Sexual healing with Amazonian plant teachers: a heuristic inquiry of women's spiritual–erotic awakenings

Interviews with seven North American women who participated in ayahuasca ceremonies and plant diets within the Shipibo vegetalista tradition of Peru revealed that sexual trauma was healed through energetic purification and openings on physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels. Core themes from the analysis included purification and support for reproductive health, increased sensory awareness, transforming relationship with self, empowered decision-making, enhanced intimacy with others, increased cognitive awareness, connecting with subtle energies, and connecting with God. The practice of vegetalismo holds lessons for guiding women's sexual and spiritual lives and possibly for future plant-facilitated psychotherapy for women who have experienced sexual trauma.

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Abstract

AbstractThis article explores how women's sexual/spiritual lives were transformed with sacred Amazonian plant teachers (i.e. plants believed to have spirits that communicate with humans). The research was guided by the belief that the practice of vegetalismo (a South American healing tradition that uses plant teachers for healing) holds important lessons for guiding women's sexual/spiritual lives and possibly for future plant-facilitated psychotherapy for women who have experienced sexual trauma. A heuristic research methodology was utilized involving interviews with seven North American women who participated in ayahuasca ceremonies and plant diets within the Shipibo vegetalista tradition of Peru. The findings highlighted that sexual trauma was healed through energetic purification and openings on the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels. The core themes identified from the data analysis were: purification and support for reproductive health, increased sensory awareness, transforming relationship with self, empowered decision-making, enhanced intimacy with others, increased cognitive awareness, connecting with subtle energies, and connecting with God.Keywords: femalemedical therapysexual psychology Additional informationNotes on contributorsYalila EspinozaYalila Espinoza is an intimacy counselor, who received a PhD in East–West psychology and spiritual counseling training from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. She offers individual counseling and group workshops focused on sexual initiations in the USA & Canada. Yalila is committed to holistic and embodied presence that is grounded in a symbolic and sensual co-creation with all living beings. She can be reached at yalila@yalila.com/www.yalila.com.