A qualitative study of long-term members of ayahuasca spiritual communities in the United States: Motivations, practices, experiences and beliefs
Joseph T. la Torre, Ariana Kam, Todd Youngs, J. Rapp, Nathan Sackett
Journal of Psychedelic Studies November 18, 2025 DOI: 10.1556/2054.2025.00467 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 11 |
| Population | Long-term participants in ayahuasca spiritual communities in the United States |
| Topics | Ayahuasca |
| Key findings | Ayahuasca spiritual communities in the U.S. attract individuals seeking healing from trauma, addiction, and psychological distress, and foster a trajectory from self-oriented healing toward relational growth and altruistic action. |
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.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on ayahuasca, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The antipodes Of the mind Indigenous people, shamans, members of different religious sects using Ayahuasca, and... | 2002 | Qualitative study | |
| Drug Tourism or Spiritual Healing? Ayahuasca Seekers in Amazonia Westerners participating in an ayahuasca retreat in Amazonia | 2005 | Qualitative study | |
| Therapeutic Effects of Ritual Ayahuasca Use in the Treatment of Substance Dependence—Qualitative Results Therapists, expert researchers, and individuals who underwent ayahuasca-assisted... | 2014 | Qualitative study | n = 29 |
| Nourishing the Spirit: Exploratory Research on Ayahuasca Experiences along the Continuum of Recovery from Eating Disorders Individuals previously diagnosed with an eating disorder | 2017 | Qualitative study | n = 16 |
| Exploring ayahuasca‐assisted therapy for addiction: A qualitative analysis of preliminary findings among an Indigenous community in Canada Indigenous adults in Canada who participated in ayahuasca-assisted ceremonial retreats | 2019 | Qualitative study | n = 11 |
Citations in the library
Cites 15
- Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance Psychopharmacology July 7, 2006
- Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder JAMA Psychiatry November 4, 2020
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: six-month follow-up. Psychopharmacology November 8, 2017
- Global Street Food: la cocina de la calle Diseño interior 2009
- Psilocybin-occasioned mystical-type experience in combination with meditation and other spiritual practices produces enduring positive changes in psychological functioning and in trait measures of prosocial attitudes and behaviors Journal of Psychopharmacology October 11, 2017
and 10 more in the library