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What Is Ayahuasca? Experience, Benefits, And Side Effects
In a world increasingly saturated with quick fixes and surface-level healing, many are turning back to ancient, embodied paths of transformation. Among the most revered is Ayahuasca — a sacred, psychoactive brew from the Amazon rainforest that has been guiding seekers for centuries. But it’s not the only way to reconnect with your deeper self.
More and more people are also awakening through Kundalini Activation — a non-psychedelic but deeply powerful practice that invites the body's own energy system to do what it was born to do: heal, awaken, and expand. Kundalini is your inner fire — the primal life force curled like a serpent at the base of your spine.
And here’s the deeper truth few people talk about: Ayahuasca, too, works through this same energy. When the brew begins its journey through your system, it often stirs your Kundalini — sometimes gently, sometimes like lightning. That shaking, that pulsing, that heat — it’s not just the medicine. It’s you, reawakening.
Whether you walk the path with plants or with breath, sound, and energy, the destination is often the same: home to yourself.
More and more people are also awakening through Kundalini Activation — a non-psychedelic but deeply powerful practice that invites the body's own energy system to do what it was born to do: heal, awaken, and expand. Kundalini is your inner fire — the primal life force curled like a serpent at the base of your spine.
And here’s the deeper truth few people talk about: Ayahuasca, too, works through this same energy. When the brew begins its journey through your system, it often stirs your Kundalini — sometimes gently, sometimes like lightning. That shaking, that pulsing, that heat — it’s not just the medicine. It’s you, reawakening.
Whether you walk the path with plants or with breath, sound, and energy, the destination is often the same: home to yourself.
The History Of Ayahuasca
Ayahuasca is a psychedelic brew that has been used by the people of South America for many centuries. Although the history of Ayahuasca dates back 1000 years, it started gaining popularity in the late 20th century.
Ayahuasca is made from a few ingredients – the Banisteriopsis caapi vine, the Psychotria Viridis shrub, and other plants. The leaves and stalks of these plants are boiled in water. Prolonged boiling causes the water to reduce, leaving behind a red-brown liquid. Once the concentrated liquid cools, the shaman preparing the drink strains it.
When consumed, this brew causes an altered state of consciousness. The person who drinks it experiences hallucinations and euphoria. Traditionally, the societies of South America used Ayahuasca for spiritual and religious purposes.
The Science Behind Ayahuasca
Many people are skeptical about the effects of ayahuasca. Others simply think that it is ‘fake’. But there is science behind Ayahuasca and why it causes an altered state of consciousness. The Psychotria Viridis shrub used for the preparation of the Ayahuasca brew contains DMT. This is a hallucinogenic drug and produces psychedelic effects.
If consumed on its own, DMT in the Psychotria Viridis shrub will be quickly broken down in the liver and gastrointestinal tract. The beta-carbolines in the Banisteriopsis caapi vine stop this process and help the effects of DMT to materialize. Additionally, these beta-carbolines, which are powerful MAO inhibitors, have hallucinogenic properties too.
The combination of these two plants along with a few others has a strong hallucinogenic effect on people who drink Ayahuasca. The effects of the brew may last up to 6 hours.
Ayahuasca is a psychedelic brew that has been used by the people of South America for many centuries. Although the history of Ayahuasca dates back 1000 years, it started gaining popularity in the late 20th century.
Ayahuasca is made from a few ingredients – the Banisteriopsis caapi vine, the Psychotria Viridis shrub, and other plants. The leaves and stalks of these plants are boiled in water. Prolonged boiling causes the water to reduce, leaving behind a red-brown liquid. Once the concentrated liquid cools, the shaman preparing the drink strains it.
When consumed, this brew causes an altered state of consciousness. The person who drinks it experiences hallucinations and euphoria. Traditionally, the societies of South America used Ayahuasca for spiritual and religious purposes.
The Science Behind Ayahuasca
Many people are skeptical about the effects of ayahuasca. Others simply think that it is ‘fake’. But there is science behind Ayahuasca and why it causes an altered state of consciousness. The Psychotria Viridis shrub used for the preparation of the Ayahuasca brew contains DMT. This is a hallucinogenic drug and produces psychedelic effects.
If consumed on its own, DMT in the Psychotria Viridis shrub will be quickly broken down in the liver and gastrointestinal tract. The beta-carbolines in the Banisteriopsis caapi vine stop this process and help the effects of DMT to materialize. Additionally, these beta-carbolines, which are powerful MAO inhibitors, have hallucinogenic properties too.
The combination of these two plants along with a few others has a strong hallucinogenic effect on people who drink Ayahuasca. The effects of the brew may last up to 6 hours.
Why Do People Take Ayahuasca?
With time, more people have learned about this psychedelic drink. People living in Europe, North America, and other parts of the world became interested in this brew and started drinking it. Since then, many studies have been carried out to explain how this drink works, what are its benefits, and its side effects.
Today, Ayahuasca is used as a mind-opening practice. People who suffer from past traumas, addiction, depression, and many other conditions take Ayahuasca hoping to have a life-changing experience.
What Are The Potential Benefits Of Ayahuasca?
People who have taken this psychedelic drink claim that it has had a positive effect on them. And while there is still not enough scientific evidence to show the effectiveness of this practice, some studies do claim the health benefits of Ayahuasca.
May Benefit Brain Health
Studies have shown that DMT and beta-carbolines have neuroprotective and restorative qualities. As these are the main active ingredients in Ayahuasca brew, taking it may improve brain health.
May Be Good For Mental Health
Research suggests that Ayahuasca is good for overall mental health and may promote mindfulness. Drinking the Ayahuasca brew once a week for four weeks in a row may be as effective as taking part in a 2-month program that promotes mindfulness and mental health.
May Help Overcome Addiction
One of the main reasons why many people want to take Ayahuasca is to overcome addiction. Research has shown that Ayahuasca may help people who suffer from alcohol, tobacco, and cocaine addiction.
May Help Overcome Anxiety
Ayahuasca may be good for people suffering from PTSD, depression, and anxiety. This brew is reported to have an antidepressant effect. People who have gone into this practice note that Ayahuasca has helped them overcome depression and anxiety.
With time, more people have learned about this psychedelic drink. People living in Europe, North America, and other parts of the world became interested in this brew and started drinking it. Since then, many studies have been carried out to explain how this drink works, what are its benefits, and its side effects.
Today, Ayahuasca is used as a mind-opening practice. People who suffer from past traumas, addiction, depression, and many other conditions take Ayahuasca hoping to have a life-changing experience.
What Are The Potential Benefits Of Ayahuasca?
People who have taken this psychedelic drink claim that it has had a positive effect on them. And while there is still not enough scientific evidence to show the effectiveness of this practice, some studies do claim the health benefits of Ayahuasca.
May Benefit Brain Health
Studies have shown that DMT and beta-carbolines have neuroprotective and restorative qualities. As these are the main active ingredients in Ayahuasca brew, taking it may improve brain health.
May Be Good For Mental Health
Research suggests that Ayahuasca is good for overall mental health and may promote mindfulness. Drinking the Ayahuasca brew once a week for four weeks in a row may be as effective as taking part in a 2-month program that promotes mindfulness and mental health.
May Help Overcome Addiction
One of the main reasons why many people want to take Ayahuasca is to overcome addiction. Research has shown that Ayahuasca may help people who suffer from alcohol, tobacco, and cocaine addiction.
May Help Overcome Anxiety
Ayahuasca may be good for people suffering from PTSD, depression, and anxiety. This brew is reported to have an antidepressant effect. People who have gone into this practice note that Ayahuasca has helped them overcome depression and anxiety.
Music in Ayahuasca Ceremonies
In Ayahuasca ceremonies, sound builds the space in which the medicine moves. It clears, anchors, guides. The sounds that fill the room — the low hum of silence, the rustle of leaves, the pulse of the drum — all become part of the ceremony’s intelligence.
Shamanic drumming, used in rituals across cultures for thousands of years, does far more than keep time. With every steady beat, it mirrors the Earth’s own rhythm, grounding the body, regulating the breath, and drawing the mind into stillness. It opens portals. It makes space for the unseen to arrive.
In traditional ceremonies, the drum often joins forces with icaros — sacred songs sung by shamans in a language not meant for the mind but for the soul. These aren’t just melodies; they are vibrational medicine, encoded with healing, protection, and ancestral wisdom. Some songs call in light. Others guide you through darkness. All of them speak directly to the spirit.
Outside the jungle, the power of these sounds remains. Shamanic drumming continues to be one of the most accessible tools for shifting states of consciousness, calming the nervous system, and reconnecting with inner knowing. To support your journey, we’ve created these immersive drumming journeys. One is paired with the icaros, to let the spirit songs guide your path. The other resonates with the “LAM” sound, awakening and grounding your root chakra, the energy center of safety, survival, and deep belonging.
In Ayahuasca ceremonies, sound builds the space in which the medicine moves. It clears, anchors, guides. The sounds that fill the room — the low hum of silence, the rustle of leaves, the pulse of the drum — all become part of the ceremony’s intelligence.
Shamanic drumming, used in rituals across cultures for thousands of years, does far more than keep time. With every steady beat, it mirrors the Earth’s own rhythm, grounding the body, regulating the breath, and drawing the mind into stillness. It opens portals. It makes space for the unseen to arrive.
In traditional ceremonies, the drum often joins forces with icaros — sacred songs sung by shamans in a language not meant for the mind but for the soul. These aren’t just melodies; they are vibrational medicine, encoded with healing, protection, and ancestral wisdom. Some songs call in light. Others guide you through darkness. All of them speak directly to the spirit.
Outside the jungle, the power of these sounds remains. Shamanic drumming continues to be one of the most accessible tools for shifting states of consciousness, calming the nervous system, and reconnecting with inner knowing. To support your journey, we’ve created these immersive drumming journeys. One is paired with the icaros, to let the spirit songs guide your path. The other resonates with the “LAM” sound, awakening and grounding your root chakra, the energy center of safety, survival, and deep belonging.
4 Important Things You Should Know About Ayahuasca
Ayahuasca is not the safest practice and you should do proper research on it before you consider taking it. Here are four important things you should know about Ayahuasca.
1. Ayahuasca Is Illegal In Many Countries
Only a few countries in the world have legalized the use of Ayahuasca. These countries are Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Peru.
In most countries, Ayahuasca is banned as its main component DMT is considered to be a Schedule I drug. In the United States, it is not Ayahuasca that is banned but the active ingredient, DMT. With this said, Ayahuasca ceremonies can be conducted in the US for certain groups of people for religious use.
2. It May Have Side Effects
The experience of drinking this psychedelic brew may be different for everyone. Aside from learning about the potential benefits of Ayahuasca, it is also extremely important to learn about the side effects this drink may have.
Some side effects of Ayahuasca, including vomiting and diarrhea, are considered to be normal. If you have decided to take part in an Ayahuasca ceremony, you should prepare yourself to witness and experience them. Panicking and paranoia are other common side effects you should be ready for.
The side effects of Ayahuasca can be a lot more severe for some people. Ayahuasca may have dangerous side effects for people with psychiatric disorders and heart conditions as well as those who take medications.
Ayahuasca is not the safest practice and you should do proper research on it before you consider taking it. Here are four important things you should know about Ayahuasca.
1. Ayahuasca Is Illegal In Many Countries
Only a few countries in the world have legalized the use of Ayahuasca. These countries are Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Peru.
In most countries, Ayahuasca is banned as its main component DMT is considered to be a Schedule I drug. In the United States, it is not Ayahuasca that is banned but the active ingredient, DMT. With this said, Ayahuasca ceremonies can be conducted in the US for certain groups of people for religious use.
2. It May Have Side Effects
The experience of drinking this psychedelic brew may be different for everyone. Aside from learning about the potential benefits of Ayahuasca, it is also extremely important to learn about the side effects this drink may have.
Some side effects of Ayahuasca, including vomiting and diarrhea, are considered to be normal. If you have decided to take part in an Ayahuasca ceremony, you should prepare yourself to witness and experience them. Panicking and paranoia are other common side effects you should be ready for.
The side effects of Ayahuasca can be a lot more severe for some people. Ayahuasca may have dangerous side effects for people with psychiatric disorders and heart conditions as well as those who take medications.
3. Ayahuasca Should Be Done With Experienced Shamans
The most important rule to follow if you consider attending an Ayahuasca ceremony is that it should be led by an experienced shaman. The shamans not only prepare the brew but also monitor the entire experience of the person who drinks it.
As it is not uncommon for the effects of Ayahuasca to be rather serious, Ayahuasca retreats also have a medical health team on site in case things get out of control.
4. You Should Be Well-Prepared For Ayahuasca
Ayahuasca is not a ceremony to make an appointment and attend whenever you feel like doing it. You should be well-prepared for it mentally, physically, and spiritually.
First off, educate yourself not only on the positive but also negative effects of this practice and make sure to eliminate all the risks. To prepare for Ayahuasca physically, you should try to eat as healthy as possible for weeks leading to Ayahuasca. You should cut out animal products from your diet, meat in particular. You should also abstain from alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes, drugs, and sexual intimacy.
The most important rule to follow if you consider attending an Ayahuasca ceremony is that it should be led by an experienced shaman. The shamans not only prepare the brew but also monitor the entire experience of the person who drinks it.
As it is not uncommon for the effects of Ayahuasca to be rather serious, Ayahuasca retreats also have a medical health team on site in case things get out of control.
4. You Should Be Well-Prepared For Ayahuasca
Ayahuasca is not a ceremony to make an appointment and attend whenever you feel like doing it. You should be well-prepared for it mentally, physically, and spiritually.
First off, educate yourself not only on the positive but also negative effects of this practice and make sure to eliminate all the risks. To prepare for Ayahuasca physically, you should try to eat as healthy as possible for weeks leading to Ayahuasca. You should cut out animal products from your diet, meat in particular. You should also abstain from alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes, drugs, and sexual intimacy.
Final Thoughts: The Ceremony Within
Ayahuasca is not a shortcut. It’s a sacred mirror — one that reflects both your deepest wounds and your highest self. While the journey may unfold in a single night, the true ceremony begins long before the cup touches your lips, and continues long after the music fades and the jungle goes quiet.
You may come seeking visions, healing, or clarity — and you might receive all three. But what Ayahuasca often delivers is something more profound: the truth of who you are beneath the noise, beneath the stories, beneath the fear.
It’s important to remember that the vine is a guide, not a savior. She shows you the door, but she will not walk through it for you. That part is yours — the integration, the stillness, the choices made after. The drumbeat of that work continues in the days, weeks, and years that follow.
And whether you return to the medicine or never sit in ceremony again, know this: the wisdom Ayahuasca reveals is not foreign to you. It’s the voice of something ancient already alive inside your cells — something that can be awakened through breath, movement, silence, or a simple walk in the forest.
The vine may grow in the jungle, but the real work takes root in your everyday life.
So walk gently. Listen deeply. And remember: the most sacred ceremony is the one you carry within.
Ayahuasca is not a shortcut. It’s a sacred mirror — one that reflects both your deepest wounds and your highest self. While the journey may unfold in a single night, the true ceremony begins long before the cup touches your lips, and continues long after the music fades and the jungle goes quiet.
You may come seeking visions, healing, or clarity — and you might receive all three. But what Ayahuasca often delivers is something more profound: the truth of who you are beneath the noise, beneath the stories, beneath the fear.
It’s important to remember that the vine is a guide, not a savior. She shows you the door, but she will not walk through it for you. That part is yours — the integration, the stillness, the choices made after. The drumbeat of that work continues in the days, weeks, and years that follow.
And whether you return to the medicine or never sit in ceremony again, know this: the wisdom Ayahuasca reveals is not foreign to you. It’s the voice of something ancient already alive inside your cells — something that can be awakened through breath, movement, silence, or a simple walk in the forest.
The vine may grow in the jungle, but the real work takes root in your everyday life.
So walk gently. Listen deeply. And remember: the most sacred ceremony is the one you carry within.
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