AYAHUASCA AND ITS PHENOMENOLOGY
The presence of the serpent
The manifestation of the serpent is common in the imaginary; it is universally present in all visionary states, from the dreams of children to the visions of mystics and seekers. For the Aztecs, the serpent biting its own tail was a symbol of eternity, that is, of circular time always returning upon itself, eternally beginning, creating and destroying. In Egypt, used as a talisman, it was bearer of longevity, health and vitality; the Ureus serpent appeared in the crown of the pharaohs as a personification of Ra, the Sun, and symbolized divine power, wisdom and energy. In Hinduism, the serpent is known as Ananta, representing the infinite, symbol of the eternity of cycles. It is a sign of life, of immortality, of healing (symbol of Aesculapius the healer, son of Apollo); it represents the beginning of life, the ancestral force, the most primary expression, the start of all designs, morphosis itself, creativity; it is the symbol of the goddess Nature, great creator mother. It is the mysterious symbol of Chacrona.
The serpent signifies flexibility and transmutation; the cosmic reservoir of all potentialities and latencies. For this reason the serpent is also a sign of fertility, fecundity and prosperity, as well as of wisdom and knowledge. By being simple, and in this simplicity being the beginning of all forms, it symbolizes the essence, pristine oneness. By being just a line, and having within itself a bifid tongue, it illustrates, in a deeper and more sacred sense, the resolution of polarity into unity, like the Tao symbol; in ancient Mexico it is the symbol of identical twins.
In our experience, the vision of the serpent, symbol of medicine (especially within an experience where mandalas or multicolored geometric forms are also perceived), often indicates the fertilization of a process of change and healing, the resolution of a conflict, the acquisition of a character, virtue or faculty, the realization of an intuition, the birth of a vision, of an understanding, or the emergence of an option.
Account: One of our affiliates suffered from intense anxiety. He had been an Ayahuasca user for over a year; the experience amplified his anxiety to the point of becoming a suffering, fear of dying or losing his mind. With the passing of months and dozens of experiences, the state varied in intensity but did not resolve, despite diets, suspension of coffee, relaxation techniques, suitable music and direct induction toward tranquilization — the anxiety remained as a disquieting weave in the fabric of his emotions. In his second ceremony within our society, we decided, through the use of a metaphor expressed in the form of a soft chant, to induce a dissociation in which one visited the heart of a forest, finding a healing fountain, a lake and water source, where one would have access, with confidence and safety, to a clear and revealing vision of oneself. The subject perceived a spiral, a colored mandala, like a whirlwind wanting to absorb consciousness. He resisted, but eventually surrendered and let himself be carried. To his surprise the spiral did not absorb, but scattered, radiating his consciousness in all azimuths. While experiencing a state of dissolution and relaxation for the first time in many years, he saw, in the blue of an imaginary sky, an enormous serpent vomiting universes and happy children. Finally, in the open mouth of the serpent, he saw the smiling face of a golden baby. After this experience, and to this day, he ceased to suffer from anxiety, sighing dyspnea and anguish, remaining calm even in stressful situations. His experiences have been serene and tranquil.