Ancient Songs and Green Magic
A Search for What Is Real in the Amazon Jungle of Peru
by David P. Crews___
Page 2
Making Ayahuasca
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It rained most of the night – a wonderful jungle rainstorm with occasional thunder and some downpours. I was snug and safe under my thatch roof.
As we were eating a good breakfast, a large tree crashed in the selva (jungle) behind the lodge, almost coming down on top of the Ayahuasca cooking tambo.
This morning's work was to watch and help with the cooking of the brew. Two huge pots boiled over wood fires, and Don Rober was watching things closely and blessing the ingredients with mapacho smoke. We all had to smoke the mapacho, and bless the Ayahuasca. Mapacho is a large “cigarette” of a sacred tobacco. It is made from the species “nicotiana rustica” – a completely different species from commercial tobacco. It has none of the tars and other additives, and it is considered a sacred and visionary plant by the shamans. When used properly, mapacho is a true medicine plant rather than an unhealthy substance.
This was the first time I had ever smoked, but the mapacho smoke is not inhaled into the lungs and it is an integral and somewhat mind-altering part of the ritual process. This ties us in to the sacred space of the great teacher plants. We worked and watched all morning as the brew was condensed and cooked down. The entire process of cooking the Ayahuasca can take more than 12 hours.
Everyone is thinking about our journey tomorrow – the real journey that will redefine us. It is awesome to contemplate and more than a bit scary, but we are a great group and will work with Ayahyasca with honor and authenticity.
Don Rober, our shaman, blesses and watches over the Ayahuasca brew.
As it boils down, the brew is concentrated into smaller and smaller vessels until it is in bottles.
This process can take more than 12 hours.
Ayahuasca vine segments.
My mapacho (Tabacco: nicoteana rustica)
From Ayahuasca the vine to Ayahuasca the sacramental "tea".
The final brew.
Sacred Space & Place
All photos and text ©2006 David P. Crews. All rights reserved.
