Finding Ayahuasca: When & How

There are countless ways to initiate a conversation with Ayahuasca.

You might think this space of wisdom can be reached only through drinking the brew, but that´s not the only way. 

It´s certainly a lot easier to recognize her presence once you´ve met her through the brew, but again, that´s not completely necessary. 

When?

 We are prone to ask for guidance at crossroads or fogginess, but know this: You can always drop by and just say HI.

How?

I´ve put together a list of ways to reach her and some exercises that should guide your awareness toward the space that she is. 

Here´s what you can do on your own. 

• Journaling

If you think of the mind to be a web of strings, then journaling is a way of pulling out, 1 by 1, your thoughts. The power of this practice is truly great as it offers the writer a chance to understand what he needs without being disturbed by the interference of other strings of thought. Linearity, one thing at a time, makes journaling act upon knowing there´s time for everything, and that´s Ayahuasca´s greatest teaching. 

Here are some exercises to journal as you seek Ayahuasca:

1. The tree of words

Choose a letter and on a clear page start writing every word you can think of that starts with that letter. You can access any language you speak, and any type of word, including names. Do your best to not repeat them and write them on the page in a shape of a tree. 

By the end of this practice, you should reach a space that feels somehow different. You just had fun creating something new from something you already know, your mind followed one tack for about 10 to 15 min and that should make you feel a lot more refreshed. Finally, you´ve proven yourself another of Ayahuasca´s teachings – Everything you need, is all around you, you already have it.

Can you apply this to something in your life that you wish for, but think you´re missing what´s needed for you to take the next step? 

2. I would never

Make a list of the things you would never do. The ones you decided you will and won´t do under any circumstance. Don´t stop until you bring up at least 100. You´ll realize that after the never´s of your current age, you will start unraveling never´s from your younger ages. You won´t agree with many of them anymore and they might be exactly what has been stopping you from taking important steps in your life. 

Ayahuasca is met when you give yourself permission to outgrow your younger never´s. Changing your mind and thus free will are her gift. 

• Meditation 

Meditation is the easiest thing you´ve ever done. If you think any other way, it’s probably because somewhere on the way you´ve gathered a bunch of expectations that seem unreachable. Meditation is the desire of knowing and understanding yourself as well as the role you play in the world around you. The act of meditation can be very different depending on one’s needs. Here are some you could try next: 

Walking meditation

Set aside 30´ to walk around town. As you walk, shorten your steps and choose to have no destination. Nowhere to go, slow down even more. Choose to play some relaxing music. Notice your breath. Pay attention to where you lay your eyes on. What are you been shown? How do you feel about it? You´ll feel a lot more relaxed and receptive after a meditation like this. 

Dancing Meditation

I´ll share with you a beautiful sound journey guided by Sophie Sofree

Find a place where you can find intimacy, so you could truly enjoy moving your inner waters. Optional – use a blindfold and get lost in feeling rather than image. There are so many things that can only be felt, as words or anything handmade is too far away from its essence. That´s when you dance. 

Guided meditation

The key here is to find a voice to whom your body listens. So that when he or she says ¨soften, take a breath in, your body softens and breathes accordingly. A voice that invites you to feel that you can´t do anything wrong, a compassionate voice, that´s what you should be looking for. 

Find here some of my guided meditations, as well as some of the youtube channels I resonate with and recommend. 

• Singing / Mantra Chanting 

There´s great power in singing. It feels as if you´re nurturing your own body and filling your energy field with… yourself and yourself only. The longer you sing, the more you´ll feel like a lightning bulb on a happy Christmas tree.

Mantras are repetitive lines of words that have a powerful meaning. You can make your mantra with words that make you feel like lightning up, like Sia´s lyrics from the song ¨bird set free¨ :

And I don’t care if I sing off-key

I find myself in my melodies

I sing for love, I sing for me

I shout it out like a bird set free

Another option is to choose any Sanscrit classic one. Here are some of my favorites: 

Jat Jagdeesh – I am thine

Jay Jagdeesh – Ek Ong Kar Sat Gur Prasad

Ajeet – Ra Ma Da Sa

Sada Sat Kaur – Gobinday Mukunday

Ajeet – Adi Shakti – Bhakti Mantra

David Lurey – Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu

You could sing a regular song too, with the condition of it having empowering and loving words.  

This is what you can do with the help of others:

• Yin Yoga

And any yoga. You can start at home, following the guidance of a teacher through youtube. That´s how I started. I wasn´t comfortable showing up in a class and falling apart in front of others, so I started by following Adriene on her youtube channel. When I was ready to show up, I joined local classes. There are so many great things about yoga but since we´re talking about finding and reconnecting with the space that is Ayahuasca, I will only say this: As you move through poses, your awareness will inevitably be brought back to your breath. Get familiar with the subtleness of the breath and you will find the voice inside you that guides its arrival. There´s no greater relief and sense of safety than knowing there´s a space within you always there to sustain your choices from a place of love and understanding. 

Choosing a teacher you resonate with is quite important here, as well it was in meditation. Don´t force yourself to listen to anyone. Keep walking until you find ease. 

• Reiki

Reiki is the life force energy that surrounds us but that is also within us. As we shape ourselves daily through every action and reaction, we get to live under various rhythms. Naturally, our essence has one particular core rhythm where our body and being function with ease. Throughout our lives, we are to first identify it and second return to it every time we are becoming influenced for a longer period by external ones. Reiki, as well as any other energy technique, is an opportunity to be reminded through the help of the person channeling it, what our rhythm is. 

If you wonder why is Reiki on a list of ways in which one can find Ayahuasca, know this: That very field, the one we´re made of, yet sustains our life, is Ayahuasca. The way you feel while receiving Reiki equals being in the arms of a loving mother. 

I hope you feel a little closer to the possiblity of being loved completely by a being that is never far away. Also hope you enjoyed the article and maybe tried out one of the fun ways listed above.

Take care and see you soon!