A qualitative study of long-term members of ayahuasca spiritual communities in the United States: Motivations, practices, experiences and beliefs

Abstract

This novel qualitative study examines the lived experiences of long-term participants in ayahuasca spiritual communities (ASCs) in the United States. Semi-structured interviews ( n = 11) were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis indicating that these communities (1) attract individuals seeking healing from trauma, addiction, and psychological distress, while offering a sense of belonging and cultural identity; (2) integrate Western biomedical understandings of psychedelics with entheogenic spiritual frameworks, forming a hybrid healing paradigm rooted in ritual, music, and shared intention; (3) foster a broad trajectory from self-oriented healing toward relational growth and altruistic action, often transforming participants into facilitators and community stewards; (4) encounter and navigate interpersonal and cultural tensions that arise within intimate communal life, which can serve as catalysts for emotional growth and reflection; (5) operate within a complex legal grey zone, requiring members to balance risks of practice, cultural identity, and legal protection; and (6) emphasize the importance of careful discernment when joining an ASC, encouraging alignment with one's values and awareness of group dynamics, accessibility, and safety. Overall, U.S. ASCs represent a distinctive sociocultural context for entheogen use, diverging from individualized, clinician-led psychedelic treatment models by emphasizing community, spirituality, and mutual transformation. These findings underscore the need for further research into the psychological, relational, and cultural dynamics of non-clinical psychedelic frameworks.