Ayahuasca Tours shown on Getaway

[Aya]

So i was in my room reading when someone yells out to me " 'Aya' the Amazon is on tv". Knowing that i'm interested in South America and that i'll be going there shortly.

So i walk out to discover getaway doing a story on Ayahuasca tourism in Peru. He actually talks about the ayahuasca and the shaman in an open, respectful manner and goes on to say how it was one of the best experiences of his life. A long with all the standard tv show host talk and banter inbetween.

At first i was kind of apprehensive, that maybe it will be shown in the wrong light, and that people will be flocking to the amazon to have a "cool" experience. Trivialising in the process the sacredness of ayahuasca and the Amazon. But then on second thought, if something like ayahuasca can help us in this relatively small community, wouldn't it be a good thing to share this experience with the rest of the world?

Maybe my apprehension was due to the fact that if ayahuasca and shamanism etc etc were to go global, even though it pretty much has already, that i'd want it to be shown and portrayed under the right light. The problem here being that if something is to be shown on a huge scale to the masses, it's almost definately going to be through tv, and if it's through tv, it's almost definately going to be dumbed down and trivialised, and with an agenda. i.e money for tour companys and sales for airlines.

So i guess my unease is more to do with the way it's presented. If it's presented in the right way before it really starts to circulate, then it will be approached in a much more respectful and serious way. And if it's approached in this way by the mainstream, i think it will have a much better chance of maintaining it's sacramental, medicinal nature, yet at the same time, be able to help more people from different parts of the world without having to jeapordize it's strength and integrity.

So what does everyone else think about this? Thoughts?

[Undergrounder]

I wish i'd seen it, i don't think i'd do Aya but i'm amazed such a mainstream show did a piece on it. I think it's astoundingly grating how something that is legal and respected in another country can be treated in such an open and objective manner, but move a couple of thousand Ks to the West and all of a sudden it's illegal, schedule 1 and worthy of time behind bars.

[ThunderIdeal]

you can get ayahuasca here

maybe start a business where you send ayahuasqueros on tours to australia/wherever, thus negating the cost of travel for those in need of healing.

[gerbil]

I didn't see it; but i think that's totally irrelevant.

Personally i think it's a negative thing and don't believe such topics belong on a program such as this, no matter how they approach it.

I used to think such substances would be beneficial if broader western society knew about them, but now and from my personal experience i think western cultures simply fuck things up for everyone, themselves included.

Yes i have a problem with the western world and how we bastardise everything, i've got more to say but i must hold my tounge as to not get into a fierce debate about 'elitism' that i'm just totally apathetic about these days, well maybe not apathetic as it frustrates me to no end and that's an emotion so i suppose i do care, maybe people understand what i'm trying to say.

I can understand the benefits this sort of tourism can bring, yet i believe the negatives far outweigh the positives. I don't see such things as a commodity nor agree with it even if it benefits the indigenous person/s undertaking such programs.

Edited February 21, 2008 by gerbil

[Aya]

I used to think such substances would be beneficial if broader western society knew about them, but now and from my personal experience i think western cultures simply fuck things up for everyone, themselves included.

Yes i have a problem with the western world and how we bastardise everything, i've got more to say but i must hold my tounge as to not get into a fierce debate about 'elitism' that i'm just totally apathetic about these days, well maybe not apathetic as it frustrates me to no end and that's an emotion so i suppose i do care, maybe people understand what i'm trying to say.

I understand where your coming from, and when i made my post, i was coming from a fairly optimistic stand point.

Why? Because when it comes to things like this, i'm fairly pessimistic as well, pessimistic in the sense that broader society if all informed about ayahuasca and healing through plants and plant spirits etc, will turn these pure things into something tainted and toxic.

Yet how did we manage to come this point of view that treats and looks upon plants with respect and as beings equal to us?

Education, information, experience and thinking. Education that we put ourselves through founded by an interest in some related field. And when i think about my pessimism towards the mainstream knowing about ayahuasca, and what they'd do to it, most of my frustration stems from their ignorance and lack of education on the subject. And if that were to be improved, then some progress might be able to be made.

Ofcourse thinking about this realistically, that probably wont happen for many decades to come, and again, realistically, not everyone is going to agree that plants are sacred things and should be treated equal to us and with respect.

So i guess as it is with all things, there will be the people for, who will support and protect. The people against, who will make ill of this and only see a way to use it to make profit, and in doing so destroy the soul and spirit of it. And the majority who dont care either way and who just want to have a good time anyway they can.

[ballzac]

In response to Gerbil:

But there are many good people who deserve to know about such things. I agree that Getaway probably is not the best forum though. I wouldn't write the west off completely, nor would I romanticise the non-west. We have a lot of problems, but I think they are problems with mankind, or life in general. In the west we have great power to destroy, so we can appear to be bad, but we also have great power to heal.

I doubt I will ever travel to do such things in a traditional setting. I often wonder how those of us who do come across to the locals. I think such things are better to be done within ones own culture, where legal.

[-YT-]

Can definatly agree with the sentiments shared.

Ballzac made a very good point

"We have a lot of problems, but I think they are problems with mankind, or life in general"

i would agree the general state mankind finds itself in is more then poor not to be negative tho theres alot of gold out there and alot of horseshit lol

Edited February 22, 2008 by -YT-

[Micromegas]

I doubt I will ever travel to do such things in a traditional setting. I often wonder how those of us who do come across to the locals. I think such things are better to be done within ones own culture, where legal.

Yeah but what is my culture? I live in a spiritually defunct and emotionally narrow culture where partaking in sacred medicine is illegal in my own home. Should I just accept this and go down to the pub and get pissed? That seems to be my culture's shamanic ritual. I'm not sure puking in the gutter is a very effective purge of my deeply rooted emotional traumas.

The getaway segment was superficial, but so was its treatment of the canadian rockies. It's that type of show. The presenter seemed to be high, naturally, quite a character. And yet he was visibly moved by his experience and had obviously received the call from within, which is what will bring a person to ayahuasca, anyway.

But ayahuasca is spreading around the globe because healing is needed. No single person caused this, it's a reaction to the battle we are currently engaged in. Of course, this popularity comes with its problems, but it's out of anyone's control really. You just wait until Oprah or Angelia Jolie heads to the jungle, then it will be on. Even so, and sadly, very few people will be exposed to ayahuasca or any of the plant teachers in their lives.

Pity that, coz it's time for a change. Since we've already tipped the bar we better be ready to reap what we have sown. That requires a huge shift in cultural dynamics. Shamanic ritual is highly adaptive to its environment, but it has to be present in our locality to have a chance in the first place, and that means searching out better ways of relating to nature and learning from whoever has the ability and desire to teach, and bring that to your own community.

Now, where is my community?

Unfortunately it's buried underground because of ridiculous laws that don't allow me to eat and drink whatever I wish.

Micro

Edited February 22, 2008 by Micromegas

[apothecary]

The fact of the matter is that Getaway only covers 'hot' tourism spots really, and that Ayahuasca tourism has been going on for a long time now.

i.e. Getaways coverage of Ayahuasca tourism really only represents a massive surge of rich white people looking for answers to their lives (or something cool to talk about when they get back home) or whatever other justification they prefer. Getaway is not busting open some secret to be exploited by Western culture, they only even heard about it because of how many people are already doing this.

As for presentation, what exactly did you expect from a thirty minute "I can't believe it's not a paid advertisement" type show? I mean, the most likely scenario is that some Ayahuasca tourism group actually contacted Getaway (or indirectly through some PR firm) and offered them to come and do a story.

[strangebrew]

http://getaway.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=379689

Someone fron Mullumbimby made a comment. Who'd have thunk it? lol

[ballzac]

Yeah but what is my culture? I live in a spiritually defunct and emotionally narrow culture where partaking in sacred medicine is illegal in my own home. Should I just accept this and go down to the pub and get pissed? That seems to be my culture's shamanic ritual. I'm not sure puking in the gutter is a very effective purge of my deeply rooted emotional traumas.

You are confusing YOUR culture with POPULAR culture. I guess what I meant is that we all have a chance to shape our culture and the society we live in, and I think that can facilitate more healing than feeding off someone elses culture.

(EDIT: I'm not saying that we can't gain by learning about, and being involved in, other cultures. But in this context it will just be something crazy these middle class people did one time, and will not do a whole lot to benefit our society.)

Sina, I absolutely agree with your post.

Edited February 22, 2008 by ballzac

[-YT-]

what is a benefit to our society..? lol

"You just wait until Oprah or Angelia Jolie heads to the jungle, then it will be on"

heheh wasnt there some celebrity aya tv show or something on a while back... im pritty sure someone posted a link on the forums here somewhere

[Being]

I find this really interesting and overall very positive! The reason i am here today is by seeing Tori Amos talk on the Rosanne Barr show about her Ayahuasca experience on a tape from '96.. I was 17, but led a pretty sheltered existence and never even knew psychedelics existed! The Roseanne show = total revelation!! who woulda thunk it..

All people need is the inspiration and then they go on to do their own research..

The only issue i can see, is this encourages sham shamans taking advantage of the gringos, giving the whole experience a bad name.. but then sham shamans have always been around, a little research and good intuition will steer you clear of those, and mainstream info such as this on Aya has been available for quite some time anyway, and nothing is 'ruined'..

Personally, i don't feel Aya can be perverted.. anyone who has the real deal (especially with the vine) is going to experience deep healing and transformation.

It's great to see this info cracking into the larger Australian consciousness.. there's some weird inexplainable connection between Australia and Peru (perhaps because it was once part of the same land mass?) It's like (in the Aya experience and the different plants used in both countries) Peru is the roots and Australia is the top of the tree.

'Aya' - is you want any tips for your Peru trip let me know, there's a lot of interesting stuff going on in June this year if you're going around that time also.

[Aya]

'Aya' - is you want any tips for your Peru trip let me know, there's a lot of interesting stuff going on in June this year if you're going around that time also.

Thanks for the offer Being, a PM will be coming your way in the coming weeks.

[t st tantra]

one of the things i find bizaare about aya tourism is its appeal and acceptance by people who have never apparently had any interest in taking 'drugs' and obviously conceptualize this as something else.

rescued this cute little blue tounge from a gang of magpies today,about 4" long after it lost the tip of its tail.....quite active now,about 4 hours later!

t s t .

[Fenris]

I find it strange that they charge $3000 + each for your trip to the jungle and food & accomodation for however long it was, when apparently the annual income in Peru is somewhere around $3500.

Surely it would be better to just fly there find some local accom and start talking to people.

[wandjina]

The plant knows what it's doing

I think this is wondeful...brings to mind the article in Penthouse last year.

[dir_t]

Hey folks!

Caught this last night while eating dinner and was at first apprehensive but i mean if you can read it in penthouse.

They did a good job of skirting around the aya description and did a sorta silly trip montage but at least the presenter had no problems relaying his visions and the journey he took.

Don't know if i missed an injoke but the last scene i saw the presenter was concerned about whether the shaman was wearing underpants the night before

Strange but if positive messages get out about aya it can only be a good thing.

[holymountain]

my mum and dad watch getaway. in fact all of my extended family watch it. if getaway say its okay then the chances of them listening to me when i try to explain the benefits of psychedelics to them will be much greater. i would have no problem if ayahuasca became mainstream provided it didn't mean the depletion of all alkaloid containing plants. the nature of the experience is so powerful that it could never be used for kicks and i might be being overly optimistic but i'm sure that everyone who did it would get the message or at least hold a lot more respect for the power of plants. i would be more than happy if the rich lawyers and business men of australia saw the segement and then decided they were going to visit brazil on their next million dollar holiday. they'd sure get a kick in the ass from the experience and it might even change their lives forcing them to use their money and influence to do good in the world or at the very least they'd have to admit that all the hippies may very well be onto something far greater than they could ever have imagined.

[Francois le Danque]

the link is up there somewhere, you can watch it on the channel 9 website. i am with the people who think this is good, it's better than keeping it a secret, no matter what happens, information to the ignorant is good.

[Guest Øskorei]

I don't know why such information should be considered a secret - I mean just because we're part of a community that holds an interest in the study/collection/usage of psychoactive plants, does this give us exclusivity to an aspect of another culture, and shut out the mainstream society from experiencing, in this instance, an aya ceremony ? Ø says no. It might be argued that any westerners, no matter how well read, how learned and how passionate they are, should be corrupting a native culture and exploiting their rituals. or the fact that there are some tour guides that are clearly exploiting the villagers. I wonder how much of the $3k per person ends up in the guides pocket after transport, food and a modest stipend for the village ? I reckon if ANY westerner (regardless of ethno/spiritual inclination) who has been/wants to go on an Ayahuasca journey, it's hardly his/her place to set the rules as to which other westerners are eligible to participate....

[ballzac]

The first half is here: http://getaway.ninemsn.com.au/videos/

but I can't find the second one.