ayahuasca: the sacred vine

Deep in the heart of the Amazonian rainforest grows a sacred vine known for its magical powers. This vine is known by many names, but the most well known of them all may be ayahuasca (aye-yah-wah-skah). In the Quechua language, aya means spirit or ancestor, and huasca means vine or rope. It is reputed that those who consume this vine of the souls are bestowed with the ability to commune with spirits, diagnose illness, treat disease, and even predict the future. While the existence of this vine is certainly no big secret, it is only recently that western science has decided to study the magical properties of this sacred medicine.

Archaeological evidence may date ayahuasca use in Ecuador back five millennia. However, western knowledge of ayahuasca dates back only as far as 1851 when a group of Tukanoan Indians invited British botanist and explorer Richard Spruce to participate in a ceremony which included a visionary drink they called caapi. Spruce only drank a small amount of the "nauseous beverage," but he couldn't help noticing the profound effect it had on his new friends. The Tukanoans showed Spruce the plant from which the caapi was made, and he was able to collect good specimens of the plant in full flower. Spruce named the plant Banisteria caapi, and further research led him to conclude that caapi, yagé, and ayahuasca were all Indian names for the same potion made using this one vine.

Since these early findings, indigenous use of various ayahuasca potions has been reported throughout the Amazon as far east as the Río Negro in Brazil and as far west as the Pacific coastal areas of Colombia and Ecuador. It is also found as far north as the Panama coast, and southward into areas of Amazonian Perú and Bolivia. At least 72 indigenous groups have been found to use similar preparations known by a total of over forty different names.

Preparation
Ayahuasca potions are normally prepared by soaking or steeping lianas of Banisteriopsis caapi or related species for various lengths of time. The specific method varies from group to group, but the simplest method is a cold water infusion where pieces of the stem are first pounded and allowed to stand in cold water, after which the plant material is strained off and the remaining potion drunk. Some groups will immerse the pounded stems in hot water, cooking the plant material anywhere from an hour to all day long. The longest of these preparation methods involves repeated boiling and filtering of the plant matter and extract until only a thick concentrate remains. This process normally comprises a whole day's work, taking up to fifteen hours to prepare a single batch.

Banisteriopsis caapi is often the only plant used to make ayahuasca. However, it is not an uncommon practice to add one or more admixture plants to the brew during its preparation. Admixture plants help to flavor the experience of each specific batch of ayahuasca, and often contain stimulants or visionary compounds, like caffeine, nicotine, or DMT. In ayahuasca potions made using DMT-containing additives, it is most likely that DMT is the key visionary ingredient, responsible for most if not all of the potion's powerful entheogenic effects.

Pharmacology of Ayahuasca
DMT was first synthesized in 1931, fifteen years before it was discovered to be a naturally occuring compound. DMT is found in many psychoactive Amazonian snuffs prepared from the resin of numerous species of Virola trees, and was first naturally extracted from a shamanic snuff made from the crushed seeds and pods of Anadenanthera peregrina in 1955. In 1956, Stephen I. Szara and colleagues became the first to experience the effects of the hydrochloride salt of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine via intramuscular injection at doses ranging from 0.7 to 1.1 mg per kg body weight. He found the drug to produce what he described as a "psychotic effect partially similar to that caused by mescaline or LSD-25." Szara found that after injecting 50 to 60 mg of DMT, entheogenic effects commenced within two to three minutes, lasting about 45 minutes to an hour. He described the effects thus: "Eidetic phenomena, optical illusions, pseudo-hallucinations and later real hallucinations, appeared. The hallucinations consisted of moving, brilliantly colored oriental motifs, and later I saw wonderful scenes altering very rapidly. The faces of the people seemed to be masks. My emotional state was elevated sometimes up to euphoria..."

By 1977, it was established that smoking DMT free base produces a more potent and rapid effect than does injection. Thirty mg of DMT smoked was found to produce almost instant peak effects, lasting a total of only five to ten minutes. However, DMT has been tested in doses of up to an entire gram ingested orally without producing any effects whatsoever. So the question remained: Since DMT appears to be completely inactive orally, how can the average 29 mg found in an orally ingested dose of ayahuasca produce a visionary effect?

The answer to this question lies in the enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO). This enzyme normally functions in our digestive systems to break down any monoamines present within the foods we eat so that they do not upset the balances of monoamine neurotransmitter metabolism going on in our brains. DMT, being a monoamine, is completely oxidized and decomposed by MAO in the gut when it is ingested orally. However, the §-carboline alkaloids from the Banisteriopsis liana are know to inhibit MAO to the point where the accompanying DMT from the admixture plant can survive in the digestive tract and make its way to the brain.

The structure of DMT (as well as those of other entheogenic compounds) is remarkably close to that of the important modulatory neurotransmitter serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, or 5-HT). Such neurotransmitter shuffling is thought to bring about the disinhibition of normally controlled and regulated processes within the brain. The binding of serotonin-like molecules to the 5-HT receptors affects serotonergic neurons which can stimulate a wide range of things - from repressed emotions and memories to the brain's image-processing system. This unique combination of neural stimuli results in a wondrous explosion of transcendent emotion and internal kaleidoscopic imagery.

Shamanic Use of Ayahuasca
The mestizo shamans of the Peruvian Amazon generally refer to themselves as vegetalistas. These plant-doctors help the people of rural areas and the urban poor who often have no other available help in critical situations requiring medical attention. Most vegetalistas tend to specialize, using just one or few plant teachers in their practices. Thus there are tabaqueros who use tobacco; toeros who use various Brugmansia species; catahueros who use the resin of catahua (Hura crepitans); paleros who use the bark, resins and roots of various large trees; perfumeros who use the scents of various fragrant plants; and ayahuasqueros who use ayahuasca.

The shamanic use of ayahuasca is usually within the context of healing. The shaman or ayahuasquero takes ayahuasca to better diagnose the nature of the patient's illness. Vegetalistas claim they receive their healing skills from certain plant teachers, who are believed to have a madre or spirit-mother. The role of the shaman is to mediate the transmission of medicinal knowledge from the plant teacher to the human world for use in curing.

The plant teachers are believed to teach the neophyte shaman a number of power songs or supernatural melodies called icaros, either during an ayahuasca session or in dreams following the ingestion of other plant teachers. The plant teachers give the magical songs to the vegetalista so that he or she may sing or whistle them during healing sessions. Some shamans place so much emphasis on the healing power of the icaros that once he or she has learned a good number of them, the ayahuasca is no longer necessary for healing.

Artist and Peruvian vegetalista Pablo Amaringo has painted a series of his past ayahuasca visions, depicting them in great detail. In order to do this, Amaringo will attempt to recall one of his visions, sometimes by singing the icaro he sang at the time of the vision. This brings back the image so vividly that Amaringo is able to project it onto a canvas and then simply trace it adding colors later. Images from ayahuasca visions are a predominate feature of Amazonian art. It has been suggested that this visual art along with the melodies of the icaros combine with the synaesthetic effects of the potion to produce an "aesthetic frame of mind" central to the healing process. The design the shaman paints onto his or her body is believed to represent a healthy energy pattern, and is often revealed by the ayahuasca.

When a person becomes sick, their energy pattern becomes distorted. Under the influence of ayahuasca, the shaman can see the distortion in the patient's energy pattern and attempt to restore a healthy pattern using suction, massage, medicinal plants, hydrotherapy, and restoration of the patient's soul. The similarities between these shamanic methods and techniques used in traditional Chinese chi-gong, or "energy directed" medicine, should be noted. Interestingly, a shaman usually chooses medicinal plants based on visible characteristics, like shape or color. For example, a plant which produces flowers shaped like an ear may be used to treat ear diseases. Part of the novice shaman's training involves scrutinizing nature to learn about the properties or "hidden virtues" within the surrounding plants and animals.

Modern Interest in Ayahuasca
From the first written mention of ayahuasca by a Jesuit priest near the end of the 17th century to current research dealing with ayahuasca, our knowledge of this ancient Amazonian ethnomedicine has grown considerably. In just the last few decades, a fair number of publications have been written on the topic; anthropologists have begun studying how ayahuasca is used to heal; and research groups have started studying the potion's long-term physiological and psychological effects. Another interesting modern phenomenon is the growing number of Christian churches throughout South America who have opted for ayahuasca as their sacrament during communion instead of the usual symbolic bread and wine sacraments. These churches claim that the potion helps to promote intense concentration and direct contact with the spiritual plane.

The first of these ayahuasca churches were initially formed in the 1920s in Brazil, and today two groups, the União do Vegetal (UDV or 'Herbal Union') and the Santo Daime [see related article], continue to flourish. These neo-Christian churches now mainly exist in urban areas, and represent the modern movement of ritual ayahuasca use from the primal rainforest into the big city.

In these churches mass is held once a week. The church members cultivate the plants needed to make the potion, and oversee its preparation and storage. On special occasions, ayahuasca is dispensed in small cups at communion. The dose is only a couple of ounces, but the ayahuasca they produce has been reported to be very strong. As the celebration usually lasts all night long, it is not unusual for members of the church to take several doses during the course of the evening.

In 1985, the Brazilian government added the ayahuasca liana to its list of controlled substances. The UDV soon petitioned the ban and the Brazilian government appointed a commission to investigate the issue. The commission found no evidence of social disruption associated with the sacramental use of ayahuasca (which the commission members tried themselves) and ayahuasca was removed from the Brazilian controlled substances list in August of 1987. More problems arose in 1988 when an anonymous source alleged that the churches consisted of fanatics, drug addicts, and ex-guerrillas given to smoking Cannabis and taking LSD during their rites. Yet another study of the issue was ordered by the government, this time to investigate the physiological aspects of ayahuasca's pharmacology. The conclusions of this study prompted the Brazilian government in June of 1992 to exempt Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis - as well as the ayahuasca potion - from its illicit substances list. This legal decision has opened the doors to the further expansion of these churches, which have since held ceremonies in several cities all over the world. An international scientific research team, the Hoasca Project, has recently begun studying the long term effects, both psychological and physiological, of chronic ayahuasca use by these church members.

Ayahuasca and the Future
It is hard to say what the future may hold for ayahuasca. It could prove to be a useful tool in helping science better understand the biochemistry of consciousness and the genetics of pathological brain function. Pharmaceutical MAO-inhibitors are widely used in western medicine as anti-depressants, and further research into the psychotherapeutic benefits gained from the tryptamines remains to be done.

As far as religion is concerned, the potential for expansion of ayahuasca-using churches seems unlimited. Incorporation of a powerful psychoactive sacrament into religious ceremonies could have far-reaching effects on modern spiritual practices and beliefs. However, it remains to be seen whether entheogen users here in the U.S. would be attracted to the idea of psychedelic Christianity.

All in all, ayahuasca represents a unique plant-based medicine. The fact that its traditional use by Amazonian Indians has survived the continual influence of Western acculturation is testimony to the central and important role it has in their world-view. In fact, in many Amazonian tribes the first thing the parents will give a newborn baby is a drop of ayahuasca - right in the mouth. To them it is the supreme medicine, and a true gift from the gods.

anderso festival

(this blog is written 8 month before,i dont know why i dont publish it.)

lot's of thing are make me happy like taking photo,pass time with my friends listening music,watch good movies.call to my famlly, it's all my things, i really never thanks to people who i have to thanks on this matter i'm psychotic or maybe to much inner circulated,because i think i don't have to thank my friend if they need help i will help the without asking any question.

last night i was in sestri levane this is the end of the liguria province for andersson festival it's really total new experience for me. i really go there for watch a show of reader it's kind mix of music and reading.

the name of the show is 'storie of the seaman' conducted by vinicio capossela.

the stage was in the sea on a boat and the odience are stay on the beach.

just imagin that somebody reading a story of a seaman and people are listening that under the moon light on the beach.

it was really awosome i never forget this night. i was with my friend mattheo and daniel. it's the last best night i spend in genova.

for attend the festival we don't mind to drive 15 mile to reach the festival.it was awosome. i have lots of dream i want to write a book about me and my unwanted thoughts.it's mean a lot.

boy and jim morrison

some few peoples really undesrstand the meanning of the life.i feel really sorry when i saw peoples cut each other for greed and selfishness.but why we don't live peacefullly with our friends and familly.i'm gonna tell you a story of a guy who is born in a country where every wrong thing is right!where if you see something wrong happening but you don't protest against it then peoples say bravo.but the boy is not like this he start doing protest at first insight his familly.his father is a well known person also a government worker who have some duty for public.governments pay him for his job but no he was & is not happy with the salary so he start taking money from peoples for do his job properly.first time the boy saw the curroption inside his family. he don't understand it why his father take money from peoples,a big ? mark inside his young mind.only person he can get the ans that was his mother but mother don't answer anything. day by day the question mark is getting bigger and bigger.
so he just ask his father why he take money from peoples?his father dan't answer him nothing.but some years after te boy understand this is curreption he start avoiding his father because he fell guilty for his fathers work.
the boy start learning the bad matters of the society he want to change those matters, but he dont know what he can do.he start writhing his thought's in the paper try to publish it on the local news paper but nobody wants to puiblish the words of him.because the thought was unacceptable and too much hate orriented against society.'ok! no body want to publish it i don't give a fuck'
the boy was really emotional and this thing is really helped him,one situation one day he go to a video library for get the movie full metal jacket of oliver stone.unfortunatly the movie was not in the libray so the maneger of video ibrary tell him 'don't worry i will get you another movie of oliver stone.did you saw the doors.
boy answered 'no'.
after 5 minute!boy was in the street on his hand 'the doors'.he comes to his house put the vhs on the vcr start watching the autobiography of jim morrison.totally a new world flashed up infront of his eyes.he was became totally fascinated about the jim morrissn and offcourse the actor val kilmar who played the carecter of jim morrison i really dont know what attracted him the boldness or the enigmatic personality or the depth of his poetry.
folks just read it.
The world becomes an apparently infinite,yet possibly finite, card game.Image combinations,permutations,comprise the world game. or
Cool poolsfrom a tired landsink nowin the peace of eveningClouds weakenand die.The sun, an orange skull,whispers quietly, becomes anisland, & is gone.
There they arewatchingus everythingwill be dark.The light changed.We were awareknee-deep in the fluttering airas the ships move ontrains in their wake. this thoughts are too much strong for a 15 years old boy.he don't even understand the things properly. but the words alwayse push him to think about life,love,compassion,affection allmost all emotional elements.
boy decided that he will be like him. so a new journey started to become jim morrison. first step --long hair.
second step------ check every library to find book about jim morrison but sorry he don't find nothing. so the source is pireted copy of 'an amirican prayer'
third steps----read the songs of jim morrison and smoke joint for understanding those.
after 1 year continuous trying to become jim morrisson the achievement was he is a well known look alike of jim morrison, joint smoker and famous for his unaccepteble stage act with an unfamous the doors cover band.
after all of this things the boy realized that he cant be jim morrison because he is the one and only an american poet.
but any way he also thankfull to the jim morrison because he helped him to become an performer,a singer, a writer.
love you american poet.god only made one jim morrison and that is enough

Novera Ahmed(enigmatic pioneer sculptor of Bangladesh)

Novera Ahmed, a highly talented, audacious and somewhat enigmatic pioneer sculptor of Bangladesh who is credited with the original design of the Shaheed Minar, a historical memorial monument for the martyrs of the language movement of 1952.

In 1957. the work of Shaheed Minar evolved - Novera Ahmed collaborated with Hamidur Rahman in the field of designing the fountain and embellishing the landscape with sculptures and design of plants and foliage. Both Hamidur Rahman and Novera Ahmed had spent time in Florence and Novera had studied sculpture under Dr. Vogel in London and the famous Italian Venturino Venturi in Florence. She was especially fascinated by the great tradition of fountain sculptures abounding in Italian cities, such as the Fontana Trevi in Rome and Piazza Vecchio in Florence and garden designing as in Bobli Gardens and Villa Borghese. Mughals had practiced fountain art in India, but only in well-laid gardens, as pan of the designs of these gardens. In Europe however, fountains had been a part of the aesthetic layout of cities. When Novera came back to Dhaka, she became the first practitioner of fountain art in the then East Pakistan. Obviously, she wanted to include a fountain as part of the structural design of the Shaheed Minar.

As an avant garde artist she wanted to add a new dimension to the landscape of Shaheed Minar using the flow of water as a complement to the graceful moving shadows on the marble platform. Her sculptures were also to enhance the passion and pain of the martyrs through figurative works. She was the first sculptor who pointed out the importance of placing sculpture in the open air. Unfortunately, these aspects remain unfulfilled to a great extent even now.

In late 1958, following the imposition of martial law by General Ayub Khan, the Shaheed Minar plan was shelved and those connected with it had to undergo various tortures and harassment. In 1972, designs were called for to rebuild the Shaheed Minar (which was destroyed on the night of March 27, 1971 by the Pakistan Army). A competition was held and many people submitted their designs from amongst which Hamidur Rahman's layout was selected once again. But the original vision was never fully executed... Hamidur Rahman or Novera cannot implement their designs now. Hamidur Rahman passed away in 1989. And Novera Ahmed had simply left, with no forwarding address. No one knows where she lives now, or what she is doing. A pity such a gifted artist has vanished from amongst us.

Had Hamidur Rahman been alive today, he would have been happy to see that his humble offering has provided the central meeting point where people's songs and dramas are acted and where intellectuals and politicians go to place wreaths of homage to the departed souls of the martyrs.