Ayahuasca: tradition versus tourism
The ayahuasca tourist in search of a deep cosmic insight often fails to understand the importance of the cultural context in which the… [plants are] used.
This parallels with the European discovery of tobacco in the sixteenth century; an attitude of disregard and criticism of the intended herbal ritualistic use. The traditional uses of tobacco are comparable with the indigenous uses of the ayahuasca plant; ceremonial, ritualistic, and medicinal. When the herb’s psychedelic properties were separated from it’s spiritual properties it was able to assimilate into European society, evolving into the addictive substance it remains as today.
Original Article (Macunion):
Ayahuasca: tradition versus tourism
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