Shamanic Ayahuasca Studied Academically

Veronika Kavenská, a psychologist at the Philosophical Faculty of Palacký University, came across the shamanic plant of Peru Indians by chance, in fact – while researching the effects of hallucinogens in drug abuse treatment. Today, the subject of ayahuasca [aja’waska] is being scientifically investigated by several of her students.

‘During my master’s studies, I became interested in the rituals of indigenous tribes. I decided to take a journey to South America,’ remembers Kavenská. Five years ago, during the summer vacation between her fourth and fifth year, she took her first trip to Peru to visit Takiwasi – a therapeutic centre for male drug abusers. This is when she encountered ayahuasca for the first time, too. Later she spent almost a year at the borders of Amazonia as part of her doctoral studies.

As a psychologist, she participated in all activities concerning the patients. She monitored the treatment of six of them. ‘I was fascinated by the complexity of their treatment. People in the centre try to deal with their lives in a complex way, including the spiritual level. They work on the purpose of their lives and their relationships,’ says the psychologist. She brought the flag of the Shipibo tribe back from her journeys. ‘The natives weave their healing songs into the flag, so that it enables recovery. They can sing their songs according to the woven pattern,’ explains Kavenská.

A bitter tonic

Ayahuasca is a spreading, woody vine (liana) growing in the Amazon jungles of Peru, Brazil, Colombia, and Ecuador. Local tribes have been using it from time immemorial. ‘The liana is a source of a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, which is also a component of some antidepressants. It is added into the brew along with a number of other plants, with at least one whose local name is chacruna. Chacruna contains DMT, which is a hallucinogen present in human brain. It may be released, for example, during dreaming. It has also been detected in the brains of people who have had near-death experiences,’ says Kavenská.

The mixture of ayahuasca and chacruna is boiled in water for approximately 12 hours. It is accompanied with an important local ritual. ‘It results in a very thick, brownish, bitter liquid of intense, unpleasant taste. It is strongly hallucinogenic and the tribes use it till nowadays, in order to cure both physical and mental illnesses,’ adds Kavenská. She claims ayahuasca to be a part of Amazon culture, religion, as well as cosmic vision.

Shamanic tourism

Last July, Kavenská began working on a project focussing on ayahuasca ‘shamanic tourism’. ‘I investigate people who go to South America to take ayahuasca. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of people who have had this experience. Quite a few even organise such trips,’ says Kavenská.

Starting in June 2013, she will conduct the research and ask such tourists in Peru about the reason and motivation for their arrival, which illnesses they seek to cure, what are their experiences, and whether this treatment solved their problems. The findings should be available to the public too, to be submitted in June 2014.

‘Under my supervision, one student is writing her bachelor’s thesis and one her master’s thesis on the subject of ayahuasca. Both are in the phase of data collection,’ says Kavenská who explores the possibilities of using hallucinogens in drug abuse treatment as well as the spiritual dimensions of addictions and focusses on analytic psychotherapy and school psychology.

In connection to her research, this subject is being explored by another 5 students, who are supported by the Fund for Support of Scientific Research at the Philosophical Faculty of Palacký University.

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