Ayahuasca Retreats: The Role of Awe and Mystical Experiences in Well-Being.
Brant Maclean, Amy T Wilson, Andrew P. Allen, Vikki Schaffer, Lee Kannis-Dymand
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs April 16, 2025 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2025.2491378 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 60 |
| Population | Individuals who attended at least one ayahuasca retreat in a country where ayahuasca use is legal or retreats are approved |
| Intervention | Ayahuasca |
| Topics | Ayahuasca Mystical experience |
| Keywords | Awe Mystical experiences Well-being, ayahuasca retreats Psychedelics hallucinogens Entheogens Well-being wellness Mental health Psychological health Consciousness-altering substances Spiritual encounters Divine experiences |
| Key findings | Higher levels of mystical experience with lower perceived vastness were significantly associated with higher well-being. |
Abstract
Research on the positive psychological effects of psychedelics has surged since the early 2000s, particularly regarding increased well-being. Studies have demonstrated how psychedelic-occasioned mystical experiences play a key role in their positive effects, which has prompted an interest in the emotion of awe in the psychedelic context due to its similar phenomenology and associated benefits. This study examined 60 individuals following their visitation to at least one ayahuasca retreat in a country where ayahuasca use was legal or retreats are approved to use ayahuasca, hypothesizing that not only high levels of awe but mystical experiences characterized by high levels of awe would be significantly associated with higher well-being. Neither hypothesis was supported: higher levels of mystical experience with lower perceived vastness, a facet of awe, was significantly associated with higher well-being, possibly highlighting the synergistic relationship between mystical experiences and perceived vastness on well-being. The study has implications for future research, particularly in terms of understanding how the perceived vastness of a person's psychedelic experience may be modulated to mitigate distress and foster well-being.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on ayahuasca, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antidepressant effects of a single dose of ayahuasca in patients with recurrent depression: a preliminary report Patients with a depressive disorder | 2015 | Observational study | |
| The Psychedelic State Induced by Ayahuasca Modulates the Activity and Connectivity of the Default Mode Network Experienced subjects | 2015 | Observational cohort | n = 10 |
| Human Psychopharmacology of Hoasca, A Plant Hallucinogen Used in Ritual Context in Brazil Long-term members of a syncretic church that uses hoasca as a psychoactive sacrament... | 1996 | Observational cohort with matched controls | n = 30 |
| Ayahuasca-Assisted Therapy for Addiction: Results from a Preliminary Observational Study in Canada Rural aboriginal population | 2013 | Observational study | |
| Personality, Psychopathology, Life Attitudes and Neuropsychological Performance among Ritual Users of Ayahuasca: A Longitudinal Study Regular ayahuasca users and active controls in non-ayahuasca religions | 2012 | Observational cohort | n = 242 |
Citations in the library
Cites 38
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2014
- Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 23, 2012
- Psilocybin with psychological support for treatment-resistant depression: six-month follow-up. Psychopharmacology November 8, 2017
- Mystical experiences occasioned by the hallucinogen psilocybin lead to increases in the personality domain of openness Journal of Psychopharmacology September 28, 2011
and 33 more in the library