Facets of Ayahuasca: A Guide to Journeys of Healing, Insight, and Growth

After reading the summary and reviews, I had hopes this book would live up to its summary and reviews, but it did not. In fact I am left under the impression that the authors have never even experienced this plant medicine... perhaps their only interest was to promote those who do coaching.Bygones. Having already worked with this plant medicine and I, also, happen to be a mindset coach, I do not recommend this book. The authors subtly plant negative thoughts for the unsuspecting reader that could steal the beauty and benefits of a highly beneficial experience.

I have been a fan of Prof. Nardi's work for many years, and therefore when it came to my attention that he was involved with this particular project, I naturally ordered the book when it became available.Prof. Nardi's other works are often more scholarly. This text is leaning heavily towards the spiritual side of things. The reader is welcomed to the world of Ayuhuasca - a medicinal brew used by the shamans of the Amazon rainforest to induce a type of trance, which leads people to self-discovery. 'The Medicine', as it is called, is drunk in special ceremonies, and then for a few hours the participant becomes emerged in a dream-like state, during which he has intimate conversations with his own psyche, and naturally comes to resolve emotional problems. It is like solo psychotherapy accelerated, with a single experience enough to make up for years of treatment. Known to be very effective and with a positive influence on the majority of participants, the Ayuhuasca ceremonies have become quite popular in the Western world in recent years, which brought about the need to write such a book.The text does a good job at summing up most important facets to the participation in an ayuhuasca ceremony and journey. Discussed are the types of plants used, what these plants do to one's consciousness, the ceremonies and what happens in them, the roles of 'helpers' and 'shamans' at such events, the various required precautions, etc. A broad variety of relevant topics are covered, and critical questions are answered. There are even chapters about auxiliary practices that enhance the experience, like breathing methods, Yoga, communal support, etc. The connection made with the chakras and Carl Jung's ideas is especially fitting.The few downsides of the book include:- The language is exceedingly spiritual. For people unfamiliar with the world of Ayuhuasca, that can be a deterrent. Perhaps that would not be the best book for convincing people to try it, unless they are already spiritually-minded.- Only about a quarter of the text speaks to newcomers. The rest is meant for those who have already tried Ayuhuasca before.- The text answers the WHAT and WHY, but not the HOW! The authors intentionally omitted what is most important to newcomers: "How do I find teachers? How do I find practitioners? How do I grow and brew these plants?". Granted, this was probably intentional. But it leaves the newcomer feeling somewhat unsatisfied.- The text does not go in depth into people's stories. It focuses on the ceremony, the plants and the psyche, without going too deep into examples of how this really changed people's lives. Again, being apparently targeted towards those already convinced.Overall, this is very good work. Few are the subjects in general, which receives in writing such a concise yet nonetheless encompassing summary of their essence. The inclusion of several distinguished authors did justice with the work, and allowed for readers to receive a well-rounded and balanced view. For those who seek to enter the realm of Ayuhuasca, this should be among the first sources to look into. For those who have already tried Ayuhuasca, this book ought to be an indispensable part of your library!

I read this book after having participated in 6 Ceremonies in the Jungle and before my next week of work with the Medicine. It explained much of what I had experienced on some of my journeys, and had continued to experience during the months following this experience. It helped me to integrate many of my experiences and learn where I had been taking things too literally and why the dieta is important.The book showed me that I'm not "special" for my experiences and how everyone's experiences are so different and so profound.It is a quick and easy read that covers a lot in layman terms, so is easy for anyone of little to no experience to comprehend.It is straightforward and additionally teaches how to serve one's community, help facilitate and integrate for others.I'd highly recommend this book as an informative start to your enquiries into Ayahuasca.

...and I really mean that in the best way :)Maybe all your friends are talking about going into the jungle for weeks at a time on psychedelic spirit journeys, and you're trying to figure out what all the fuss is about? This book will clear up a lot of misconceptions. It has a lot of clear guidance on how to prepare, what to look for in a ceremony, and what kind of experiences one can expect. If I had read this book before my first ceremony, I’d have felt a lot safer taking that first shaman's strange brew.Maybe you already participated and you're trying to make sense of it all? The chapters describe various ways of interpreting the experience without trying to tell you “what it was” and offers substantial suggestions for how to go deeper in the comforts of home. For an experience as fantastic and mind-bending as this, that subtle difference is key. I got some food for thought, and I'm using it to inform my path forward.Maybe you're a level 9 woke ayanaut with a black belt in plant medicine? This book might help you see your ego trap.Despite the best of intentions a lot of the information available on these ceremonies is shrouded in poetry, secrecy, and metaphor. I really appreciated reading something that explores the breadth of experiences possible in a way I could relate with.

This is a fantastic overview of the many different types of experiences and considerations that surround the drinking of ayahuasca - the authors cover the psychological, transcendental, energetic, sexual and relational transformations and changes that can occur from working with 'la medicina'. They focus on the importance of informed and educated ceremony facilitators, and the necessary precautions and boundaries involved in such an intense group dynamic. While the internet abounds with first person descriptions of ayahuasca journeys, it was nice to learn more about the different integrative practices available, and how one should ideally position ayahuasca in a larger framework of spiritual discovery and healing. I even took away some good personal insights to apply to my everyday life, with or without ayahuasca. Definitely recommended for anyone looking for a conservative and well-grounded guide to a new - yet ancient - frontier.