What is Ayahuasca?

The Simple Answer

Ayahuasca is a psychoactive plant brew traditionally used by indigenous peoples of the Amazon basin for healing, spiritual insight, and community ceremony. The name comes from Quechua: aya (spirit, ancestor) and wasca (vine, rope) - often translated as “vine of the soul.”

It is not a recreational drug. It is not a party experience. It is not for everyone.

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What’s Actually In It?

Ayahuasca is typically made from two plants:

1. Banisteriopsis caapi (the vine)

• Contains MAO inhibitors (harmine, harmaline, tetrahydroharmine)
• These allow DMT to become orally active
• The vine itself has effects and is considered the “teacher” in many traditions

2. Psychotria viridis or Diplopterys cabrerana (the leaves)

• Contains DMT (dimethyltryptamine)
• DMT is normally broken down in your stomach before reaching your brain
• The vine’s MAO inhibitors allow it to work

The combination produces effects lasting 4-6 hours. Unlike smoked DMT (which lasts minutes), ayahuasca is a long, often intense journey.

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What Does It Do?

Physical Effects

• Nausea and vomiting (purging) - common, often considered part of the healing
• Diarrhea - less common, but happens
• Changes in heart rate and blood pressure
• Sweating, chills, or both
• Altered perception of time and space

Psychological Effects

• Visions - can range from geometric patterns to full narrative experiences
• Emotional release - crying, laughing, intense feelings
• Memory recall - sometimes including forgotten or repressed experiences
• Ego dissolution - temporary loss of sense of self
• Mystical or spiritual experiences
• Confrontation with difficult emotions or memories

What People Report Afterward

• Insights about themselves, relationships, or life direction
• Reduced anxiety or depression (in some cases)
• Processing of grief or trauma
• Changed perspective on death or existence
• Feeling of connection to nature or something larger
• Sometimes: confusion, difficulty integrating the experience

Individual experiences vary enormously. Some people have profound, life-changing experiences. Some have terrifying ones. Some feel nothing at all.

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How It’s Used Traditionally

In the Amazon, ayahuasca has been used for centuries (possibly millennia) by indigenous groups including:

• Shipibo-Conibo (Peru)
• Asháninka (Peru)
• Shuar (Ecuador)
• Various Colombian and Brazilian tribes

Traditional uses include:

• Healing - physical, emotional, and spiritual illness
• Divination - seeking answers to community questions
• Hunting magic - finding game
• Witchcraft - both protection and, historically, attack
• Initiation - training healers and shamans
• Community ceremony - bonding and collective healing

Important: Modern Western use often looks very different from traditional indigenous practice. This isn’t inherently wrong, but it’s worth understanding the difference.

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How It’s Used Today

Traditional Ceremonies (Amazon)

• Usually led by a curandero/a or ayahuasquero/a
• Often involve icaros (sacred songs)
• Take place in a maloca (ceremonial house)
• May be combined with plant dietas
• Usually in darkness, lasting all night

Western Retreat Centers

• Often blend traditions or create new frameworks
• May be led by Western facilitators, indigenous healers, or both
• Can range from very traditional to highly Westernized
• Usually 1-7 days, with multiple ceremonies
• Prices vary wildly ($200 to $5000+)

Underground Ceremonies

• Exist in most major cities worldwide
• Quality and safety vary enormously
• Often more affordable
• Higher risk due to less oversight
• Facilitator vetting is critical

Religious/Church Context

• Santo Daime - Brazilian syncretic religion
• União do Vegetal (UDV) - Brazilian church
• Centro Espírita Beneficente União do Vegetal - has legal status in US
• Often more structured, hymn-based ceremonies

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Is It Legal?

Short answer: It’s complicated.

DMT is illegal in most countries

• Schedule I in the United States
• Class A in the United Kingdom
• Controlled in most of Europe

But ayahuasca exists in a gray area

• Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil - legal for traditional/religious use
• United States - illegal, but UDV and Santo Daime have religious exemptions
• Netherlands - technically illegal, but widely tolerated
• Portugal - decriminalized for personal use
• Costa Rica - no specific laws, gray area
• Spain - legal in religious context

Retreat tourism to legal countries (Peru, Costa Rica, etc.) is common.

See our Legal Status Guide for detailed information.

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The Risks (Real Talk)

Physical Risks

• Drug interactions - SSRIs, MAOIs, and many other medications can cause serotonin syndrome (potentially fatal)
• Heart conditions - ayahuasca raises blood pressure and heart rate
• Pre-existing conditions - can be exacerbated

Psychological Risks

• Triggering psychosis - especially if predisposed (personal or family history of schizophrenia, bipolar I)
• Trauma activation - can surface difficult material you’re not ready for
• Destabilization - temporary or lasting difficulty with daily life
• Spiritual emergency - overwhelming experiences that are hard to integrate

Situational Risks

• Unqualified facilitators - inadequate screening, poor emergency response
• Sexual abuse - unfortunately documented in some settings
• Physical harm - from falls, accidents during altered state
• Psychological manipulation - cult-like dynamics in some groups

What Reduces Risk

• Thorough medical screening
• Qualified, ethical facilitators
• Proper set and setting
• Integration support
• No contraindicated medications
• Honest self-assessment of readiness

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Is This For You?

Ayahuasca is not for everyone. That’s not a failure - it’s discernment.

It might be worth exploring if:

• You’re seeking deep self-understanding
• You’ve done your research and feel genuinely called (not just curious)
• You’re willing to do integration work afterward
• You’re medically cleared
• You have support systems in place
• You’re prepared for difficult experiences

It’s probably not for you if:

• You have a history of psychosis or schizophrenia
• You’re on medications that interact dangerously
• You’re looking for a quick fix or escape
• You feel pressured by others
• You’re in an unstable life situation
• You’re not willing to do the integration work

Take our self-assessment to reflect more deeply.

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Where to Learn More

On This Site

• Is Ayahuasca For Me? - Guided self-reflection
• Common Questions (FAQ) - Answers to frequent questions
• First-Timer’s Safety Guide - Essential safety information
• Red Flags - What to watch out for
• Contraindications - Medical safety

External Resources

• MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies)
• Chacruna Institute - Indigenous perspectives
• ICEERS - International research and safety
• Fireside Project - Psychedelic peer support

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A Final Word

Ayahuasca can be profoundly healing for some people. It can also be harmful if approached carelessly.

The medicine doesn’t do the work. You do. Ayahuasca might show you things, but integration - the slow, patient work of bringing insights into daily life - is where real change happens.

If you’re considering this path, go slowly. Research thoroughly. Vet facilitators carefully. Build your support systems. And know that saying “not yet” or “not for me” is just as valid as saying yes.

Be safe. Be honest. Be patient with yourself.

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Have questions? Check our FAQ or explore the guides above.