Ayahuasca Chat with Bari Muka Yuxiba

      Ayahuasca Chat with Bari Muka Yuxiba

      During my last visit to Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, I had the opportunity to spend more intimate time with my friend and Huni Kuin shaman, Bari Muka Yuxiba. Bari led my most recent ayahuasca ceremony in February alongside Cacique Paruaña. The timing of my ceremony felt divinely orchestrated, coinciding perfectly with Bari’s visit to Salvador. Before [...]
      Experiencing the Power of Rapé (Ha-Pay)

      Experiencing the Power of Rapé (Ha-Pay)

      Six years ago, I was introduced to the plant medicine rapé (pronounced Ha-Pay) in Massarandupio, Bahia, Brazil, by Cacique Paruana, a Kariri Xocô shaman. My first experience was so powerful it left me in awe—and, truthfully, a little scared. The intensity! From setting my intentions to receiving those sharp blows, I was launched into an [...]
      Getting into Ayahuasca, What is it?

      Getting into Ayahuasca, What is it?

      Ayahuasca is a powerful psychoactive brew made from two key plants native to the Amazon rainforest: Banisteriopsis caapi, a vine that contains harmala alkaloids, and Psychotria viridis, a shrub whose leaves contain dimethyltryptamine (DMT). When combined, these plants create a brew that induces profound alterations in perception, consciousness, and emotional states. The brew is traditionally [...]
      Huni Kuin Tribe – Brazilian Amazon

      Huni Kuin Tribe – Brazilian Amazon

      Photo by Gaby Arriola (@photographic.gt) The Huni Kuin, also known as the Kaxinawá, are an indigenous people from the Amazon rainforest, primarily located in the western part of Brazil, particularly in the state of Acre, but they also inhabit parts of Peru. They are part of the Panoan linguistic group, and their language is called [...]
      Kariri-Xocó Tribe – Bahia Brazil

      Kariri-Xocó Tribe – Bahia Brazil

      The Kariri-Xocó are an indigenous people from the northeastern region of Brazil, primarily in the states of Alagoas and Bahia. They are part of the Kariri group, which historically inhabited a broader area of northeastern Brazil, and are considered part of the larger Tupi-Guarani language family. The term Kariri-Xocó refers to the union of two [...]
      Genipapo for Spiritual Ceremony Preparation

      Genipapo for Spiritual Ceremony Preparation

      In Brazil, genipapo (Genipa americana) holds significant spiritual and ceremonial value in indigenous and Afro-Brazilian traditions, where it is used in the preparation for medicine ceremonies and healing rituals. The plant is seen not only as a powerful ally for physical purification but also as an important spiritual tool, playing a role in aligning one's [...]