This July world-class experts on the relationship between altered states of consciousness and healing will be meeting in Iquitos, Peru, to discuss the past, present, and future of shamanism.
The Amazon rain forest holds many secrets.
For the most part, among the lost and forgotten aspects of our species’ heritage is the intimacy that we once shared with the natural world, and the dialogue that we once had with the living forces of nature.
However, within the lush green rain forests of the Peruvian Amazon, this precious intimacy and communication with nature still exists, and the practices and healing rituals that allow for it have become deeply imbedded in the country’s culture.
“Shamanism” is an umbrella term referring to the practice of many different forms of indigenous healing, and it is a universal phenomenon that has emerged from all tribal human cultures.
Shamanism often requires that the healer and/or patient be in a trance state, or an altered state of consciousness, during the healing treatment, induced by singing, drumming, dancing, ingesting psychedelic plants, prayer, theater, and/or ritual.
Shamans are members of a tribal community who are able to access these special states of consciousness--and supposedly travel to other worlds, where they can consult with various spirits--as a means of healing others or for helping their community.
Shamans are commonly referred to as “wounded healers,” as they have the power to heal others because they’ve learned how to heal themselves first.
Amazonian shamans in Peru have been using psychedelic plants for thousands of years in their healing ceremonies.
Most commonly, the brew known as “ayahuasca” is prepared from at least two different plants, and sometimes the San Pedro cactus is used.
This July 21-27, in Iquitos, Peru, the 9th International Amazonian Shamanism Conference, will be held.
Indigenous shamans from the Peruvian Amazon, artists, and experts from around the world on shamanism, altered states of consciousness, and alternative healing, will be meeting there to discuss the past, present, and future of shamanism.
Some of the speakers at the conference include psychologists Brad Adams, Susana Bustos, and C. Mikkal Smith, investigative journalist Peter Gorman, parapsychologist Chris Falconi, curanderismo expert Alan Shoemaker, ancient Andean wisdom teacher Tito La Rosa, and me.
Iquitos is the largest city in the world that is only accessible by boat or by plane--there are no roads from the outside world that lead to Iquitos--and it’s probably the ayahuasca capital of the world, as its quite well-known for it’s high rate of legal ayahuasca tourism.
Ayahuasca, the powerful, hallucinogenic jungle juice that contains DMT, is perfectly legal in Peru, and it’s considered by many of its inhabitants to be an important part of the country’s healthcare system and cultural heritage.
Ayahuasca and San Pedro cactus ceremonies, with recognized and respected shamans, will both be available.
To learn more about the conference see: www.soga-del-alma.org/2013/
Please mention my name if you register for the conference--to receive a free autographed copy of one of my books--and be sure to check out the workshops that I’ll be co-teaching there:
www.soga-del-alma.org/2013/tours-a-workshops/118-navigating-altered-states
Hope to see you in Iquitos!
If you enjoy my column, and want to learn more about psychedelic and cannabis culture, “like” my Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/pages/David-Jay-Brown/115740098445882?ref=ts
and follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/DavidJayBrown
Please share any thoughts that you may have about shamanism.
