Original article – June 2007 – Régis Alain Barbier

INTRODUCTION:

In this article we will be discussing the use of the beverage technically defined as psychoactive, of oral and traditional use in indigenous America; obtained from the association of the decoctions of the vine Banisteriopsis Caapi, rich in harmine and harmaline, together with the leaves of the Rubiaceae Psychotria Viridis rich in DMT.

The term 'a priori spiritualist contexts' refers to supernaturalist consultive use in search of contact with entities considered supernatural; or also modern syncretic religious use — inaugurated after the conquest and in the encounter between indigenous peoples, Europeans and Africans. The term 'empirical spiritualist contexts' refers to historically subsequent, more recent use, equally in ritualistic settings, albeit of a more philosophical than theological nature, as it is an axiology investigating the understanding and apprehension of ethical virtues and values, but removing dogmatic and supernatural teleologisms; or leaving these extrapolations undefined (agnosticism).

ON THE DIVERSITY OF CONTEXTS

a) The a priori spiritualist context

The use of Ayahuasca in an a priori spiritualist context implies some form of hierarchism and supernaturalism, that is, a dualism. Figures such as shamans or founding masters are attributed with talents of ritual, magical-religious nature. They are recognized and accepted as capable of resorting to supernatural forces or entities: such as placing themselves in relation to them; or receiving these forces; or even revealing themselves to be one of these entities incarnated. This revelation or mediumship is done with the intention of performing spiritual healings, of body and soul, in search of health, harmony or salvation.

In this spiritualist context there is an essential difference between, on the one hand, the figures of shamans and founding masters of cults, and on the other, that of the consultants or disciples. Extraordinary powers are attributed to consulting shamans and founding masters and, sometimes, a very special essential nature: such as the peculiarity of being sent, coming from another existential plane (of spiritual or divine nature — and therefore called 'supernatural' in the sense of: preceding and superior to material nature). These figures are frequently considered as coming from a supreme existential plane [conceived as a 'paradisiacal plane', or 'superior astral', or yet 'superior kingdom' — i.e., the place of 'superior entities', or 'from above'] at the service of divine will, on a salvific mission to guide and attend to entities of the inferior plane or 'from below'.

In these various a priori ritualistic structures, the Ayahuasca tea is considered a vehicle capable of establishing a state of connection between disciples located in the inferior astral and the illuminating entities or forces of the superior astral. This vehicular effect, however, would only occur when the tea was: 1) ingested or communed — for some even 'prepared' — with the necessary guidance and rites; 2) and also according to the so-called 'merit' of each individual.

The adequate guidance mentioned above can be, from the point of view of its phenomenology, of two modes: special directive guidance and general directive guidance. What we here call 'special direction' is a more 'direct' supervision, that is, occurring in the personal and specific guidance of a talented master. Talented for two reasons: 1) because trained or initiated in the connecting rites and mysteries [or, at least, in spiritual and ritualistic contact with a disincarnated founding master understood as capable of establishing this connection]; 2) for having sufficient moral aptitude and personal congruence to stimulate and exhort disciples toward the ethical disposition necessary for the reception of such merit. What we here call 'general direction' is more indirect, i.e., establishing itself in the very force of the ritualistic structure defined by a traditional line or (and) taught, determined in the past by a recognized founding master. In this case the direction can operate in the form of prayers — intercessions and litanies — pronounced and sung in common, according to a model, or predefined general form.

In all cases, the guidance or direction is fully ritualistic: occurring through a conjunction of these various factors, whether special or general directive guidance, in varying proportion; according to the spiritual merit of the disciples: factors that, in the end, are thought to ultimately predetermine the results.

b) The empirical spiritualist context

The use of Ayahuasca in an empirical spiritualist context is not based on the belief that there may be spiritual knowledge coming originally from outside the scope of human experience, generally possible and natural. The existence of such esoteric principles or intelligent and divine designs is refused (or, in the hypothesis of their existence, disregarded) as a starting point for a search. No superior and divine reasons are credited in themselves, in the sense of purely supernatural or supranatural determinisms, originating from a superior instance said to precede the scope of matter-energy as naturally defined by physics. It is understood that all doctrines were ultimately dictated by someone.

The empirical spiritualist context implies some form of naturalistic monism: an absence of essential hierarchism or supernaturalism. In this empirical spiritualist context, the figures equivalent to the shamans or founding masters of a priori spiritualist approaches are not understood as bearers of magical-religious talents; nor are such talents attributed to them [nor do they 'reveal' them — in case they exist].

In general, these founders of ethical orienting movements of human action can be recognized and accepted as individuals possessing specific abilities: such as being capable of motivating and influencing people to reflect deeply; to place themselves in a relationship of integrity and coherence with themselves; in the direction of evolving according to a free and conscious choice of ethical values: with the intention of realizing in themselves, by themselves, better states of well-being, psychosomatic healing, harmony or euthymia.

In empirical ritualistic structures, the Ayahuasca tea is considered a facilitating agent; an amplifier of perceptivity, by allowing the installation of a phenomenological trance capable — according to the intention of users and practitioners — of establishing an expanded state of consciousness allowing a form of illumination: in the sense of gaining more autonomy and maturity in one's existential options, choices and need for surpassings. An essential difference of a spiritual nature is not considered to exist between, on the one hand, the figures of shamans or founding masters of cults, and on the other, the other members of the movements.

In these structures the guidance may be called active, but not directive: this because: 1) facilitated and stimulated by the context where participants agree to fulfill the opening, development and closing rituals; predisposing themselves to apply their own will in the search for greater ethical mastery; 2) ingesting the psychoactive tea according to their own control and will: this, both in terms of frequency of use and in relation to the choice of quantity to be ingested.

The guidance is aptly called active non-directive guidance since each participant is 1) considered capable of placing themselves in contact with the deepest mystery of the state of being [this psychophysical union or matter-energy unity, or yet this union of verb and noun, of subject and object]; 2) having the aptitude to sustain a pattern of ethical conduct resulting from a mature, intelligent and conscious choice and decision.

Active non-directive guidance operates in the form of meditation and contemplation seeking a deep encounter with oneself, with nature and with the other; thematic studies; coordinated dialogues or spontaneous reflections; symbolic and ritualistic activity. In practice, active non-directive guidance occurs through a conjunction of these various factors, according to the will and deliberate agreements of participants.

ON THE DIVERSITY OF STRATEGIES

a) Deep strategies in a priori spiritualist and ritualistic practice:

In a priori spiritualist practice, the foundation is essentially theological, as well as supported by philosophical arguments as was formerly done in scholasticism. It is evident that a strong theological foundation predominates since an a priori and dogmatic distinction between an absolute ontological plane considered supernatural and nature is affirmed. The adept commits to accepting — despite and even against the light of natural reason — a distinction where one cannot rationally distinguish; opting to direct themselves, through a fideistic cognitive choice, according to the word or categorical guidance of the scriptures, or of the founding masters or shamans: sharing a belief system, grounded in tradition and ideology, in an act of trust and faith.

It is a spiritualism in the strong sense; i.e., with a deep idealistic and subjectivist, dualistic foundation; or else similar to that of the radical supernatural monism originating from Hinduism, or solipsism: in which everything is imagined as being structured beyond the matter-energy typical of profane physics. Sustained by divine will and thought considered as a supreme, intelligent and independent force or energy, destined to withdraw and reabsorb itself into its original spiritual form. It is well noted that in both cases a form of historical or dynamic dualism is maintained: the divine spirit passing through antithetical states, for insufficiently explained reasons: the proper and profound reasons of the divinity.

In this a priori spiritualist and ritualistic practice, the existence of an incarnated spiritual subject is advocated, generally immortal, rational, conscious and sensitive [spirit or (and) soul], observing, contacting the objective world. A deep and drastic subject-object cut is typical of spiritualism thus defined. It is interesting to be aware that a similar phenomenon occurs in scientific positivism, albeit in a different form. For a priori spiritualism the 'cut' is ontological (a spirit in matter); for positivism the 'cut' is epistemological or methodological: the existence of a subject endowed with objectivity is assumed; without however advocating an ontological separation.

In a priori spiritualist practice, mythical abstractions are elevated to the status of reality: nature is understood as absolutely governed from an essential and real supernatural plane that in one way or another exists absolutely. One attempts to fill the separation between material and spiritual realms through salvific ascesis where: 1) one tends toward the supernatural through ritual (and use of the mystical tea in the context of Ayahuasca-using religiosities); 2) one opts for idealistic listening, i.e., imbuing oneself with the idea of a transcendent subject, understood as soul or spirit, moved by objectives codified in revealed commandments; 3) preference is given to the dogmas of doctrines, always predominating, over the inferences of the most immediate sensory inputs considered as fundamentally uncertain and often illusory.

b) Deep strategies in empirical spiritualist and ritualistic practice:

In empirical spiritualist and ritualistic practice, philosophical grounding predominates and surpasses theological grounding, denying an a priori, dogmatic (irrational) distinction between an absolute ontological plane — considered supernatural — and nature. One refuses to recognize a distinction where one cannot naturally and rationally distinguish.

But despite this, it is not really a 'materialism', or some unfolding of positivism: the existence of a rational and sensitive subject observing the objective world is not advocated: the subject-object cut typical of positivism tends to be relational, negotiated, even abolished in certain unitary experiences: first in oneself, in the inability to distinguish a clear and precise border between feeling, consciousness, emotion and somatic sensation. As a consequence the ancient, Aristotelian, and modern epistemological cut between the so-called 'rational intellect' and the 'sensitive intellect' is abolished. It is understood, above all, in a certain way and on a deeper plane, that there is 'the being observing itself'. But it is also not that monism mentioned above and typical of Hinduism (or solipsism): matter and energy exist; entities are real, finite and separate.

In empirical spiritualist practice, one arrives at the nullity of rational human projections regarding what is essential and final; one does not seek consolation by making mythical abstractions into a supreme reality, an 'other world': one resolves to deduce that the cosmos, universal or cosmic nature, is in itself absolute: in one way or another it exists absolutely.

Therefore, in this practice, epistemological cuts and divisions are dissolved three times: there is no profound distinction between natural and supernatural [denying the supernatural as absolute]; there is no profound distinction between subject and object; nor a profound distinction between rational and sensitive intellect. It is about an existential processology, where one does not aspire to exist in an indefinite future outside the concrete and planetary plane: one tries to contribute to making it what it should be in the light of the best natural reason and choices.

ON THE SPACE-TIME OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS

a) In a priori spiritualist practice

Since everything alluding to the subjective world and cognition is understood as referring to a created and incarnated spirit from a superior determinism (in this case sent to the existential-material plane in search of re-connection with the creative sphere), it follows that an extraordinary instrument of religious guidance needs to be regularly and repeatedly used and applied to maintain good orientation and contact with the origin thus conceived.

In this belief and faith system, the establishment or re-establishment and maintenance of the connection between the incarnated located in the inferior astral and the illuminating entities or forces linked to the superior astral ('astral' is a typical expression of Ayahuasca movements) becomes a sacred duty shared by masters and disciples. The masters and those responsible committed to the duty of establishing and maintaining in activity a proper religious context adequate for this connection; disciples committed to the duty of affirming presence, collaborating, contributing effectively and practically in sustaining this accomplishment.

Both the doctrinal stimulus, exhorting good moral and social conduct adequate to the accumulation of merit necessary for a positive and happy contact between the planes; and the attendance at the temple and ritualistic use of the tea — as a vehicle governing the mystical realization of this contact — must occur with regularity and constancy, over a sufficient period of life; if possible, all one's life.

The efficacy of the ritual, as symbolic guardian of the gateway between the planes, is realized in the establishment of the mystical connection and in access to the listening of doctrine under conditions understood as ideal. The purpose is concretized by constant practice: fidelity is necessary for the final accumulation and maintenance of the merit essential to eschatological salvation: i.e., the final destiny of the spirit whose mission is to reintegrate into the original plane in the beyond.

b) In empirical spiritualist practice

In general, in empirical spiritualist and ritualistic practice, there are no extraordinary ontological or natural difficulties preventing the installation of a deep feeling of union in one's being and with nature: the possibility of knowing the existence of a supernatural plane is denied; everyone already well knows what it is 'to be human' through their own immediate experience.

One does not aspire to exist outside the existential plane where one is born and arises: one tries to contribute to making existence as it already manifests what one imagines it should be in the light of a naturally reasonable ethics. This, without any messianism, nor obligation, only by wanting and being able: trying to begin with oneself: studying the 'relationship' with oneself, or more exactly the quality of 'being with oneself' first. Then the relationship with the neighbor — family members and those directly sharing life; with colleagues; with people in general; with nature: always in search of greater acceptance, harmony, euthymia and joint satisfaction.

The determining factor is the intelligence of recognizing that in the real existential situation (the impermanence and fluidity of all things) the best option is certainly to take care, while life lasts, of a sensible — balanced; cordial; respectful and peaceful — coexistence and relationship with all beings. The psychophysical session with the psychoactive substance is a means of visiting an unusual and surprising state of perception and consciousness, constructing a referential and existential expansion [whose value can only be judged directly and by each person] serving as a supplementary contribution, of experiential enrichment, from which renewed and enriched, more lucid examinations of the current situation and experience are undertaken, primarily reevaluating: 1) one's own beliefs, reflected in images, symbols and insights; 2) one's behaviors, reactions, processes and difficulties of adaptation; 3) the criteria and values of one's ethical axiology; 4) one's attitudes and habits.

In empirical spiritualist and ritualistic practice, the mystical, unifying side of the experience allows knowing the deep absence of epistemic cuts — superficial and socially consecrated appearances — being unveiled in the light of natural reason and experience: 1) the unitary connection between the perceptive system and visions — navigating from the retina to vision as suggested and explained in another article; 2) the sensible connection between visions and reality; 3) between nature and the subject — as occurs in the strong experience of the relativity of time (a moment seems to last an eternity, a session seems to pass in minutes). The aesthetic sense teaches how to observe in a new and creative way; integrated and harmonious; synesthetic; amplified intelligence connects planes previously conceptually separated.

All these learnings remain as knowledge acquired through one's own experience, generically modifying all relationships in the direction of expanding values in more inclusive terms and deeper perspectives; in the direction of greater harmony and tolerance. This positive cognitive aspect, well-felt, combined with a defined commitment according to a free and conscious choice of ethical values, allows the installation of a deeper and more serene acceptance and recognition of one's own talents and limits; the emergence of a more euthymic, more complete and settled, more satisfying state of being.

Often, as time passes, the experience becomes firmer, basically iterative and recursive as in nature the reappearance of the full moon, of solstices and equinoxes: one revisits states of consciousness already reached, one re-encounters the known visionary patterns; the symbolic identity of the sensation of unity: a vivid and vigorous sense of complementarity and opposition; a Heraclitean consciousness of flux; a sense of permanence similar to the full state of being of Parmenides; a cyclical mythical experience: the revisitation of the same archetypes.

The more regenerated and re-presented style of experience can be symbolically described as the vision of a most beautiful, brilliant and strange 'absolute rose'. The central bud opening, blooming and growing ceaselessly, generating the renewal of the flower in search of the new; and the already born and older petals moving from the center to the periphery, rotating downward around the crown of the floral being, until finally withering and falling, nourishing the flower: giving impetus to new and endless new beginnings — infinite at least in the time of the experience!

DISCUSSION FROM A METHODOLOGICAL STANDPOINT

On the use of the tea and rituals in both types of practices

a) In a priori spiritualist practice, the final passage from the so-called 'inferior astral' to the 'superior' demands a radical change of state, a metamorphosis, completing itself with death — the desired ultimate disincarnation and detachment eventually occurring; the desired final reconnection with the source. In this teleology it is coherent that such intention and goal may demand the firm maintenance of contact and connection with the original (initial) and terminal astral, through constant and frequent repetition of communions and sessions.

Conceiving the use of the tea as a privileged means of connection with a higher and original astral, radically different in its operations for being supernatural, one must imagine and understand the experience as an essential rite of necessary repetition: and this with a frequency proportional to the thirst for re-connection, the need for access, and the resolute detachment from and farewell to this ultimately accidental world.

b) In empirical spiritualist practice, we saw that the state of union is the basic and natural 'philosopher's stone', the state of being of profound reality as it already is. Sufficient, to become conscious of this, to see beyond the superficial appearances, i.e., by decisively breaking all illusory epistemic cuts through one's own experience made of felt and meditated reflection and perception; contemplation. In empirical spiritualism there is no need to aspire to move in search of a radically different and elevated, supernatural state of being, but only to better manage what one already experiences.

Once one has learned to overcome these superficial dichotomies, a natural and spontaneous ability to frequent these unifying phenomena without the use of the tea is installed.

CONCLUDING CONSIDERATIONS

The final metaphor in empirical spiritualist practice is that the human being is already living in an essentially mysterious context, where everything is in a certain way 'essential miracle', one only needs to awaken to this. All creatures are metaphorically existential prodigies, from an ant of considerable complexity and splendor to a human being. But, despite being equally extraordinary and mysterious in their presences and state of being, all entities are diverse and singular; all with potentials and limits pertaining to their own specific nature, or representation of greatness and diversity. The capacity to appreciate the fullness and greatness of unity and essence appears to be equally satisfying in human beings conscious of their state of being human — and this through the most diverse techniques and methods, innumerable religiosities; but their talents and limits as existing and finite entities are unequal: these talents and limits basically defined do not change by drinking psychoactive tea.

Therefore, once recognized and experienced: first, this state of basic and natural oneness [but not always naturally evident] with force and grandiose majesty; once having observed the phenomenology of the experience for a sufficient and variable time; once having recognized and discerned one's own limits and talents, i.e., differentiating what can be changed and transformed from what cannot; once knowing how to resort by oneself to a more creative state, seeking in oneself animation and joy for better living: the adept of empirical practice tends to arrive at a conclusive or formative point; in other words a resolution in the practice of the ritual and use of the beverage: in psychodynamic terms a gestalt is closed.

The conjunction of three elements: 1) a liberating and creative context or setting in which the beverage is used; 2) an individual user without strong prejudices or apriorisms; 3) the psychoactive beverage itself: seems to eventually result in something close to the maximum possible benefit in the given circumstances: a comfortable reunion is configured, a shared junction in the light of the tea, induced by the initial use of Ayahuasca.

While the adherent of a priori forms of religiosity needs to learn theological virtues such as obedience, trust, faith, hope, charity and constancy; the adherent of empirical forms needs to learn other and ancient virtues. In this case, it is above all about 'radiating meaning' instead of seeking it — or in the same measure: it is necessary to strengthen and firm oneself; to acquire confidence and know how to seek inspiration, creativity, strength — spiritual raw material —, to generate meaning each day, in relationships: always renewing. It is part of the empirical practice to arrive at the time of knowing when to stop being in a 'state of search' and enter into a 'state of being', simply. Despite always possible new contributions of a circumstantial nature, referring to the creative elaborations of specific moments crossed in life, the basic direction, the fundamental ethical structure resulting from a deep choice: this must be refined moment by moment.

In both cases, both in a priori and empirical religiosity, it is about a daily practice, a surpassing, and not essentially the appreciation — pleasant or not — of a privileged state of expansion of consciousness in the light of the psychoactive tea. Once the anxiety (relatively frequent at the beginning of the adventure with the tea) of having to confront doubt and emptiness is resolved — the ineluctable state of being, the tension between this 'impossible infinite' and this 'incomplete finite' — sublime moments of peace arise, the comfortable recognition of the need to sustain or generate meaning, whether by oneself, from oneself, or with the help of the group and fellow practitioners. Even more when the expanded Ayahuasca state has already given signs of having come closer to the limits of 'mysteries': frequently, adepts have more intense visions at the beginning of tea use, and afterwards fewer or none; others reach their possible limits of experiencing unity; this, according to one's own potentials conferred by the study of ideas and the vision of many other researchers and philosophers.

In all cases, statistically, the use of the tea only suits a very small fraction of the individuals who experience it: perhaps around 1 to 2% in our estimates referring to twenty years of observations. The use of Ayahuasca tea tends to be persistent or continuous in users who are adherents of a priori spiritualist practices. Conversely, the use of the same tea tends to be transient or of shorter duration in users who are adherents of empirical spiritualist practices.

RB