Ayahuasca
DMT + Harmala alkaloids (Banisteriopsis caapi + Psychotria viridis)
4-6 hours
20-60 minutes
classic psychedelic
A combination brew from the Amazon Basin, made by combining …
- ⚡Intense visions — serpents, jungles, celestial beings, and ancestral spirits
- ⚡Emotional catharsis — purging (vomiting) considered an integral part of the healing
- ⚡Deep introspection and life review
- ⚡Mystical and spiritual experiences of profound depth
- ⚡Sense of communicating with plant spirits or deceased relatives
- ⚡Healing of trauma and deeply held emotional wounds
- ⚠️Strict dietary restrictions required — no tyramine-rich foods for 2+ weeks (aged cheese, fermented foods, cured meats, alcohol)
- ⚠️Life-threatening interactions with SSRIs, MAOIs, stimulants, and heart medications — can cause fatal serotonin syndrome
- ⚠️Requires an experienced indigenous or well-trained facilitator — retreat quality varies enormously
- ⚠️Purging (nausea and vomiting) is common and considered part of the healing process
- ⚠️Not suitable for those with personal or family history of psychosis or schizophrenia
- ⚠️Rare deaths have occurred in poorly supervised retreats — vet your facilitator thoroughly
Central sacrament in Amazonian shamanic traditions across Peru, Brazil, Colombia, and Ecuador. Also the sacred brew of the syncretic Brazilian religions Santo Daime and União do Vegetal (UDV), which have legal protection in Brazil and religious exemptions in the US. Used for healing, divination, spiritual guidance, and community ceremony.
Growing clinical evidence for depression, PTSD, and addiction. Phase 2 trials in Brazil and Europe. 2024 meta-analysis showed significant antidepressant effects. The Cook Islands approved ayahuasca ceremony tourism in 2024.
Legal as a religious sacrament in Brazil, Peru, and Netherlands. The UDV has US federal religious exemption. Illegal in most countries though traditional indigenous use is tolerated in South America.