BLOG
What Is Ayahuasca? An Introduction to the Grandmother Medicine
You may have heard Ayahuasca called the Grandmother medicine — sometimes she arrives with gentle tenderness, other times with tough love, and always with a depth of unconditional care. In a single evening, this mysterious brew can take you through emotions, visions, and insights that shift how you see your past, your present, and even your future.
Why I Started Writing About This Medicine
In my journey as a retreat host & coordinator, I’ve had hundreds of conversations about this particular plant medicine. Seeing so many common themes that run through the discussions, I decided to start a blog - a place where I can write about the topics that come up the most, and things I find, personally, to be worth sharing.
Here you will find my lens of the experiences….
What Is Ayahuasca?
Why not start at the beginning? A basic introduction to this deep and mysterious brew.
Sometimes referred to as a tea, as the components are a vine (Banisteriopsis caapi) and a leaf (from the Chacruna plant), and water. Steeped down in big pots in a ceremonial process that can last for days or a week, the cook (called a Feitio) is a whole topic in and of itself.
The distilled version is that the medicine is cooked with a tremendous amount of care, intention, prayer, song, joy, stillness, and love. An abundance of love.
Why It’s Called the Grandmother Medicine
You may have heard Ayahuasca called the Grandmother medicine, the reason being that she gives you exactly what you need - sometimes it’s the gentle tenderness of a Grandmother when you need that type of healing, and other times it’s the smack upside the head, so to speak, of the “tough love” that Grandma’s also can dish out. And all points in between, from a place of maternal, unconditional love.
What Happens in Ceremony
In the course of a ceremonial evening, which is held by highly skilled facilitators and a support team, a lot can transpire. I will touch on details of this, piece by piece, over the future blog posts.
But for now, simply put - guests arrive to the space with a variety of intentions on why they are there, and the medicine has a keen ability to work with each person’s very individual process. It is a visionary journey, meaning there is the possibility of experiences from our past, present and future coming up to be seen and felt.
The Healing Potential
The healing aspect of it is that we are able to process through that in a way that is entirely new to us. If at one point a situation had an emotional strong hold, for example, we may be able to experience it from a new perspective, more objectively, that allows for a true and lasting release. This alone is the reason why many, many people seek out the experience, as you can imagine the significant therapeutic benefits of that.
What It Can Feel Like
It can be emotional, it can be full of bliss. It can be like a fountain of insights are raining down on you, with clarity and direction for your life. It can feel challenging. It can feel like an immensity of peace and liberation on the other side. It can be all that, and so much more.
Closing Thoughts
For me, this topic is one of the most near and dear to my heart.
This blog is only the beginning. In future posts, I’ll share more about the ceremonial process, the role of facilitators, and the many layers of healing that can unfold.
Ayahuasca is not just a drink. It is a living tradition — woven with intention, love, and the potential for profound transformation.