The Importance of Ritual Discourse in Framing Ayahuasca Experiences in the Context of Shamanic Tourism
Anthropology of Consciousness September 1, 2020 DOI: 10.1111/anoc.12117 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Ethnography Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Western participants in ayahuasca ceremonies in and around Iquitos, Peru |
| Topics | Ayahuasca Shamanism |
| Keywords | Liminality Framing construction Tourism Ethnography Transformative learning Aesthetics Consciousness Narrative Dialogic Anthropology Media studies |
| Citations | 22 |
| Key findings | Ayahuasca ceremonies for western tourists are designed as liminal, transformative experiences, achieved through shamans' discourse that frames the ritual space and shapes participants' conceptualization, enhancing meaningfulness. |
Abstract
Abstract In this article, I discuss how ritual is framed in the context of ayahuasca tourism, using ethnographic data collected in and around Iquitos, Peru. Alluding to a lack of socially sanctioned spaces for altered states of consciousness (ASCs) in western cultures, contemporary seekers flock to the Amazon to participate in ayahuasca ceremonies for an array of reasons, including healing and personal transformation. Taking Gregory Bateson's concept of “framing” as a point of departure, and applying Erving Goffman's frame analysis, I will show that contemporary ayahuasca ceremonies attended by westerners are designed to be liminal, transformative, and meaningful experiences that aim to heal the body through emotional modulation. I will demonstrate how this is achieved through specific discourse that takes place before or during rituals in the form of long speeches delivered by the shamans. This framing not only separates the ritual space as liminal but also frames the way that the experience is conceptualized by the participants, ultimately increasing its meaningfulness.
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 17
- Psychedelic Communitas: Intersubjective Experience During Psychedelic Group Sessions Predicts Enduring Changes in Psychological Wellbeing and Social Connectedness. Frontiers in Pharmacology March 25, 2021
- Changes in mental health, wellbeing and personality following ayahuasca consumption: Results of a naturalistic longitudinal study. Frontiers in Pharmacology 2022
- New Insights into the Chemical Composition of Ayahuasca ACS Omega April 1, 2022
- The Power of Social Attribution: Perspectives on the Healing Efficacy of Ayahuasca Frontiers in Psychology October 28, 2021
- Ayahuasca Ritual, Personality and Sociality: Observational Research Conducted in a Substance Use Disorder Rehabilitation Center in Uruguay Journal of Psychoactive Drugs May 4, 2022
and 12 more in the library
Cites 8
- Clinical investigations of the therapeutic potential of ayahuasca: rationale and regulatory challenges. Pharmacology & Therapeutics May 1, 2004
- Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon and Beyond Oxford University Press eBooks June 18, 2014
- Working with “La Medicina”: Elements of Healing in Contemporary Ayahuasca Rituals Anthropology of Consciousness March 1, 2012
- Ayahuasca from Peru to Uruguay: Ritual Design and Redesign through a Distributed Cognition Approach Anthropology of Consciousness March 1, 2015
- Experience, Culture and Reality: The Significance of Fisher Information for Understanding the Relationship between Alternative States of Consciousness and the Structures of Reality International Journal of Transpersonal Studies 2003
and 3 more in the library