Ayahuasca Ceremonies at the Temple

Intention and surrender are the keys to beneficial ceremonies. Your experience manifests around your intention (if your intention is sufficient, though the medicine may have other ideas if you aren't going in the right direction) and you must become docile to what the medicine does with you. If you are docile, you can begin to work with the medicine and consciously take part in the healing of your spiritual/mental/physical body complex. If you do not become docile, the ceremony is likely to be a difficult one. People's intentions are usually to heal or to work with a specific psychological aspect of themselves where they have difficulty. My most recent intention was to clear anything blocking my advancement/growth and vision.

The ceremony begins at 9pm and people begin coming into the Maloka around 8pm. The maestras(os) (Masters in spanish, these are the shamans) arrive around 8:45. Then in two groups, everyone goes to the center where the maestras sit to take the medicine. The ayahuasca is a dark brown drink that smells and tastes awful. The first try was not too bad, but once you have vomited ayahuasca, it is always appalling. I take it pretty well because of all the straight shots I took as a freshman..perfect.

Then you go back to you respective spot in a circle around the Maloka where you have a 4" mattress and a blanket and pillows (and a vomit bucket, ashtray for smoking mapacho cigarettes, and your flashlight..all the necessities of any spiritual journey).

After 45 minutes or so the Maestras begin singing their icaros, which are essentially their healing songs. These songs mainly will induce beautiful visions/feelings or help exorcise something out of you--anything from physical purging to demonic entities/bad energy.

The ceremony usually lasts until 1-3am and people either walk back to their Tambos (huts) or sleep in the Maloka (which I do every time).