Meeting Spirits Through Ayahuasca: A Journey Beyond Reality

Have you ever come across any higher beings? Whatever you might call it, spirits or ghosts. If not, you might have heard a lot about them from individuals surrounding you, whether it’s about their own paranormal experiences or spine-tingling tales of others. In the era of scientific or rational temperament, the higher entities only live inside ancient fables rather than the human mind. But what if I tell you, it is possible to meet with those entities to this day?

It is a story of a sacred brew, Ayahuasca, consumed for centuries by the indigenous people of the dense Amazon rainforest. This brew is known for its astonishing qualities, such as helping bridge the gap between the seen and unseen dimensions. Indigenous tribes, such as Shamans, have long used this brew for spiritual enlightenment, divination, and even for healing. Today, ayahuasca’s reach is beyond the rainforest, piercing into modern consciousness, and capturing the interest of psychologists, neuroscientists, and curious individuals who want to transcendence this dimension.
Ayahuasca's origins date back to the aboriginal cultures of the Amazon Basin. The Word is derived from the Quechua language and translated into English as “Vine of the Dead” or “Vine of the Soul, " which reflects the vine's perceived ability to take individuals beyond daily existence. Traditionally, this vine has been used in customs led by Shamans—the indigenous people of the Amazon—who act as intermediaries between this dimension and the realm of spirits.
Ayahuasca is a psychoactive liquid prepared from two Amazonian plants: the Banisteriopsis Cappi vine and the leaf of Psychotria Viridis. The preparation of the vine itself is a meticulous process. Harmala alkaloids present in the Banisteriopsis caapi vine act as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), which prevent the breakdown of Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) found in the Psychotria Viridis leaf. This biochemical fusion allows DMT, which is a powerful hallucinogenic substance. It becomes active when consumed orally. The result is embarking on a journey into the depths of the universe, self, and beyond because of its profound visionary effects.
Those who have experienced an ayahuasca journey described the experience as simultaneously challenging as well as enlightening. The visions include the range of geometric patterns and celestial landscapes to personal encounters with recently dead ones whom one loved, divine entities, or even an individual's own subconscious fears.
Ayahuasca's mystical encounters often involve entities described as half-human and half-animal, such as beings with bird-like heads or centaur-like figures, half-human and half-horse, and many others.

Some describe ayahuasca as a psychological process to 'death of ego', it is a moment where an individual loses their sense of self, which can be intensely transformative. Many individuals reported to have experienced overwhelming love, understanding, and forgiveness. Ayahuasca's emotional sensitivity often leads people to confront past unresolved grief, traumas, or deeply embedded fears, which gradually heal and catharsis.
If you think ayahuasca is just merely a psychedelic escape, you might get wrong. It demands humility, introspection, and surrender. Unlike other recreational substances that provide momentary euphoria, ayahuasca offers its users what they need rather than what they want. Now this can include visions of emotional turmoil or encounters with entities that some describe as 'dark forces' that might be terrifying. Yet, individuals who take these lessons most of the time emerge with a renewed sense of purpose, clarity, and inner peace.

According to a study, for 78% of individuals, the entities they experienced were described as 'benevolent' or 'sacred', they are kind of a guide or helper to uplift people morally and ethically. But 16% of individuals felt they were negatively judged and 11% felt the entities were malicious, they experienced harmful connections, or energetically attacked from the spirit world. Now it is a question for you, would you want to go into an ocean if 10% of the large fish probably attack you?
Wade Davis an anthropologist and ethnobotanist did his Ph.D. at Harvard University and came to the Amazon rainforest for exploration. He was so stunned by the secrets of the Amazon that he embraced the indigenous perspective on the world, creation, and spirituality. His Non-fiction and Samuel Johnson prize winner book ‘One River Explorations and Discoveries in The Amazon Rainforest’ explores aboriginal mythologies like the story of an anaconda who came down from the Milky Way and swam across the land and created the rivers.
It’s astonishing that out of 80,000 plant species and 400 billion trees in the rainforest, how could someone discover ayahuasca? How can people come to know that one out of these billions of trees and the root of some other particular plant and putting together would allow people to transcendent the physical realm to the realm of spirit? If one tried to discover ayahuasca through trials and errors– it would have taken millions of years. The discovery of ayahuasca is itself an astronomical or spiritual matter.
In the past two decades, global interest in ayahuasca has boomed, especially in the Western world. From celebrities' testimonies, and entrepreneurs to curious readers like you who are seeking higher wisdom have increased the demand for ayahuasca. In today's fast-paced world, the reasons for the increase in appeal for ayahuasca can also be the growing dissatisfaction with current psychiatric treatments, materialistic culture, and the rise of mental health issues. Ayahuasca, with its ability to reconnect individuals with nature, dissolve the illusion of separateness, and integrate body, mind, and spirit provides a remedy to the world.
But commercialization of ayahuasca is a real concern for today. Some indigenous communities fear that the true essence of their tradition and ayahuasca is being diluted as tourists seek out shamanic experiences without proper knowledge and understanding of the culture.

Furthermore, there also come ecological concerns, increasing demand for ayahuasca has led to overharvesting of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine. Just like commercialization following cut-throat competition resulted in many aboriginal species and knowledge being extinct, in the near future will the true essence of ayahuasca survive? A question remains in front of us.