Month: November 2009

Brazilian Ayahuasca Music

Authors: Beatriz Caiuby Labate, Institute of Medical Psychology, Heidelberg University, Germany (http://bialabate.net) and Gustavo Pacheco, National Museum/Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Publisher: Mercado de Letras, Campinas/SP, Brazil Year: 2009 Format: 11,5 x 21 cm Support: German Research Council (DFG) and the Collaborative Research Center “Ritual Dynamics” (http://www.ritualdynamik.de). 120 pp. ISBN 978-85-7591-125-9 Price: U$ 16,00 (to be confirmed) + shipping fee Summary: This pocket book highlights the theme of music in the ayahuasca religions of Santo Daime (both the Cefluris and Alto Santo groups) and the União do Vegetal (UDV). Although most studies of the ayahuasca religions recognize the centrality of music in their rituals, the study of the music itself has generally been secondary to other themes, rather than the central focus that it is here. A rich cultural manifestation, ayahuasca music reveals multiple connections with Brazilian religiosity and with the musical expression of the Northeast and Amazonia, and has been one of the principal elements highlighted by recent efforts to designate ayahuasca as immaterial cultural heritage of the Brazilian nation. The book …

Bia Labate site and newsletter

Dear Friends I invite you to join the newsletter of my site. From time to time I send some news about my writings and my activities, about the universe of ayahuasca and psychoactive substances in general, legislation on drugs, important cultural events and conferences etc. Usually I do not send too much messages, and they do not follow a regular calendar. I just news that I consider really relevant, some messages go in English and some in Portuguese. You can sign the Newsletter by subscribing through the site’s right margin (http://bialabate.net) Best wishes, Bia Labate http://bialabate.net

Don Pablo Amaringo makes his Passage.

Don Pablo Amaringo, one of the most significant artists of our age, shaman of the highest order, and teacher to many, died November 16th. The world of art has lost a truly original visionary – a seer in all senses of the word. I think we all join together in wishing him a safe passage to the other side of the river… -Laurence Caruana Many blessings, thoughts and love to those who knew him personally. His art will continue to inspire wonder in many generations to come.

Therapeutic caapi tea: a prototype – Material and Method

More and more people are using or consider using ayahuasca tea as an alternative medicine for different therapeutic purposes: depression, Parkinson’s disease, ageing-related cognitive decline, etc.

Yet most of these actual or planned uses are relying on the rich pharmacodynamics of the caapi vine and don’t necessitate the preparation and use of a standard mix. Rather what is needed is a caapi tea specifically designed for these purposes.