The Light from the Forest: The Ritual Use of Ayahuasca in Brazil
Time and Mind January 1, 2011 DOI: 10.2752/175169711x13046099195717 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe article examines the ritual use of ayahuasca in Brazil, tracing its historical and cultural significance within indigenous and syncretic religious contexts. It describes how ayahuasca, a psychoactive brew, is employed in ceremonies to facilitate spiritual insight, healing, and community bonding. The text highlights the continuity of these practices from pre-colonial times to contemporary urban settings, noting their adaptation and legal recognition in Brazil. It argues that ayahuasca rituals represent a form of embodied knowledge and cultural heritage, challenging Western dichotomies between nature and culture, and between the sacred and the secular.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Ayahuasca |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Archaeology History Geography Anthropology |
| Citations | 6 |
| Key finding | Argues that ayahuasca's ritual use in Brazil is central to cultural identity and spiritual practice, facilitating healing and connection with the divine. |
Abstract
(2011). The Light from the Forest: The Ritual Use of Ayahuasca in Brazil. Time and Mind: Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 361-364.