
Ayahuasca Ceremony
In my personal healing journey, Ayahuasca was the first ancestral plant medicine I connected with. She has revealed deep layers of trauma and societal/ancestral programming that have not been accessible through other means. She has been one of the most powerful tools and allies in my healing path, and contributed greatly to the healing work I provide. I have been on a traditional Shipibo path of apprenticeship since 2016 and serving the medicine in intimate settings since 2017. If you are new to Ayahuasca, please review the information on this page, and contact me with any further questions. If you are familiar with this work already, you can skip here to learn more about the unique way I work with this medicine.
What is Ayahuasca?
Ayahuasca is a brewed tea consisting mainly of two plants that has been used in the Amazon forest for thousands of years for purposes of healing a wide variety of physical diseases and mental disorders, spiritual connection, and receiving information and insight.
The Chacruna leaf contains naturally occuring DMT, a hormone that is produced naturally in our brains during three points in life; in the process of birth, in the process, of death, and while we are dreaming. In our normal waking state, our brain also contains an enzyme that breaks down DMT.
The Ayahuasca vine is an MAO inhibitor that prevents this enzyme from working so that we can produce higher levels of DMT than normal. In some cases, other plants are added to this mixture, but I only work with a pure mixture of these two plants, as some of the additions can have dangerous chemical effects. The Chacruna leaf is responsible for the visionary aspect of an Ayahuasca experience, and the Ayahuasca vine is what produces the cleansing and purgative effects.
Ayahuasca works very deeply on every level of our being. On the physical level, the medicine circulates throughout the body, removing toxins, and in ways impossible to explain through science, commonly helping to heal many physical diseases.
On a mental level, Ayahuasca helps to reveal negative beliefs that we hold onto from the various layers of conditioning we have been exposed to from a small child. She helps to clear away false parts of our identities and the "roles" that we take on in different stages of life to reconnect us with what we are at our core. Root causes of deep seated fears, insecurities, and judgment of ourselves and others can be released through this work.
On an emotional level, Ayahuasca helps to release built up emotions from all of the times we have been unable to express ourselves, and also helps to delve into past traumatic experiences so that we can see these things from an outside perspective and gain clarity.
On a spiritual level, it helps resolve deep feelings of separation, abandonment and unworthiness as we are more easily able to connect to the God essence within us. This is a very general summary of how this medicine works.


The Purge
Another name for Ayahuasca among the tribes who work with it is "la purga" or "the purge", named for the cleansing effects of the vine.
Purging comes in many, many forms in ceremony and is essentially a release of energy from the body. One of the most common ways of purging is through vomiting. In our culture, we have a very negative relationship with vomiting; relating it to previous experiences of being ill, drinking too much alcohol, or sometimes mentally related to an eating disorder. In the case of Ayahuasca, the vine is not doing harm to the body. The liquid that is expelled is a carrier for the energy being released!
This can be physical toxins built up in your body, a manifestation of "mental" toxins in your mind, pain from previous relationships and traumas in your life, and a number of many other things. Many people are fully aware of what it is they are releasing when they purge, and the feeling after is that of great relief and liberation. Sometimes people feel the purge come from a place in the body other than the stomach. Sometimes purging can come through spitting, sinus clearing, shaking, temporarily feeling hot or cold, or having diarrhea. It can also be mental and take the form of a "funhouse" in the head as we release unnecessary thoughtforms related to media and advertising. When working on an emotional level, crying is a common way of purging.
Approaches to Ceremony
It is said that traditionally, Ayahuasca was a medicine that was only physically ingested by the Shaman working with the patient in order to connect to the spirit realm and bring through the chants used for healing. In today's world, it is used both in private and group settings in a growing number of countries.
When working with indigenous shamans in the Rainforest, ceremonies are generally held in a screened maloka in complete darkness, and the shaman uses only their voice to channel songs called "Icaro". They also work with tobacco smoke and a special form of bodywork.
On the other end of the spectrum, there are people around the world holding Ayahuasca ceremonies in very large groups of people, here in the Valley I have seen ceremonies of 100 people. In these larger ceremonies, the space is held through music and each person is expected to be independent in their process, although help is given if it is really needed. I have worked extensively with the Yawanawa and Huni Kuin tribes of Brazil, who utilize a large fire the entire ceremony, and high energy guitar music, dancing, and celebration into the daybreak. I feel there are advantages to all of these approaches depending on the person, their past, and their intentions, and the way that I have learned to work involves elements of all three.


My Approach
The way I work is a mixture of these two approaches, opening the ceremony in silence and darkness and calling in the plant spirits I have dieted for focused energetic work through channeled Icaros when the medicine is strong, and moving into more celebratory and integrative medicine music in the later parts of ceremony. Sound is the carrier of plant medicine, helping to open the connection between the plants and recipient, provide the cleansing, and convey profound insight and wisdom.
I only hold intimate ceremonies for individuals, couples, and small groups up to 4 and feel this is the best way to fully focus on the healing aspect of the ceremony and remain in full integrity. My ceremonies tend to be on the longer end of 6-8 hours and multiple doses when desired and deemed necessary. I work extensively with pure mapacho/jungle tobacco smoke in ceremonies for purification and protection, and this is an important aspect of how I hold space.
I also integrate expression through sound and movement and often encourage my clients to dance or sing for themselves in the later parts of ceremony to open the voice and connect more deeply to the physical body, helping to liberate stagnation and physical tension and ground the experience.
I personally brew the same medicine I serve during a 4 day long dedicated process of focused intention and prayer, using freshly harvested Ayahuasca Cielo vine and Chacruna leaves with no additives. Sometimes I will serve another brew including very small amounts of Rose, Bobinsana, and Noya Rao for those who have already connected with these plants in dieta.
The day after an Ayahuasca ceremony is an extremely valuable time to deepen the process and continue to receive insight and understanding, and all of my ceremonies include a (required) day of integration work on site as well as support calls in the weeks following. Generally this takes the form of holding space for a gentle sitting with Cacao in nature and a less active ceremonial space conducive to sitting in introspection and moving remnants of energy from the ceremony process. Cacao can also be omitted if desired. The DMT from the Chacruna continues to circulate in the body for about 24 hours, and the slight MAOI effects of Cacao bring a slight reconnection to the medicine in a much gentler way.
Pricing
1 on 1 $500 USD
Includes:
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Accommodation
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Food
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Integration Day with Cacao
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1 Preparation Call
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2 Integration Support Calls
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Private Taxi to and from Pisac
Couples $700 USD
Includes:
-
Accommodation
-
Food
-
Integration Day with Cacao
-
1 Preparation Call
-
2 Integration Support Calls
-
Private Taxi to and from Pisac