Hitting Bowls Blog | Sankofa Mind + Body

Son of Oxóssi – Candomblé Orisa Reading

My trip to Brazil was work! Of course, there was enjoyment, but my main focus was to work and learn. My journey centered on indigenous medicine exploration and African spirituality. In November 2019, I was introduced to Ifá—a moment that happened by chance but sparked a deep curiosity. That curiosity led me to travel across [...]

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 [...]

Eye of the Beholder: Sananga Plant Medicine

Discovering Candomblé: Foundations in Afro Brazilian Religion

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 [...]

So… I Tried Kambo

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 [...]

Ayahuasca Ceremony – Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

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

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 [...]