The  Effect of Words on Reflective Ayahuasca

The ayahuasca or spirit vine (Banisteriopsis caapi) is the world’s most versatile material in the production of spiritual art and art with intent or message. It is as if the plant is sentient and all its parts do seem to have a life of their own–even if dried and supposedly inanimate. Ayahuasca Spirit Art (1)

Ayahuasca Spirit Art (1).avi from Benito Maray on Vimeo.

Ayahuasca is an infusion of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine, often used along side with various plant admixtures (See Nicotiana rustica, Brugmansia, Psychotria viridis, Diplopteris, Mimosa hostilis, Alchornea floribunda, Cyprus sp.). Ayahuasca is used as a folk medicine and religious sacrament during healing ceremonies by Amazonian tribes. The use of the vine as a psychedelic sacrament is now becoming popular in the west and throughout the world. The word Ayahuasca (Pronounced a.ja.wa.ska) means Vine of Souls or Vine of the Dead for its ability to allow the shaman to enter sacred realms, to heal, to divine and to worship.

Ayahuasca Spirit Art (2)

An experiment was done to determine the qualitative effect of words on reflective ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis caapi), namely the quality of images produced. The constants were a leaf of ayahuasca, distilled water, steel bowl and silver coin. The variables were flash and without flash captures and sets of words chanted. The determination was that words indeed influence the quality of the images produced.

Materials and Methods

Materials were ayahuasca leaf, stainless steel bowl, distilled water, silver coin, digital camera, and five sets of words to utter.

The ayahuasca leaf was placed at the bottom of the stainless steel bowl and weighed down with the silver coin. Distilled water was then poured into the bowl almost to brimming. The digital camera was positioned at a constant angle. One at a time, each set of words was then uttered or chanted repetitively for at least 50 times, at the end of which the camera, focused on the water surface, is clicked first without flash then with flash.

Results and Discussion

In all instances, the visuals produced for each capture were vivid. Figures 1 and 1-a were for set words A; 2 and 2-a for NMRK; 3 and 3-a for B; 4 and 4-a for AZB; and 5 and 5-a for CAV.

Also, the determination is for the set of words that produced the most outstanding visuals, and on this, the set words NMRK (Buddhist mantra) came out on top. This is a qualitative assessment by the experimenter. However, since the criterion is qualitative, the reader might discern otherwise.

In closing, words DO have  qualitative effects on the reflections/visuals  the ayahuasca produced.