Letting Go – Day 12
30 Days of Letting Go Day 12
By Jenny Griffin
Shamans and Dreamers: Ayahuasca and guided releases
The ritual use of Ayahuasca is intended to be very sacred, and very powerful. It is a ceremony involving the brewing and drinking of a concoction of plants found in the Amazon jungles and the chanting and singing of an ayahuasquero, a shaman specially trained in the ritual. Its intention is to help you to purge your body of any beliefs, entities and behaviors that are not in your highest good, and it’s not called the Vine of the Dead for nothing. Some participants in Ayahuasca ceremonies have described seeing demons and felt as if they were being ripped apart from the inside. It may not sound like an easy one, but it’s a letting go, and a good one, if you follow the advice of the plants and shamans involved.
Some medical doctors, in Peru and in Canada (Dr. Jacques Mabit and Dr. Gabor Maté), have even tried Ayahuasca rituals as a catalyst for healing severely addicted people with startling results. It is designed to unlock emotional memories and purge them so that healing can occur. Considering that addiction largely stems from the fear of facing whatever haunts you, and turning to substances or behaviors to mask that fear, the concept of using Ayahuasca as a catalyst makes sense. Both doctors agree that the ritualistic use of Ayahuasca is important – the ayahuasquero hears the spirits of the plants, and chants throughout the ceremony. The chants can bring up different reactions in each person, depending on what is being released.
