Information AboutAyahuasca |
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The widely used giant vine native to the Rainforest containing various Harmala Alkaloid s, generally '' Banisteriopsis Caapi '', and, by extension, 2) Pharmacologically complex Entheogen ic infusions prepared from it for Shamanic , Folk-medicinal , and Religious purposes. Sections of vine are boiled alone or with leaves from any of a large number of other plants, including '' Psychotria Viridis '' (''chakruna'' in Quechua) or '' Diplopterys Cabrerana '', yielding a brew containing the powerful Hallucinogenic alkaloid N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a Psychedelic which is active orally only when combined with an MAOI . Western brews often substitute plant sources such as Syrian Rue or other harmala containing plants in lieu of the ''Banisteriopsis caapi'' vine. region of Ecuador .]] Often brews are made with no DMT-containing plants; sometimes they are made with plants such as ''Justicia pectoralis'', Brugmansia , or various cacti; and often they are made with no plants other than the ayahuasca vine itself. The potency of this brew varies radically from one batch to the next, both in strength and psychoactive effect, based mainly on the skill of the shaman or brewer, as well as other admixtures sometimes added. NAMES
It should be noted that the spelling ''ayahuasca'' is the hispanicized version of the name; many Quechua or Aymara speakers would prefer the spelling ''ayawaska''. In the central andeans of Perú Ayacwasca means :"Ayac" (dead) and "Wasca" (cord or rope) USAGE Ayahuasca is used in largely as a religious sacrament, no matter which culture it is associated with. Those who use ayahuasca in non-traditional contexts often align themselves with the philosphies or outlook of shamanic ayahuasca traditions. This includes citizens of modern Western countries, who put their faith beyond the restricting laws of their governments. While non-native users know of the spiritual applications of ayahuasca, a less well-known traditional usage focuses on the medicinal properties of ayahuasca. Its purgative properties are highly important (many refer to it as ''la Purga'', "the purge"). The intense vomiting it induces can clear the body of worms and other tropical Parasite s. region of Ecuador .]] Dietary taboos are almost always associated with the use of Ayahuasca; in the rainforest, these tend towards the purification of one's self- abstaining from spicy and heavily seasoned foods, fat, salt, caffeine, acidic foods (such as citrus) and sex before, after, or both before and after a ceremony. A diet low in Foods Containing Tyramine is recommended, as the interaction of Tyramine and MAOIs can lead to a Hypertensive Crisis . This extreme dietary specificity is largely a modern one, as most tyramine is produced as food ages, and is therefore not usually a problem in traditional South American cultures. These dietary restrictions have developed as a means of making ayahuasca ingestion easier on the body, as well as having strong traditional and spiritual significance Today, the name 'ayahuasca' can mean a variety of botanical concoctions containing one or more MAOI s and DMT or one of its chemical analogues. The synthetic Pharmahuasca is sometimes called ayahuasca as well. In this usage, the DMT is generally considered the main psychoactive active ingredient, while the MAOI merely activates orally ingested DMT. However, most Ayahuasquero s and others working with the brew claim the ''B. caapi'' vine to be the defining ingredient; according to them, it is not ayahuasca unless ''B. caapi'' is in the brew. The vine is considered to be the "spirit" of ayahuasca, the gatekeeper and guide to the otherwrldly realms. In some areas, it is even said that the chacruna or chaliponga admixtures are added only to make the brew taste sweeter. This is a strong indicator of the often wildly divergent intentions and cultural differences between the native ayahuasca-using cultures and psychedelics enthusiasts in other countries. In modern Europe and North America , ayahuasca analogues are often prepared using non-traditional plants which contain the same alkaloids. For example, seeds of the Syrian rue plant are often used as a substitute for the ayawaska vine, and the DMT-rich '' Mimosa Hostilis '' is used in place of ''chakruna''. Australia has several indigenous plants which are popular among modern ayahuasqueros there, such as various DMT-rich species of '' Acacia ''. In modern Western culture, entheogen users sometimes base concoctions off of Ayahuasca. When doing so, most often Rue or ''B. caapi'' are used with a non-traditional, non-DMT admixture, such as Psilocybin or Mescaline . Nicknames such as Psilohuasca or shroomahuasca for mushroom based mixtures, or Pedrohuasca (from the San Pedro Cactus, which contains mescaline) are often given to such brews. This is usually only done by experienced entheogen users who are more familiar with the chemicals and plants being used, as the uninformed combination of various neuro-chemicals can be dangerous and most are unaware that such combinations can be made. It seems unlikely that Ayahuasca could ever emerge as a "street-drug", given the difficulty of making the tea and the intense experience it provides. Most Western users employ it almost exclusively for spiritual purposes, in line with both traditional, animist usage and organized churches such as the UDV. A diet is almost always followed before use, including a day of fasting, to rid the body of tyramines and other contraindicated chemicals; a "''dieta''" is often followed as well, to spiritually cleanse the body before and after the experience. Most recreational drug users have never even heard of Ayahuasca, DMT or MAOIs, or the possibility of alterations to the shamanic brew. Introduction to the West Ayahuasca is mentioned in the writings of some of the earliest Missionaries to South America , but it wasn't for some time that it became commonly known in the West. The early missionary reports generally claim it as Demon ic, and great efforts were made by the Roman Catholic Church to stamp it out. When originally researched in the 20th century, the active chemical constituent of Caapi was called '' Telepathine '', but it was found to be identical to a chemical already isolated from ''Peganum harmala'' and given the name harmaline. William Burroughs sought yagé (still considered to be "telepathine") in the 1950s while traveling through South America, in the hopes that it could relieve or cure Opiate Addiction . '' The Yage Letters '', written between Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg were probably the first major introduction of Ayahuasca to the West. Ayahuasca was made more widely known by Terence and Dennis McKenna 's experiences with Amazonian tribes as detailed in the book '' Invisible Landscape '', which they co-authored. Their journey to the rainforest to search for Ayahuasca was spurred by their reading of Burroughs and Ginsberg. Dennis later extensively studied the pharmacology, Botany , and Chemistry of ayahuasca and Oo-koo-he , which were the subjects of his master's thesis. In Brazil, a number of modern religious movements based on the use of ayahuasca have emerged, the most famous of them being '' Santo Daime '' and the '' Uniao Do Vegetal '' (or UDV), usually in an Animistic context that may be shamanistic or, more often, (as with Santo Daime and the UDV,) mixed with Christian imagery. Both Santo Daime and Uniao do Vegetal now have members and churches throughout the world. Similarly, the US and Europe has started to see new religious groups born of experiences with ayahuasca. In the US a Wicca group, PaDeva, has become the first incorporated legal church with which ayahuasca is central to their beliefs. Several notable celebrities have publicly discussed their use of ayahuasca, including Sting , Tori Amos , and Paul Simon (who wrote the song ''Spirit Voices'' about his experience with the brew in the Amazon). PLANT CONSTITUENTS Traditional Traditional Ayahuasca brews are always made with ''B. caapi'' as an MAOI, although DMT sources and other admixtures vary from region to region. There are several Varieties Of Caapi , often known as different "colors", with varying effects, potencies, and uses. DMT admixtures:
Other common admixtures:
Western Although traditional plant materials are often used, sources with similar chemical constituents are often substituted for the traditional ingredients. MAOI:
DMT admixture sources:
LEGAL STATUS Internationally, DMT is a Schedule I drug under the Convention On Psychotropic Substances . The Commentary on the Convention on Psychotropic Substances notes, however, that the plant itself is excluded from international control {Link without Title} : The cultivation of plants from which psychotropic substances are obtained is not controlled by the Vienna Convention. . . . Neither the crown (fruit, mescal button) of the Peyote cactus nor the roots of the plant Mimosa hostilis nor Psilocybe mushrooms themselves are included in Schedule 1, but only their respective principles, mescaline, DMT and psilocin. A Fax from the Secretary of the International Narcotics Control Board to the Netherlands Ministry of Public Health sent in 2001 goes on to state that ''"Consequently, preparations (e.g.decoctions) made of these plants, including ayahuasca are not under international control and, therefore, not subject to any of the articles of the 1971 Convention."'' {Link without Title} The legal status of these plants in the United States is somewhat questionable. Ayahuasca plants and preparations are legal as they contain no scheduled chemicals. However, brews made using DMT containing plants are illegal since DMT is a Schedule I drug. That said, some people are challenging this, using arguments similar to those used by peyotist religious sects, such as the Native American Church . A court case allowing ''Uniao do Vegetal'' to use the tea for religious purposes in the United States, '' Gonzales V. O Centro Espírita Beneficente União Do Vegetal '', was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on November 1, 2005; the decision, released February 21st, 2006, allows the UDV to use the tea in its ceremonies persuant to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act . Religious use in Brazil was legalized after two official inquiries into the tea in the mid-1980s, which concluded that ayahuasca is not a recreational drug and has valid spiritual uses. (more on the legal status of ayahuasca can be found in the Erowid vault on the legality of ayahuasca ). In France , Santo Daime won a court case allowing them to use the tea in early 2005; however, they were not allowed an exception for religious purposes, but rather for the simple reason that they did not perform chemical extractions to end up with pure DMT and harmala and the plants used were not scheduled. Four months after the court victory, the common ingredients of Ayahuasca as well as harmala were declared ''stupéfiants'', or narcotic schedule I substances, making the tea and its ingredients illegal to use or possess. See and [http://afssaps.sante.fr/htm/10/filcoprs/indco.htm for more information. In the United States, on February 21, 2006, the Brazilian-based religious group O Centro Espirita Beneficiente Uniao do Vegetal (UDV) was awarded by the Supreme Court the legal right to use ayahuasca as their sacrament. EXTERNAL LINKS Ayahuasca churches Law
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