Confusion About Ayahuasca And Shamans

by Lauren Torres

Feedback to Shaman Links has shown that some people believe that Ayuhuasca and Shamanism are identical.

That is incorrect.

The practice of using Ayuhuasca originates in South America.  Many shamans / shamanic practitioners do not use Ayuhuasca in their practice.  For instance, the word Shaman came from healers in Siberia, and they do not use Ayuhuasca.

Shamans do their work by changing the state of their mind, or consciousness. This can be achieved through the use of the rhythm of the drum or of music.  It can be achieved through physical activities such as long ceremonies of dancing and singing.  It can also be achieved through the use of hallucinogens such as Ayuhuasca.  What shamans do to shift their consciousness is different in different cultures.  It is important to know that a large amount of shamanic healers don’t use hallucinogens.

As there seem to be a lot of confusion out there about shamanic practice, the following are a few important points you should know.  In particular, we have a warning about Ayuhuasca below.

The Ecstatic Experience

Deeply touching spiritual experiences are often related to having an ecstatic experience.  In our western culture, this type of experience is often missing from religious rituals and organized religions.  In other times, and in other cultures, gatherings of people with lots of dancing and singing (whether they were festivals or spiritual ceremonies, or community gatherings) would allow people to have an ecstatic experience.  This is because sound and physical movement can break down the barriers that keep us from feeling our connection to the infinite.

When someone has a moment of feeling deeply connected to the infinite, that is an ecstatic experience.  Ecstatic experience is an important experience to be had by everyone, not just specialists like shamans, gurus, or other “special” people.  In cultures with community ceremonies of dancing or singing or praying, an ecstatic experience can be had quite regularly (yearly, or more than once a year.)

Sometimes people are drawn to drugs because they are seeking to have an ecstatic experience.  Because the ecstatic experience is not part of our common understanding, many people are longing to have something they don’t have a name for.  Sometimes drugs seems like the only pathway.  It is important to know that there are other ways to have this experience.

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