Last Updated on September 3, 2018
The two articles I have written on The Dark Side of Ayahuasca, Part 1 and Part 2, have generated considerably more reaction and gain more attention from readers than perhaps any other article since I first started writing online around 1997. Many people have come to me stating that they have negative effects from their ayahuasca experience, which they didn’t know what to do about or how to relate to. They found my article spoke to that. Then there are those people who, it would seem, had an adverse reaction to me saying negative things about their beloved plant medicine. The typical stance taking by such people has been that of, “Taking ayahuasca really helped me a lot… why are you writing negatively about it? It just shows you your own issues… etc.”
In this much briefer article (part three of the Ayahuasca articles) we’ll take a look at why ayahuasca may seem deceptively attractive to many people, some more of the hidden issues in such practices, how Man degrades such practices, and what the alternatives are [to be added at a later time].
Zeitgeist — The defining spirit of our times
We live in spiritually depraved and degraded times. That is the Zeitgeist of this epoch we are in. The original “tools” (of consciousness) The Divine Mother provided humanity for maintaining spiritual lucidity, clarity, and purity, have been almost entirely forgotten or, at the very least, heavily distorted. The vast majority of human beings are deeply asleep to their Divine Nature, to their timelessly enlightened state of being. This, in simple terms, is the spiritual context in which people are heading in droves to South America to take ayahuasca. I would suggest it is also the spiritual context in which indigenous people in South America started using Ayahuasca themselves. One of the challenges of these times, and the last few thousands years, is that ordinary Man has forgotten her history.
From my perspective, there are significant and revealing parallels between the popularity of ayahuasca, and the popularity of mothers electing to have c-section births, and the popularity of people taking pharmaceutical drugs for their ailing health, along with surgeries to remove cancers, and the like. I shall explain.
Useful parallels
One aspect of the present degraded state of human consciousness is that a significant and growing number of women our out of touch with their womanhood. Let’s use this as an example. The natural act of childbirth has for many woman, and men, become an object of fear. Rather than being a spiritually powerful rite of passage in a woman’s life, it is often approached as a disease. The percent of women electing to “birth” their child by c-section operations is astounding. The official statistics for 2010 in the USA is that 32.8% of reported births were by c-section. The vast majority of these surgeries are done by choice, not out of some kind of medical necessity. Australia has a similar rate of c-sections as the USA, and New Zealand has around 23% (2010).
Obviously, expecting-mothers and their doctors make the choice to “deliver” the baby by c-section because on the surface it appears to be beneficial. From an administrative perspective, c-section births can be booked in like any other surgery. This makes for a very efficient use of hospital resources, and the doctor’s busy schedule, and provides a very predictable experience for the mother. Wham, bam, thank-you ma’am. Embracing this mod-CON and its apparent efficiency, we fail to see the energetic costs involved in children not passing through their very first rite of passage. Something I won’t go into here, as it would make for a lengthy article.
Then there’s the case of pharmaceutical drugs. Most people, who can afford it, take them in massive quantities because of the perceived benefits. The average person in the USA takes over 14,000 pharmaceutical tablets in a life-time. Those are statistics from about 10 years ago, so it’s likely increased since then. There are certain known, and unknown side-effects (or, unintended consequences) to taking medications. To take medication without at least some consideration of the side-effects is not advisable. Many people turn a blind-eye to the side-effects of a medication if they really want to reap its reported benefits. The statistics show the dark side of medication (and the medical system as a whole) is a massive problem. In the USA the medical system is (according to official Government statistics) the number 3 cause of death. What does that tell us when we have a society of people willing to turn to medications and medical procedures as their source of “health,” and yet the very practices intended to benefit them are in fact one of the most likely things to kill them?
Both of these examples are indicators of the level of degradation in our society. First and foremost, the degradation of consciousness. Consciousness degradation is the result of spiritual degeneration and depravity.
Path of Freedom
From the perspective of a Path of Freedom, and that of the Original Wisdom of Humanity, the use of psychoactive substances is something man has for the most part taken to as an answer to our spiritual degradation. From one perspective, it is a shortcut many are reaching for out of spiritual desperation. It is only relative to man’s degenerate state of consciousness that psychoactive substances come to have some appeal and possible benefit. But just like the hidden cost of medical interventions, and c-section births, using psychoactive substances also come at a price. It is that price I wanted to shed some light on by writing about the Dark Side of Ayahuasca. A wrote a similar article about the use of cannabis.
Administered at the right time (in a person’s life), in the right way, by the right person, ayahuasca without doubt has beneficial qualities for some people. Yet it would be a grave mistake to not see that what ayahuasca is primarily revealing to us is simply the level of our own spiritual degeneration. It is ultimately the new-found awareness of our degenerate state that sets in motion its remedy. Yet once this is revealed, and some perceptual clarity has been restored, it is up to each of us to bare the process—at times arduous, at times enthralling and exhilarating—of our own awakening and illumination. No plant or substance can do that for us. Ayahuasca can highlight our spiritual/self-ignorance, and that can prove to be transformational. Yet just as the person having their cancer surgically removed without putting in the effort to address the underlying emotional, psychic, and nutritional cause of their disease (which will no doubt require a massive change of life-style) is blind-sided, so too is the person who thinks ingesting a plant can replace the hard work of reclaiming their spiritual dignity.
In some ways using substances like Ayahuasca for spiritual “awakening” is like burning your house down in order to get warm. One throws a can of gasoline on the sofa and sets it alight. The effect is quick and powerful. It’s guaranteed to warm you up. Yet one must ask… Why go for such a violent and dramatic experience when with a little time and discipline you could learn to create a controlled fire? The art of selecting a tree, chopping it down, cutting it into useful lengths, splitting them into useful pieces, stacking them, letting them season, making some kindling, and then building a controlled fire. It takes patience, discipline, and a willingness to actually master the art of Being. I am not saying people who use Ayahuasca, as a generalisation, fail to apply themselves spiritually in other ways. But I have witnessed a tendency toward spiritual rebelliousness, spiritual laziness, confusion, and a desire for quick solutions. There’s nothing inherent ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ about any of these motivations or tendencies. It’s really all a question of Intent.
Intention
To reiterate an important point made in Part Two: If your Intent it to have a spiritual blast and blow out a few psychic cobwebs, and get some tangible experience of the spiritual realms the Mother is intelligently holding back from your daily experience, then so be it. Ayahuasca is likely a great way to get that. But if your Intent is to deeply learn to master your own spirit (as opposed to the spirit of a plant), then from the perspective of the Original Knowledge, psychoactive substances are, in most circumstances, not the best way to go about fulfilling such an Intent. Basically, you’re in need of spiritual training. Actually, I feel it is safe to say a great many people attracted to Ayahuasca are in need of genuine spiritual training. But for a long list of reasons that’s not on most peoples’ agenda. A spiritual blast on Ayahuasca is seemingly a lot easier, and quicker.
Degradation within the practice itself
Another issue I have had some insight into recently is how many of ancient practices—be they various spiritual practices, or use of entheogenic plants, etc.—have in themselves been degraded by the quality of consciousness (or lack thereof) and degraded intent the people utilising them bring to the situation. Trying to describe that in lucid clarity is not something I feel to attempt in this moment. So I will simply give a very simple metaphor. Imagine a neighbourhood that has been newly built. A new subdivision, for example. It’s a relatively neutral space, in which there is a relatively neutral arrangement of elements (houses, trees, roads, curbs, wind belts, ponds, etc.). Of course, the particular elements that have been naturally and artificially incorporated into this space give it a particular nuance and feeling or atmosphere.
Someone moves into the subdivision and finds it a great change from the New York high-rise apartment tower they lived in previously. So they tell their friends, who also tell their friends, and over time the words gets out, and more and more people move there. As this space (the subdivision) becomes increasingly filled with people, its quality will start to reflect the quality of the people who are there. Whether they are young, retired, working, with families, not with families, drug addicts, heavy drinkers, ecologically minded, or not, etc. The space (referred to as a subdivision) changes over time. It may change for better or for worse. Put another way, the space may become increasingly life-affirming and life-supporting, or it may become increasing life-degrading. It is the people, and what thy carry (mostly in their psychic interiority) that will have the greatest impact on this space. Even if there were nice gardens, trees, safe walk-ways, ponds with ducks, etc., originally incorporated into this space, the consciousness of the people will be superimposed over all of that.
It’s not greatly different when it comes to the “medicine space” (which is a space within the psychic dimension of the Earth and within the collective psyche of Man) we enter into when under the influence of the spirit of Ayahuasca. Originally when Man started entering that space, and familiarised herself with it, and then started to actively work with it, and also manipulate it, it was a relatively “clear” space. It is my understanding that the indigenous cultures who first used these plants to enter into the spaces they open Man up to, would approach the spirit of the plant with a great deal of respect, and would develop a relationship over a considerable period of time. That’s really the wise and respectful way to approach any new relationship. Rather than barging into the private space of a new acquaintance and demanding things from them, we take time to get to know them, in a dignified and respectful way.
That, in my experience and observation, is not the way the vast majority of modern Ayahuasca users are approaching the spirit of this sacred plant. Anyone considering using Ayahuasca would be wise to spiritually investigate what impact this has had on the medicine space of Ayahuasca, and on the spirit of Ayahuasca, in recent years. My observation is that it is degrading and becoming increasingly infiltrated by negative forces. I would say the same for cannabis, alcohol, and other substances people commonly alter their consciousness with. If we use these substances in unconscious and blind-sided ways, over time the substances become the very carriers and propagators of unconsciousness and blind-sidedness. Not because they are “bad,” but just because Man has polluted them, in much the same way we have polluted most of the Earth, the oceans, rivers, lakes, cities, children, people, etc.
Abuse of Power
Another serious issue, arising with concerning regularity within some Ayahuasca circles, is the misuse of power with the aim of taking advantage of women. I’ve come across numerous woman who have had to deal with “shamans” taking advantage of them sexually during, and after ayahuasca ceremonies. There’s an article, and many comments under it, that covers this issue in some detail, available here. If you’re a woman, and you’re considering taken ayahuasca in South America, I strongly advise reading that article.
Other options
[I am going to publish Part 3 without completing this section. Mostly to satisfy those people expressing interest in seeing this third article in the series. When I see there’s sufficient interest in Other Options, or I simply just feel moved to write more, I’ll update this section. For now, Other Options is a place-holder of what’s to come.
Dear Jonathan, Thanks for explaining and sharing your point. I would like to understand what are the reasons for you to say that now the ayahuasca has some negative forces, apart of the consecuences of some people that could be circunstantials of personals. You mean that now its very dangerous to use it than before, maybe for the TIME we are living? or maybe for some “shaman” that are looking for their business or the peolple related with these? or comes for another font?
For other part, I do not think, that most people use aya for getting its spiritual way more quick, maybe i can say that for been a sacred plant maybe we could have some good message of the lord/ Mother. Maybe looking for inner experiences without information about all the effects. By the way, i do not know if could say to someone to don’t drink it. Dont know if this could take you to a mortal experience, to think to avoid it in all the way.
Hello Cecilia. Thanks for commenting. I am not sure I 100% understand your message, but shall do my best to respond. ¿Hablas español?
I suggest your read Part 1 and Part 2 of the articles. This should answer your question.
I am not in a position to say it is “dangerous” for any particular person. In some cases it can, and does, have serious negative consequences for some people. So yes, I suppose in those cases you could say it is “dangerous”. But then so is driving a motor car. Some people die that way, so there is an inherent danger involved in driving a car. But for other people the car is useful. The purpose of the articles is not to dissuade people from using Ayahuasca. That may be the effect those articles have, but that is a decision for the reader to make within themselves. The articles are simply sharing another perspective on what we are potentially dealing with when it comes to Ayahuasca. In terms of it being more dangerous now than previously, the point made in Part 3 is that the medicine space (the psychic mandala) people are most likely to plug into when taking Ayahuasca these days is likely more polluted than it was before… say 50 years ago, before it was popularised into modern “western” consciousness.
This is where I am not sure I understand your sentence. It’s always possible people may receive a clear message from the Divine Mother whilst in the Ayahuasca space, but I would also suggest there are much less dramatic ways to communicate with her… ways that are less prone to serious issues.
I also do not tell people not to drink it. As mentioned above, it is really up to each person to make their own decisions about such things.
With heart…
Jonathan
thank you for posting these 3 articles. It has given me a broader context for my desire and my misgivings in engaging with this plant. I am interested to know more about the other options you recommend as you feel prompted to share them.
Thank you Maria. I appreciate you taking the time to comment and express thanks. If you Like the Wisdom for a Life of Freedom page on Facebook, you’ll be updated on when new articles are posted, and at some point articles may emerge on the topic of “other options…”.
Thank you for publishing these articles. They resonate very much with what I feel after having done a lot of ceremonies. I am eager to read about ‘other options’ and maybe also how we can get rid of unwanted entities/energies. Thank you again. With lots of LOVE
Hello Sebastian. Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm and gratitude. I am glad you found these articles useful. With heart… Jonathan
Hi Jonathan, thank you for posting all these great articles. I can see from what I’ve read so far that you can perceive things way beyond what is apparent to most people.
I am from Santa Marta, Colombia and because of the geographic proximity I am somewhat familiar with the philosophy of the Kogui culture. I have to say though that I was very surprised to find out how consciously advanced they really after reading your articles. How ironic it is that I have travelled so much and so far seeking enlightment and it turns out that I always had all these spiritual masters right in the backyard of my hometown…
I have to say that I agree 100% with your description of ayahuasca. I attended two ceremonies in Peru a couple of years ago and that was enough for me to be aware of the negative forces that interfered and polluted the experience. I was literally “expelled” from attending any further sessions by an evil entity (I know it sounds crazy) and I obviously obliged, not without feeling sorry for all the good spirited people that stayed behind, who had the best intentions to become better spiritually, but were infamously framed by the evil entities led by the so-called “shaman.” I am not exaggerating when I say that the ceremonies were nothing short of satanic and we all were framed by the Shaman and his assistants for financial gains, to drain our energy, and torture our souls.
I am eager to read about “other options” too. I hope you feel soon motivated to share your knowledge about that particular topic. Thank you again.
Dear Julio. What a pleasure to hear from someone in Columbia, and one who is familiar with the beloved Kogui. I was in your country just a few months ago! In my experience, the Kogui Mamos are the most dedicated and spiritually sensitive people I have met. Yes, it is rather ironic… but quite common… ultimately we are all looking in a great many directions and to a great many places for what is, spiritually speaking, right here with us, inside us, all along. Perhaps your outer journey of travel, and close proximity to the Heart of the World, is a reflection of that.
What you have written does not sound at all crazy. I’ve come across some very wild stories since posting these articles.
The “Other options” article is coming in the next day or to. My mentor is in Columbia and has a centre there. He works very closely with the Kogui elders. I will send you a private email about this. With heart… J
That’d be great Jonathan! Maybe I could even meet your mentor too during one of my trips to Sta Marta when I go to visit my parents (if that is OK with you of course.) Thank you :-)
Hello Julio. Well, if you have a soul calling for such a meeting, then I can guarantee it will happen. If it’s something you feel deeply moved to do, I can make arrangements for that. You would need to send me a photo, and a statement of intent (i.e. what you’re intention is for such a meeting). I can then ask the Mama to look into it, and the rest is in the Mother’s hands.
Hello again Jonathan, I want to first thank you for your good intentions and kindness by taking the time to share your spiritual insights with all of us.
I’ll be travelling to Santa Marta, Colombia to visit my parents and will be available to meet your mentor between June 27 thru July 1.
Please send me your email to reply it with my picture and intention. Alternatively, you can send me a copy of your “other options” ebook (I’d love to read it!) at [email protected] and I’ll reply with my pic and intention. Again, thank you so much Jonathan!
I am very interested in your incomplete other options section. Do you forsee finishing it any time soon?
Hello Donna. Thank you (and others) for your patience. In fact, I am about to publish Part 1 of that information in the next couple of days. Keep an eye out for it. Follow my Facebook page, if you have not already, for immediate updates on new articles. With heart… J
Hi Jonathan just finished your articles.
Thank you very much for explanations, they was very timely. I was just considering to use ayahuasca. I had uneasy senses about energy exchange while using the herb and your article addressed all of my concerns. In the last four years I strayed from the spiritual path I was on. I got into a relationship with a substance abusing partner, it took years to clear it up and now I feel drained, tired and a bit confused. Was going to try ayahuasca because I felt I embodied a lot of negative energy while dealing with my partner’s problems. I want to restore myself. Would you describe other options that do not involve the negative effects of taking ayahuasca?
Hey Jonathan, thank you for these articles, I agree with you 100% However you didn’t write the most important part: Other options! Thank you for showing us what not to do but without an alternative we are at the same point where we started :)
I saw that you published on the 20th oJanuary saying that you would write these articles however they are not yet published ore are they? Have I missed them?
Thank you
Hello Omar, Thank you. Yes, I planned to have that available so long ago. It kept evolving, and is now a free ebook. Which I have been making available to people through my mail list. I’ve just not got it up on my site yet. Send me an email, and I’ll email you a copy. With heart… Jonathan
Was this ebook ever posted? Interested in reading it.
No. Not yet. It’s written, but for now it’s not publicly available. I make it available on a case-by-case basis to a few people with a heart-felt intent to bring for their spirit and full consciousness of the Mother.
Hey Jonath,
By the way I never received it via email. I gave you my email, [email protected]
Can you please send it again?
Thank you
Hi Johnathan, I’ve been reading through your series of articles and this conversation has been very helpful and enlightening for me. I dated a Peruvian ayahuascaro for some time and struggled to feel true spiritual fulfillment and clarity in that space. I’ve received so much beauty and healing with aya but also a lot of confusion and disorientation with it too. I loved the community aspect of it, sitting in circle with others and coming together for sacred purposes. Over the past years I have been cultivating a relationship with the Divine Mother and I love how you speak about her in your writing here!
Also, what are your thoughts on the Christian based Santo Dimme aya ceramonies? I have no experience with them but I am curious if there are less demonic entities or none involved in those ceremonies?
Hello Samara. I have (just now, so rather late!) responded via email. Jonathan
Hello Jonathan,
Thank you for your message, this is my email: [email protected]. Please send me the free ebook!!
Thanks!
Hi Jonathan,
Please send one this way, too :) [email protected].
Best,
Simon
I Simon. Thanks for your message. I am not currently sending out the ebook.
Regards, Jonathan
Thanks for the great articles about the dark side of aya use.
I would appreciate a copy of you ebook about alternatives.
Thank you again
Jonathan
how can I know if entitis entered my field, and if, what can I do to release them?
apreciate your info.
Kia ora Jonathan,
This debate needs your voice.
Peru’s ayahuasca industry booms as westerners search for alternative healing
http://gu.com/p/4jghx?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Email
In peace,
Hamish
Hello Jonathan and a great many thanks for your articles. It has been personaly revolutionary to read something that has finally made some sense of my 6 years as an apprentice in Ayahuasca plant medicine and the very dark and confusing place it had taken me. Reading of The concept of The Mother completely blew my mind as I had never formally heard of her before your articles. She was my only guiding light through my experiences in these years. I am overjoyed to known that there is a community on Colombia that knows her well. I think of her often and talk with her now, in the wake of my apprenticeship as it ended very badly. I’m bummed that you didn’t continue the article into the “options” portion as that was what I was most looking forward to. I would very much like to continue building my relationship with The Mother. Is there another article you could direct me to?
Thank you again.
L
Hello Lori,
Thanks for writing. In direct answer to your question…
In my experience the written word is exceptionally limited in its capacity to bring a person into greater consciousness of the Mother. That shift is a very individualised process… of emergence into the originality of your Spirit (as the Mother created you).
Feel free to email me (via the contact form) and share your Intent. It all begins with that.
With heart…
J
Hi Jonathan,
I would like to thank you for your effort in writing about this dark side. It is very important for people to know about this side, but I would like to add some information that might be helpful for readers. The Dark side mentioned in these 3 articles are definitely a part of ayahuasca that people have to know about.
What I would like to share is that the two sides of ayahuasca or other plant medicine can be mostly related to the skill and shaman themselves and does not necessarily have to be the result of the person taking the plant medicine and his/her intention. That many people go in with the wrong intention is definitely a big problem in the current uses of this medicine and also resulted in ayahuasca tourism that now involves many fake or unskilled shamans to just make money. So there are two types of shamans, “white” shamans and “black” shamans, in which the white shaman only practices healing and the black shaman practices both healing and sorcery. Sorcery involves the use of spells and such as described in your articles. In their dietas they use sorcerer’s plants such as toé, catawah, lupuna colorado, capirona or others (this is an easy way to check if they are black shamans). Furthermore, there are people who think they are able to serve this plant-medicine without actually being a shaman or having the proper skills, which results in a very high chance of getting those entity attachments.
Now the “white” shamans are actually focussed on healing, the removal of these dark entities, soul retrieval and protection. This makes the practise of shamanism a double edged sword, because about 60% of all shamans fall into the category of “white” shamans. This makes it a dangerous coinflip (oke almost coinflip) when you just randomly choose a shaman.
The dark side of “ayahuasca” is also not necessarily related to ayahuasca because many “wrong” spiritual practises also result into the attachment of those entities. But I do agree that psycho-active substances increase the likelihood of these attachments when not done with the proper protection or shaman. Furthermore, the healing practice of shamanism also does not always require plant-medicine (e.g. Shamans in Syberia/Australia), but these plants can sometimes help because the purge actually also releases these entities.
The last thing I would like to note is that actually A LOT of people have these attachments in their energy field (not just people who took ayahuasca). Living in the west and being able to see these things kinda shocked me at first, but now urges me to become a healer to remove these things. Believe it or not, but ayahuasca and iboga actually made it clear that this is my divine calling (next to the very first goal of our soul mission which is to reconnect with Source). Last but not least, I do agree that plant-medicine is not a path to freedom, but merely a tool to heal trauma/remove evil spirits/and give some direction or guidance. I focus more on Kriya Yoga/Dzogchen meditation myself, because in the end the only way to liberate ourselves is to be fully present and connected to the Infinite conciousness (beyond dualism and free from our ego). I do have to say that plant-medicine did actually help me to get to a glimpse of this Self-realisation and directed me towards the right path and the correct way to meditate and practise Kriya yoga. I would love to see you write about the other options that are available.
Kind regards,
M
From my heart, Thank you so much Jonathan!
What you are doing I consider so important I feel compelled to write you a comment of appreciation. The light you shed on this topic is by far the most important and empowering information I have come across since I went (and still am going through) a very hard time after drinking Ayahuasca. I can relate to everything you write, the way you use your words is helping me to understand what I am going through. I my self have lacked the proper vocabulary or teminology to be able to contemplate certain aspects of my experience. You have a way of making that which is hard to explain more easily accesible. At least for me.
Its been 4 months since I drank Ayahuasca and I am still struggling to get back to my own energy. I feel that I am tainted by the experience, not lifted, I feel vibrationally lowered, not raised. I was very positive before drinking. And loving, and in a good place were I was doing good, to help this world be a better place. After drinking I was completely drained and still today, even though I have learned to choose love, and not be afraid anymore, the brutal onslaught of demonic entities that attacked me has shifted my perspective and taken such a toll on me that I still think I have a long way to go before I am back in my own energy.
You have sure helped on my path to be back in myself, in my own energy, the human spirit energy. You have strengthened me and made me sure that through hard work I can be on the path to helping this world in a constructive way.
I was way to immature to understand what I was getting myself in to. I probably still am. But thanks to you, I have newfound sense of direction in life.
I am forever grateful!
From the heart, pure loving light, to you, dear Jonathan.
/ Kaj
Thanks Kaj. If all goes well, the battle you are facing will prove to be one worth the mighty effort necessary to bring forth your spirit. It is probably safe to say you had a predilection for Aya, and such things, due to an affinity with sorcery and/or any other practices and paths that involve the illegitimate manipulation of power. The key is deep confession, from your Heart to the Mother, and from there sustained periods of self-investigation (viewing the key events of your life from the all-seeing perspective of your spirit/heart, as opposed to the limited view of the human persona, and the personal history it has formulated.
I wish you much fortitude and deep surrender.
Jonathan
Other options: the best one is Jesus Christ. I am not being flippant or critical of others in saying this, having come through a convoluted pathway including MANY ayahuascha sessions, both Santo Daime and other. (I liked the “other” better even though it was less religious and I was always praying to Jesus/holy spirit during my sessions). I had many good experiences, some very difficult, and undoubtedly helped by the lovely people I met and partook of ayahuascha with. So, I loved it for many years. In short though, it was focusing on Jesus during it that got me through the bad parts and then it was Jesus who gently led me away from it and from all new age stuff altogether. Since i became fully Christian (as marked by getting baptised several years ago, reading the bible etc), God has continued a healing work in me and opened my eyes to many deceptions and delusions I was under. One thing that has been interesting is that He continues to remove negative spirits/demonic influences from me. I will feel a moving in my body and then I will bind the spirit and cast it out in His name. I have to say that the first time I felt this movement in my body especially my hips that I now know is demonic (as it responds then and goes when i cast it out, with spiritual relief following) was in the ayahuascha ceremonies. Casting them out works really easily since i went through the Christian book “the Bondage Breaker” and renounced everything that was not of God. (Doing this I was just humble and admitted, Lord I don’t personally know what is or isn’t of you, because most things seem good to me but I can see that some of them aren’t). Once I did this, the holy spirit opened up my eyes to how I’d been deceived by various new age practices, which I frankly had found great and had thought they had brought me closer to God, I now looking back see the trap my thinking was in. God really does give us free will because even after baptism, I still did not see the dark side of some of these practices and did not until I became open to the possibility I had been totally wrong, and did prayers of renouncing. So yes, it was only occuring to me today that there seemed to be an awful lot of cleansing of spirits needed on me and why was that? Hence why I started reading up on dark side of ayahuashca. Previously to ayahuascha I used to way back take recreational drugs and they really also opened me up and made me vulnerable to spirits, in a more obvious way. Especially cannabis! I had some horrible experiences with astral struff and entities and so on for years (have renounced all that too and although back then I was so curious and into all this, my curiosty got me in a lot of dodgy places, I thank Jesus that lookign back He was always looking out for me, i always did believe in God and I always did pray to him). I think a book which really helped me (which is not about ayahuascha but about the occult and a woman who worked with a trance medium psychic healer in S. America for years before she realised it was satanic) was The Beautiful Side of Evil by Joanna Michaelson (good talk by her on this on youtube). She was convinced it was good and was from god and there were healings and miracles among some other dark experiences. How interesting to see the unveiling of this spirit that was using the woman for healing, it was actually really satanic. Anyway long story short, I ‘m not judging ANYONE for taking ayahusacha or following different paths , seeking. I’ve been there and some of the best people I’ve ever met are still there. what I will say is that I have more peace, happiness,a nd sorting out of my issues, now that i am surrendered to Jesus Christ, the way the truth and the life, and I am so thankful that the Holy Spirit inhabits me and is the only comforter I’ll ever need. I have way more discernment now (a gift from the h.s. as I probably have zero myself.. the naive explorer I’d call me in the past) of what is right and wrong for me. I will say this, I never took ayahuascha in south america but in europe and always with very good kind well meaning people. I have seen documentaries recently of it in South America and noticed that the shamans all seem to have their own thing going on and the spirituality presented is a total mish mash of stuff. that mish mash aspect attracted me when younger but God has turned me away from that and to Him and Him alone and I’ve never been happier. Interestingly , about our free will. Years ago when I was not a Christian (i thought i was secretly a christian as that’s who i prayed to but I was involved in mainly new age spiritual practices) and i prayed to God for “a church of like minded people”.. i felt led to the daime . Years and years later I prayed a different prayer, I prayed for a church of “people that really know you God, they know Christ and the holy spirit”. Lo and behold, I was led to a v small , pentecostal , actual church, and have been so at home and supported there ever since and my spiritual journey and walk with God has deepened ever since. Interesting the difference in the two prayers. But I think the important thing is just to admit to God, the Divine, whatever you want to call it, that we are humans are often quite ignorant as to what’s right and often vulnerable to psychic attack etc and messing with things that we are curious about. God is willing to show anyone the Truth but only when you WANT the truth and ASK for the truth. Get rid of preconceived ideas about what the truth IS. I had such prejudice about Christians that it blinded me in many ways for years! (I still empathise with others who have this view. Because it’s not without a foundation, there are a lot of “religious” people giving Christianity a bad name, definitely and there are a lot of spiritually dead churches and ultra judgemental folk whcih is TOTALLy going against His example). Anyway I’m not sure what else to write except A) I am not judging anyone for continuing to take ayahuascha but praise God, because i genuinely have Him now, He has gently whispered to me “You don’t need to do that anymore” B) I HAVE had a lot of spiritual entities, I don’t know how much of that is down to ayahuascha or not, in fact previously I had thought it may have freed me from some but now I have huge misgivings about the ayahuascha’s part to play, and this article I’m commenting on is very illuminating; some was definitely due to earlier recreational drugs and drink, others just down to spiritual choices and generational things going on , yes sin, and generational sin -another thing God has shown me is that sin does, of course, exist although for a long time I believed it didn’t so again I emphasise with you if you believe that, I believed it for 10 years at least – although I have to say I have never had this freedom from sin before, I don’t mean that I don’t sin(Although I AM so much more honest right down to tiny details) but that when I do , I confess it and am forgiven (and know i am) with NO condemnation! So am free of self condemnation too, which I’m sure a lot of you will agree is the worst! – Anyway forgive my inept witnessing here but please understand, I still love EVERYONE I ever took ayahuascha with, including the teachers i met, sweet sweet people (thank God I never encountered evil people), I do not judge people for taking ayahuashca, I just wanted to say that God is always there for us when we reach out and ask for HELP and TRUTH and admit we may not be the best person to be in charge of things; again I don’t define who or what GOD is, I’m not even saying God is masculine even though known as father, obviously God is way beyond our definitions, but i’m glad to know that God IS real. Also a quick note… when I renounced my “spirit guides” they revealed themselves to be not benevolent. Thank God I’d never really gotten into consulting them too much. Also another note you CAN have Jesus or what YOU think as Jesus as a spirit guide, but if you believe lies about Jesus (like that he is just a man who was a wise teacher but no better than anyone else) then the spirit guide Jesus is false. Again sounds mad but I’m talking to people who take ayahuascha here or are interested in it so you all know that truth is stranger than fiction. (See joanna M’s book for more on that.). Anyway I love you all. I just wanted to share that the one Person who brought me through the maze was Jesus, and He has saved me from a lot of things, saved me from myself really, I love him and I love you all. I had my world turned upside down when all the new age stuff (there is a lot under that blanket but that would be another story) was revealed to me to be deceptive. I encourage you to value truth and to be willing to know that you may not know what truth is. God says in the bible (another thing i totally scorned) that people who did NOT love truth and believed lies (false christs – even the “i myself am christ” new age belief, false prophets, false spiritual teachings) would have even STRONGER delusion come upon them then because they didn’t love the truth. So let’s in our individual searches decide to love the truth. I recommend to people to realise this article may well be right about the entities, for example. I know beforehand I would have been like “no, ayahuascha’s brilliant!” and therefore would have excluded any other truth from my mind. Peace to you all! Sorry this was a bit long :-) My food’s gone cold….
Hello A. Thank you for your extensive, heartfelt, and sound comment. Amen.
In my experience, a direct and authentic relationship, and eventual communion with the Power that creates us is the only solution to the issues raised in this series of articles on the Dark Side of Ayahuasca. The challenge is that many well-meaning “seekers” are powerfully influenced by deep set tendencies toward rebelliousness. So, it’s often the case that we search for “truth” and “spirituality” almost anywhere except the one and only “place” or space or source in which we can genuinely find it, and be infused with it.
Such is the dark times we live in. The world is rife with confusions, especially spiritual confusion. I am glad you found your way through. Sorry about the cold meal.
With heart,
Jonathan
Hi Jonathan. I have just read through part 1,2 and 3 of the dark side of ayahuasca and would like to thank you for writing such elegant and insightful perspectives on this topic. I recently returned from a few months in peru and whilst having some beautiful experiences with this medicine there were also some challenging experiences where I felt exposed to some dark forces. Fortunately I have a mentor/teacher that I visited in LA on my way back to Australia and he was able to identify and remove some attachments that had been placed on me by a sorcerer somewhere along my journey. I feel I would also like to share this perspective with members of my tribe and community that are entering into these experiences with plant medicines without any awareness or precaution. If you could send me a copy of your e-book/other options that would be great also ! Peace
Hi Jai. Thanks for your message.
In my experience, this topic is far more important that most people realise. I am glad to see you’re awakening to that.
I am not currently making the ebook available. The work it describes is not something one can merely read about. It requires and demands a massive amount of self-application, and intensive spiritual training. That, I have found, is not something many people have any genuine interest in. Thus, I have observed that for most people reading the ebook mostly amounts to further informania, and no action. The Mother doesn’t like be having any part in that.
I wish you all the best LIFE has to offer you.
J
Hi Jai, are you willing to share the contact info for the teacher who helped you in LA? I’m in need to help after several aya ceremonies. I’ve been experiencing almost constant psychic intrusion by entities. I’ve done many things to repel them, but they keep coming back.
Warning: the shamanistic service The Sacred Tree from Australia has advertised its services on this website. It was a scam and I lost 400 dollars. The healers claimed I have no entities attached but the entity symptoms and other problems continued exactly the same. After that another shaman helped me and I could feel the difference. The symptoms disappeated. She indeed took 6 astral beings out of me. Also I felt the sesdion with these Sacred Tree people involved a lot of weird claims and methods of working. Please, all you people seeking for help, don’t rely on this service.
Hello Emilia. Needless to say, I don’t frequent the Comments on my web site nearly as often as I probably should!
Thanks for sharing about your experience with The Sacred Tree. I trust people reading these articles, and considering using those folk to help with entities, etc., will take the necessary measures to discern whether that’s the way to go. I have no experience with them myself, and I don’t actually subscribe to the approach of simply extracting entities without addressing the reason the person had a calling for such things in the first place (much like cutting out a tumour without address the real cause for the cancer). But I realise different people are at different stages of self-experience and spiritual integration, so I tend to not meddle in their choices (unless they ask for it, with an open heart). I hope in the mean time you’ve found the clarity and healing you were seeking.
With heart… J
Love your metaphor. And fitting for me, and my lifelong Intention of the Path of Freedom. 12 years ago at age 25 I conceived my first and only child. Lovingly. I went on to have a completely unassisted pregnancy… Never having seen a doctor once. Never had a single test, nothing. It was a conscious initiation to the next level of Beingness for me in this life…( after already a a strange and offbeat, very nonmainstream upbringing and path til that point). I went on to carry my baby for 43 weeks…. Against the protestations of everyone in my life that I was crazy and irresponsible. I went on to birth my large healthy boy into my own hands at my home, in the darkness and silence, after 4 hours of fast hard labor. I was prepared, thru past experiences with Intensity, for this rite of passage. I left the placenta attached, til the cord dried up and fell off on its own… Offering my boy a gentle transition. He could hold his head up within several days. He never saw a doctor after the birth. He has still, at age 12, never been to a doctor til several
Years ago I had to get a physical for him in order to put him into school after having homeschooled. He has never had a vaccination. I did not have visitors for over a week, and even then very particular. He was worn against my body, skin to skin only, for the first week. Breastfeed exclusively til 12months, and I finally weaned him at age 5. He never once had a bottle, or pacifier. He never wore diapers. I ‘pottied’him , he communicated to me his needs we were so in tune always. He was worn in a sling anytime I wasn’t holding him or sleeping wth him. He was at eye level of every person I interacted with. Present for everything. He never once had any kind of medicine that wasn’t homeopathic, or some type of herb/ natural remedy. he slept with me always, I only had one ‘sleepless’ night where I had to hold and carry and comfort him they the night due to teeth cutting thru. he walked by 9months. He’s incredibly strong, sharp minded, curious, compassionate, insightful, unique and sovereign for his young years. I had already, since age 19, been on a path of freedom… With strong unwavering Intent and discipline in my Being. He was the greatest blessing in my life, and has proven to be my greatest gift to this world… Being a portal for his Spirit, and taking very seriously my responsibility to him,to gestate him in sovereignty and health, and birth him Intact. His spirit has never been broken or traumatized. He has ever been spankedor hit , and really has ever been ‘punished’. I was told by everyone that ‘my ways’ would create an insufferable brat and over dependent demanding child. How wrong everyone was. In terms of your metaphor above…. I knew exactly what I was doing thru all this. And it is the same way I’ve faced everything in my life thus far.
. I Don’t often come across beings such as yourself who express such lucid intent in your writing, and understanding of the deeper Nature of what is taking place here, in this Time and Space. I find myself being the so called ‘prude’ when it comes to the trendy psychedelic over saturation…. Feeling as if I’m speaking to empty vessels. I am no stranger to psychedelics, and at age 19 before my life changed completely…consumed 13 hits strong lsd gel tabs one night . My story is long and intense( what I can articulate) and is written out elsewhere. I saw the path of freedom, and that’s the path I chose when others continued the lure of High Adventure. This sprang my Self-Discipleship with my own Spirit, with unbending Intent, and what has now been a life of authenticity to Self and sovereignty in my choices. And a life of service and creativity. I was blessed I suppose, to have returned at all, in a functioning manner ;) but then, I had been having OBE’s since age 3 and had several near death experiences as a child even before the NDE of that immense ‘trip’.
The path I chose centered on self honesty, transparency, body healing thru movement, breath work, lucid dreaming and OBE exploration( I have a natural disposition and have 18 years of dream journals … Sometimes writing for 2 hrs a morning in order to record the nights journeys… Pre-baby of course).
I compulsively Create, and my artwork and poetry got me thru many years of self scrutiny and application of Insights into practical reality. I’m self taught in a great many things, and am a Seamatress with my own clothing business now. I create patchwork one of a kind artwear from upcycled reclaimed fabrics. I also am a stilt walker and work with Childrens circus as teaching artist and mentor. My costuming is often inspired by my Dreamtime explorations.
I also use every aspect of my physical reality as a springboard for Awareness, constantly. The lucidity that comes from this far exceeds what I get regurgitated at me from friends who still are fascinated with psychedelics and festival culture. I’m not opposed to plant use but find I’m 100% resonant with your expressions so far from what I’ve read, in terms of these things. Out of curiousity I tried DMT a few years ago. I ‘broke thru’ almost immediately on high dose and had an interesting experience… But to be honest… Like you mentioned in your part 2 article, I had already been to states such as that… And though glad I had experienced it, have never felt called to seek it again. in fact, I have taken substances while in Dreamtime which have catapulted me into experiences paralleling what they do here in waking reality. As if I am simply ‘writing the code’ of that experience into my script, lucidly;)
It’s all Within , every nuance. Like you spoke of before in part 1 I believe… There is nothing here in this realm that can give us a deeper dimensional experience or Awareness than our very own Spirit and Authentic Understanding of how to use our own Energy and Intent.
Keep sharing your beautiful awareness, Warrior!!!
Love is Free~Life is Play
Charleen
( BlissNinja.ShamanPunk) Instagram /Etsy shop
Greetings again Charleen. Thank you for sharing this powerful story of your journey into motherhood, and your stoic intent to bring forth a soul and child into this world without all the insane and spiritually detrimental intervention (and infiltration) modernity is now so heavily invested in, and dependant on. Powerful.
Everything else you’ve share stands upon its own merit, so I won’t endeavour to respond to it all. But again, thank you for sharing. It’s much appreciated.
With heart… Jonathan
Thank you for these enlightening articles. I am currently in a hotel in Uruguay awaiting my flight back home tomorrow having completed a retreat in a loving beautiful humble circle with a shaman and his group who I trust completely. I was fortunate to have come across him and his organisation through a recommendation last year and it is my second time with his group. He is a true spirit walker, walking in between two worlds. his humility and interest in humanity and it’s consciousness is genuine. The hugs after with him and his partner and community they have created here in remote rural Uruguay are warm and real.
I was a bit torn about whether to put it up here, but i can sense so much uncertainty in many people comments as well as a genuine interest in aya so I do think that there are some people on here who have found your page who would be much better served knowing there is this group that at least I can trust wholeheartedly. Feel free to delete this if it’s not appropriate. The name of the group is [NAME DELETED]
One of the things I liked about the shaman was he took the time to speak with us, first to check in with our state and story, but before every session, would spend a long time talking with us about human consciousness as well as preparing a sacred respected space. I’m not one for dogma or ceremony, but I now see that this process is absolutely critical and has been lacking in the few sessions I’ve had back in my native country without the shaman.
And for anyone going through the experience, regardless of which shaman you sit with, I was taught a few mantras that helped me maintain my stable observer and not be caught in the illusion. Luus, Fuerza, Amor. (Light, strength, love)
If I could give any sort of advice which u are free to take or dismiss (I’m not a highly experienced drinker)
Do your homework, speak to the shaman or at least meet him prior. Trust your intuition and heart if they are right for you. Be willing to walk away, don’t feel pressured.
Respect the plants and respect the process. Park the ego at the door.
Be very wary of the circle that was put together. A shaman doesn’t necessarily take in everyone who is willing to pay. The energy of the others has the potential to impact you unless your focus is good. Some people really shouldn’t be there (yet) and if the shaman vetted them you would be comfortable in the circle.
practice strengthening your objective observer/consciousness through meditation or just intentional awareness through meditation or something else as it helps us to navigate through and not be triggered or drawn into the illusions whether beautiful or scary. If you are not good a thing handling triggers or fearful states and maintain objectivity, perhaps consider training this first. The higher mind is not the human mind, so when caught in a logic trap, remember to be the observer and focus on light, strength and love.
Just enjoy…flow. resistance can at times create suffering. Easy to say and hard to do, yes. But trust in Light, Strength and Love..
Hi B. Thanks for sharing. Much appreciated. Wishing you all the best… Jonathan
(P.S. I’ve removed the link and name of the place you went to in Uruguay. I would prefer to not be in some way associated with the promotion of any particular “shaman”. I am sure people will find the guy if they really wish to.)
Thank you Jonathan for your insightful articles on this subject. It’s like a public service you are providing. It isn’t always safe to go into these countries for the experience, especially if some of the shamans are in league with demons.
Do you have any information on the Canadian man that was hung by locals in Peru for allegedly shooting his shaman? Some stories state her son had stolen from him, while others say he was not the type to shoot someone. He was studying under her I believe.
Again, thank you Jonathan for all that you do.
I have to voice my willingness to hear about these “other options”, as it seems somewhat unfair to tell a bunch of people working very hard on themselves and willing to go through horrendous experiences for alleviation of physical/mental/spiritual ailments that the method they have found and are relying on is dangerous, without presenting alternatives. It feels like having a rug pulled from under you, without having a floor under it.
Hi Minä. The only legitimate alternative I am aware of is the arduous process of recovering our original and natural state, as was bestowed upon as (as spirits) by the Divine Mother when she birthed us into being. Most people I’ve come across who are pursuing shortcuts like Ayahuasca tend to want a quick fix. By no means is recovery of our relationship with the Divine Mother / Father a quick fix. Yet nothing else will satisfy the longing people have for “re-connection” to something deeper and more meaningful than the tick-tock superficial non-reality modern society is fixated up.
The “alternative options”, I realised, are not something I can do any justice to with an online article. It requires direct exploration and communication with the one who is genuinely interested in recovering their true and essential nature (without shortcuts). With heart… Jonathan
Just wanted to give a vote for filling the missing part of “Other options/Alternative solutions”. … [Shortened from 929 words, by site owner]
Hello Dalibor,
Thanks for your very long message.
I’ve taken the liberty of deleting most of it. Your first sentence (which I left in) says all I really needed to hear. [The other 913 words had no paragraph structure, making it hard to read. Much of it was, in my experience, repetitive, rant-like, and unnecessarily attacking].
The reason I haven’t written the “Other options” part is that I found that of the hundreds of people (many who were in serious trouble) who have emailed me since publishing the ayahuasca articles, asking for advice etc., all but a tiny few displayed any real interest in the kind of “Other options” I’d be likely to recommend.
In my experience, many were simply looking for another shortcut to their spiritual development … more “high adventure” on their journey through life.
So I currently only invest time into sharing the “other options” with people personally (through mentoring), and in workshops, etc.
I wish you all the best …
Jonathan
Bad ayahuasca with demons and very dark entities. Where can I send this person for help. Still having demons back home.