Ayahuasca- Cultural Patrimony of Peru

Designation as Cultural Patrimony of the nation extended to the Knowledge and Traditional Uses of Ayahuasca as practiced by native amazon communities.

the National Institute of Culture, in order to carry out its function as assigned by law, with the active participation of the community, to conduct a permanent identification of such traditional manifestations of the country that should be declared as Cultural Patrimony of the Nation;That by means of the proper document, the Directorate of Study and Registration of Culture in Contemporary Peru requests a declaration as Cultural Patrimony of the Nation the knowledge and traditional uses associated with Ayahuasca, and practiced by native Amazon communities, according to the Report prepared by Dona Rosa A. Giove Nakazawa, of the Takiwasi Center-Tarapoto and submitted by the Regional Office of Economic Development of the Regional Government of San Martin to the Regional Directorate of Culture of San Martin; That the Ayahuasca plant-Banisteriopsis caapi-is a vegetable species which garners an extraordinary cultural history, by virtue of its psychotropic properties, used in a beverage associated with a plant known as Chacruna-Psychotria viridis; That such plant is known by the indigenous Amazon world as a wisdom plant or plant teacher, showings initiates the very fundaments of the world and its components. Consumption of it constitutes the gateway to the spiritual world and its secrets, which is why traditional Amazon medicine has been structured around the Ayahuasca ritual at some point in their lives, indispensable to those who assume the function of privileged carriers of these cultures, be they those charged with communication with the spiritual world, or those who express it artistically. That the effects produced by ayahuasca, extensively studied because of their complexity, are different from those produced by hallucinogens. A part of this difference consists in the ritual that accompanies its consumption, leading to diverse effects, but always within the confines of a culturally determined boundary, with religious, therapeutic and culturally affirmative purposes.

That available information sustains the fact that the practice of ritual ayahuasca sessions constitutes one of the basic pillars of the identity of the Amazon peoples, and that the ancestral use in traditional rituals, warranting cultural continuity, is closely connected with the therapeutic attributes of the plant; That what is sought is the protection of traditional use and sacred character of the ayahuasca ritual, differentiating it from Western uses out of context, consumerist, and with commercial objectives; Sole Article.-To declare as CULTURAL PATRIMONY OF THE NATION, the knowledge and traditional uses of Ayahuasca practiced by the native Amazon communities, as a warranty of cultural continuity.Be it registered, communicated, and published.

Ayahuasca Treatment for Addiction

 

MAPS supports research into the safety and effectiveness of ayahuasca-assisted treatment for drug addiction. We also support conferences, meetings, and publications about the scientific, therapeutic, sustainable, and spiritual uses of ayahuasca. We also serve as non-profit fiscal sponsor for organizations that support these uses.

We recently completed the first North American observational study of the safety and long-term effectiveness of ayahuasca treatment for addiction and dependence. The paper describing the results of the study was published in June 2013 in Current Drug Abuse Reviews.

Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew or tea most commonly derived fromBanisteriopsis caapi, a vine containing monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), and the leaves of Psychotria viridis or other plant containing N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and often several other admixture plants.

Ayahuasca is legal in many countries in South America. The United States Supreme Court has unanimously ruled in favor of the legal religious use of ayahuasca by the União do Vegetal, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has affirmed the Santo Daime Church's freedom to use ayahuasca for religious purposes. However, ayahuasca's principally active ingredient—DMT—remains a Schedule I controlled substance.

In recent decades, international researchers have been exploring the effects of ayahuasca on brain function as well as the potential use of ayahuasca-assisted therapy as a treatment for substance abuse and other disorders. Although preliminary, current research suggests that when administered in therapeutic settings, ayahuasca may help reduce problematic substance use by helping promote personal or spiritual insights or self-knowledge.

Source: maps http://www.maps.org/research/ayahuasca

Pre-Incan Cusco Peru: 

Sonic and Energy fields of Quoricancha

Cusco has so much to offer visitors that we would be doing our readers a disservice not to include all aspects of this mystical pre-historic centre. Today we look at the sonic and energy fields of Quoricancha (Coricancha) The Temple of the Sun.  This was the main temple of the Inca, centre of their empire and most certainly built by the pre-Incan megalithic builders that most likely existed thousands of years before the Incas.

One of Brian Forester's very interesting videos on sonic and energy fields of Quoricancha.   Brian's videos give an alternative scientific view of Peru's pre-Incan technology and megalithic builders well worth a look.         

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The fabulous festival of Inti Raymi, return of the Sun/ mid-winter's day at Quoricancha June 24th.     Definitely one for the bucket list.

The Chosen Women at the month long festival of Inti Raymi.

The Inca at Quoricancha Inti Raymi festival

 Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, (the son of one of the last Inca princess' and a Spanish nobleman) described Quoricancha as being covered in sheets of gold and silver.  Everything in Quoricancha and the House of the Chosen Women was made of gold...before the Spanish arrived that is.

However reading Garcilaso de la Vega one must read between the lines as it was illegal at the time to write or speak about what the Spanish were doing.  This is a digital impression of what Quoricancha looked like before the Spanish arrived... minus the gold and silver.

Andean Sacred Medicinal Plants

Mama Coca

Any description of Andean life would be incomplete without the mention of coca. This plant is one that has been grown for at least 2,000 years in the highlands of South America, with Peru being one of the largest producers and consumers of the plant. Coca is more than just a plant to the Andean peoples: it is the most sacred of all plants. Its most ancient employment is use in religious and shamanistic rituals, as its narcotic effects that enable deep trances when used in excess. Offerings of coca are routinely given to ask for good crops, health, protection, or as gifts/signs of respect.

Chewing coca leaves is part of everyday life, as well. Just as they did in ancient times, today people carry small bags around with them containing the leaves, which they periodically put in their mouths. They chew and suck on the leaves, creating a ball with the coca and saliva. 

Coca is used in a great deal of health preparations, but there are a wide variety of benefits from the leaf itself. It is also popular to make tea by boiling the leaves: "mate de coca." This tea also has many health benefits itself, particularly for internal problems like digestion and also for psychological stress and depression (20).

I was able to chew coca leaves quite frequently in the mountains. They helped me with altitude sickness, but if you chew too many your mouth becomes numb! We had mate de coca often as well, usually after dinner. It is good for helping the body process food, but also very bitter! 

Health Benefits and Cultural Issues of Coca

Most notable benefits of coca:

Reduces muscular exhaustion
Relieves hunger and thirst
Increases endurance
Acts as an anesthesia
Rich in vitamins (B1, riboflavin, C, calcium)
Alleviates respiratory problems associated with high altitude
Helps pain from rheumatism, external sores, and headaches
Acts as an aphrodisiac

Many people misunderstand the cultural practice of using coca leaves for various purposes because they contain the cocaine alkaloid is made from. Despite popular belief, coca leaves are not addictive and contain only trace amounts of cocaine. Coca is a plant with countless benefits for health and rich in tradition, but has also served as a basis for discrimination against indigenous Andean peoples who use it legitimately (20).

This information originally appeared in traditionalmedicineinperuandes.weebly.com

To find out more about Etnikas Coca leaf ceremonies & readings click below.

http://www.etnikas.com/therapies-ayahuasca-cusco-peru?tabactivo=2

Welcome to Etnikas Blog &

the best  Ayahuasca video! a must see

This is the best video I have seen to give you a really good sense of what Mother Ayahuasca is all about...with headphones is best.

We would love to hear your thoughts on it...

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In our blog we want to introduce you to all Cusco Peru has to offer, not just the Ayahausca retreats but also other Shamanic healing ceremonies, medicinal plants, sacred sites and most importantly the people. 

The Chosen Women @ 

Qurikancha Temple of the Sun

We have just passed the magnificent festival of Inti Raymi (mid-winters day) celebrated in Incan tradition at Qurikancha and Saqsayhuaman pre-Incan sites but more about those later.

The procession arrives for Inti Raymi @ 

Saqsayhuaman, Cusco