In this post, we take a look at the immediate effects of drinking the Ayahuasca brew.
But first this: it’s important to understand that each person reacts differently to Ayahuasca, which depends on their size, weight and health, habit of taking Ayahuasca, and the type, mixture, amount and dose of Ayahuasca taken. Reactions also depend on the user’s intention and mindset, and on the environment in which one drinks Ayahuasca.
It’s also significant to know that the intense effects of Ayahuasca are not considered negative by the indigenous cultures that use it traditionally. By contrast, they believe that the intense physical, emotional, and psychic phenomena are part of the Ayahuasca healing process and are necessary for personal transformation.
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In any case, within about thirty minutes to one hour after consuming the Ayahuasca tea (or brew), people usually start to experience a range of physical, emotional, psychedelic, and spiritual phenomena. The effects reach a peak, coming in waves, and then slowly subside, a process that can last between four up to ten hours. Mind that the intensity and the type of experiences are very different for each individual.
On the physical level, many different things may occur, sometimes recurring or alternating, such as nausea, retching, vomiting (aka purging, which is often seen as one of the most important parts of the treatment), laughing, crying, feeling hot or cold, increased heart rate and blood pressure, increased body temperature, sweating, trembling, diarrhea, chills, tingling of the extremities, burping, gas, and shaking.
On the psychological and mental level, pleasant and unpleasant hallucinations and visions may occur, euphoria, hyper-alertness and awareness, dream-like or profound introspective experiences, feelings of connection and unity with people, nature, or the universe, the experience of ego dissolution, or the feeling of having interactions with supernatural beings, entities, animals, plants, spirits or demons.
The Ayahuasca experience can also cause resurfacing of old, undigested trauma or past memories, and the person can experience alternating feelings of anxiety, panic, paranoia, and fear, or peace, euphoria, and joy.
