A cure to all that ails you can be found in Iquitos, Peru

I am currently in Iquitos, Peru. Originally I had the idea to come here for a getaway and in my nativity thought, since I have not read or seen much about it on YouTube, that it would not be a hotbed of tourists.

If you are wondering the same, it is on fire, with tourists. Many have never been to Latin America and have come to Iquitos for one particular thing. Ayahuasca.

If you have never heard of it, which I am sure almost everyone has nowadays, thanks to Joe Rogan. According to a quick google search, it states:

Ayahuasca (pronounced ‘eye-ah-WAH-ska’) is a plant-based psychedelic. Psychedelics affect all the senses, altering a person’s thinking, understanding of time, and emotions. They can cause a person to hallucinate — seeing or hearing things that do not exist or are distorted.

I am sure there is much more that goes on, as I know there is, so don’t come at me for not being a detailed-oriented scientific research dissertation.

I will discuss not Ayahuasca but the people who come for this. Where to begin?

I will start by saying I spent two days at a hostel, and I have stayed in over 100 hostels all over the world, and this is the only one I could not leave fast enough, and not only that, I felt like I escaped a mental institution, seriously.

I am a bit dramatic and exaggerated sometimes, but this is no dramatization.

First of all, if you want to do it, do it; I don’t care what you do with your body; I let that go when I was a failing health coach, and everyone wanted the secret, quick fix, magic bullet.

Well, guess what? They found it, Ayahuasca.

Oh, and let me tell you, they will all tell you their reasons for needing it and their desires, yet not one of them mention ¨I have done the work, have a therapist, spiritual practice, connect to nature, have been working on my self for years, no they tell you how good they hear Ayahuasca is for all things that ail you¨.

Can it? Sure, why not? I am not an expert. I am sure they would say ¨she needs it more than the rest of us because she is resistant,¨ the same bullshit all spiritual gurus tell you, right?

So yes, I can feel your anxiety seething from your pores, and it’s making me anxious because you are a hot mess, and I am not sure how you have survived this long. Lord have mercy, seriously.

I got up yesterday morning to some kid talking on the phone (oh, and a new thing in hostels, everyone telling their business to whoever is on the other end, in a public space). He was talking to his parents and justifying his reasons for being here and why he needed it.

Anyone who has to make justifications usually sends red flags to me; I know I used to justify myself all the time, and sometimes still catch myself and then stop. Do it; stop justifying, seriously.

Some of these people need intense therapy, yes. But, unfortunately, it appears it is the only thing most of them want to do to ¨fix¨ all their trauma and demons.

Ok, maybe I am just pissy because it’s been over 100 degrees for about three days, and I am old and cranky; who knows?

I may be a cynic, or I have done so much work on myself that will accumulate to years and years and YEARS.. and continuing, and I know what it’s like to feel hopeless.

I do not want to surround myself with people who are at that point; maybe I am selfish, but their low energy brought me down; I usually can protect myself, but when it’s about 10 to 15 people with the same power, and then I was so excited to get here, it just gets killed.

Don’t worry; I left that hostel today. I am still feeling annoyed and frustrated the clawing dark energy will slowly dissipate; however, I have not felt that type of darkness in a very long time.

Is using traditional medicines to heal a good thing? Yes, 100%.

Do I think it is a good thing to come into a culture that you know nothing about and know that it’s a big money-making racket, as well as not know the Shaman from a hole in the wall, bastardize the culture, take what you want, and then leave? Is this a good idea? Hell no.

It’s a dangerous game, a very slippery slope. Yes, most all come out fine and have a ¨major transformation, ¨ but do I believe it’s the cure for everything again? No.

I spoke to a man in Ecuador who told me about the ceremony, as it is his culture. A lot say the practice is so deeply spiritual and rooted so deep into them that they don’t even want to do it until they are ready, which takes a while more than a one-week diet or even six weeks. It’s all-encompassing.

None of these tourists spoke the language or tried; they did not want to eat the local street food nor learn about the country they were coming to and expecting to have a revelation.

Ok, off my rant.

I am not perfect, I have my issues, but I do not look for magic bullets nor air my dirty laundry in public spaces, just on the Internet 😂🤗.

Yet you have the choice not to read or read. If I am in public, I can walk away unless I am having breakfast in the hostel public space kitchen, and the therapy session is at the table next to me. I have a lesson to learn here and will meditate on asking people to take their private business to a secluded area.

I am now at a hostel with a rooftop and open space, and I just witnessed the most beautiful sunset. The hostel has two other people living in Iquitos for months. So the vibe is light and fresh.

Damn, I am cranky.

Originally published here.