GLOBAL AYAHUASCA: WONDROUS VISIONS AND MODERN WORLDS. By Alex K.Gearin. Spiritual Phenomena. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2024. Pp. xiv + 280. Hardback, $90.00; Paperback, $22.50.

Ayahuasca, originally used in Indigenous Amazonian rituals, has spread globally and is adapted in diverse cultural contexts. In Peru, it remains tied to Indigenous traditions and shamanic tourism. In Australia, New Age retreats emphasize environmental spirituality and reconnection with nature. In China, corporate users employ ayahuasca for personal growth and workplace success. Gearin's ethnographic research examines how ayahuasca rituals are transformed by Western consumerism and therapeutic demands, highlighting the interplay between cultural adaptation, spiritual practice, and commodification. The book contributes to understanding the globalization of Indigenous practices and the evolving role of psychedelics in modern society.

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Abstract

Gearin, an Australian medical anthropologist, specializes in the globalization of psychedelics and intercultural ethics in medical tourism. He earned his PhD in Anthropology from the University of Queensland in 2015 and has conducted fieldwork in Australia, Peru, and China. Global Ayahuasca represents a culmination of his ethnographic research, offering a comparative analysis of ayahuasca's transformation as it moves beyond its Indigenous Amazonian origins into diverse global contexts. Gearin's work bridges anthropology, religious studies, and global health, offering a unique perspective on the interplay between cultural adaptation and spiritual practice. Structured across six chapters, Global Ayahuasca explores the cultural and spiritual dimensions of ayahuasca used in three primary settings: Indigenous communities in Peru, New Age spirituality in Australia, and corporate therapeutic contexts in China. Gearin begins by tracing the colonial and postcolonial roots of ayahuasca use, contextualizing its spread into global shamanic tourism. Through rich ethnographic detail, he examines the interplay of Indigenous traditions and Western consumerism, highlighting how ayahuasca rituals are adapted to meet the spiritual and therapeutic demands of international participants. In subsequent chapters, Gearin delves into the integration of ayahuasca into modern therapeutic practices, exploring its role in addressing mental health, professional development, and cultural disconnection. He illustrates how corporate users in China approach ayahuasca as a tool for personal growth and workplace success, contrasting sharply with Australian retreats that emphasize environmental spirituality and reconnection with nature. Global Ayahuasca is a significant contribution to religious studies, anthropology, and psychedelic research. Gearin's interdisciplinary analysis and emphasis on the socio-cultural dynamics of ayahuasca use make this book an essential reading for scholars and practitioners interested in the globalization of Indigenous practices, the ethics of spiritual commodification, and the evolving role of psychedelics in modern society.