Ethnographic Study: Ayahuasca’s Entwined Efficacy: An Ethnographic Study of Ritual Healing from “Addiction” 1

Abstract

A range of studies has demonstrated the efficacy of the psychoactive Amazonian brew ayahuasca in addressing substance addiction. These have revealed that physiological and psychological mechanisms are deeply enmeshed. This study will focus on how interactive ritual contexts support the healing effort. This will be an ethnographically grounded, qualitative analysis of addiction-recovery experiences within ayahuasca rituals. It will draw on long-term fieldwork and participant observation in ayahuasca communities, and in-depth, semi-structured interviews of participants with histories of substance misuse.