DOI - Mendel University Press

DOI identifiers

DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7509-881-8-0048

Traditional Indigenous Medicine of the Peruvian Amazon and its Potential for Psychological Treatment and Personal Growth

V. Kavenská

This contribution explains the context and basic principles of traditional medicine of the Amazon. In particular, it focuses on the hallucinogenic vine ayahuasca, traditionally used by indigenous communities in the Amazon as a tool for healing, establishing contact with spiritual life, and for many other purposes. In the last decades, there is rapidly growing interest in ayahuasca observed among people from other cultures (Europe and the US in particular), who come to the Amazon to undergo the ayahuasca ritual. This contribution demonstrates ayahuasca's psychotherapeutic potential, and shows the possibilities of ayahuasca in structured therapeutic community for drug addicts (Takiwasi). There are potential benefits and risks for individuals undertaking ayahuasca expeditions on their own (“shamanic tourism”). The motivation of these individuals is mentioned in the text.

Keywords: traditional indigenous medicine, ayahuasca, psychological treatment, shamanic tourism, benefits, risks, motivation

pages: 48-57, Published: 2014, online: 2022



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