Experiences of Listening to Icaros during Ayahuasca Ceremonies at Centro Takiwasi:An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis
Owain J. Graham, Gary Rojas Saucedo, Matteo Politi
Anthropology of Consciousness September 26, 2022 DOI: 10.1111/anoc.12170 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Phenomenological study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Addiction rehabilitation patients at Perú’s Centro Takiwasi |
| Intervention | listening to icaros (medicine songs) during ayahuasca ceremonies |
| Topics | Addiction Ayahuasca |
| Keywords | Active listening Consciousness Phenomenology philosophy Psychotherapist Music therapy Ethnography Altered state Epistemology Anthropology |
| Citations | 11 |
| Key points | Icaros were therapeutically significant, eliciting healing by modulating emotions and the altered state, helping patients feel safe while guiding them through difficult memories and emotions, and facilitating experiences of healing and learning about their addictions. |
Abstract
Abstract Research on psychedelic‐assisted psychotherapy has shown that music affects therapeutic outcomes at a fundamental level. The development of such therapies calls for research on the use of music with consciousness‐altering substances, especially in contexts informed by their traditional use. Informed by ethnographic reports, our project answers this call, investigating the phenomenology of listening to icaros (medicine songs) during ayahuasca ceremonies as reported by addiction rehabilitation patients at Perú’s Centro Takiwasi. We found that icaros were therapeutically significant. They elicited experiences of healing by modulating patients’ emotions and the altered state induced by ayahuasca. They helped patients feel safe while guiding them through difficult memories and emotions, and facilitating experiences of healing and learning about their addictions. Thus, similar therapies must carefully consider how they incorporate music in their protocols. We suggest further research to better understand the synergistic, therapeutic effects of music and altered states of consciousness, especially in cross‐cultural environments.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on ayahuasca for addiction, most cited first.