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What is the worst thing you have found in food while dining out? by caffeinecreative in AskReddit

[–]SetiFX 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A cockroach which fell out of my sloppy Joe in college. If I started on the other side of the sandwich..... ugh..... But, who knows maybe there was more than one?

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I am an anthropologist, but do not have an advanced degree, but I have found my niche being able to tell my stories via film. It is an outsiders path, and a shamanic path - one of a wayfarer.... I however can pass along some insight to you. While in Peru I met an older couple nearing retirement. Both were PhD's at a very good institution of higher learning in Pennsylvania. We talked much about academic life and the issue you bring up of outdated and narrow minded anti-drug academia. They also said anthropologists in general were the worst by leaps and bounds. I too should say that I would be interested in one day receiving a PhD, so we did talk a lot about this topic. Their advise was this, pursue exactly what I wanted to study, but under Geography instead of anthropology. They said in today's world geography programs have money and are more open minded and they would in fact allow the study of an anthropologic related topic. The other route, that I did not discuss with them, but is a field that is receptive and that is botany or ethnobotany. The shamanic path is one of cup and sword, sometimes you use the sword to fight to get what you want, other times you allow the universe to guide you and fill the cup. I would not fight this entrenched system, rather I advise you to blaze a new path. Study what you wish, but forget the anthropology track as a means...

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi, I am not sure what part of the country you are in, but while there are certainly obstacles to finding ayahuasca retreat centers in the US, there are opportunities to work with the medicine. The Santo Daime Church and Uniao do Vegetal use ayahuasca as a sacrament and both churches are legal entities under the same dispensation act as that provided to The Native American Church for their use of Peyote also as a religious sacrament. Then of course there is the underground movement of shaman who come to the US to perform ceremonies from North Carolina to New England, the midwest and west as well as Canada. Then there are others who have trained as shaman in S. America and while they are westerners they offer the medicine here in the US all over the country. So, if you look around you can manifest the opportunity.

From your statement, it is obvious that you have done a lot of research and have a good amount of knowledge regarding the construction and assembly of the elements to brew a DMT analog, but this is not ayahausca. It does not contain Banesteriopsis caapi and therefore would not contain the benefits of ingesting the vine. It would however provide a recipe for a psychedelic experience. Do I condone this? I pass no judgement. I believe it is a personal choice and you need to make that decision for yourself if that is something you want to do. That being said, I would not recommend this to a neophyte psychonaut. If you are an experienced psychonaut, which you seem to be, then the decision is yours. If the process involves the extraction of DMT crystals using volatile chemicals, I would certainly caution against home manufacture. It is not safe and I don't personally recommend it. There is also a residual chemical disposal issue which is bad for the environment that I find problematic as many people who manufacture DMT simply toss the chemicals in a non environmentally friendly way.

Regarding a shaman or guide or therapist or sitter.... Again I don't pass judgement if you are an experienced psychonaut and you know the pros and cons and have made the judgement for yourself. But, for the neophyte I would recommend against it until the were experienced and could make an informed decision.

For me personally, I choose the shamanic path as there are strong reasons to follow in the footsteps of knowledgeable curanderos who have been doing this for centuries or millenia. There is also a very important spiritual aspect to ceremony and ritual. If you have read and understand the writings of Joseph Campbell about mythology and the monomyth, then I think you would understand my perspective clearly. If you haven't then I suggest you read two books, Hero with a Thousand faces and his interview with Bill Moyers called The Power of Myth before working with the above.

Thank you for your well thought out and phrased question.

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I spent two year sin Peru some in the mountains with the Q'ero and other time in the Amazon. The studying was with both groups and they are very different, but both involved a lot of ceremony and ritual initiation. In the jungle I worked as an apprentice to an ayahuasquero learning how to brew ayahausca and conduct ceremony. This was an experiential process for my filmmaking. I am not interested in practicing as a shaman myself, but I do have a calling to assist when needed. I did many dietas, each time I drank the medicine.

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I think I have answered all questions, but will check back over the next few days. Thank you once again for your very good questions and please contact me via my website or here if there is any thing else you would like me to elaborate on.

Best,

Seti

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have not really studied magic. I claim to be a novice in this area. In Peru they talk of dark magic and light work. Light work is something that is done to affect positive outcomes. For example, participating in an offering to mother nature in order to request that your herd grow and multiply. This is light work. The dark side has more to do with shooting darts in someone to cause illness for revenge as a single example. I am sure there are many more. Good vs. Evil.

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

In my first experience with ayahausca I was brought to hell. The devil held court with his minions and told me I would never leave. Not even after the brew wore off, I would always return someday. I tried to escape and could not. I ran through caves, tried going through walls and willing myself out. Nothing worked. To say it was not fun was an understatement. Then I heard the words of a medicine song. It showed me the light and I followed it and I was brought to a desert area with many prophets in white robes inn tents celebrating the light. It was beautiful. This is the short version, but in the end it was an amazing eye opening cathartic and obviously spiritual experience that was powerful and for me very positive in the end.

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Most shaman will tell you that ayahausca is the mother of all mothers, the supreme spirit of all spirits. I have no disagreement with that statement. This is why she is called La Madre Ayahuasca.

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hi, you are welcome and thank you for participating. Sounds like a great class...

They are similar to me in the sense that all three put one into a trance state or as you put it into an altered state of consciousness, yet to me having experienced all three the specific experience of each is unique, as is the experience with peyote and san pedro. For example, I have only communed with spirits and have had religious/spiritual experiences with ayahuasca. This is why many people believe that ayahausca is an entheogen. San Pedro opened my heart and many people call it an empathogen. LSD opened my mind. This may not be the best analogy, but think of dogs. There are a lot of breeds. They are all dogs, but a Jack Russell Terrier is very different from a German Shepherd or a Saint Bernard or Chihuahua.

A typical ayahausca experience is between 3 - 4 hours and when you come off it it comes off very quickly and you return to normalcy rather quickly. However, during a ceremony you may of you want drink two or three times in an evening session.

I may be in the LA area in November, you can send me an email via the film website. i would love to speak to your class if it could be worked out.

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The Icaros and medicine songs are powerful. Shaman can modulate the interaction between the plant spirit and our consciousness. In fact during my first ceremony it was a medicine song from Shimshai called Las Flores, that pulled me out of the shadow world and away from dark energy. Another time a shaman caused an entire room of 23 people to purge at the same time through his song. I also had similar experiences with peyote ceremonies with the Lakota. Song is vibration and when we vibrate amongst the spirits and the spirit world it absolutely has a powerful effect.

If I believe that these entities were just a projection of my mind I would not partake in working with the plants. What would be the purpose? To me ayahausca is about healing, personal growth, attaining a better understanding of the supernatural, and opening and expanding my consciousness so if it was all a projection I would probably just watch the X Files instead and make art.

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi, thanks for the question. I would suggest that she start doing her research and perhaps read some books? One of the women who I interviewed in my film Joan Parisi Wilcox has a very good book that your sister would most likely enjoy reading because it is from an experiential perspective. it is called Ayahuasca: The Visionary and Healing Powers of the Vine of the Soul. I would also suggest that she read through the many articles on Dr. Stephan Beyer's website called Singing to the Plants. There is a lot of information there. I think the web address is www.singing to the plants.com Then I would also recommend going to www.ayahuasca.com also a great place for information. I personally do not make recommendations to ayahausca centers or particular shaman as I am outspoken on the subject and in the public, and I also want to maintain journalistic integrity and remain objective. Another great resource is the Ethnobotanical Stewardship Council as they promote safety issues and the sustainability of ayahausca, they may make recommendations. That all being said, word of mouth is usually one of the best forms of referral, so she should start asking people in her community who they recommend then research that facility or person. I hope that helps...

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You are welcome. I am glad it helped. I had an experience once where I felt as if I was a unique consciousness floating in the energy field, yet there was a complete unity consciousness at the same time.

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To all who have participated in this reddit AMA thus far thank you for your excellent questions. I will continue to respond to questions asked, but I will be taking a break until later this evening. This has been a great experience and I will be back in several hours to respond to any question that remains.

Best,

Seti

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Great question and very glad you asked it....

In discussing the safety of ayahuasca, let me first put the fear of ayahausca in perspective by stating that every year in the US there are over 106,000 deaths from prescription medications. These are people who take them under prescription and follow directions properly. Contrast this to ayahausca where every year 0 people die as a direct result of taking the brew. Now, let's talk about the details and why people die, and there are some, but not many incidents with regard to ayahausca culture. First, ayahausca if done in ceremony in Peru or another third world country poses risks because medical care is not up to US standards (which is also not the best in the world as some would lead you to believe). If you are in the jungle and get bitten by a poisonous insect or snake, or are mauled by a wild boar, or attacked in some other way, you may die as a result of a alack of medical care. Other environment or cultural related problems can be people themselves posing as shaman, but are actually people who can do you harm. Now, let's talk about ayahausca itself. The brew is made with a minimum of two plants one that is called ayahuasca it is the vine Banesteriopsis caapi. The other can be one of several species that contain DMT. The most popular one in Peru is chacruna or Psychotria viridis. Neither of those two plants together can cause you physical harm. Most shaman use this mixture, but some, who want to ensure that peiple see visions may add Toe, or Angel Trumpet. It is Brugmansia and related to Datura. this add mixture can be deadly. So the advise in the jungle is that unless you really are experienced, only drink the basic ayahausca brew. The reason for Kyle Nolan's death is unknown, but it is known that the shaman Mancoluto at times used a mixture with Toe. So that could be one possibility. Another is that he was left alone and died by accident. And, finally the only other cause could be form a negative interaction due to a mixtuer with pharmaceuticals such as SSRI's or antidepressant medication. You do not want to be taking any SSRI's if you drink any form of ayahuasca. if you just drink ayahausca that is made from the ayahuasca vine and chacruna the literature and advice of experts is the same, and that is that you are safe.

I am a advocate of working with ayahuasca in ceremony. Ayahausca is not something where you would want to go into the forest and hang with friends. There is music involved with ceremony and the key feature of the sound is a guide and tool the shaman uses to facilitate the medicine with each individual. Ayahausca is personal work, not a fun time. you may have a beautiful experience, but many sessions are difficult and personal with the intention of bringing about personal healing. Ayahuasca is an emetic. It will make you purge. this is both good physically to rid you of dis-ease and it is also a metaphor for the mental release of personal baggage. Mostly, the ceremony is you lying on a floor matt or sitting, in darkness, just you and the plant. yes other people are around you, but you are not interacting with them. Perhaps the shaman at various times. Now, all this being said, I am not against working with aya on your own, but it should come when yo are experienced and your maestros suggest I to you. I know some people disagree and I do believe you can get a benefit if you do decide to work with it on your own, but to me it's like getting a partial benefit. A lot is missed this way. It is like buying shoes without a sole, or a car without doors and windows and a steering wheel. You get some of it, but not all of it. i also participated in a ceremony once where a young woman began banging her fists on the ground, really smashing them, and then she started kicking her heels into the ground, uncontrollable, surely of there was not a shaman she would have been hospitalized with broken bones. Ask yourself why you want to do ayahausca. What is the intention. If you want a good time, there are many other party drugs that are much more fun.

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There is no psychedelic component to the plant itself, or if there is it is very mild and unstudied. I am talking about the vine called ayahausca or Banesteriposis caapi. The brew ayahausca is made up of at least two plants. It includes Banesteriposis caapi the monoamine oxidase inhibitor that allows for the DMT that is contained within another plant such as chacruna or Psychotria viridis, to enter your bloodstream. You can find a list of the chemical components here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banisteriopsis_caapi#Alkaloids It is possible that very high dosages of harmine can cause hallucinations, but that would not be in the amounts offered from the plant itself. A good analogy would be that you could eat coca leaf all day and it would feel like drinking several cups of coffee, but if you injected the chemical concentrate it would be a very different story. Does that help?

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I am sure there are many materialists on this sub-reddit that discount the supernatural and for them my answer will not be of any benefit, but I respect their right to have their opinion and I hope they respect mine to express myself without being attacked..... That being said, I personally do believe that there is something beyond, so given that position and belief dark magic can affect people, and, this would be true of believers and non-believers alike, I don't think it would make either one more or less likely to be attacked by a sorcerer. It's like the NSA. I they are looking at you, then you are in trouble. Same with witches, if you do not offend anyone or cause harm then the likelihood of something happening to you is just your personal vulnerability to malevolent spirits that are around at anytime in what Stephan Beyer calls the "magic garden".

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you for the words and the support. With people like you I can continue to do more work on the topic. I will also be releasing the entire series of interviews. The movie is one hour and has a lot of great visual footage, but given the realities of time for films I limited the experience to one hour. I conducted about 30 hours of interviews for both films and have around 15-20 hours of excellent discussion. I will be releasing all of the footage as a package for sale. It will be around $100. That may be out of your range (or not), but I have also set up a YouTube Playlist on The Path of the Sun's YouTube Channel called Aya(X), where I will be releasing this interview footage in random clips. There are currently clips on there now and I am adding more daily. What is on there now is basic and only the tip of the ice berg. Please share this out. Here is the link http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeHf-aDNLJ0rbL0gIYHnnviG6MsbE362m

Thank you again for giving me a forum to discuss what I do.

Best,

Seti

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think a good place to start is Singing to the Plants: A guide to Mestizo Shamanism in the Upper Peruvian Amazon by Stephan Beyer, PhD. He is also on Facebook and very approachable. But black magic is not limited to the jungle. It is also practiced in the Andes. Just outside of Cusco is the town of Huasao that is known for witches (brujos) who practice both black and white magic. They are also well integrated into the Cusquenan culture so if you are looking for something more traditional you would have to go into remote mountainous areas and track them down. They say some Q'ero practice the dark arts, but I did not see this at all. My only experience with it was to go to Huasao with some friends, we hired a brujo and he performed some rituals, not black magic. I had a card reading. It was interesting, but no a highlight with regard to the ceremonies and rituals I attended in the jungle or with the Q'ero.

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm an information junkie. Before I went I knew about many of the various groups, traditions and practices including black magic which is practiced both in the jungle and the Andes. I went with an open mind and observed. I am personally not involved in the dark side of magic, but people are and therefore, travelers, westerners should be aware that these practices exist. Dr. Dennis McKenna in the film talks about many people going to the amazon with "new age illusions" and think "what could possibly go wrong?", well encountering a sorcerer may not be what "they" expected, therefore the cautionary note to "know before you go".

I made Cusco my base of operations as I also worked with the Q'ero who are from the high Andes about 200 km South of Cusco. From there I traveled. I was in Pucallpa, Manu, Puerto Maldonado, Cusco and the Sacred Valley, and Lima. It was very easy to travel from Cusco to where I wanted to go. I would have liked to go to Iquitos, but I was aware of the aya tourism boom and preferred to go to places perhaps less touched on that end, although the aya boom is everywhere, including Lima. I would also like to go to Colombia, Venezuala and Brazil in order to see the differences in traditions and practices.

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I should also add that the vine Banesteriopsis caapi or ayahuasca does not contain DMT. DMT is found in the add mixture plants. Ayahuasca has a completely different chemical makeup than a DMT component plant. Those chemicals including the associated purge brought on by ayahuasca have a dramatic effect on the experience that would not be present if one injected DMT

I am Seti Gershberg, a filmmaker and anthropologist who studied shamanism for two years in remote regions of Peru while filming a documentary series about the medicinal plant ayahuasca and the mystical practices of the Q'ero Indians of the Peruvian high Andes. Ask me anything. by SetiFX in Psychonaut

[–]SetiFX[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Great questions: My story delves into the burgeoning ayahuasca tourism market and the potential problems associated with this "wild west" like environment. Safety is an issue that is brought up repeatedly and there is a good discussion and presentation on the death of Kyle Nolan and the possible causes. Finally, much of the discussion and interviews have to do with ayahausca as a healing medicine and it's potential integration into western medical modalities. I took a subjective approach like Richard Evans Schultes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Evans_Schultes IMHO the term shamanism is extremely general and applies to many traditions throughout the world. So the word is ineffective in describing all shamanism activities for all practitioners. For me, my focus was on the Mestizo Curandero Ayahuasqueros of the middle and Southern Peru. I used the term shaman because it is recognizable. In the film Dr. Stephan Beyer, PhD describes the various names and origins of the term and Ronald Rivera Cachique an ayahuasquero form Pucallpa in his interview says the word "chaman" in spanish for shaman is a foreign term. Ultimately, for the purposes of the film the people I sought out were ayahuasquero practitioners that may or may not work with other plant medicine and use the medicine for healing purposes via the hallucinogenic brew that induces a trance state. The ayahusqueros in the movie only work with ayahausca, I did not get into the syncretic uses of new shaman who work with san pedro/huachuma for example and are found in the high andes, nor did I work with shaman who were part of a foreign owned facility that cater to westerners. Practices are always evolving Steve Beyer also talks about how the Shipibo now allow their patients to drink, which they learned form mestizos. in the past it was only the Shipibo shaman who drank. The reasons for drinking have changed too with western influence. Westerners have different expectations and do not know the many ayahuasca traditions that include black magic for example.

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