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daily low-dose maintenance of ayahuasca (1 tbl-spoon) - experiences?
After reading Tony Wrights book Left in the Dark (recommended), I found Holly Paige's blog Food for Consciousness, where the following suggestions are made:
''The pineal gland is known as the ‘gateway to the soul’ and the third eye. Opening up the pineal gland means basically to open up our consciousness. Because it has become chronically inactive it is under producing some important biochemicals such as melatonin, dimethyltryptamine DM(DMT) and pinoline.
One way to start is with ‘Happy Tea’ - passion flower, (which contains analogues of pinoline) mixed with St John’s Wort. Don’t drink more than three or four mugs a day of this tea – as with most herbs moderation is a good idea. Pinoline is a MAOI or mono-amine oxidase inhibitor. Monoamine oxidase is an enzyme which breaks down certain neurotransmitters. When MAOI’s are introduced the neurotransmitter levels go up. MAOI’s also occur in raw cacao - one reason raw chocolate makes people feel good.
DMT is a neurotransmitter which is still produced in larger quantities by the pineal gland during peak experiences and may be necessary for optimal brain function. It is created in small amounts by the human body during normal metabolism and is in some natural food sources but is broken down by monoamine oxidase. If MAOI’s are being taken in the DMT has more chance of staying in circulation and reaching the brain. MAOI’s should be consumed separately from animal products including dairy, fermented products, and soy products.
To increase the effect you can move on to supplementing with small daily doses of ayahuasca brew. This can be made up by boiling up two herbs - banisteriopsis caapi and psychotria viridis - together with the juice of an acid fruit such as oranges for several hours. The banisteriopsis contains MAOI's, the psychotria DMT. One tablespoonful of a weak brew first thing in the morning is a good starting point. It is important not to consume animal, dairy, soy or fermented products at the same time. In large doses ayahuasca can produce very dramatic effects including visions and a substantially altered sense of perception but in these small doses it just wakens the brain up a little, enhancing mood, creativity, inspiration, visual perception, and practical effectiveness.''
So, one of the main hypotheses of the book is that modern humans, a.o. because of our diet (no longer the natural chemical cocktails of our rainforest ancestors), are chronically deficient in essential (for functioning at our optimal level) hormones and neurotransmitters, like: melatonin, DMT, MAO-i's. One way to try to restore this is by eating a primarily raw food, fruit-rich, low-fat, vegan diet. Another is taking supplements. All are about engaging the dormant but superior right hemispere (by practicing meditation, dancing, singing, daydreaming, mindfulness etc.), and quieting the disfunctional left hemisphere.
My question is: has anyone of you ever experimented with the approach suggested above - taking a spoonful of a weak ayahuasca brew every morning? How was it, were there any effects, both positive and negative?