Using Sacred Tobacco Ceremonially
If you have had the opportunity to sit in ceremony with Ayahuasca or Kambo, chances are you have witnessed (or experienced firsthand) the deep grounding effects of rapé (pronounced “ha-pey”).
Rapé is a sacred tobacco snuff that comes from South America and is used ceremonially by Shamans in plant medicine ceremonies for the purpose of cleansing the individual, releasing negative energies, and deep grounding.
At its base, rapé is made from the Nicotiana Rustica plant, a type of tobacco plant (not the kind found in cigarettes). From there, depending on the purpose, other medicinal plants are added such as bark, herbs, and spices. The tobacco is blessed and then it is then ground up into a fine powder and ready to use.
The sacred tobacco is administered through the nose using a tepi or kuripe, which is a pipe created for this purpose. The pipe can be intricately designed and made from wood, stone, bone, and many other materials. My personal tepi is made from stone in the shape of a jaguar, and I connect with the jaguar archetype intentionally when I administer rapé. The jaguar represents power, ferocity, beauty, and luminosity, which is a divine energy to bring into your rapé session.
The administrator then blows the rapé into each nostril. It is customary to start by blowing the rapé into the left nostril which represents the feminine side of the body, followed by the right, which is the masculine side.
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Each rapé is completely different, so your experience will be different. There are some blends that are created with strong feminine energies. And there are some that are created with deeply grounding masculine energies.
For the person receiving the rapé, this is a time of deep reflection and meditation. I create an environment which helps facilitate that by lighting palo santo and going somewhere quiet where I won’t be disturbed. Nature would be an excellent place to do this.
You will want to keep tissue and a bucket nearby in case there is a need to spit rapé that makes its way into your throat. You don’t want to consume this. You also want to blow your nose after a few minutes or as needed.
Rapé is not suitable for everyone, and there are a small number of participants out there who may experience an adverse reaction. It is important to start small to see how you react and to have a trusting relationship with the person administering the sacred tobacco.
Some other ways rapé can be used are;
To deepen your meditative experience
To reconnect with Pachamama
To release energetic stagnation
To purge heavy energies
To heighten senses
If you are interested in participating in a rapé ceremony, look for a trained practitioner to assist you if you are new.
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