In ayahuasca healing culture, the topic of dieta or “dieting master/teacher” plants comes up frequently. Among Westerners like myself, there can be curiosity and confusion about this practice. This is understandable, as the tradition of dieting plants is associated with…

It’s pitch dark, about 2 hours into the ceremony. The ayahuasca is in full effect, and I’m in deep. After a period of silence, the ceremony leader begins to sing another icaro. Someone starts to cry, deepening into wrenching, anguished…

When drinking ayahuasca, intentions can be an important piece of the process. I was initially quite frightened to drink ayahuasca, but I was also on a mission: to figure out who the heck I was. So, my very first ceremony…