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Comment by temp0826 | Hacker News Reader

The experience is highly dependent on dosage (it's harder to fight the big dose) and on how willing you are to let go (of everything- all your storylines, loved ones, your life itself). The freakouts and struggles you see on youtube happen when one can't fully give in to it. IME, after the (very intense) come up, it is pure love and bliss. Going all the way feels like dissolving into god, and coming back you feel indescribably light and reborn. It's quite literally an ineffable experience at points, as if it turns off your mind (ego death/dissolution?) and you experience life temporarily from the heart with a completely non-dual view. (YMMV, I love the stuff but I also have a bit of experience in these more intense states; I work at a traditional ayahuasca healing center and usually drink 4 times a week). It's definitely not a recreational substance.

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I should qualify, I've been a practitioner for quite a while now, so I've crossed over many times. Above ego dissolution threshold, a lot of stuff feels pretty similar, but each molecule definitely has its own character.

My personal preference is a mixture of caapi paste and a citrus juice extraction of p. cubensis and dried kratom leaf. The progression is quite fast and it can be incredibly intense but the body load and nausea are much reduced.

Where is this center located? Near Iquitos by any chance? And in that case, do you have Starlink, and if so, what speeds do you get?

We're actually located in southern Mexico, a couple hours from Belize (our maestros dieted and trained with a maestro near Iquitos, and operate in that lineage). But we do have starlink here and it's miles better than what we previously had. I don't have numbers handy, it does vary a bit throughout the day (but is very reliable nonetheless).

4 times per week? That's insane, how do you cope with that? Is it always equally pleasant?

It's definitely not for everyone haha. You get a rhythm with it, take lots of naps etc. The medicine does give you some energy to do the work, and you generally feel good from the vine. We take a couple months off a year and don't usually drink during those breaks. It's hardest when we ourselves are also doing master plant diets (even more restrictive than the usual "ayahuasca diet", no salt/oil/etc).

Always equally pleasant? No of course not. Some nights it's unbelievable and profound. The "hard" nights are still good as we're still learning to clean the things causing it. It's rarely mundane and (through the tradition we practice) there's always something to do, in ourselves or for our guests.

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