5. Hyperbolic: Divining Ayahuasca
University of Washington Press eBooks December 31, 2011
During a shamanic ayahuasca ceremony in the Upper Amazon, the author experiences visions twenty minutes after drinking the brew, which is prepared from B. Caapi vine and P. Viridis leaves. The ceremony includes icaros—songs that mimic local birdsong and insect rhythms—and a ritual smoke whistle that opens a spirit portal while keeping unwelcome entities away. The author reflects on the contrast between the legal status of ayahuasca at home and its use as medicine in this context, and expresses gratitude for the orientation provided by the icaros.