Virtual Daime: When Psychedelic Ritual Migrates Online.
Frontiers in Psychology 2022 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.819994 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 12 |
| Population | Daimistas (Santo Daime participants) who took part in online ayahuasca rituals |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Santo daime Entheogens Online psychedelic ritual Online religion Online ritual Psychedelics Set and setting |
| Citations | 7 |
| Key findings | Online Santo Daime rituals enabled continued practice and global connection during the pandemic but produced an impoverished experience with novel challenges including distractions, technical difficulties, low sensory fidelity, social anxiety, and concerns about commodification and digital divide. |
Abstract
During the 2020 COVID-19 epidemic a variety of social activities migrated online, including religious ceremonies and rituals. One such instance is the case of Santo Daime, a Brazilian rainforest religion that utilizes the hallucinogenic brew ayahuasca in its rituals. During the pandemic, multiple Santo Daime rituals involving the consumption of ayahuasca took place online, mediated through Zoom and other online platforms. The phenomenon is notable since the effects of hallucinogens are defined by context (set and setting) and Santo Daime rituals are habitually governed by punctilious regulations aimed at directing the experience of participants. The abrupt move to online space thus augurs significant implications in the context of hallucinogenic rituals. This paper looks at this development and its repercussions for entheogenic rituals, as it asks how do psychedelic rituals change when they move online? Building on the author's previous work on set and setting in the Santo Daime religion, the paper introduces accounts from 12 semi-structured interviews with daimistas participating in online daime rituals, approached through the prism of set and setting, and the study of online religiosity. The analysis points at several key dynamics emerging in the context of virtual rituals. The migration online allowed for the continuation of Santo Daime entheogenic rituals at a time of social distancing, fostered a sense of global brotherhood and opened new possibility for religious participation and learning. Concurrently, online ritual produced an impoverished ritual experience and novel types of challenges including a higher potential for distractions, technical difficulties, and low sensory fidelity. Other novel challenges included social anxiety and an in-built tension between the social and spiritual dimensions of ritual. Finally, some participants were concerned by the cultural context of online rituals: technological mediation, consumerism, commodification, and digital divide. The limitations of digital technology appear amplified by the highly immersive, body oriented, experientially intensified context of the psychedelic experience. This paper contributes to the literature on the extra-pharmacological factors shaping experiences with psychedelics, as well as to the literature on the consequences of the adoption of digital media technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on ayahuasca, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The antipodes Of the mind Indigenous people, shamans, members of different religious sects using Ayahuasca, and... | 2002 | Qualitative study | |
| Drug Tourism or Spiritual Healing? Ayahuasca Seekers in Amazonia Westerners participating in an ayahuasca retreat in Amazonia | 2005 | Qualitative study | |
| Therapeutic Effects of Ritual Ayahuasca Use in the Treatment of Substance Dependence—Qualitative Results Therapists, expert researchers, and individuals who underwent ayahuasca-assisted... | 2014 | Qualitative study | n = 29 |
| Nourishing the Spirit: Exploratory Research on Ayahuasca Experiences along the Continuum of Recovery from Eating Disorders Individuals previously diagnosed with an eating disorder | 2017 | Qualitative study | n = 16 |
| Exploring ayahuasca‐assisted therapy for addiction: A qualitative analysis of preliminary findings among an Indigenous community in Canada Indigenous adults in Canada who participated in ayahuasca-assisted ceremonial retreats | 2019 | Qualitative study | n = 11 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 5
- Psychedelic Forum Member Preferences for Carer Experience and Consumption Behavior: Can “Trip Sitters” Help Inform Psychedelic Harm Reduction Services? Contemporary Drug Problems August 29, 2022
- Set and setting in microdosing: an oft-overlooked principle. Psychopharmacology December 1, 2022
- Cyberdelics in context: On the prospects and challenges of mind-manifesting technologies. Frontiers in Psychology 2022
- Set and Setting for Psychedelic Harm Reduction Psychedelic Harm Reduction 2026
- Digital Enablement of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy in Non-Clinical Settings: A Systematic Review of Safety, Efficacy, and Implementation Models Psychoactives December 24, 2025
Cites 12
- Human hallucinogen research: guidelines for safety. Journal of Psychopharmacology July 1, 2008
- Constructing drug effects: A history of set and setting Drug Science, Policy and Law 2017
- The hidden therapist: evidence for a central role of music in psychedelic therapy Psychopharmacology February 1, 2018
- Psychedelics, placebo effects, and set and setting: Insights from common factors theory of psychotherapy Transcultural Psychiatry January 26, 2021
- Tripping on nothing: placebo psychedelics and contextual factors Psychopharmacology March 7, 2020
and 7 more in the library