SPOILER Aya Awakenings – Review and Discussion

[whitewind]

Aya Awakenings – Review and Discussion

Well, this is definitely something I had awaited with anticipation, as I was hoping to meet up with some like-minded people from around Sydney, as much as I wanted to learn something new from Rak's marvellous adventures in South America. I had read The Journeybook - or rather, hectically jumped around from section to section reading the bits I thought were most relevant to me at the time, before it went into storage with so many of my treasured collection. But this I anticipated to be something new, and I love moving visuals and the sounds of psychedelic experience, so I was looking forward very much to the night's show.

Just inside the RSL – as Rak's amusing introduction later stated, Inside the Heart of the Beast – a smell of sweetly burning incense greeted my nose. "Weed!" my mind screamed at me, and I laughed. To whoever was burning that glorious incense, I love you.

The queue was still up the stairs, so although I was running very late, I realised that this was going to be a relaxed night, as it should be. Despite the corporate setting, the glass and steel doors, bright lights, carpet.. the colours of the excited gathering more than hid the ugliness of modern architecture, it somehow enhanced it.

I met up with a couple of friends and we headed to the bar. The Dude ordered a beer, and then rather shame-faced wondered whether drinking beer in this setting was appropriate, and I laughed as I poured water. My nerves aren't so good at the moment, so a strict diet and no substances are the order of the doctor; but that didn't apply to mind-altering visuals and sounds, so I was happy to be here. Still, though they must have made a few dollars, I rather think that the management would have expected much more from a crowd like us. They might never ask us back.

We aren't who they think we are.

With anticipation, we went inside. Rak started to talk, a brief introduction to his movie, and I sat and listened. Rak's voice is light and mellow, touched with the gentleness and humour of the man I remembered from the North Coast. We have only met once, but once met he is unforgettable. Charming, he is knowledgable and listens very carefully to what you have to say. Almost unremarkable apart from his shock of blood-red hair, you would think, but no. He has seen and done things many have never experienced, and you can feel it.

Once the movie starts, I realise that it is going to be a delight of visual effects and sound, indigenous music melds into modern psychedelic trance, interspersed with Icaros, statements of shamanic wisdom from the curanderos, and the primal sounds of the jungle. The soft sounds of vomiting are the most evocative, as the purges are recorded and played back to us, and Rak's continuing narration evokes laughter as he takes us deeper into his journey.

Suddenly the story takes an unexpected twist, and a startling discovery is made. Rak's unusual trip, fully recorded, catapults my mind into something quite new. I can feel his energy enter me as I share his discovery, his journey to the centre of everything, and I have a remarkable insight. The jungle is speaking to me through Rak's experience, and suddenly it all becomes clear.

The end of 2012 I believe, was in fact, the tipping point for uncontrollable climate change and environmental destruction. I have felt this for a few months or so, but what to do about it was unclear. The future has been obscured; the possibility of change was so great and so yearned for by millions that the future was difficult to see. But since the tipping point, the realisation is slowing taking hold that there is nothing we can do, we can only go with the flow.

This should be frightening, but we need to take hold of this new energy and work with it. The spirit of the Amazon was calling to me, she was asking me to help her survive, by taking her seeds and spreading them all over the globe. Much as the ayahuasceros are taking her spirit through the vine, now we must take the physical aspect and plant her all around the globe to help her evolve and gain a new balance.

This was a complete revelation to me; previously I had been an native environment fascist, wanted to preserve and conserve the stunning landscape around me. But this is to go. Changes in rainfall, heat, fire and all the processses of life will get stronger and more devastating, and only the most suited will survive. Many of these will be weeds, or mutants, or plants from other parts of the continent. But we have had within our grasp, for some time now, the ability to acquire and grow species from overseas, useful medicinal plants and things we love, plants that are food and plants that can help stabilise the soil, remove toxins, sequester CO2. We need to use our gardens as nurseries to grow these beautiful plants, but then also help plant them as little seeds, groups of four or five plants, in little pockets in the local landscape, help them survive the ravages of their homeland and the fascist extremism of our own government.

The rest of the movie was a blur to me as the revelations played out in my mind and the insights I had had were revealed in their glorious impact. This is why I love psychedelics, even the experiences of other people can generate such enormous changes and cause revelations one would never have without having had one's mind opened. I watched as Rak climbed to the top of the Peruvian Alps, and the vistas opened up in the complete and utter beauty of that which is, the Mother Earth.

This is why I think movies like Rak's are so important, to spread the medicinal message about plants and the substances that are contained within them with respect and sincerity, and how we can go about repairing the civilisation that seems so destructive to the environment that it relies on for it's very existence.

[Roopey]

I've always held the view that humans are here to spread seeds around the globe, and I'm glad go hear that there is more people out there willing to accept this now. I mean we are a part of nature, right?

I can't wait to see this as I missed the screening since I'm still overseas, but I hope it was just as revelatory for the others that went.

[Horus]

Nice personal review whitewind.

Shame we didnt all catch up.

I agree, in all the aya hype there is little mention of the importance and joy of growing the plants themselves.

It takes the experience to a new level again when you are brewing with plants you grew and love.

Journeying with them.

to my mind, being with your own 10yo vine trumps being with a foreign shaman.

The vine will teach and train you in its ways.

The plants will do the work, if they are administered with respect.

So, divide and conquer ,plant the plants, spread the jungle's message.

[planthelper]

ww, you seem to not yet have realised that, you aswell posess the same power, you attributed to rak.

above, is so well written and so honest, reading it, gave me aswell, a sence of your experience, and a feeling of joy, and confidence regarding the future.

[whitewind]

I've always held the view that humans are here to spread seeds around the globe, and I'm glad go hear that there is more people out there willing to accept this now. I mean we are a part of nature, right?I can't wait to see this as I missed the screening since I'm still overseas, but I hope it was just as revelatory for the others that went.

Nature herself spreads her seeds far and wide, a plants chance of survival depends on this. In much the same way as animals or wind or water spread the seed and spore, I agree that we are but a natural part of the process. It is ever more imperative that we work closely with nature to help her resist our ongoing destruction, not necessarily to spread organisms that are as destructive as ourselves but others which might help resist the depredations and slowly integrate and become an integral part of the ecosystem and help build it's resilience and strength.

[Micromegas]

I am surprised there is not more response here. I think I will stick to the film as explaining my views on environmental restoration and conservation, weed invasion and 2012 would be far too difficult a task!!!

Firstly, I am immensely glad to see this work by Rak Razam, and I am impressed by the man generally. He seems to have a good heart and keen vision and I respect the work that he has done to put this together and get it out there. So firstly, kudos Rak, well done, an excellent achievement.

Secondly, I am glad to see so many Radelaidians get out to support this. There were people of all shapes, sizes, ages, and genders and it was great to see an underground film on ayahuasca generate so much support. I had to take off just as the after-film talk was beginning, but I am sure it would have been interesting. So, hooray adelaidians. Loved the didgeridoo at the beginning.

Thirdly, however, I really felt this film delivered very little in the way of new content, with some exceptions. Some of Rak's dialogue was absolutely fantastic but at other times it slipped into the mode of new age seeking dialogue. And the whole film was like that: Rak would come up with an absolute corker of a metaphor for the healing process but then just as quickly it dispersed, unconsolidated. I am not sure why there wasn't more real time video and interviews with shamans and especially other participants, rather than the constant seen-it-all-before windows media player graphics. The smoked 5-meo-DMT was interesting but again, it didn't deliver much in the way of useable insight.

But my intention here is not to be negative. This was a fantastic effort that was never going to suit my desires. As an entry level documentary into ayahuasca it met the mark, if not being entirely clear of its intentions. But as a documentary untangling the cultural past of ayahuasca, its nuances and its effect on individuals and cultures and the emergence into modern culture, it just made a slight inroad.

The most important part of this film for me was the short quote by Guillermo Arevalo (sp?) about the three levels of shamanism: the use of plants for curing; the manipulation of elemental forces and spirits; the ability to work and travel in the ethereal.This is something my teachers have discussed with me repeatedly. To put it succinctly the levels are (1) Initiation and learning (2) Power (and if learning continues) (3) Complete mastery. This trilogy is worthy of an entire film in and of itself and particularly to note that activity on the second level is where most problematic elements in ancient and neo-shamanism arise, as this level is very compelling and can be used to manipulate situations for personal gain (something that is absent from the banco curandero, who may nevertheless still generate an income from their practices). Power, and its inevitable misuse, is at the heart of most contemporary and ancient social and environmental problems. I would have liked to have heard some discussion around these three levels, and more about the cosmology of of the animistic ayahuasca-world more generally. But the film was biased toward individual realisation.

So, overall, I will rate this 3/5. I am glad I went to see it and I left inspired in a way, but I can see shortcomings in the film that do not relate to shortcomings in the maker. I was really chuffed to hear Rak at the end of the movie say that the plants do not create the experience but merely release the filters that usually block our perception. This is really critical to plant shamanism especially, and a fundamental message to transmit to people seeking to use these medicines for the first time. I can see that Rak has learnt a great deal in order to present this insight. I hope Rak keeps pursuing this and developing his message as he works further with the plants. I am an armchair critic and I contribute very little to the etheogenic community because of demands on my time that are work-related. So it is refreshing to see a humble individual putting it out there, and someone who has obviously had deep experiences and has been able to manifest them in a film format. It is good to see the etheogenic community in Australia is strong and dynamic and that material such as this is coming along. Any shortcomings I see, are likely to be, mostly, reflections of my own experiences and personality.

Micro

[Mycot]

The impression I get is a Media hound with little of substance but seeking publicity and credability.

Yay, it would be good if we were all able to grow to grow the plants we want, spread them around etc, and create a rich entheogenic community and maybe save the world while we are at it.

Unfortunatly this is presently a pipe dream oft repeated. Not having a go at you whitewind.

The reason is that most of us are landless peasants haveing to shift location every six months. Which is just the way the gov likes us ;- bio-survivally insecure. Sure the odd landless peasant may grow a couple small plants in pots but this is extremely limiting unlikely to supply even his own needs.

Edited February 21, 2013 by Mycot

[∂an]

I am surprised there is not more response here.

Well for many people it is difficult or impossible to get to one of the screenings, so its not surprising really. Guess people like me not living in a major oz city will have to wait....

I'm a fan of Rak's work too, he is a good interviewer and communicator and always offers his own unique perspective on the topic at hand. His recent interview with Dennis McKenna was especially good. The first time I met him was at earth freq in 2007 or so; even then I could tell he was someone with a mission. Great to see his work getting more exposure!