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Plant Medicines of the Amazon
Healing through the helixing of two cultures in the Peruvian Amazon.
Editorial by Clayton Stallings Amazon rainforest
Local Missourian and Dieta Practitioner, Matthew Brake, is the owner of Medicine Dreamer and an expert in Amazonian medicines, including Ayahuasca, Hapé, and Kambo. He trained under internationally respected Peruvian Shaman Don José Campos. Brake will host a traditional 10-day Ayahuasca( Aya) Dieta in Peru, December 1 – 13, 2025.
The Aya Dieta trip includes four nighttime ceremonies every other night and one morning ceremony on the last day in the Amazon jungle. Participants will also drink at least one other Master plant daily during the 10-day Dieta. Three integration circles will take place on the nights the Aya ceremonies aren’ t taking place. Each person will have access to one-on-one guidance, and a translator will be traveling with the group.
An Ayahuasca ceremony is a traditional Amazonian practice involving a psychedelic brew believed to offer profound opportunities for healing, spiritual growth, and personal insight, including the following: 1. Emotional Healing and Processing Trauma 2. Self-Discovery and Gaining Clarity 3. Spiritual Awakening and Connection 4. Addressing Mental Health Challenges 5. Personal Growth and Development
“ I’ ve sat in circle with at least 3,000 different people from all over the world over the last 16 years,” explained Brake,“ and I can’ t think of even one person who didn’ t get something positive or something in the way of personal insight from their experience. Of course, some experiences have greater degrees of healing and benefit than others, but overall, everyone gets something beneficial in one form or another.
“ I’ ve been taught through a traditional lineage on the way ceremonies are held as well as a western culture approach, and have merged aspects from both, so the ceremonies include many sound healing instruments, traditional instruments, and traditional Icaros as well as my own. Icaros are the traditional songs of shamans of the Amazon that have been passed down for centuries.”
Many hope Ayahuasca will someday be available to future patients in the United States, but surprisingly, Brake is a Master Practitioner of two other Amazonian medicines that are legal in Missouri— Hapé and Kambo.
Hapé
Hapé, also known as rapé, is a traditional snuff used by various indigenous tribes of the Amazon rainforest for centuries. It’ s a finely ground
32 September 2025 powder, typically made from a blend of medicinal plants, herbs, and Nicotiana Rustica.
“ When blown into your nose, Hapé stimulates neurotransmitter activity, partially because Nicotiana Rustica is 14- to 18-times stronger than tobacco,” explained Brake.“ It’ s anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-microbial, and causes a quieting of the chatter in the mind, helping to get into meditative states by removing anxious feelings through grounding.” I’ ve also seen it help many people reclaim their personal power and find the confidence to start speaking their true feelings. Brake has also seen many people use it to quit smoking as well as stop taking Benso’ s benzodiazepines( anxiety medication). Different herbs can be added to address various ailments, so it’ s essential to work with an experienced practitioner.
Hapé – Other Uses
● Spiritual Connection: To facilitate spiritual connection, enhance focus, and purify the mind and body in sacred rituals.
● Mental Clarity and Focus: Believed to clear mental fog, ground the user, and deepen meditation. It can aid introspection and self-understanding, potentially enhancing concentration and mindfulness.
● Emotional and Energetic Cleansing: Cleanse the mind and body of negative energy and toxins, facilitate emotional release, and help process traumatic memories, possibly realigning energy centers and eliminating negativity.
● Grounding and Relaxation: Connect the user with the earth to promote calm and focus, and relax the nervous system to reduce stress.
● Potential Physical Benefits: Some users report relief from headaches, sinus congestion, and tension. It may help purify the sinuses and respiratory system, and may support the digestive system.
Kambo
Kambo is a secretion from the giant green monkey tree frog( Phyllomedusa bicolor) traditionally used by indigenous tribes in the Amazon region for various purposes, such as strengthening the body’ s natural defenses( immune system), warding off misfortune, improving hunting skills, and serving as a cleansing
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