Sociopsychotherapeutic Functions of Ayahuasca Healing in Amazonia

Ayahuasca healing rituals among Amazonian groups serve both social and psychotherapeutic functions by providing the entire community access to transcendental experiences that have integrative and cohesive effects. The article examines the preparation and application of ayahuasca, symbolic adaptations to social change, the role of singing, the perceptive mode during the visionary state, and the structure of visions. Healing effectiveness is explained through Western scientific and sociopsychotherapeutic perspectives. Ethnopsychology offers insights into archaic healing rituals and can illustrate transcendental experiences and pathological drug use in modern societies.

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Abstract

The social and psychotherapeutic functions of healing rituals with ayahuasca among Amazonian groups are examined, and their healing effectiveness is explained in terms of Western scientific and sociopsychotherapeutic perspectives. The article includes an overview of the preparation and application of ayahuasca, the symbolic adaptations to the process of social change, the role of singing, the perceptive mode during the visionary state, and the structure of the visions. It is noted that the healing activities provide the entire community access to transcendental experiences, which clearly have integrative and cohesive social functions. Ethnopsychology provides important insights into the functions of archaic healing rituals, and can be used to illustrate the transcendental experiences and pathological use of drugs in modern societies.