Wellness is big business nowadays, from pharmaceuticals to acupuncture to Ayahuasca Ceremonies. The spectrum is wide and it is not limited to Western medicine anymore here in the West, many people are looking towards alternative medicine to avoid the slippery slope of getting hooked on “drugs”. Holistic medicine has been around for thousands of years and the medicine man (or woman) in these self sustaining communities were revered as healers. They passed their wisdom down from generation to generation, the remedies were usually kept secret to ensure that proper portions were used by the experienced healer. Their medicines were derived from nature, not man made chemicals, and their was a spiritual component to their craft which sometimes involved ceremonies if the healing was focused more on emotional integration.
When we get physically sick most of us go to the doctor and get prescribed medicine, when we get mentally sick most of us go to a psychiatrist and get prescribed medicine to feel better. These pharmaceutical medicines have side effects that then to must be treated and before we know if we can be on more than one medication. The root of the problem, where the ailment is coming from, is not usually addressed. The symptoms are most often what is treated, not the deeper issue that is causing the problem, therefore the treatment is a quick fix until the problem manifests again in the same or different way.
I find it interesting that alternative medicine is gaining momentum when the majority of corporate money is in Pharmaceutical. This shows me that people want a more healthy, integrative and holistic approach to treat their bodies with, however many of these remedies are not covered by insurance. Traditional Western medicine is covered by insurance, or it is supposed to be covered but that is a whole different subject, and this is a decision maker for many who can not afford a more holistic approach. However, the numbers don’t lie and more people are seeking out alternative medicine, this shows the direction to watch as evolution occurs and disrupts traditional western medicine as a whole.
One particular area of interest to me is the increasing popularity in Ayahuasca ceremony, a brew made out of Banisteriopsis caapi . This root is classified as a high level drug in the USA, in the same category as heroin even though it doesn’t have addictive qualities. This root has been a spiritual medicine used by Indigenous people of Amazonian Peru for many centuries. The Shamans who lead these spiritual ceremonies of healing, have been guided by the wise ancestral shamans before them and also many claim to be guided by the plant spirit itself. This root has not been used for recreational purposes traditionally, it has been used to remove energetic blocks so that people can go deeper inside of themselves and integrate the past trauma that has been negatively manifesting physically and mentally in their bodies. More and more people are venturing down to Peru in search of this alternative way of healing, these experiential spiritual seekers deny that they are looking for any type of high from this trippy, mind altering drug. They are looking to expand their awareness and to break through current blocks that are holding them back and creating stagnant energy in their lives. This is no college drug party, these are spiritual ceremonies with serious intentions set by the people choosing to partake. Although this is making headlines now due to increasing popularity it was actually first discussed openly, outside of Peru, in the 1950’s by a Harvard professor for it’s healing abilities and has gained followers ever since.
I have not personally tried Ayahuaska ceremony but have come across a similar spiritual journey, minus the mind altering drugs, that is really great for people who may be sensitive. This method is under $20.00 so it is accessible to most people and it is a book called the “Presense Process”, by Micheal Brown. I have completed two experiential journeys and I must admit both times were extremely different, yet I found both to be extremely transformational. The premise of the book is this:
It’s a means to empower you to take responsibility for the quality of your experience. If you feel that you want to grow up, if you feel that it is time to grow up, this book is useful to you because growing up is emotional. If you want to face emotions that you have hidden from yourself you must act responsibly, this book is a guided process to help you do just that. It teaches you what responsibility really is, it helps you learn how to contain and respond to the things we have hidden from ourselves. You will begin to feel peace, you will bring awareness to the peace that has already been given to us and you will feel comfort in accepting yourself just as the way you are. This transient tool may be picked up when necessary and put down when not. The three important tools, or “trinity” are consistency, compassion and responsibility. This is serious business and it must be treated with responsibility, it’s equivalent to having a shaman present at an Ayahuasca ceremony. This process is guided and teaches you to be responsible for your own experience and you learn to contain and manage your emotions so that you are free from the draining aspects of emotional reactions.
I’m telling you it is a game changer, transformational, miraculous, please give it a try if you are feeling a connection. Here a video interview with the author.
