Indigenous Healing Practice: Ayahuasca. Opening a Discussion
Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling March 1, 2014 DOI: 10.1177/154230501406800106 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Addiction Ayahuasca Shamanism |
| Keywords | Indigenous Amazon rainforest Context archaeology Pastoral counseling Anthropology Ethnology Psychotherapist Ecology |
| Citations | 11 |
| Key points | Argues that pastoral counselors should consider dialogue with shamanic ayahuasca traditions, despite scant and often antithetical literature on the topic. |
Abstract
This essay frames an invitation to pastoral counselors and pastoral theologians to examine connections and perhaps interactions between themselves and traditional shamanic healers who use ayahuasca in their healing ceremonies. Indigenous people in South America have used ayahuasca for centuries, and the ritual has become common among the mestizo populations in urban areas of the Amazon, particularly as a curing ritual for drug addiction (Dobkin de Rios, 1970; Moir, 1998). Like peyote in the United States (Calabrese, 1997) ayahuasca use amongst the indigenous people of the Amazon is a form of cultural psychiatry. A review of the literature reveals very little commentary or discussion of shamanic practice in Pastoral Counseling (Pastoral Theology). The scant literature identifies an antithetical relationship at best. The current authors wonder about the possibility of to including shamanic practices in the context of pastoral counseling? This essay seeks to provide some basic information about the ritual use of ayahuasca and to offer a rationale for pastoral counselors to engage in a dialogue about its utility.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on ayahuasca for addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayahuasca’s entwined efficacy: An ethnographic study of ritual healing from ‘addiction’ | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Hypotheses Regarding the Mechanisms of Ayahuasca in the Treatment of Addictions | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- Psychedelics and Immunomodulation: Novel Approaches and Therapeutic Opportunities Frontiers in Immunology July 14, 2015
- Ayahuasca: Uses, Phytochemical and Biological Activities Natural Products and Bioprospecting May 27, 2019
- The Bright Side of Psychedelics: Latest Advances and Challenges in Neuropharmacology International Journal of Molecular Sciences January 10, 2023
- Acute Psychological Adverse Reactions in First-Time Ritual Ayahuasca Users: A Prospective Case Series. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology
- Beyond the Psychoactive Effects of Ayahuasca: Cultural and Pharmacological Relevance of Its Emetic and Purging Properties. Planta Medica November 1, 2022
and 2 more in the library