Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons^™

Experiences Of Healing With Ayahuasca In The United States, Rebecca Galinanes

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Ayahuasca is a psychedelic brew originating from the Amazon in South America. Commonly associated with religious use among indigenous and mestizo populations, ayahuasca has made its way to the United States, where it is currently criminalized as a Schedule I drug. Nevertheless, a church in the United States provides ayahuasca to its members as both a sacrament and tool for healing through spiritual retreat weekends. Based on participant observation and semi-structured interviews with church members, volunteers, and staff in 2023, this thesis examines how members perceived the healing they experienced during multiple ayahuasca ceremonies and interactions with church volunteers and …