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The Ayahuasca ritual: Peruvian national cultural heritage and its possible integration into the primary health system
The new issue of the journal Revista Cultura y Droga has just been published, containing an article by Dr. Rosa Giove on the ayahuasca ritual as cultural heritage.
On June 24, 2008, the Peruvian Government declared the “knowledge and traditional uses of Ayahuasca practiced by native Amazonian communities” as National Cultural Heritage. The inspiration that led to this important achievement was to protect the ritual use of the Ayahuasca brew as traditionally practiced for centuries by Amazonian indigenous communities, including its intangible ritual component, the knowledge of the healers and the healers themselves, while also favoring the protection of the environment and the sustainability of the plant resources involved. In the last couple of decades, the mechanisms of action of Ayahuasca and its therapeutic potential in several fields have been investigated in depth. Nevertheless, fourteen years after the enactment of this declaration, regulations that can offer a concrete protection are still pending, while we observe increasing commercial pressure and risks associated with the irresponsible use of Ayahuasca and other psychoactive plants in the context of shamanic tourism.
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Scientific evidence on spirituality and health
Science has moved away from spirituality, but scientific evidence shows how, through its practice, health benefits increase. Thousands of scientific studies support this claim. Particularly in the case of addiction, due to their nature and the personality structure of the people who suffer from it, the positive impact of this practice on the resolution of the disease is surprising.
Intervention by Dr. Harold G Koening, psychiatrist and researcher at Duke University Medical Center, in the "II Symposium Dialogue between Medicines: the spiritual approach to addictions" that took place on September 2020, in Barcelona, Spain, and was organized by the GASS association and the Takiwasi Center.
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Testimony of the therapeutic effects of plants in Takiwasi
"Both stays at Takiwasi were pivotal moments. The first thing I did when I was reunited with my family after the seminary was to forgive my father, from whom I had distanced myself because of his absence and his violence. I was also able to discuss with my mother the vision of the miscarriage, which she confirmed. To my great surprise, my parents listened and opened up too. My change in attitude also produced theirs, it was the first time we had personal conversations, we reconciled. This work of psychogenealogy continued during the following two years thanks to research and discussions with various members of my maternal and paternal family. It seemed obvious to me that I had to pursue it deeper in Takiwasi.
The preparatory purges worked perfectly by eliminating some parasitic elements and preparing the ground for the other plants. The ayahuasca session allowed me to access deep somatic memories and the time spent in isolation in the forest with the ingestion of plants gave me a clear vision of the actions to be carried out in my life following all the information that I received.
Back from Peru, we are now settled in a small house in the countryside in the center of France, which completely meets my expectations. Personal work continues through prayer, contemplation, walking and remembering the teachings received. I no longer use drugs except alcohol on rare occasions. Through psychogenealogical research and concrete actions, not all completed yet, I try to heal the maternal and paternal family lines. I also have the chance to love and be loved by my wife, and God of course. Both accompany me and encourage me on this path of life."
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Prohibition of ayahuasca in Italy
On March 14, 2022, the Italian Ministry of Health has officially included the two plants from which the active ingredients of the Ayahuasca concoction are extracted (harmaline, harmine and DMT), that is, Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis , in the Table I of narcotic substances according to the national law on drugs. This makes ayahuasca illegal in all aspects in Italy, in line with what happens in France.
Our scientific director Matteo Politi has received an invitation from Walter Menozzi, legal representative of the ICEFLU association (Santo Daime - Italy), to write a technical-scientific report in support of a legal action against this law. Despite the differences that each institution may have, it seems important to us to come together in this type of situation.
The case of ayahuasca in Italy also reminds us of what happened in France almost two decades ago, when ayahuasca was first declared legal and then banned in all its forms. The article "One hundred days of Ayahuasca" written by Ghislaine Bourgogne (psychotherapist and director of the French association "La Maison qui Chante") on the occasion of a Congress held in Tarapoto 2009, reminds us how the events unfolded.
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Retreats/Diets at Takiwasi
Dear friends, these are the dates of our next Retreats/Diets:
• 14 - 24 September
• 12 - 22 October
• 16 - 26 November
• 07 - 17 December
For more information and to start the registration process please write to: terapia@takiwasi.com
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Help us with your Donation
If you wish to support the activities of the Takiwasi Center, there are several ways to do it.
You can choose to give your contribution to the protection and conservation of Amazonian teacher plants through the project Adopt an Ayahuasca, or contributing to cover for the cost of the treatment and rehabilitation of our patients that suffer with drug addiction and have limited economic resources
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