PlantShaman's Enlightenment Blog

There we were, twelve pilgrims, facing down one of Peru’s – nay, the world’s – most sacred sites: The Huacha Cortada, or the life-giving pyramid. She’s deceptively small, this moundish creation, and straight down the middle is an old staircase of sorts, welcoming ascension. It’s no optical illusion: this pyramid looked like a vagina. There’s [...]

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We arrived at El Brujo a little before noon, sweeping into the extraordinarily remote and sandy coastal mecca. The two pyramids appeared more like large sandy mounds; deceptively simple. I felt like we were a band of warriors, parking our van a stone’s through from the ocean, and piling out with panchos and day packs [...]

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In order to do justice to the most incredibly powerful day in my life’s history, I have to provide a wee bit o’ Andean history. Keep with me now, it’ll all be worth it. After the uber-amazing Fire Mesa, the crew enjoyed a down day, rested up, then hit the road. Our bus took us [...]

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So, we had climbed Fire Mountain, and I finally found the bottom; after loads of drama. And one amazing hug. I waited at the end of the trail for the others to find their way, watching the darkness settled in. I started to worry about my crew; what if they were meeting the same panicked [...]

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My first Huachuma ceremony took place in January, after my second Ayahuasca cycle. I had already experienced 5 doses of Ayahuasca on that trip, and spent a few extra days to sample this companion medicine I had heard so much about. The experience administered in the jungle is called The Serpent Mesa, because the spirit [...]

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