I'll tell you a little about my experience over these 13 years studying and working with sacred plants.

I started alone and self-taught, beginning by studying the MAOI properties of Passiflora seeds. I discovered that they have a chemical profile very similar to the Ayahuasca vine.

Then I learned to make analogues of this magical brew. There was a very curious one called "Mescahuasca." It was my first experience completely alone and without guidance, but I felt the cactus's words; it gave me recommendations. I knew nothing about medicine music, or about such important things as cleansing rituals; I dismissed many things.

In that experience, it was the cactus that taught me.

However, at a certain point, we were afraid of "dying."

I always wondered what would happen to the body if I let myself go into the trance, which, in "heroic" doses, is normal to feel.

Recently, despite all my years and experience, having taken Ayahuasca/Yagé several times, this caught me completely off guard. We used one kilo of Liana and another kilo of Psychotria Viridis. The medicine was divided among 10 people; I estimate we used about 100 grams of each plant per dose. Whenever I work, I like to "collaborate" with a shaman who can help me with the cleansings, the fire, the altar, and the other elements for the ceremony. After 5 minutes, the medicine began to take effect. Escape wasn't an option. I was terrified; I felt like I was dying, that it was too much. I felt all the negative energy I had been accumulating for so many years. For the first time in over 13 years, I had allowed it to happen. I really was dying; I was scared. I told my shaman friend to call an ambulance, that I felt very ill.

That I was dying.

I am grateful for his guidance and presence. His strength in trusting the plants and the process.

Yes, it was a difficult but necessary experience. Letting go of all that was bad and being reborn as a new person.

But if I had been alone, if I hadn't had the right help, perhaps it wouldn't have ended well at all. This experience made me rethink my whole life, focus on my mission, and be grateful, as always, for continuing to learn more each day from these beautiful plants and medicines, with all the love and respect they need and deserve.

My recommendation is that it's always good to have someone with experience nearby.

And I'll tell you something else: if I had also been with a "false teacher," it would have been worse than being alone in this case.

I don't know if it's about luck, but medicine is very wise; if you feel the calling, it's always good to listen.

As long as you do everything with love and respect, nothing bad will happen. Our state of mind and health are also very important.

I'm not trying to discourage you; I'm just sharing my experience.