Ayahuasca: Compared to Other Plant Medicines
Ayahuasca is commonly described as the type of plant medicine where one can experience the benefits of 7 years of talk therapy in one ceremony. For this reason, it’s no surprise that many people want to seek it out. However, one of the reasons Ayahuasca is so effective with healing is because it is also profoundly purgative in more ways than just physical.
Many people experience plant medicines differently, so I will only speak to the ones with which I have personal experience. I will compare three common medicines. Ayahuasca, the Peruvian tea is originating from a vine and a leaf; San Pedro, a tea derived from a cactus (the cousin to Peyote); and Psilocybin Mushrooms, psychoactive mushrooms you can eat raw or in chocolate or tea form. Again, these distinctions may not apply to everyone, but they will give you a good idea of what to expect.
Purging
Ayahuasca: This is the most common psychedelic to purge on. Not everyone will throw up, but many people do. Purge buckets for throwing up are assigned to each attendee for this reason. Heavy sweating, shaking, laughing, crying, and bathroom runs are also prevalent ways to purge on this medicine.
San Pedro: I learned in Peru that San Pedro calls in the power of the Sun through one’s upper chakras and the power of the Earth through their lower chakras which tend to collide in the solar plexus chakra. This culmination of energy can cause an upset stomach which is usually combatted through intentional massage, deep breathing, and visualization. Nausea is very common, but it doesn’t always end in throwing up.
Psilocybin Mushrooms: On higher doses (over 2.5 grams), I have noticed a bit of nausea, but I have never thrown up. Deep, intentional breaths usually help ease any discomfort I’ve felt. Generally speaking, vomiting during a mushroom journey is pretty rare.
Kambo: I added Kambo to the purging category because although it’s not from a plant or technically a psychedelic, it should be mentioned that it is a highly purgative medicine. It’s another traditional medicine of the Amazon jungle which comes from the poisonous excretions of a lime-colored frog. Once the medicine is administered, it causes the body to purge toxicity through intense vomiting and sweating. So fierce, in fact, that we were required to drink a special cactus soup and 4 liters of water before the ceremony to protect our stomachs. Many people opt-in for this brief 10 minutes of extreme purging because the list of benefits is so long.
Visuals
Ayahuasca: Visuals are extremely common with this medicine, but not everyone experiences them. Some closed-eye visuals I witnessed were: intense rainbow and kaleidoscopic colors and patterns, childhood memories, other galaxies, aliens, symbolic visions, past lives, white light, and more. In a couple of ceremonies, I even experienced open-eyed visuals of energetic signatures, people presenting themselves as animals, and glow in the dark surroundings.
San Pedro: This is a grounding medicine that keeps you in the lower earth-bound chakras such as the solar plexus, sacral, and root chakra. I have found that most visuals come with medicines that open the upper chakras, such as the third eye and crown chakra. Reality, especially nature, seemed enhanced by this medicine, and I connected much more deeply with plants and animals.
Psilocybin Mushrooms: On my highest dose of 2.5 grams of mushrooms, I experienced even more intense visuals than Ayahuasca. The kaleidoscopic colors and patterns were extremely present right when the medicine kicked in. Then I felt transported to outer space, past lives, and even to specific moments in my recent past, which felt like they were happening all at once. With my eyes open now, my surroundings felt very distorted. On smaller doses, I find myself just wanting to lay on a couch and take an inner journey into the soul.
Generally speaking, it’s important to note that while visuals are very common with psychedelics, not everyone experiences them. If you are a vivid dreamer and visualizer, your chances are higher to see visuals.
Preparation
Ayahuasca: When I booked my retreat, I was scheduled to speak to someone at the center for a safety intake call where they discussed all the foods and even medications to avoid before my trip. Safety should be a guide’s highest priority. They should take the energetic body just as seriously as the physical body. Some guides call for dietary and physical fasting prior to a ceremony.
San Pedro & Psilocybin Mushrooms: No special precautions were taken beforehand other than a few hours of fasting and an intention-setting ceremony to respect the medicine.
Mobility & Interaction
Ayahuasca: We were told right away that everyone would be having their own journey and not to leave our individual mats. They said one person could be catapulted into the other’s journey just by touching them. Being that this medicine is very intense and purgative in many ways, mobility can be significantly affected. Plan for 5-12 hours, laying down and going through a very personal journey.
San Pedro: This medicine didn’t impair my mobility by much. Many of us were up, dancing around, laughing, and interacting quite a bit with each other. It’s good medicine to explore your body through dancing and stretching. It’s even better if you are barefoot on grass.
Psilocybin Mushrooms: As I mentioned before, this tends to be an introspective medicine of the mind which means it can be more comfortable to lay down and close your eyes for a couple of hours. However, this all depends on the dosage. In smaller micro-doses, you might find it fun to be active, interact with people, and dance around. I didn’t find my motor skills compromised at all on mushrooms.
I hope these breakdowns shed light on a commonly taboo topic and help you make an educated decision about which medicine you think would be best suited for you and the experience you’d like to aim for. Of course, there are many more medicines to choose from than just these three. Still, I chose these specifically for their ability to help heal trauma, depression, body dysmorphia, anxiety, and other deeply rooted ailments from abuse or religious shame.