become immortal; we have attained the light, the Gods discovered.' The drink which was often referred to as the 'God of the Gods' was eventually deified and worshipped by the locals but, sadly, the identity of the actual plant has been lost through the passage of time.
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The Vine of Souls
The 'vine of souls' or Ayahuasca is the sacred medicinal drink of South American shamans. Anthropologist Peter Furst says that 'we are probably not far wrong in suggesting that the Ayahuasca drink is at least as old as 3?000?BCE or even before'. In recent times, Ayahuasca has steadily gained popularity as people from all over the world seek to experience altered states of consciousness and associated healing. After drinking Ayahuasca under guidance, many record experiences of increased depth of conscious awareness. Some report transformational 'ego deaths' or emotional cleansings that profoundly change their perception of reality and their role as spiritual beings within the cosmos. The beings that are encountered in the Ayahuasca realm are a topic of much debate. There are many accounts where these multi-dimensional beings pass valuable information to the drinker that seem to create a deep awareness of the consequences of past and future actions thereby offering a chance to operate from a more responsible and conscious standpoint. Entheogenic plants are commonly referred to as healer plants or teacher plants as the spirits contained in the plants seem to offer a complete experience without any external input. It is astonishing to consider that these special wonders of nature actually communicate with the individual in a coherent and compassionate manner. Prospective travellers are normally advised to set an intention from a few days before the experience so the plant spirits have a clear goal to work towards. It is important to remember that the plant spirits usually address matters in order of
Dr Gabor Maté Ayahuasca & Addiction Treatment
importance or priority. As a result of our senses being spiritually limited, we often cannot see the root causes of our afflictions but the intelligence of the plant spirits somehow always prevails. It is widely accepted that the cause of many, if not most, illnesses are rooted in the emotions and peg directly back to past experiences. The plant spirits allow one to access and revisit the trigger point of the illness so the sufferer has an authentic opportunity to accept, shift his or her response and release the charge that underpins emotional and sometimes physical illnesses.
The religion of Bwiti
Wikipedia states, 'Iboga (Tabernanthe iboga? is a ) perennial rainforest shrub and hallucinogen, native to western Central Africa which stimulates the central nervous system when taken in small doses, and induces visions in larger doses. In parts of Africa where the plant grows, the bark of the root is chewed for various pharmacological or ritualistic purposes (for instance in the religion of Bwiti). Ibogaine, the active alkaloid, is also used to treat substance abuse disorders. A small amount
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