Interview with an Ayahuasca Curandero
Ronin, or Ronin Niwe, is one of what might be described as the new breed of ayahuasca curanderos. These are mainly people who are not native to the Amazonian region of South America and who have undertaken apprenticeships, often under the tutelage of ayahuasca shamans trained in the traditional way. This apprenticeship, when done properly, is a very demanding and rigorous commitment that requires many years of experiential learning.
I have now participated in three ayahuasca ceremonies with Ronin Niwe and have had several very interesting conversations with him. My strong sense is that he is one of those who are doing this right—nurturing the tradition with integrity, respect, and humility. This is an important point because, as you’ll hear in the audio clip Interview with an Ayahuasca Curandero, it appears that not everyone involved in this work does have the proper training, and in some cases the intention of some self-appointed ceremony leaders may be questionable.
Ronin generously agreed to sit down with me to answer questions about a range of topics, including his personal relationship to ayahuasca, optimal internal and external conditions (set and setting) for beneficial encounters with the medicine, how ayahausca does its healing work with people, the issue mentioned above about the need for proper training and right intention for ayahuasqueros, and the potential role this plant medicine may play in the years to come.
I’d be very interested in hearing listeners’ comments and questions about this interview. Ronin himself suggested we get together again after I’ve had some feedback. I’d like to go back to him in a few months with a fresh batch of questions, so please post your questions in the comment section following this.
For those interested in learning more, I will be continuing to add content here at the Returning to Sacred World website. My book, also called Returning to Sacred World (due out from O Books this November 2010), has several in-depth chapters on the plant medicines and one chapter specifically on ayahuasca.
I’d also like to direct your attention to a very interesting DVD by Richard Meech called Vine of the Soul: encounters with ayahuasca. Richard gained permission from Ronin’s teacher in Peru, Guillermo Arévalo, to film several ceremonies using an infrared camera. With the addition of a number of highly informative interviews, this film is about as realistic a look as one could get into the ayahuasca experience, short of going to South America and doing some ceremonies oneself. I’ve watched an advance copy of the DVD. I believe its official release date is slated for fall 2010. Richard’s website for the film is www.vineofthesoul.com.
I’ve also transcribed a text version of the interview on this website if you’d prefer to engage it that way.
June 27th, 2010 - 3:17 pm
Very grateful for this sober and informative interview.
The vegetalista tradition is disappearing, as so much of the little knowledge of our origins still left in the world. It is wonderful to listen to this humble and intelligent man.
Thank you.
June 30th, 2010 - 3:58 am
I liked the focus on the integration of the ayahuasca experience, and the question of what has shifted in the everyday life. I would love to hear more commentary on the potential for people to become overly attached to the experience of the medicine and miss the point of the teachings. Richard Meech’s Vine of the Soul film touched on this; the one man’s wife complained that he was living from ceremony to ceremony and not actually addressing the things he claimed to be doing the work to heal.
+1
July 17th, 2010 - 10:56 pm
As with most any spiritual meditative path I think many would agree that the hardest work lies in the integration of any ‘insights’ into our overly busy and distracting lives. As for my experience, the medicine will certainly continue to push you along, maybe with repeated ‘lessons’ but offered with ever increasing dimension and depth. I considered myself most completely ignorant until that first magical night with Ayahausca. Given the profound touch of this work in my life my enthusiasm to learn more is very strong.
There can be no question that this work will bring one closer to their heart. As we let life’s stresses affect us we continue to move away from our heart and back to a point of disharmony. The medicine allows one to learn more about oneself and offers tools to aid you in holding your centre.
I appreciate the Oscar Wilde quote Stephen and firmly believe that all suffering, disharmony or mishaps have the potential to be our best teachers if we remain open and aware. For myself all my the negative forces that come into my life are there to force me to accept and open my heart even further, as hard as that can be sometimes. I have learnt from my work with Dave and this medicine that the darkness can be our best teacher and facing it, including ones fears, forces you into your personal power.
Thanks for the work Stephen.
With Meta
Colin
July 18th, 2010 - 5:03 pm
Some sharp and well expressed insights Colin. Thanks for writing. Stephen.