I drank Ayahuasca for the first time in September 2009. It took place in a round hut the middle of the Amazon surrounded by many magical sounds from the rain forest. I had no clue what to expect, no idea in what kind of world I would tap in to. The deep wish of being healthy brought me to the maloka, the building where the ceremony took place.
Ayahuasca is a very potent psychoactive brew made from 2 plants: the chacruna leafs and the Ayahuasca vine. I knew very little about Ayahuasca back then, only that it is a magical brew that cleanses the body and that the ceremony will be led by shamans who move the energy with chants.
During my experience something unexpected happened. I felt the presence of spirit. I grew up catholic and spiritual traditions were a regular part of our family life. I believed in God and spirituality before I met plant medicine but the experience in the maloka was nothing I felt before. It felt familiar and clear, it felt like home. It was obvious that this was not a wild psychedelic trip, it was profound healing and connection to spirit. Plants have spirits which are alive, they heal and clean the body, mind, heart and soul.
The Shipibo Konibo , the lineage I am connected to, comes from the Ucayali region near by Pucallpa. They call Ayahuasca and the master plants simple la medicina , THE MEDICINE.
This medicine met my soul and opened up a new understanding about spirituality and love.
Many times I discovered that healing has so many layers and shapes, one of them being the spiritual healing. Through connection with spirit it is possible to heal deep spiritual wounds such as unresolved forgiveness. Whether it is forgiveness for people that hurt us, self-forgiveness or even finding peace with the higher power.
Feeling the presence of spirit gave me the safety and the support to face dark parts of my story. I learned that spiritual healing is very beneficial for our body. The plant spirits don’t separate between body, mind, heart and soul. You heal your spirit you heal your body, if you heal your body you heal your spirit. Everything is connected.
I learned that if I pay attention to connection to spirit my life is more vibrant and rich. The relationship to spirit is very personal and intimate and I believe that it can have many forms.
No matter how a spiritual practice may look like or in which way we are connected to spirit, one thing I find to be essential: TO SURRENDER.
Without surrender I would put myself above spirit.
With surrender I let myself be guided by spirit.
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