.
During the ceremony, communications with others were limited to the bare necessities and we were introduced to the concept of Firmeza. A term that comes from the Portuguese and refers to the ability to stay calm, remain in one’s place and to keep one’s focus. It also means the ability not to allow our emotions to lead us astray from the purpose of the ritual, which is to transcend superficial impressions and to stay with our own emotions and thoughts and not become preoccupied with what others may be thinking or experiencing.
Everyone remained quietly in their own space (except for visits to the loo, when some people needed a helping hand from the assistants, to steer them in the right direction). The Santo Daime version differs somewhat as participants are encouraged to sing and dance while under the influence.
After the ritual we sat around the roaring bonfire in quiet reflection and listened to some of the most amazing drumming I’ve ever heard, courtesy of a man whose name was Love, a virtuoso on the bodhrán. I felt as though I was in a 60’s time warp!
Bowls of nourishing vegetable soup were handed out and as the sun rose, people drifted off to sleep for a few hours.
Later, participants discussed their experiences of the tea. Some people told of harrowing personal journeys full of pain, fear and despair and a feeling of abject terror induced by the Ayahuasca, a reminder that this isn’t an experience to be taken lightly and indeed is not for everyone! My personal experience was one of gentle euphoria. I was also surprised to see a vision of the Virgin Mary, particularly as I don’t identify with the Abrahamic faiths. Apparently it’s not unusual for people to have similar hallucinations and one that I did share with others, was seeing snakes in my visions. I dread to think what Freud would make of that!
Thankfully there was no hangover and the next day passed in a state of contented joy, walking through the woods and along the river or simply sitting in the sun chatting with the other people on the retreat. The afternoons afforded the opportunity to participate in some yoga sessions.
As the sun dipped on the horizon we prepared for the second communion. This time the visions were even more intense, building on the DMT that exists naturally within our brains. Even with my eyes closed, I was hyper aware of everyone around me. I also sensed another living presence, that of Jurema, the teacher/spirit of the plants and it felt like the medicine was introducing itself to me, checking me out to see if I was mentally strong enough to accept the lessons being offered.
The third night seemed entirely different from the first two, softer, more nurturing and certainly a tribute to the shaman’s skill in creating a safe space. He held the rituals together beautifully and authentically (even with the modern twists of recorded music), and kept a close watch on everyone taking part. At one point I felt cold and before I knew it, he’d given me an extra blanket. The weird thing was that even with closed eyes and no words exchanged, (and a total of four assistants) I knew exactly who had given me the blanket.
We know that herbal cures work. Foxglove/Digitalis is a powerful heart medicine.
Willow bark gave us Aspirin. Is Jurema a tonic for the soul?
Charles Grob MD, professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at UCLA’s School of Medicine and one of the handful of western scientists researching Ayahuasca, conducted experiments with the tea in 1993 and he found that it was more beneficial then SSRI’s (like Prozac) in the fight against depression.
The indigenous users claim this medicine can cure all sorts of ailments and the data from Dr Grob does indeed seem to verify this. Many doctors (as well as writers, musicians, artists and spiritual seekers) have become fascinated with this powerful substance but few are willing to put their reputation on the line from a scientific point of view, for fear of being ridiculed. Science and Religion rarely make good companions.
There have been anecdotal reports of Ayahuasca being responsible for curing cancer, notably by Professor Donald M. Topping, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, University of Hawaii.
In the light of such astounding (but limited) medical research, Ayahuasca tourism is booming but I wonder if the contact with native tribes is a good thing? We know that early European travellers managed to kill off thousands by bringing then unknown diseases to their isolated villages. Today these places are becoming more like theme parks, destroying the very core of what makes them attractive to us in the first place, as people search out ‘authentic’ Perhaps it’s up to Bruce to show us what these places are really like and for us to keep a safe distance away and explore our own countries?
I wonder how many other medicines are waiting to be discovered in the rainforests and if they will be found before the environments are destroyed. Thankfully there are several projects trying to document shamanistic/medicinal use of plants and preserve the knowledge for future generations.
As I hugged my new friends goodbye (the Ayahuasca experience created a deep bond between us all, or maybe that was just the effect of communal puking?), I was left feeling spiritually clean, calmly serene, deeply joyous and with pristine white trousers.
